http://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1641852425605611541
Biyernes, Marso 31, 2023
[Shaffer] Greg Roman on Lamar Jackson: “Honestly, he was safest out in space on the move because he was in control as opposed to in the pocket with his eyes downfield, hoping someone doesn’t run into the back of his legs.”
https://twitter.com/jonas_shaffer/status/1641841140839088143?s=46&t=DMzKILyEihBw9OIfj0hfjg
[LeBron James] Welp guess my blue ✔️ will be gone soon cause if you know me I ain’t paying the 5. 🤷🏾♂️
Well it looks like Bron isn’t a fan of the new Twitter updates spearheaded by Elon Musk. Talking into consideration that he still uses the free version of Spotify, it’s not surprising that he would have this take lmao
[PFT] The Ravens reportedly tried to sign QB Baker Mayfield, but Mayfield declined an offer to join the Baltimore depth chart.
https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1641216846132125710?t=vX4yDHE2vhn4Suuocq5LRA&s=19
Huwebes, Marso 30, 2023
[Reggie Wayne] Will y'all stop @'n me to tell the Colts to get Lamar. I have no way of making your wish come true. Hell... I'm still trying to get my kids to listen to me... Let alone a organization.
https://twitter.com/ReggieWayne_17/status/1641454331001176067?cxt=HHwWhoDQpY2Bz8ctAAAA
Daily Discussion Thread + Game Thread Index
Game Threads Index (March 30, 2023):
| Tip-off | GDT | Away | Score | Home | PGT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:30 pm ET | Boston Celtics | PRE-GAME | Milwaukee Bucks | ||
| 10:00 pm ET | New Orleans Pelicans | PRE-GAME | Denver Nuggets |
[Bontemps] Embiid edges out Jokic by 2 points in ESPN's final MVP straw poll of 2022-23
In the season's first straw poll in December, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum led the way by just 92 total points. At the time, that margin was the second smallest of any of the previous 12 straw polls conducted since the 2016-17 season. (The closest came in the middle of last season, when Embiid led Jokic by 35 total points.)
The vote swung toward Jokic in the second poll, taken just before the All-Star break. Jokic claimed 77 of the 100 first-place votes, with Antetokounmpo (11 first-place votes) finishing second and Embiid (six first-place votes) third.
At the time, Jokic's lead was seemingly cemented and so was his bid to claim the award for a third straight season.
But a series of factors have caused the race to tighten dramatically.
There was snapback from Jokic's big lead in MVP odds, as multiple straw poll voters expressed that there is a higher bar to clear for a third straight MVP. Denver lost four straight games and five out of six earlier this month. Philadelphia, for its part, won eight straight games against the league's hardest post-All-Star schedule, per ESPN Stats & Information research.
[Meirov] Travis Kelce trying to name all the NFL head coaches is the best thing you'll watch today
https://twitter.com/mysportsupdate/status/1641475178671620102?s=46&t=c6u_ZPfe66L1zoYVUXseig
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was in Oakland Yesterday and was Asked if the Kids Ask Him for Tips on the Skyhook: “They’ve forgotten about anything that doesn’t say three-points on it. I’ve got to go across the Bay and slap Steph Curry for him changing everyone’s mind about how to play the game.”
https://ift.tt/yIHjYOi
[PFT] The Lamar Jackson/Baltimore Ravens end game includes the possibility that he won't play in 2023, 2024, or beyond until he gets an offer he won't refuse. Which possibly won't ever happen.
https://twitter.com/profootballtalk/status/1641456379205435392?s=46
Miyerkules, Marso 29, 2023
[Malzhan] #Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy on how he expects the locker room to handle the QB change going from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love: "Its a major change. I think our players are excited. Majority of our players are close to Jordan. They like him and they want him to have success."
https://twitter.com/KyleMalzhan/status/1641110685563101188?t=lW8JPG6hKk4654vOu4jv5Q&s=19
Al Horford: "Game 7 (2018 ECF), 4 minutes to go in the 4th. I'm looking at Smart, Jaylen, Tatum, Terry, myself...we're gassed. I'm looking at the other side, LeBron is just leaning on the scorers table very casual. He's played every single minute, and looked unfazed. It was disturbing."
https://youtu.be/wyifjnZ8adw?t=85
[King] Jaylen Brown: “Sometimes when people write articles, they get taken out of context, especially when writers have their own agendas. For me personally, I’m thinking about clarifying some of the things that have been recently said.” When asked what he wanted to clarify, Brown declined to share.
“I feel great,” Brown said. “I’m on a 50-win team right now that you can’t take for granted. Tonight was the 50th win. And right now I’m focused on helping to lead my team for another playoff run. In terms of speculation, et cetera, I can’t speculate on anything above what I’m doing right now. I think sometimes when people write articles they get taken out of context especially when writers have their own agendas or whatever. So for me personally, I’m thinking about clarifying some of the things that have been recently said. But other than that, I’m just focused on my team. I’m focused on playing basketball and winning games.”
When asked what he wanted to clarify, Brown declined to share.
“Nothing right now,” Brown said. “Right now the only thing I want to clarify is that the Celtics need to play better and win more games. If I want to say something in the future about the kind of things that have been floating around I will. But in terms of right now, I like when people hear things from the horse’s mouth and you can see my reaction, my face and everything how I feel about what I’m saying. Sometimes those things can get lost in translation, you know? So if I feel the need to do so I will. I keep constant communication with my teammates and my organization and we’ve gotta have everybody on board if we want to do what we say we want to do. So right now I’m focused on that.”
[Giardi] 6 weeks ago, I was covering the Super Bowl for @nflnetwork. This week, I was informed that I'm being bought out as part of the long rumored budget cuts. I gave them my very best. I'll give the same going forward. Greatly appreciate those who believed in me. On to the next.
https://twitter.com/mikegiardi/status/1641068489476657152?s=46
Martes, Marso 28, 2023
[Pelissero] NFL owners just approved the proposal to allow players to wear Number Zero, I’m told.
https://twitter.com/tompelissero/status/1640782077187723264?s=46
[Charania] The Nets have ruled out Ben Simmons for the remainder of the season. Simmons is beginning a rehab program on his back, Nets coach Jacque Vaughn says.
https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1640755534583197696?s=46&t=3MN91oJhL7tCeLgkvFUZ_g
[Robinson] A deal between the #Packers and #Jets to swap Aaron Rodgers for two high(second round) draft picks is taking shape. But one lingering hangup is whether the Packers will agree to some draft “give back” protection if Rodgers doesn’t play in the 2024 season. Details:
https://twitter.com/CharlesRobinson/status/1640562135779643392?s=20
[Schefter] The Josh Harris/Mitchell Rales group, which nows includes Magic Johnson, officially has submitted a fully-financed bid that meets Dan Snyder’s $6 billion asking price, per source.
https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1640745903492575232?s=46&t=J0p2oFk2S-oTfiSeDu017g
Lunes, Marso 27, 2023
[Meirov] #Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel when he heard how much the Commanders could sell for: “Wow, the organization is worth that much?? And I couldn’t get free coffee?” 😂 McDaniel worked in Washington from 2011-2013.
https://twitter.com/mysportsupdate/status/1640406191913463808?s=46&t=wzhGlLvcmDNRt7i6cTAe9Q
[Wojnarowski] ESPN Reporting with @Ramonashelburne: The showdown of MVP frontrunners is off tonight: Sixers are ruling out Joel Embiid (calf) vs. Nikola Jokic and Nuggets. Embiid attempted to work out this morning, but team is taking a precautionary approach given density of recent schedule.
http://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1640412800672583680
[Kevin O’Connor] At last month’s trade deadline, the Nets reportedly said no thanks to four first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, and the Raptors refused three for OG Anunoby. The landscape of NBA trades has shifted dramatically in recent years. Two firsts don’t get you as much as they used to.
At last month’s trade deadline, the Nets reportedly said no thanks to four first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, and the Raptors refused three for OG Anunoby. The landscape of NBA trades has shifted dramatically in recent years. Two firsts don’t get you as much as they used to.
[Giardi] Would you pursue Lamar Jackson? "I'm not going to talk about players on another team." He is a free agent, Bill. No response.
https://twitter.com/MikeGiardi/status/1640368757250957314
[MikeReiss]Question: What would you say to fans to be optimistic for what's ahead for the Patriots? Bill Belichick: "The last 25 years."
https://twitter.com/MikeReiss/status/1640373921370480640
[MacMahon] I had a scout the other day tell me Luka Doncic is the worst transition defender in the history of basketball.
I had a scout the other day tell me Luka Doncic is the worst transition defender in the history of basketball. I want to say that’s hyperbole, but man, when he gets in all of his feelings and he’s yelling and screaming at refs and he’s not crossing – forget half court – he’s not crossing the free throw line on some of these possessions. He’s playing as poorly defensively as we have seen him play.
Starting at 4:15 of The Hoop Collective
[Ari Meirov] Ravens HC John Harbaugh is speaking now here at the owners meetings: “I haven’t seen the tweet and it’s an ongoing process.” Harbaugh said he anticipates Lamar being their QB for Week 1.
https://twitter.com/mysportsupdate/status/1640366409057472514?s=46&t=Kn6aGl07LOrGYksC8Og5bQ
Linggo, Marso 26, 2023
[Adams] Sources tell me a #Colts plane had an extended stay in Baltimore this week. No reason has been given for the visit at this time but something to monitor moving forward.
https://twitter.com/TheDestinAdams/status/1640031070614700032?s=20
[Caplan] Luka Doncic isn't himself. Walked slowly to the bench at Q1 buzzer, didn't reciprocate high fives, plopped down on a chair separate from the huddle. Looks like a reaction any human might while going through difficult personal time in life, not just a 30-16 deficit to Hornets.
https://twitter.com/CallieCaplan/status/1640045862406504450
[Around the NFL] Chiefs HC Andy Reid gives update on Patrick Mahomes' ankle: "He didn't have to get anything done. He's doing good, he feels good"
https://twitter.com/AroundTheNFL/status/1639998138772762624?t=9ZsEAMzf_lVMkR8JoccL4Q&s=19
[Woj] LeBron James is expected to test his foot pregame to see if he can make his return today, source says.
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1640019803464237057
[Hardwood Paroxysm] The Sacramento Kings have clinched a play-in berth. They will make the postseason.
This was an unexpected yet feel good development of this season. Many including myself thought they’d improve on last season considering their off season additions such as Huerter and Monk along with drafting Murray. However, if anyone saw their current season coming besides the biggest Kings homers you would be lying.
Nikola Jokic is 47-19 (W-L) for 71.2% W in games played. Joel Embiid is 40-21 for 65.5%. Giannis is 44-15 for 74.5%. If we are going to use team records, do it properly.
Source:
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/nikola-jokic-record-this-season
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/joel-embiid-record-this-season
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/giannis-record-this-season
I've seenany comments talk about how close each of their records are but this is not the case for Embiid's MVP argument. Stop giving Embiid credit for the 76ers winning 9 games without him.
If we're going to talk about who has the best supporting cast, Jokic is the only one that will be without an all star, all NBAer or All Defense candidate. That argument and team record argument should clearly go to Jokic.
Sabado, Marso 25, 2023
The Lakers have gone 12-6 since the players they traded Westbrook for became eligible. Anthony Davis has averaged 25/13/2.1 blocks on 60% TS, and the Lakers the ranked 2nd in defensive rating, and jumped from 13th to 8th (tied for 7th) despite Lebron only playing 3 games in this time
Anthony Davis has lead the Lakers to a 66% win rate over this time, without Lebron and even DLo for 8 of the 18 games as well, while also having a DPOY level impact.
Will he make the All-NBA team?
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/nba-team-defensive-rating-over-last-18-games
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/anthony-davis-stats-over-last-16-games
Daily Discussion Thread + Game Thread Index
Game Threads Index (March 25, 2023):
| Tip-off | GDT | Away | Score | Home | PGT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05:00 pm ET | Indiana Pacers | PRE-GAME | Atlanta Hawks | ||
| 08:00 pm ET | Brooklyn Nets | PRE-GAME | Miami Heat | ||
| 09:00 pm ET | Milwaukee Bucks | PRE-GAME | Denver Nuggets | ||
| 10:00 pm ET | Philadelphia 76ers | PRE-GAME | Phoenix Suns | ||
| 10:00 pm ET | Utah Jazz | PRE-GAME | Sacramento Kings | ||
| 10:30 pm ET | New Orleans Pelicans | PRE-GAME | Los Angeles Clippers |
[Murphy] The Cardinals have the 3rd most cap room in the NFL (thanks Kyler Murray contract) and are sellers right now. Yeah, it's rough out there.
https://twitter.com/blakemurphy7/status/1639374866997706752?s=46&t=h2AVKCPrTa7ANwxrgoJ1Ng
[MacMahon] After the 16-point favorite Mavs allowed the Hornets to pull off the biggest upset of the season — and the fans in Dallas booed — Luka Doncic admitted he’s as frustrated as he’s been during his five-year NBA career.
https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1639633988934569984?s=46&t=07DBEZvOkSUlGr63NY7tXw
[Highlights] Devin Hester breaks the single season return record in his rookie season with TWO returns against the Rams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7rc9CVysb4
Biyernes, Marso 24, 2023
[Keith Smith] The Hornets have bewilderingly been sitting on an open standard roster spot and open Two-Way spot for a while. Now, they are down to seven healthy players.
https://twitter.com/keithsmithnba/status/1639251104935575553?s=46&t=YyTA7xPpKfChH916DENNZw
They also lost Dennis Smith due to illness in this game.
It's beyond time to sign a couple of guys. This is just dumb now.
https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1639251921457532928
There is no reason at all for a bad team that is a mile from the luxury tax to sit on open roster spots late in the season. Just being cheap.
They should be bringing players in on 10 days and filling the Two-Way. Churn the bottom of the roster and see if you can find a diamond.
This was the Hornets bench at the end of last night's game. Despite being shorthanded, young prospects James Bouknight and Theo Maledon did not travel with the team, instead staying in the G-league despite being full-contract players.
I have never seen this level of negligence and apathy from a team, even at this point in a lost season. Is MJ saving every penny in anticipation of his upcoming sale?
[Schultz] FA WR DJ Chark is signing with the #Panthers, source tells @theScore.
https://twitter.com/Schultz_Report/status/1639308803224027136
[Lewis] Ben Simmons looking less and less likely to return this season. He still hasn’t started practicing fully yet, limited to individual work.
Injured Net Ben Simmons still hasn’t started practicing fully yet, limited to individual work. And with just nine games left in the regular season, coach Jacque Vaughn hasn’t allowed himself to think about whether there is time for Simmons to get up to speed with his teammates even if he does get healthy.
“That’s the great thing, is I don’t even think that far ahead. I don’t even complicate my life that way,” Vaughn said. “I’m concerned about [now]. If those questions present themselves, I’ll be more than willing to see how it fits with the group and answer them at that time. But I don’t want to look that far ahead.”
"It is not with teammates, so I’ll say that piece of it. So, he hasn’t scripted with our group, our second group, first group, or anything of that nature,” said Vaughn, who said the injured point/forward hasn’t made any significant improvement or taken any notable steps in the past week.
“Ben is in the same position he was the last time I talked to you, nothing further to comment on. I don’t think I can give you anything else. There’s been no … there’s been no nothing to add, really.”
[Schultz] FA WR Nelson Agholor is signing with the #Ravens, sources tell @theScore.
https://twitter.com/Schultz_Report/status/1639301538513403909
I’m a Clippers fan. Our entire fanbase is appalled at how much playing time Marcus Morris gets. What player on your favorite team is getting too many minutes when they don’t deserve it?
For us, Morris doesn’t play D, doesn’t hit open 3s, doesn’t do anything really, yet Ty Lue still gives him 30 mins a night.
Who on your favorite team is getting playing time when they should be riding the bench?
[Jacob Tamme] People don’t like the way their fellow employees are being laid off at Google. Which reminds me of a story from NFL cut day… 🧵
https://twitter.com/JacobTamme/status/1639245357539287040
Huwebes, Marso 23, 2023
Pat Bev on James Harden: “There was a time when he wasn’t even doing step-backs… we was playing ones and s—, my first two years in the NBA and every move I did I finished with a step-back… ‘Aye, P. Why you always stepping back?’… I hit him up a year ago… He goes, yeah you were onto something.”
Why is bro capping so hard in broad daylight 😭😭😭😭
Does he really think we'll believe that James Harden got his moves by stealing them from Pat Bev of all people 💀
https://twitter.com/PatBevPod/status/1638619170140196865?s=20
There was a time when he wasn’t doing step-backs… we was playing ones and s—, my first two years in the NBA and every move I did I finished with a step-back… ‘Aye, P why you always stepping back’ , I hit him up a year ago and he goes, yeah dawg you were onto something.
[Garafolo]Bryce Young did not weigh in this morning at Alabama’s pro day. He’ll stand on his 204 pounds from the Scouting Combine.
https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/1638935252834951172
[Michael Malone] “I think this year unfortunately has just taken a really ugly, nasty turn in the MVP conversation, and I think it’s really turned a lot of people off, including him [Jokic]."
“I think this year unfortunately has just taken a really ugly, nasty turn in the MVP conversation, and I think it’s really turned a lot of people off, including him,” Malone said of Jokic. “And what’s happening now is there’s so many guys that could win the MVP this year — great candidates. Joel Embiid is a great candidate. Luka Doncic is a great candidate. Jayson Tatum — whoever you want to put in that mix, those are all deserving. But what happens in today’s society is that everybody — it’s like when I was a college coach — all the negative recruiting, it’s not promoting my guy, it’s ripping down every other guy. And that’s just ridiculous.
Do you agree with Malone now that the MVP conversation has gotten to the point of just ripping down other players ?
2023 32 Teams/32 Days: Pittsburgh Steelers--Replacement Refs Style
Pittsburgh Steelers
Division: AFC North
Record: 9-8 (3-3 Division), 3rd place AFC North
Playoffs: Never rely on Joe Flacco to get you in.
First, thanks to u/ehhhhhhhhhhmacarena for letting me sub in on this for the 2nd time in three years. Maybe next year we'll get it right the first time. 😘 LINK TO HUB
General Season Review
The 2022 Steelers season was seen largely as a rebuilding year. No Ben. TJ missing a lot of time. OL not really a work of art. Offensively there are only 3 starters on their 2nd contracts, so the team is very young there. The Front seven on defense was/is severely lacking depth behind TJ, Cam, and Highsmith. The DBs outside of Minkah and Edmunds were largely unknowns, gambles, or value signings. Nothing about this team screamed “playoff chances until the last second of the season”. But that’s exactly how it went. They were alive until the clock struck zero on Jets-Dolphins in Week 18.
Mitchell Trubisky won the starting QB job out of camp, and as the veteran with the most starting experience on the roster, that makes sense. He was the safe choice. The staff has seen what they get with Mason. KP was a rook and you don’t want to shellshock him too soon. But you know what you get with a QB like Mitch. An uninspired offense that doesn’t move the ball quickly at all. Once KP arrived at half in Week 4 vs the Jets, the team was his. Sure the box score doesn’t look all that different. But if you have a choice between a vet who doesn’t do much, and a rookie who at least looks the same and improving? Take the upside.
KP improved every week and limited his mistakes. He ended up taking more control of the offense and had 4 fourth quarter comebacks/game winning drives, in weeks 9, 11, 15, and 16. Talk about improvement.
But the team still started 2-6. Finished 7-3 to go 9-8. Missed the playoffs. Nobody is “happy” with missing the playoffs or a barely .500 season, but given the situation, it wasn’t a bad season. Lots to love about this year. Some nice role players stuck out, the stars did what they do, and the franchise’s future showed lots of good things.
Draft, Free Agency, and Trades:
Draft: (I get into most of these guys in the roster breakdown later on)
-
Round 1, Pick 20 overall: Kenneth Shane Pickett, QB, Pitt: AKA “Kenny Fucking Pickett” AKA “THE PICKLER” AKA “BIG KEN” AKA “DADDY”.
-
Round 2, Pick 52 overall: George Pickens, WR, Georgia: “He’s a quality young man.” – Mike Tomlin
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Round 3, Pick 84 overall: DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M
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Round 4, Pick 138 overall: Calvin Austin III, being fast, Memphis
-
Round 6, Pick 208 overall: Connor Heyward, TE, Mich. St.
-
Round 6, Pick 198: Mark Robinson, ILB, Ole Miss
-
Round 7, Pick 232: Chris Oladokun, QB, South Dakota St.
Free Agency:
-
James Daniels, RG, Bears: $26.5mm/3 yrs, $8.75mm gtd
-
Myles Jack, LB, Jags: $16mm/2 yrs, $6.5mm gtd
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Gunner Olszewski, RS, Patriots: $4.2mm/2 yrs, $1.6mm gtd
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Levi Wallace, CB, Bills: $8mm/2 yrs, $2.97mm gtd
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Mason Cole, C, Vikes: $15.75mm/3 yrs, $4.57mm gtd
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Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Bills: $14.29mm/2 yrs, $5.25mm gtd (up to $27m total w/ incentives)
Midseason Trade:
-
August 30, 2022: Traded a conditional 2025 pick (7th round) to Vikings for OT, Jesse Davis
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August 30, 2022: Traded a 2023 6th round pick to Broncos for OLB, Malik Reed and a 2023 7th round pick
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November 1, 2022: Traded Chase Claypool to Bears for a 2023 2nd round pick (32nd overall, thanks Stephen Ross). 🚨YINZER DANCE PARTY🚨
-
November 1, 2022: Traded a conditional 2025 pick (6th round) to Commanders for William Jackson III and a conditional 2025 pick (7th round).
* no conditions satisfied with WJ3 hitting IR like 2 weeks after arriving, Washington basically flew him to the Steelers.
Stats: per pfr and football outsiders
Offensive Stats:
| Stat | Value | Per Game | Lg. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Yds | 5484 | 322.58 | 26th |
| 1st Downs | 345 | 20.29 | 15th |
| Total Passing Yds | 3411 | 200.64 | 24th |
| Total Rush Yds | 2073 | 121.94 | 16th |
| Pts Scored | 308 | 18.12 (ouch) | 26th |
| TDs Scored (Pass) | 28 (12) | 1.64 (.71) | 29th 🥲 |
| Turnovers (INTs) | 19 (14) | 1.11 (.82) | 4th (17th) |
| DVOA | -0.3% | n/a | 18th |
| DVOA after BYE | 6.6% | n/a | 10th |
Defensive Stats:
| Stat | Value | Per Game | Lg. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yds Allowed | 5617 | 330.41 | 13th |
| 1st Downs | 314 | 18.47 | 5th |
| Total Passing Yds | 3779 | 222.29 | 19th |
| Total Rush Yds | 1838 | 108.12 | 9th |
| Pts Scored | 346 | 20.35 | 10th |
| Turnovers (INTs) | 23 (20) | 1.35 (1.18) | 14th (1st) |
| DVOA | -3.5% | n/a | 12th |
| DVOA after BYE | -14.6% | n/a | 4th |
Weekly Game Review:
Week 1, @ Bengos: WHAT A WIN. WHAT A WIN. Okay, so I was at this game (6-0 all time baybayyyy) and felt gross after. An injured long snapper being the difference maker is crazy. Oh and Minkah going completely fucking super saiyan on the kitties from Eastern Kentucky Ohio. 14 tackles. 10 solo. 1 INT/TD. AND A BLOCKED XP TO SEND IT TO OVERTIME. Boy went crazy. Mike T started the game by stuffing everyones lockers with blacked out Air Force 1s, and Minkah brought that energy. Ja’Marr Chase felt it too when he gave Mink the bird and got 15 yards for it hahahahahahahahahaha.
Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.
Side note: Cincy fans, your city is known for its god awful chili/meat sauce/who cares what it's called. But PBS serves the fucking Walmart brand of it in stadium?? What up w that??
Week 2, vs. Patriots: First week of seven without TJ 🥲. Bill Belichick activated sleeper agent Gunner O to fumble that punt in the third quarter and then the Patriots scored.
Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.
Week 3, @ Brownies: Jacoby “Brisket” Brissett sliced and diced the defense to hand the Steelers this L. Best Browns QB on the roster, hands down.
Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.
Week 4, vs. Jets: Distractions from WRs who weren’t getting the ball and QBs fucking moms should distract the Jets and allow the Steelers defense to take over and win this one pretty handily right? Nope. Wanna know why?
Because:
Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.
Subbed at half. ITS TIME FOR THE PICKLER TO SHINE. No? Maybe next week in Buffalo.
Week 5, @ Bills: Ron Howard: “He did not shine in Buffalo the next week.”
Week 6, vs. Bucs: Kenny got slapped in the head and left the game in the 3rd. But guess what?? MITCH TRUBISKY DOESN’T SUCK AT FOOTBALL AND HE BEAT TOM BRADY AND THE BUCS.
Week 7, @ Fins: This SNF game was honestly not bad despite the box score. Despite the L there was a lot of positive to take from Kenny and his growth, which is what mattered most this year.
Week 8, @ Eagles: I don’t wanna talk about it.
Week 9, @ UPMC Rooney Sports Complex: This is around the time the reports that KP8 had an “office” at the team facility to grind extra tape. Turns out it’s just a desk in the team room. Sorry Russ haters, not today.
LIVE IMAGE OF KENNY WORKING IN HIS OFFICE
Week 10, vs. Saints: Ho hum. Steelers beating Andy Dalton. What’s new? TJ back after missing weeks 2-8 and healthy-ish. Najee finally gets kickin and the offense with it. Not a world beater, but better all around.
Week 11, vs. Bengals: 🚨🚨 30 POINT OFFENSIVE EFFORT ALERT 🚨🚨 Buuuuuuuut the Bengos transformed to the Dark Bengos over their bye and Dark Bengo must have his sacrifice. Top 5 Uni matchup on the year too hands down. Maybebe ever.
Whiteinbred Bengo vs Blacked Out Block Letters. Chefs Kiss.
Week 12, @ Colts: Steelers love beating the Colts. I don’t know what it is about them, but there’s blood in the water. My logic is Indiana is next to Ohio. Steelers hate and historically own Ohio teams. Indy by nature of being near Ohio is basically Ohio. So, the team just treats them like they do any other Ohio team.
Week 13, @ Falcons: The coolest part of this game was the similarities of Connor Heywards first NFL touchdown and his father’s first NFL receiving TD.
Week 14, vs. Ravens: KP got hurt on like the 8th play of the game bc he came down with whatever disability Tua has that doesn’t allow them to properly go down when being tackled. I don’t know if it’s the body weight sack rules, QBs not knowing how to fall, or the spinning twist tackles, something’s gotta change.
Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.
Week 15, @ Panthers: This was a win but it certainly wasn’t because Mitch Trubisky is *good* at football. The Panthers had 21 rushing yards. Even for pass heavy teams that’s bad. So when The Darnold is your QB, you’re gonna suffer.
I mean uhhh the RIGGED NFL STOLE this game from the GEQBUS.
Week 16, vs. Raiders: A lot of us Steelers fans were nervous for this game. The Raiders have been a thorn in Coach Ts side for years. He was 2-5 entering this game against them. But we weren’t gonna let that ruin the Immaculate Reception 50th anniversary game, especially after Franco passed. And in 1972 football fashion, the Steelers won a 13-10 barn burner on a TD pass from KP to GP with :46 on the clock. And then Cam Sutton made that diving INT to seal the deal. Merry Christmas Yinz.
Week 17, @ Ravens: Naj delivers his first 100 yard performance of the year. TJ Watt says this is the first time all year he’s been injury free. Mitch Trubisky is not allowed to suck at football. Life is good.
Week 18, vs. Browns: All the team had to do is win against a division opponent, and pray to god the Bills don’t phone it in against the Patriots. Oh and rely on Joe Flacco to beat the Fins. Never rely on flacco for anything.
Overall Record: 9-8
High Points:
-
Week One was a great surprise after the Bengals trounced the Steelers for all of 2021.
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Kenny’s weekly improvements, especially after the bye.
-
George Pickens.
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Every time Minkah did something batshit insane on the field.
-
The Immaculate Reception game was a great Christmas gift.
Low Points
-
Every snap of Mitchell Trubisky playing football minus the Buccaneers game.
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Losing to the Zach Wilson led Jets.
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ILB play all season was a nothing burger.
-
Chris Boswell’s Groin 2: Electric Boogaloo (sequel to the 2018 original).
Low Points for Yinzers
-
Every day that Mike Tomlin and Matt Canada aren’t fired by the Stillers.
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Any time they think about drafting Najee and Friermuth over Creed Humphrey and Landon Dickerson.
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Every day before November 1, 2023.
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Any time they think about the Jags loss in the divisional round in 2017.
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Any time Jaylen Warren didn’t get 20 carries if Najee was having a bad game.
High Points for Yinzers
- November 1, 2023.
Overall Roster Review:
All-Pros:
-
Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, (1st Team): I don’t think I need to say anything here. Dudes a fucking baller. We love him here.
-
Cam Heyward was snubbed of 2nd team All-Pro. Even Cam himself doesnt understand the criteria.
Pro Bowl Selections:
- TJ (lol) and Minkah
Position Group Reviews:
QB: This is why everyone is here. To read about Mitchell Trubisky. Who sucks at football. He is the definition of a “he can change for me” signing. Uninspiring, not the reason those Bears teams won, and definitely the reason some of these games were lost this year.
But the real real reason we all are here. Kenny Fucking Pickett. The box score is not favorable here. But look a little deeper. 2nd best deep ball passer this year!! Crazy. Watch the games. Watch him progress each game. Not making the same mistake twice. 11 turnovers in his first 5 games. 2 in his last 8 games, which came after the bye. Boy was IN THE LAB. Three 4th quarter comebacks and 4 game winning drives. He may not be on the same trajectory of that young class of elite game changing QBs like Mahomes, Burrow, or Allen. But he good. Oh he goooood. And that flow?? Nothing can stop THE PICKLER.
RB: Naj started the year slow and never really kicked off in a major way. He had a Lisfranc injury from camp that had him wearing a metal plate in his foot until Week 6. But he was still solid on a relatively mediocre offense.
The real story of this group is Jaylen Warren. UDFA from Ok. St. Had to compete with 3 other RBs in camp who all had been on the roster the previous year. Coach T likes to say “2 dogs, 1 bone.” Well Jaylen is the dog with that bone in his mou--- actually not gonna finish that one.
WR: Yinzers will focus on the fact that Diontae Johnson had 86 catches and no TDs. Which is objectively bad. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater on DJ. Pretty much every route he ran was a sideline route, comeback, curl, or something else that yields little to no YAC. He yet again had a great year separating from DBs better than anyone in the NFL. He also continues to show that he never really earned the name Diontae Dropson with his 4.8% drop rate which ranks 75th highest among pass catchers in the nfl.
Pickens just made highlight after highlight this year. He’s a freak. But he suffered from a somewhat limited route tree this year same as Diontae.
Steven Sims was a nice surprise out of camp this year too. Reliable returner mostly, solid in the slot. Carved out a nice role in the offense for himself.
Everyone else here was a body (Boykin, Cody White, Gunner) or injured (Calvin Austin III).
TE: Muth is about as reliable as it gets. Best YAC on the team at the moment. Fights for yards. Had a solid year and looks to continue his growth in year 3.
Zach Gentry was just a body in his first two years in Pittsburgh. Albeit he’s just a 6’8” 270 lb body. But the last two years he’s been a reliable and improved blocker, as well as a solid 15-20 catch type of target. Not gonna light it up, but definitely worth a roster spot.
Connor Heyward was not drafted because he’s Cam’s brother! He’s a solid H-Back type that was used in a lot of different ways this year. Really big fan. He may never be a top end player, but has long time beloved role player written all over him.
OT: Chuks Okorafor continues to be underrated. He plays the less glorified OT spot and isn’t a top 5 in the league, so he must be trash right? Nope. Dude is solid. Worth the extension last spring/summer.
Dan Moore Jr. (DMJ) in year two was about the same as year 1. A big bodied, athletic, raw, and not great LT. He’s gonna get a third year to start, maybe with a camp competition body. Yinzers are sick of him and want a high profile turnstile like Orlando Brown Jr. to replace him. I say wait for year 3.
The Orlando Brown joke was written before the Bengos signed him and I think that it's even funnier now hahaha
iOL: James Daniels was the big signing of the year for the Steelers, and despite a rough start he was really solid. Definitely the best OL of the year for the team, but nobody was exceptional.
Mason Cole's signing inspired none but he played a little better than expected. Tomlin really seems to like him and his communication skills. I think the value he brings may just be stuff us fans don’t see or know since we don’t know the calls.
Kevin Dotson, a fan favorite in the past, lost a lot of fans this year. The left side of the OL was pretty bad overall but there are some who think DMJ may improve with a better running mate at LG. KDot had a good to great rookie year. Oft injured in year 2 and down year 3. He’s probably on his last legs here if something doesn’t change in 2023.
DL: Cam is great and aging like a fine wine, I don’t need to really expand on that.
The rest of the group was interesting to watch. Ogunjobi was nice, especially as a late June add to the roster. I hope he can re-sign in Pittsburgh.
DeMarvin Leal was a tweener coming out of the draft and it showed in his usage. Only ticked up after TJs injury and shuffling of the DL. He was IR’ed for a bit and never really topped 25% snaps in a game but once maybe. He’ll be an interesting developmental piece to watch in 2023.
The rest of the guys did their jobs. Alualu was benched in favor of Montravius Adams. Chris Wormley has been a good rotational guy. Isaiahh Loudermilk made little to no noise this year after a decent rookie year in 2021.
OLB: Everyone likely wants to hear about TJ, but Alex Highsmith gets the first mention here. TJ being out for like half the season called for Highsmith to step up. And he did. 14.5 sacks. A true breakout year and silencing the yinzers who say “just plug anyone opposite TJ and they’ll eat”. He’s in a contract year in 2023 and deserves to be paid. Alex Highsmith was an absolute baller in 2022 and deserves his respect.
TJ was banged up and made didn’t make too much noise this year.
God dammit they need a third EDGE guy to spell TJ/Alex. It’s a bunch of JAGs in that room behind them.
ILB: Speaking of JAGs. Nobody here impressed. People will tell you Mark Robinson made a splash in the Ravens game, to which I respond that he played 26 snaps that game. The ILB group was so mediocre this year I’m not going to expand on any individual past that bit above. Big draft/FA need. Maybe 2x.
CB: Cam Sutton 🥲 was given the outside CB job full time this year basically. And he thriiiived. After being a role player for most of his career thus far, he bet on himself, and is now paid in Detroit. He got to watch Joe Haden play outside for a few seasons and I really think that Steelers era Joe is a good comp for Sutton. Smart, tackles well, versatile. Enjoy him Lions fans.
The rest of the group did well enough I guess. Levi was a solid inside outside guy and took the bulk of the CB2 snaps. A bargain at $4m/year. Thanks Commies for really screwing up Buffalo’s plans there. Ahkello Witherspoon greatly cooled down from his 3 INTs in the last 5 games of 2021. He got some time outside and wasn’t great. Not the worst CB in Tomlin’s tenure, definitely not the best.
I also want to take a side note on Arthur Maulet. He’s not a great NCB. But he brings a lot of energy and fire to this team. He apparently got in some peoples faces in the locker room after a 2022 loss that I refuse to talk about. He really seems to value that accountability and brings a level of leadership that is good on an otherwise young team. He’dnever get a mention otherwise, but I think he deserves some love for what he brings.
S: Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Terrell Edmunds continues to show he is Mr. Consistent. He wears a lot of hats for the defense, is always available, and largely a mistake free player. Yinzers still hate him because he’s a first rounder that isn’t an all-pro, but if every first rounder was at least an available, consistent, career starter, most teams would be fucking loaded.
Damontae Kazee is that third safety Mike Tomlin has been searching for the last few years. Tre Norwood looked like he may be it last year, but Kazee beat him out for the job. He’s a human missile. A violent player. And a full, healthy season ahead should do him well amongst the fans.
2023 Draft Picks:
-
Round 1, Pick 17 overall
-
Round 2, Pick 32 overall (From CHI)
-
Round 2, Pick 49 overall
-
Round 3, Pick 80 overall
-
Round 4, Pick 120 overall
-
Round 7, Pick 236 overall
-
Round 7, Pick 243 overall (From DEN)
-
2023 Cap Space: **$13,952,485 as of posting date*** per otc
Free Agency/Draft Needs:
-
Front Seven needs depth and starters outside of like 3 or 4 guys. So, starting ILB, EDGE3 to spell TJ/Highsmith, and DL/DT since the DL is old with no standout youngsters on the roster.
-
One starting caliber CB, probably/maybe 2.
-
OL depth, potential starters. Mostly LG, maybe C. Yinzers will tell you the OTs are dogshit but they’re more mid than they are bad.
-
WR. Always.
Key Free Agents:
Preface: I’m not making predictions on contracts because that’s a useless practice. I know fuck all about what’s going on behind closed doors of NFL offices, so who cares about contract predictions.
Offense:
Oddly, None? I guess Mason Rudolph but HE GONE.
Defense:
-
Cameron Sutton, CB: As of writing this, he’s already gone. Thanks Detroit. But I wanted to include his name, because I think highly of him and don’t want to minimize his importance. A good player, maybe never an All-Pro, but a long time starter at the position. We watched him grow from a wee little 3rd rounder just growin’ and learnin’.
-
Larry Ogunjobi, DL: A must sign in my opinion. Good depth, Cam is not any younger. Add another DE in the draft and the DL is gonna be nice in ’23. HE STAY
-
Devin Bush, ILB: He gone.
-
Terrell Edmunds, S: Another must sign. He does too much for this defense to let him walk. 🥲
-
Chris Wormley, DL: Solid depth. Came from an inter-division trade. Tomlin told him “that shows what they think of you” and he’s been a pretty damn good depth/rotational piece ever since. Would like to have him back, especially with Alualu likely being toast.
-
Damontae Kazee, S: I think he just needs to come back and play a full season in that 3rd safety role. A full season of expanding on what we saw the last few weeks of the year would be cool and add some wrinkles to this defense. HE STAY
Potential Cap Casualties, Retirements
Offense:
-
Mitchell Trubisky, QB: Dude sucks at football. But if he’s cut there’s Kenny and a bunch of dudes who know nothing about this offense. Yes it would save like $8mm but Kenny and a bunch of bodies behind him isn’t ideal. Unlikely.
-
Gunner Olszewski, RS: Saves only $2mm, but Sims replaced him as a RS. Calvin Austin III should slide into that slot role once healthy. Seems like a mid-summer dump if they draft another WR, which they always do.
Defense:
-
William Jackson III, CB: Been cut. Saved $12mm. Maybe he’ll be back after testing the waters. Who knows, but he’s such an unknown at this point it doesn’t make a difference.
-
Myles Jack, ILB: Saves $8mm but leaves Mark Robinson, a rawwww 2ndyear, and Robert Spillane, professional JAG. I think an extension is more likely than a cut. Jack did lead the team in tackles. But nothing exceptional beyond that.
-
Ahkello Witherspoon, CB: Saves $4mm. He’s a CB3 at best, not really in consideration for the starting spot. Probably survives any cuts til the draft just to be safe.
-
Tyson Alualu, DT: Probably retiring right? Reneged on a deal with the Jags to stay in Pittsburgh. Hurt. Benched. Free Agent. I just don’t see him signing another contract.
Coaching Staff/Front Office review
-
Kevin Colbert, GM: KC finished out DRAFT SZN with a bang. Drafted the QB. Got ANOTHER addition to Kevin Colbert’s School of Wide Receivers Who Wide Receive Good. Started a family reunion with the Heywards. A classic Kevin Colbert Draft Special. God Bless that man and all he did for 22 great years of Steelers football.
-
Omar Khan, GM: Dude got to WORK right away. Active during free agency? Never heard of her. Signed Levi Wallace. Got the DJ deal done. Minkah deal done. Snagged Larry O after he “failed his physical” whatever that means just take the L Bears haha. James Daniels at RG. Boy slinging that money around like it’s not his and it’s on fire. I think all of Steelers fans (Yinzers included) are excited to see what he and Weidl’s approach to FA and the draft is going to be like. More of the same? Same same but different? Who knows, who cares. Let's have fun with it while it’s new.
-
Mike Tomlin, HC: “Hey Coach T. You’re gonna lose your HOF QB. And your HOF pace OLB is gonna miss 7 games. And you’ll trade away your WR2 by Halloween. Your OL is gonna be shit the first 6 weeks of the season. Your WR1 won’t score a TD all year. Your RB1 is gonna have an injury that kills careers in camp. Don’t do too much winning okay?”
\ * Tomlin *: “Haha fuck it we ball.”
-
Matt Canada, OC: There are not many kind things to say about his offense. Route concepts are bad. Play diversity is bad. Playcall sequencing seems bad. But a top 10 DVOA offense the last 9 weeks of the season? He at least earned a chance to play out his contract.
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Teryl Austin, DC: His first year as DC but 4th overall with the team. The defense clearly suffered without TJ for 7 weeks, but overall they were a good unit on the year. Sutton played well and earned his Detroit contract. Minkah is a baller. Levi Wallace is great value. The DBs overall really are just so much better than they’ve been since like 2011-2017 and Teryl Austin deserves a nod for that alone.
Final Thoughts
Draft and free agency are looming. It’s exciting. New GM/AGM, new QB. Tomlin does what he does. There’s a lot of things to be excited about as a Steeler’s fan for the foreseeable future.
Kenny is the focus of the team now. Everything done should be done in furtherance of his development as the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise QB. Better Defense to support him on his bad days. Better OL to keep him upright. Better skill guys to make his life easier. It’s all for him. As it should be. If he’s right, the teams right.
[Highlight] D'Lo during the timeout: "Scott Foster Reffing Yall.. Scott Foster"
https://ift.tt/QcLCG42
Miyerkules, Marso 22, 2023
Daily Discussion Thread + Game Thread Index
Game Threads Index (March 22, 2023):
| Tip-off | GDT | Away | Score | Home | PGT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00 pm ET | Denver Nuggets | PRE-GAME | Washington Wizards | ||
| 07:30 pm ET | New York Knicks | PRE-GAME | Miami Heat | ||
| 07:30 pm ET | Indiana Pacers | PRE-GAME | Toronto Raptors | ||
| 07:30 pm ET | Golden State Warriors | PRE-GAME | Dallas Mavericks | ||
| 08:00 pm ET | Philadelphia 76ers | PRE-GAME | Chicago Bulls | ||
| 08:00 pm ET | Houston Rockets | PRE-GAME | Memphis Grizzlies | ||
| 08:00 pm ET | San Antonio Spurs | PRE-GAME | Milwaukee Bucks | ||
| 08:00 pm ET | Atlanta Hawks | PRE-GAME | Minnesota Timberwolves | ||
| 09:00 pm ET | Portland Trail Blazers | PRE-GAME | Utah Jazz | ||
| 10:00 pm ET | Phoenix Suns | PRE-GAME | Los Angeles Lakers |
This year’s Jets feel like last year’s Broncos
Up and coming team goes out and gets a seasoned veteran QB who has only played for one team his whole career. 2nd year RB that everyone is betting on after flashing in limited time his rookie year. Two young receiver that look like top tier WR1 and WR2 options. Excellent young defense. Lots of similarities.
In the offseason the Broncos were regarded as a potential Super Bowl run caliber team. Latest NFL power ranking bumped the Jets into the top 10 and they have quite a but of hype to go even higher. Could they end up in the same boat next year?
Marc Spears on NBA award voting: I remember an NBA coach telling me, “Well, you better vote for James Harden over Russell Westbrook because James Harden is gonna give you more interviews than Russ does. He’s gonna see who voted for him, and if you didn’t vote for him, he’s going to shun you.”
I don’t vote any more. It’s in a lot of ways because of this. I didn’t feel comfortable voting for awards that affect money and my name being on it. I wanna call it the “Howard Beck Rule” (he pushed for the writers to have their name on it for transparency) but it’s because of this that makes it tough.
I remember an NBA coach telling me, “Well, you better vote for James Harden over Russell Westbrook because James Harden is gonna give you more interviews than Russ does. He’s gonna see who voted for him, and if you didn’t vote for him, he’s going to shun you.”
I had another player — who I’ll leave nameless — tell me “So-and-so didn’t vote for me, he asks for interviews all the time. I’m not doing nothing with him.”
Anonymous player in the last paragraph is definitely Bradley Beal talking about Zach Lowe lol
[Rapoport] #Broncos QB Russell Wilson had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee following 2022, a procedure to fix an issue that had nagged him for a few seasons. He is back working out and throwing after the minor scope and should be fine for OTAs. He'll be at full health for 2023.
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1638559470165925890
[Charania] After missing 51 straight games with a Grade 3 calf strain, Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns will return tonight vs. Atlanta Hawks barring setback in pregame, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Nine games remaining as T'Wolves battle for playoff positioning.
http://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1638561078819823621
Martes, Marso 21, 2023
[NBA Stats] Domantas Sabonis is on pace to become the third center in NBA HISTORY to average 7+ assists per game. He would join Wilt Chamberlain and Nikola Jokic.
https://twitter.com/nbastats/status/1638202113024032769?t=_w5aAOUJE2eEe3xXNQ0-wQ&s=19
[KylePhoenixBarber] According to Gambling.com, the Baltimore Ravens fanbase is the third-angriest online NFL fanbase since free agency began.
https://twitter.com/KylePBarber/status/1638170310410219520?t=e1Pypr860UfC5e5j5pJe2A&s=19
[Domantas Sabonis] "The goal was to change the franchise. The comments didn't matter. What mattered was how much the Kings loved me."
Domantas Sabonis in a recent interview for ESPN:
AS DOMANTAS SABONIS and Justin Holiday flew to Sacramento last February -- hours after being traded from the Indiana Pacers to the Kings in a blockbuster deal for Tyrese Haliburton -- they decided to scan social media for reaction to the trade.
"The comments," Sabonis says, laughing, "were horrible."
Oh my god, we are gonna get booed!" Sabonis recalls exclaiming.
"Dude," Holiday remembers saying, "they are gonna boo the crap out of us!"
WHEN SABONIS ARRIVED, Fox assured him fans would be welcoming.
"We never even talked about the trade," Fox says. "I told him how crazy our fans are -- how much they cheer our team."
Still, Sabonis was nervous about the crowd response before his home debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves. As he taped himself up the way he always did before games, Sabonis was surprised to see the rest of his teammates jog to the court without him; the Kings followed a different pregame routine, and hit the floor earlier than the Pacers had. Sabonis would come out alone, all eyes on him.
"I got a standing ovation -- screaming, cheering," Sabonis says. "I had goosebumps."
"I know what I bring as a player," he says. "The Kings wanted me. They wanted to build the team around Fox and me. The goal was to change the franchise. The comments didn't matter. What mattered was how much the Kings loved me."
Kings are currently the 3rd seed in the Western Conference with a 43-28 record. They will be in playoffs for the first time since 2006.
LIGHT THE BEAM
[Wickersham] Calling the plays that Dont'a Hightower made in Super Bowls “game-changing” somehow doesn’t do them justice. He altered entire legacies, both for the Patriots and for opponents.
https://twitter.com/SethWickersham/status/1638180761114382336
Lunes, Marso 20, 2023
[Buha] Both the Lakers and Reaves’ camp have interest in Reaves re-signing in Los Angeles, according to multiple league sources. The max the Lakers can offer Reaves is 4/$50.8M if they chose to use his Early Bird Rights, but they also have the power to match any contract he signs with another team.
Reaves’ surge is setting him up for a fascinating offseason. He will be a restricted free agent this summer, and will undoubtedly have multiple suitors looking to pry him from the Lakers — especially after stat lines like Sunday’s. Both the Lakers and Reaves’ camp have interest in Reaves re-signing in Los Angeles, according to multiple league sources who were granted anonymity so that they coud speak freely. The max the Lakers can offer Reaves is a four-year, $50.8 million contract if they chose to use his Early Bird Rights, but they also have the power to match any contract he signs with another team.
Should Reaves keep leading the tank gang or look to join a contender this offseason? The Lakers will have to extend Dlo and Rui as well, not to mention Beasley’s team option, so it’s possible at least one of them will leave or get traded.
[Ari] New #Lions DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson says he has no bad blood toward the Eagles with how free agency played out. "I gotta do what's best for the family. That's all it is."
https://twitter.com/mysportsupdate/status/1637860203654701067?s=46&t=J0p2oFk2S-oTfiSeDu017g
Official /r/nba Power Rankings #11 (3.20.2023)
24/30 rankers reporting this week. /R/NBA's Power Rankings are published every two weeks which is a bit different from most rankings. Other than that we rank the teams the same way as our competition. If write ups are left blank the team rep decided not to submit. We encourage any user to fill in the blanks in the comment section.
| # | Team | Δ | Record | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bucks | -- | 51-20 | The Bucks are rolling. As winter fades away in Milwaukee, they have emerged as the clear-cut favorites to win the East -- and maybe the whole thing. They have a 2.5-game cushion over the second-place Celtics and Sixers with only 11 games left, and Vegas has finally given them their due respect as the title frontrunners. Giannis is the best player in the sport even if nobody wants to give him the MVP, Brook Lopez might be playing the best basketball of his All-Star career at 34, and Khris Middle is basically back to normal. Watching this team the last few months has been a treat as a fan, it certainly feels like the best Bucks team I'll see in my lifetime. |
| 2 | 76ers | +2 | 48-22 | The Sixers are rolling and Joel Embiid might finally lock up a legacy defining piece of hardware. It's hard to argue against the Sixers being one of the hottest teams in the league right now, especially as some of the teams in front of them are having some stumbles down the stretch. A big reason why The Sixers are succeeding? Tyrese Maxey. He's once again found his aggression and his shot from deep. They'll need him and Harden to play at this level to finally break the second round curse. |
| 3 | Celtics | -- | 49-23 | The Celtics are 7-6 since the All-Star break and have continuously floundered to find any sort of stable footing. The fanbase is fighting over whether to place the blame on Joe Mazzulla or Jayson Tatum, or a combination of the two. Tatum has been hot and cold all season, and recently has played awful. At the same time, Joe Mazzulla has had multiple questionable to outright malpractice coaching decisions, especially when it comes to in-game play calling down the stretch. To make matters worse, the 76ers finally caught up and overtook the Celtics for the 2 seed in the East. It's time to nut up or shut up for the Celtics, and the final 10 games of the season will determine how the fanbase and the team as a whole feels going into the postseason. They've got matchups @Kings, Pacers, Spurs, @Wizards, @Bucks, Jazz, @76ers, Raptors twice at home, and then the Hawks at home to close out the season. The fight for the 2 seed could very well come down to April 4th when the Celtics go into Philly, but before that you have to take care of business and win the games you're supposed to win, or else the Celtics won't even be in a position to fight for 2nd. |
| 4 | Nuggets | -2 | 48-24 | Despite remaining on top of the West, the Nuggets have struggled as of late, only winning 2 of their last 7 games. Defense and rebounding have disappeared and allowing second chance points has been a common theme. Despite this, the team is still at full strength and they still have time to adjust and refocus in time for the playoffs. |
| 5 | Cavaliers | +2 | 45-28 | The Cavs went 5-2 since the previous power rankings and will need to have a 5-4 or better record over the last 9 games to get their first 50 win season without LeBron in 30 years. With 7 of those matchups being against Brooklyn(2x), Houston, Charlotte, Indiana, and Orlando(2x), it would be a massive disappointment for them to go under .500 in this final stretch. Evan Mobley has been special over the last two months, averaging 18.8 ppg on 58.6% ts%, 9.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.4 stocks a game, while cementing himself as a DPOY candidate as the anchor of the Cavs #1 rated defense. On the season, he’s leading the league in defensive win shares, he has the most 3s contested in the league, and is in the 99th percentile rim protection. Cavs fans would take to the streets for anything less than 1st team all-defense for the 21 year old Mobley. |
| 6 | Kings | +2 | 43-27 | The playoffs are well within the grasps of the Kings.. showing they can beat some of the best teams in the league Fox continues to show he’s the 4th quarter assassin. Sabonis has been on fire throughout this tough stretch putting up triple doubles and making sure this team gets open look with his passing and screens.. Keegan “Keegan Murray” Murray continues to showcase his three point game as he is 22 away from breaking the rookie 3pt record held by Donovan Mitchell. This team continues to their mission to not only stay within the top 6 but have their eyes set on the 1 and 2 seed in the west. |
| 7 | Knicks | -2 | 42-30 | GO NEW YORK GO NEW YORK GO |
| 8 | Grizzlies | +1 | 43-27 | The team has responded nicely to the absence of Ja while he was on his healing retreat; and frankly there's a ton of praise to be passed around. Tyus Jones getting his first triple double, Dillon Brooks being generally a menace to society, David "Big Body" Roddy jumping up the rookie charts, but ultimately the love has to be centered around Jaren Jackson Jr. His last three games have him averaging 28/6/2 as well as keeping his blocks average close at 3. The version of JJJ we saw against Golden State is a guy that could be an MVP caliber player; an elite offensive rim protector and an elite post threat. His fouling has been much better all season, and the race for DPOY between him and Brook Lopez looks to be a photo finish. Ja comes back from his suspension on Monday, with a potential to make his first appearance on Wednesday against the Rockets; just in time to prime up for what looks to be a promising playoff run. |
| 9 | Suns | -3 | 38-33 | KD slipped during warm ups. Luckily he looks alright and I think he's just out as a precaution, but we gave up two important pieces to get him and it shows given the recent stretch of games while he's been out. |
| 10 | Clippers | +4 | 38-34 | Westbrook is starting to settle into his role, and Ty Lue is searching for the best rotations. Already Westbrook has been an amazing facilitator, and even when his shots aren't falling the way he wants to, he is still able to rebound, find open shooters, or just organize the offense in ways we haven't seen since CP3. With only 0.5 games behind the suns, the Clippers could regain the 4th seed for some home field advantage, likely against the Suns. |
| 11 | Heat | +2 | 39-34 | Things have gone better as of late but they're going to hopefully get better. We went .500 against teams in similar places as us as well as blowing the Grizzlies out of the water. Now we're headed into a couple difficult games mixed in with some games that we have no business losing. The tentative hope would be for us to sneak out of the play-in, although we're probably not getting passed our first match up. If we do avoid having to play the play-in tournament, then best match up to see us in the 2nd round would be the Cavaliers. However, a Celtics - Heat match up would be very exciting to watch. Or maybe a throwback of Knicks vs Heat from forever ago. First thing's first is making sure we are actually involved in the postseason this year. |
| 12 | Nets | +4 | 39-32 | The Nets are looking better defensively as the players get more familiar with one another. While the offense depends on good shooting from the three point line, defense is something that the Nets can control every night. High powered offense will give this Nets team trouble as they will have to scramble to match the offensive output some teams can put forth. It's a developmental season for this unit, they will look to hold onto the 6th seed and try to put upa fight in the playoffs as they move forward to the draft with 2 picks to work with |
| 13 | Mavericks | -2 | 36-35 | The Mavs may have saved their season off of Maxi Kleber's heroic 3 against the Lakers and Dwight Powell's 22 & 8 on 100% shooting vs the Spurs. The common factor in those games is that Christian Wood played 28+ minutes in both games, which has become a rarity. If the Mavs can finally play their three best players (Luka, Kyrie, Wood) for 30+ minutes each, they should be able to close their weak end of schedule out with dominance. |
| 14 | Warriors | -4 | 36-36 | The road Warriors strike again. The last time the Warriors lost at home was Feb 11th (8 game win streak) The last time they won on the road was January 30th (11 game losing streak). Nothing like sleeping in your own bed. With his wrist injury Iguodala is essentially retired. The once cornerstone roll player quintessential to the 2015 championship run will be forever a Warrior and fan favorite. |
| 15 | Thunder | +6 | 35-36 | The Thunder are still somehow alive for a play in spot. This week we play the Clipper twice and Lakers once and will likely determine the feasibility of whether or not we can pull this off. Every game has been super intense because the stakes have been so high (for us). Each win feels more and more important, and all I can really say is: the vibes are immaculate. |
| 16 | Lakers | +2 | 35-37 | The team built great momentum and really looked poised to get into the top 6, until they dropped two inexcusable losses to the Rockets and Mavericks, specially the Mavericks loss was a gut punch for the team and fan base. The Western standings are so fluid that the Lakers were a Kleber buzzer-beater away from being the 6th seed and now instead are the 10th. They bounced back on Sunday vs. the Magic led by AR’s career-high 35 and the hope is to keep fighting through till the King’s anticipated return within the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile, AD has struggled with his offense as of late and the team needs the big man to tune himself back in for the final push. |
| 17 | Raptors | -1 | 35-37 | Toronto looks like a team slightly better than .500. For some fans, this gives them hope, while some other fans are worried the Raptors will be stuck in the no man's land for years to come. |
| 18 | Hawks | -1 | 35-36 | There's a lot of "Is Quin Snyder actually better than Nate McMillan" discourse going on right now. Mostly because the Hawks with Quin have also been terrible, but most people seem to be missing the point of why we brought Quin in the for the final 20 games. It wasn't for him to come in and turn our season around and win us a championship. There was never going to be enough time for Quin to make tangible changes. These last 20 games are for Quin to evaluate the roster and figure out who he does and doesn't want around next year. This team was always going to end up the play-in, but that doesn't matter because this season (and last season) was a wash the day they signed Nate to an extension. I don't really know if the future is bright or bleak, but it's the only thing worth focusing on. |
| 19 | TWolves | -7 | 35-37 | Tough season for the Wolves got tougher over the weekend. A season compromised by the injury of Karl-Anthony Towns got worse with Anthony Edwards going down to an ankle injury. Combined with so-so play and tough losses the Wolves season is looking like a disaster. |
| 20 | Bulls | +4 | 33-37 | Pat Bev was able to score 14 points in 2 and a half minutes, so I'm feeling better about this team. They have been playing better at both ends, and are actually making 3s now, shooting 42% since the last rankings. Whoever told Demar to start shooting 3s and Vucevic to stop shooting 3s was a genius. The next 2 games against the Sixers will show how this team can handle playoff talent in the East. |
| 21 | Jazz | +1 | 34-36 | The Jazz face a choice, so dire, To compete and let the players aspire, Or tank and aim for a high draft pick, For a new franchise star and experience to stick. To give up now, and look ahead, Or fight for wins, and never dread, To a future, with a top prospect in tow, To fight for each win and go with the flow. Lauri Markkanen, a star on the rise, could he lead the team, to a new prize, And Walker Kessler, has blocks to spare, should the Jazz keep pushing, or choose to take care? A dilemma, that weighs heavily on the mind, But the answer, they will eventually find, For every player, coach, and fan, Utah need to hold firm and take a stand. |
| 22 | Pelicans | -3 | 34-37 | |
| 23 | Wizards | -3 | 32-39 | Lizards are part of a group of animals known as reptiles. They are most closely related to snakes. In fact, some lizards, called sheltopusiks, look like snakes because they have no legs! Many lizards today resemble the ancient reptiles of the dinosaur era. Their ancestors appeared on Earth over 200 million years ago. That was also the last time the Washington Wizards looked like a competitive, cohesive basketball team. Corey Kispert has been incredible these past couple of weeks as he prepares to become a married man. Bradley Beal continues to be enemy number one for fans as nothing he does can appease critics of his large contract. And unfortunately, it looks like the Wes Unseld Jr era could be coming to a close after this season and he continues to have worse rotation management than a flat tire. Its a sad season. |
| 24 | Pacers | +1 | 32-39 | The Pacers continue to tread water as the season winds down. Rookie sixth man Bennedict Mathurin and Tyrese Haliburton's injuries have put a damper on the final weeks, but Indiana still finds themselves just outside the play-in games. 8 of Indiana's last 11 games are against current playoff teams, so they'll probably need some assistance from the other playoff hopefuls if they want to sneak into one of the last spots. |
| 25 | Magic | +1 | 29-43 | Probably stuck in the same spot in the standings regardless of what happens rest of the season. So time to just look forward to the lottery and the draft. |
| 26 | Trail Blazers | -3 | 31-40 | |
| 27 | Hornets | -- | 22-50 | |
| 28 | Spurs | +1 | 19-52 | Jeez we gotta stop timing these with drinking weekends, I live in Boston and St. Patty's is always a mess. The Spurs have been on a bit of a heater recently by our standards (as have Houston, for that matter), while Detroit seems to be leaving the rest of the tanks in the dust at this stage. Keldon and Devin have been playing great (Keldon's averaging 22/7/4 while Vassell is averaging 17/4/4), and are showing the potential of being great supporting pieces on a future playoff team. Zach Collins has been a stud since Jakob was traded as well, averaging 16.6/8.1/3.8 on 46/44/91 splits over that time, and more recently has average 23/8/4/1/1.5 on 53/57/100 since getting choked out by MPJ in a game. We have NOP, MIL, WAS, @BOS, UTA, @GSW, @SAC coming up over the next two weeks, home stretch time! |
| 29 | Rockets | +1 | 18-53 | Jabari Smith's surge mirrors what we saw from Jalen Green after the all star break last year, and it has brought newfound optimism to the Rockets fanbase, and KJ Martin seems to have stepped up in tandem. Make no mistake, the tank is still in effect, but we're seeing the first signs that the team could make the step up that is demanded next season. |
| 30 | Pistons | -1 | 16-56 | James Wiseman is coming off of what was probably the best game of his career last night against Miami. I've still got mixed feelings about trying to develop both him and Duren, but they have looked nice together at times recently - particularly against Denver when they were throwing each other lobs. Otherwise Ivey's cooled off on his shooting recently but his ballhandling continues to, generally, be getting stronger as the season wears on. Eugene Omoruyi has been a surprisingly strong late season addition that much of our fanbase would rather retain over Marvin Bagley. That said, the tank rolls on as we look toward a draft that seems to have more question marks in it - not less - as we inch closer to it. |
[Underhill] Saints should have $16-17 million in cap space. Rookie class will cost an additional $3.2 million against the cap. A lot of space to make moves.
https://twitter.com/nick_underhill/status/1637805815661723648?s=46&t=U0igQ_750ui1fdop4ywAWw
Ryen Russilo on Embiid's mentality when it comes to MVP: "He does care, and you should care. I want guys to care about this stuff...The only thing with Embiid that I don't like and I think it's more the people around him that get in his head about how everyone is against him."
Russilo continues: " Honestly dude for someone who doesn't have that much playoff success he actually escapes the kind of criticism that we would have for a player that is his level. Normally this guy is getting shit on at this stage of his career and I don't think that happens from a national or neutral level."
Thought that since that sub has been getting bombarded with MVP posts that this was a valuable look into the psyche of Embiid and his burning desire to be the best.
Latest Bill Simmons Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/an-nba-title-mystery-a-historic-scoring/id1043699613?i=1000604929708
[Bomani Jones] Ja said he went and learned some breathing exercises and he got this all under control. I was like ‘You got this all figured out in a week? Teach me your ways.’
Goodwill: With what we’ve heard about Ja, it feels like eight games – not necessarily from a punitive standpoint – but just eight games in two weeks, does it feel like that part of this is being a bit rushed?
Bomani: Look man, that dude said he went and learned some breathing exercises and he got this all under control. What? That was my thing as I was sitting there listening. I was like ‘You got this all figured out in a week? Teach me your ways.’ Like, whenever people talk about their problems in the terms that they were using to talk about his problems… so basically, all you needed was a week off of work? That was it? And you got to the bottom of everything. But did you really get to the bottom of it though? I ask that because the Grizzlies have now decided they’re not going to stay in any city after any road games, and I’m like, ‘what are we doing here?’ None of this appears to make sense to me. If he’s good, I hope that he’s good. It just doesn’t seem like this is something that you can fix in the way that they described fixing it for him.
Yahoo Sports is back with Ball Don’t Lie, but now it’s a podcast feed instead of a blog. There will be two podcasts premiering on it this week. Good Word with Goodwill is hosted by, well, Vince Goodwill every Monday. Jake Fischer and Dan Devine will host a podcast called No Cap Room every Friday. Allegedly, more podcasts will debut later this year.
Linggo, Marso 19, 2023
[Highlight] Cam Newton perfectly launches an 88-yard bomb to Ted Ginn Jr. in 2016
https://ift.tt/Hk7MUjy
Daily Discussion Thread + Game Thread Index
Game Threads Index (March 19, 2023):
| Tip-off | GDT | Away | Score | Home | PGT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03:30 pm ET | Denver Nuggets | PRE-GAME | Brooklyn Nets | ||
| 03:30 pm ET | Phoenix Suns | PRE-GAME | Oklahoma City Thunder | ||
| 04:00 pm ET | Link | Atlanta Hawks | PRE-GAME | San Antonio Spurs | |
| 06:00 pm ET | Miami Heat | PRE-GAME | Detroit Pistons | ||
| 07:00 pm ET | New Orleans Pelicans | PRE-GAME | Houston Rockets | ||
| 08:00 pm ET | Toronto Raptors | PRE-GAME | Milwaukee Bucks | ||
| 09:00 pm ET | Los Angeles Clippers | PRE-GAME | Portland Trail Blazers | ||
| 09:30 pm ET | Orlando Magic | PRE-GAME | Los Angeles Lakers |
[Charania] Good news: Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards has exited a walking boot and is moving around more as swelling decreases in ankle sprain suffered Friday, per sources. Edwards is expected to be evaluated day-to-day on a return.
https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1637482951653949441?s=46&t=07DBEZvOkSUlGr63NY7tXw
[Schwartz] This is how you do it players. Sign 3 year deals and don’t push for fully guaranteed contracts. Drive up the AAV, keep the contract short, and cash in 2-3 years later as the market keeps jumping. He’ll be ready for another deal when he’s 30-31. His 4th deal, not his 3rd. Awesome.
https://twitter.com/mitchschwartz71/status/1637453489654620160?s=46&t=x5-NzdOmzxVdg9621hs9Tw
Klay: "I don't care about Dillon Brooks. When he retires, I don't think anyone will ever talk about Dillon Brooks ever again. I promise you. It's sweet right now, but wait 10 years."
"I don't care about Dillon Brooks," Thompson told The Commercial Appeal. "When he retires, I don't think anyone will ever talk about Dillon Brooks ever again. I promise you. It's sweet right now, but wait 10 years."
More back and forth trash-talk between the two, seems like Brooks is really getting into Klay's head at this point though, he really might take pat bev's spot for the biggest troll in the league currently. Praying for a first round match-up between the warriors and the grizz for maximum drama
[Schefter] Wide receiver Brandin Cooks restructured his contract Saturday so that Houston will pay $6 million of his salary this season and the Cowboys now will pay the remaining $12 million, per source.
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1637462990193664000?t=t0amOFUKtco3ZBqFunIf0w&s=19
Sabado, Marso 18, 2023
Reddit renames Washington’s team
So sleazy Snyder is about to sell his team. And let’s be honest, within the few years of changing their team name from the Redskins, to WFT, and ending up with Commanders, they could’ve done better. What would Reddit name Washingtons’s team after changing owners?
[Zach LaVine] “People can talk about my defense all they want to. I've always been one of the best on-ball defenders. One-on-one situations, there's not a lot of people that are going to get by me."
“People can talk about my defense all they want to. I've always been one of the best on-ball defenders. One-on-one situations, there's not a lot of people that are going to get by me.”
https://twitter.com/ChiSportUpdates/status/1637109347762274306?t=2NC7_UXqwt_hTh_JU9WUAQ&s=19
He must be drunk.
[Rapoport] #Rams DL A'Shawn Robinson, one of the top free agents available, is scheduled to visit the #Giants on Monday, source said. The veteran could beef up a NYG DL that already includes Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence, among others.Rapoport]
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1637123089065549825?t=uhA1H5PU6QcPq8sCtAx6bA&s=19
Since the All-Star Break, Damian Lillard has been the league's leading scorer, averaging 37.0 PPG on 65.1 TS%. During this exact time span, the Portland Trail Blazers are 3-9, the 2nd worst record in the league in that span.
Since the All-Star Break, Damian Lillard has been the league's leading scorer in PPG averaging 37.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists on 46.4/39.4/91.1 splits (65.1 TS%) in 10 games, ahead of Joel Embiid's 35.4 PPG on 67.9 TS%.
During this exact time span, the Portland Trail Blazers are 3-9, the 2nd worst record in the league. Their winning percentage of .250 is only ahead of the Detroit Pistons (1-11, .083 W%). In fact, since the 10-4 start to the season, the Blazers are 21-35, the 5th worst record in the league (only better than Spurs, Pistons, Rockets and Hornets in that span).
Granted, Anfernee Simons has missed some time, but this is frankly an embarrassing stat regardless.
[OBJ] I’m just so confused where the quote is from me tht said I want 20…..😭🙄all I’m sayin is 4 AINT enough
https://twitter.com/obj/status/1637117531176706048?s=46&t=PRZXr_n_FE7kK7uPkzLryA
[Kansas City Chiefs] From UDFA to two-time Super Bowl champion. Thanks for everything, @RealAndrewWylie ❤️🏆
https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1637096261806444544?t=ANrd3RPiwoYbvO3g0DsWoQ&s=19
Biyernes, Marso 17, 2023
[Schefter] Bucs officially released RB Leonard Fournette.
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1636760010377011201?t=bOTuVdQ3Sg0vWZb5anfiUg&s=19
Quietly Jrue Holiday has become the all-time leader in blocks for a Point Guard with 453
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/holidjr01.html
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kiddja01.html
Jason Kidd was formerly first place with 450.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/walljo01.html
John Wall is the other active player that is sniffing around Jrue at 439.
Jrue is also top 25 in blocks for a guard. Even as a Bucks fan, I don't know that I appreciate how good his defense is. If he plays for another 4-5 years he'll be in the top 25 of all players in steals. About 20/25 of those players are in the hall of fame.
Where is Jrue on the list of defensive point guards in the last 20-30 years?
[Schefter] Bills released WR Isaiah McKenzie.
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1636759453616709635
[Windhorst] I’m a little bit worried that this whole thing is just one giant layer of PR. The story coming out that Ja was in counseling and then he’s asked about it and he says he’s getting Reiki and anxiety breathing techniques. I wasn’t there so I don’t know, but that hit a little funny.
I’m a little bit worried that this whole thing is just one giant layer of public relations. The video was so bad that it required a maneuver from Ja, it required a maneuver from the Grizzlies and it required a maneuver from the NBA. The story coming out that Ja was in counseling and then he’s asked about it and he says he’s getting Reiki and anxiety breathing techniques. I wasn’t there so I don’t know, but that hit a little funny.
Starting at 53:20 of The Hoop Collective
[Rapoport] Dak’s backup is back: The #Cowboys are signing QB Cooper Rush, source says. It’s a 2-year deal for $6M max. 1st year & signing bonus fully guaranteed. The passer who ripped off four straight wins in 2022 returns. Rush was represented on the deal by @chriscabott of @EquitySports.
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1636730569156448256
Huwebes, Marso 16, 2023
[Baby] Bengals RB Joe Mixon was seen carrying a gun but did not fire any shots, the county says. Mixon is a legal gun owner and said he was receiving death threats and was concerned for his safety when his sister said people were outside with guns, the county said.
https://twitter.com/Ben_Baby/status/1636412985760702464
[Vardon & Amick] There have even been travel measures taken to curtail nightlife habits this season, with the Grizzlies leaving more road cities (especially the glitzier ones, like Miami) immediately after the game instead of staying overnight. Additional accountability measures may follow.
His first taste of being an NBA All-Star came last year, and on his flight to All-Star weekend in Cleveland was perhaps the first outward sign of trouble. Morant posted a video of himself heavily drinking while traveling with family members on a private jet. At times, Morant even used liquor bottles as faux guns while pointing at the camera.
Morant explained his behavior on the flight as celebrating a seminal moment with the people closest to him. But he had six points and three assists in 17 minutes during the game, with some sources close to the situation believing his sluggish play was the result of his partying.
In early July, the Grizzlies awarded Morant with a five-year extension of his rookie contract, the “supermax,” worth at least $193 million. That same month was when the alleged incident between Morant, Pack and a teenager occurred at Morant’s house. According to The Washington Post, another incident took place at a Memphis mall four days later in which a security guard said Morant “threatened” him during an altercation in the parking lot. Per the report, the incident began when Morant’s mother got into a dispute with an employee at a shoe store and called Morant for assistance, and he arrived shortly thereafter “with as many as nine other people.”
There have even been travel measures taken to curtail nightlife habits this season, with the Grizzlies leaving more road cities (especially the glitzier ones, like Miami) immediately after the game instead of staying overnight. Additional accountability measures may follow.
2023 32 Teams/32 Days: Philadelphia Eagles
Season Review
In the preseason, the Eagles were listed at around 25:1 odds to win the Super Bowl. Despite being 9-win overachievers in 2021 and adding a slew of talent, their Vegas over/under projection of 9.5 wins was lower than that of the Raiders and Broncos and equal to that of the Colts. And yet, they blew through that expectation and then some, topping the NFC standings in Week 3 and never relinquishing that spot en route to an NFC championship and a near-Super Bowl win.
The offense went from pretty good in 2021 to nuclear in 2022, thanks to a spectacular 3rd season from QB Jalen Hurts, who blew away all expectations and propelled himself into the upper echelon of NFL QBs, finishing 2nd in MVP voting. It wasn’t all Hurts, of course: the trio of A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert formed one of the most talented and well-rounded receiving trios in the NFL, a dominant offensive line headlined by All-Pros Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce formed the backbone for a steady, efficient run game, and Miles Sanders put up the best numbers of his career in his first fully-healthy season.
But it was the defense that arguably made the bigger jump. A solidly-below-average unit in 2021 saw a massive influx of talent in the offseason, morphing into one of the NFL’s most dangerous. The Eagles’ pass rush was the NFL’s most effective by a country mile, as its 70 sacks were a whopping 15 more than the next-best unit, headlined by double-digit sack seasons from Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, and newcomer Haason Reddick. But it wasn’t the pass rush alone that saw a jump: LBs T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White were solid all-around contributors, while in the secondary, CBs Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Avonte Maddox teamed with safeties Marcus Epps and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to form one of the stoutest pass defenses in the NFL.
Offseason Recap
KEY ACQUISITIONS:
- LB Haason Reddick - The first major domino of the offseason, Reddick was a much-needed shot in the arm for a lackluster pass rush, and for a defense that in general needed playmakers. His 16.0 sacks were tied for 2nd in the NFL, and were the most by an Eagle in 11 years.
- WR A.J. Brown (Trade, TEN) - The Eagles might have been okay with chasing just a complementary WR2 to DeVonta Smith, but when they acquired Brown on draft day, the dynamic of the Eagles’ offense completely changed. The off-field chemistry between Hurts and Brown was well-known, but that translated on-field too, as Brown finished 4th in the NFL in receiving yards (1496) and tied for 3rd in receiving TDs (11).
- S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (Trade, NO) - Acquired just before the season for the shockingly low price tag of two late draft picks, CJGJ was a Swiss Army knife for the Eagles’ secondary, lining up as the deep safety, in the slot, or in the box and making plays no matter where he was. CJGJ tied for the league lead in interceptions despite missing 5 games with a kidney laceration.
- CB James Bradberry - A Giants cap casualty, the Eagles swooped in for Bradberry in May to fill what seemed like the last significant gap - a CB to line up opposite Darius Slay. The 2020 Pro Bowler didn’t disappoint, notching a pick 6 in his first game as an Eagle, picking off 3 passes altogether, and finishing 3rd in the NFL in passes defensed.
- LB Kyzir White - White bucked the trend of budget free agent LB flops by being, well, quietly competent. White finished 2nd on the Eagles in tackles and was the best cover LB the team had seen in years.
- WR Zach Pascal - A favorite of Nick Sirianni’s in Indy, Pascal proved to be the consummate reserve WR, doing dirty work as a blocker and special teamer while being capable of catching the occasional pass.
- LB Robert Quinn - Acquired for a 4th round pick during the season, Quinn never really found his groove, mostly operating as a reserve DE before going on IR with a knee injury.
- DT Linval Joseph and DT Ndamukong Suh - Brought in to address concerns with DT depth and rush defense, Joseph and Suh provided quality veteran cover - and above all else, their arrival solidified the Eagles’ Super Bowl intentions.
KEY DEPARTURES:
- S Rodney McLeod (FA, IND) - McLeod filled the deep safety role admirably in Philly for 6 years, and one of his final plays as an Eagle was a game (and playoff) clinching interception against Washington. The Eagles needed to get younger in the secondary, and McLeod’s departure was part of that overhaul.
- LB Alex Singleton (FA, DEN) - Singleton working his way from CFL regular to NFL regular was a nice story. While he put up some nice tackling numbers in Philly, he just didn’t bring enough to the table to make him a mainstay in a new-look defense.
- CB Steven Nelson (FA, HOU) - The Eagles didn’t sign Nelson until July of last year, but he proved to be a solid, if unspectacular, CB2. The Texans gave Nelson the multi-year deal he should have gotten in 2021.
- WR Jalen Reagor (Trade, MIN) - What Reagor unquestionably brought to the Eagles was raw speed (he had the 8th fastest tracked speed for a ballcarrier in 2021 per Next Gen Stats). What he didn’t bring, though, were steady hands, route-running chops, or really any skill that would have made him even a remotely effective NFL WR. The Eagles cut their losses and traded the former 21st overall pick to Minnesota for 2 late picks before the season started.
- G Nate Herbig (Waivers, NYJ) - A former UDFA who started 17 games in 3 years and was once considered an option to be Jason Kelce’s successor, Herbig was crowded out of Philly by a younger, more athletic interior OL corps.
- RB Jordan Howard - In 2021, Howard had his most successful run of games since his first stint in Philly, notching double-digit touches in every game he was active, but like his first stint in Philly, his season was curtailed by injury. Though he was always rumored as an emergency RB signing, the Eagles went in another direction.
DRAFT PICKS/KEY UDFA:
- 1-13: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia - It’s no understatement to call Davis one of the biggest athletic freaks in the NFL, and the Eagles traded up to make him one of the young centerpieces of their new-look D. Davis certainly looked good when he played; but some fans are left wondering why he didn’t play more.
- 2-51: Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska - The Jurgens pick received the approval of Jason Kelce, and Jurgens didn’t disappoint in camp. He never had a prayer of unseating Kelce or any of the other OL starters, and didn’t play much during the season, but he flashed enough raw talent and athleticism to make the redshirt season worth the investment.
- 3-83: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia - Dean was considered the steal of the NFL draft, never showed the injury concerns that supposedly hurt his stock, and showed the same nose for the ball in preseason that he displayed at Georgia. But Dean never broke into the defensive rotation with T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White both staying healthy all year, being a special teams mainstay instead.
- 6-181: Kyron Johnson, LB, Kansas - A speedy, undersized edge rusher, Johnson mostly played on special teams as Haason Reddick and Patrick Johnson were ahead of him in the hybrid rusher role.
- 6-198: Grant Calcaterra, TE, SMU - Calcaterra was billed as a solid athlete with good receiving instinct for a TE and a questionable medical history. Calcaterra got offensive snaps in 15 games but rarely made plays, even when Dallas Goedert was injured.
- UDFA: Reed Blankenship, S, Middle Tennessee State - Blankenship rose up the depth chart in training camp to make the 53-man roster, and when CJGJ was injured, Blankenship stepped in admirably as a versatile safety, picking off Aaron Rodgers in his first start and hardly looking like an undrafted rookie. Even when CJDJ returned, the Eagles found a role for him in the defensive rotation.
- UDFA: Josh Jobe, CB, Alabama - A nice camp surprise, Jobe was the primary special teams gunner this season. Didn’t get many defensive snaps.
- UDFA: Britain Covey, WR/KR, Utah - Was the primary punt returner all year. Pretty effective if you consider fair catches exciting.
Weekly Recap
| Week | Score | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PHI 38, @DET 35 | The Eagles gave up a TD early, but in a sign of things to come, scored 38 points in the 2nd and 3rd quarters to take a 38-21 lead entering the 4th. Detroit scored 2 late TDs to come within 3, but the Eagles capped off a dominant rushing performance by killing off the final 3:51 with 7 straight runs. |
| 2 | @PHI 24, MIN 7 (MNF) | An all-around dominant primetime performance put the Eagles in the national spotlight. Jalen Hurts ran for 2 TDs and hooked up with Quez Watkins for another, and the defense put the Vikings on their heels early, limiting Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson and forcing 3 interceptions from Kirk Cousins. |
| 3 | PHI 24, @WAS 8 | The Eagles showed Carson Wentz no mercy in their first game against him. They dominated the 2nd quarter again (24-0), with Hurts passing for 3 TDs, DeVonta Smith catching 8 balls for 169 yards and a TD, and the defense sacking Wentz 9 times and holding Washington's offense scoreless for 58 minutes. |
| 4 | @PHI 29, JAC 21 | Rainy conditions made for a sloppy game, and the Eagles went down 14-0 early. But another strong 2nd quarter performance (20-0), aided by 5 Jaguars turnovers and a career day from Miles Sanders (27 carries/134 yards/2 TDs), saw them coast past former head coach (and Super Bowl winner) Doug Pederson. |
| 5 | PHI 20, @ARI 17 | A difficult game where neither team took control came down to backup kickers. Cameron Dicker, replacing an injured Jake Elliott, nailed a go-ahead 23-yard FG with 1:45 left. Cards kicker Matt Ammendola, replacing Matt Prater, sealed an Eagles win when his 43-yard attempt with :22 left sailed right. |
| 6 | @PHI 26, DAL 17 (SNF) | The Cooper Rush hype train ended on a Sunday night in Philly, as the Eagles scored the first 20 points and forced 3 Rush picks. It wasn't as easy as other wins, as the Cowboys fought back to make it 20-17 in the 4th, but a 13-play, 75 yard, 7:37 TD drive effectively sealed the game. |
| 7 | BYE | |
| 8 | @PHI 35, PIT 13 | The Eagles lost none of their momentum from the bye, as Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown hooked up for 3 long 1st half TDs to bury the hapless Steelers. Kenny Pickett was sacked 6 times and turned the ball over twice, and other than a nifty trick TD pass from Chase Claypool, failed to threaten much. |
| 9 | PHI 29, @HOU 17 (TNF) | The 1-win Texans managed to hang with the Eagles for longer than expected, even taking a 14-14 tie into the half. But 7 minutes into the 3rd quarter, CJGJ intercepted Davis Mills deep in Texans territory, and Hurts and Brown connected for a go-ahead TD, taking a lead they would not relinquish. |
| 10 | WAS 32, @PHI 21 (MNF) | Hopes for a perfect season came to an agonizing end, as a consistently effective Washington run game saw them keep the ball for 40:24 and prevent the Eagles offense from the field. 4 Eagles turnovers, including 2 late fumbles - one of which was caused by a missed facemask - prevented a comeback. |
| 11 | PHI 17, @IND 16 | The Colts scored a TD on their opening drive, and managed to hold the Eagles offense at bay for most of the game. But they couldn't keep them down for long enough; the Eagles rallied from a 13-3 deficit early in the 4th quarter to take the lead on a Hurts draw with 1:20 to go. |
| 12 | @PHI 40, GB 33 (SNF) | Both teams combined for 7 1st half TDs in an affair that proved ugly for both defenses. Ultimately, it was the Eagles who held firm, as the Packers D allowed a woeful 363 rushing yards, and despite a long TD from Jordan Love to Christian Watson, couldn't match the Eagles' efficiency. |
| 13 | @PHI 35, TEN 10 | Any anxiety over the Eagles' recent ugly streak, or whether the Eagles' questionable run defense could contain Derrick Henry, evaporated quickly. The Eagles smothered the Titans offense, holding them to 209 total yards, as Hurts passed for 3 TDs and ran for another in a runaway victory. |
| 14 | PHI 48, @NYG 22 | The Giants were no match for the Eagles on either side of the ball. The Eagles ran for 253 yards and 4 TDs and passed for another 2 TDs (highlighted by a long 4th down TD to DeVonta), while the defense racked up 7 sacks and only let the Giants offense across midfield once in the first 3 quarters. |
| 15 | PHI 25, @CHI 20 | The Eagles struggled to put away the Bears in frigid, windy conditions - and the result of the game was marred by an injury to Jalen Hurts's right shoulder - but Hurts nevertheless willed Philly to victory with 3 rushing TDs, which along with a Dallas loss put them 1 win away from the NFC's 1 seed. |
| 16 | @DAL 40, PHI 34 (Saturday) | Gardner Minshew did everything he could to give the Eagles a chance, throwing for 355 yards and 2 TDs and running for another, but the Eagles defense had its worst showing of the year. The Cowboys capitalized on a blown 3rd-and-30 and 2 4th quarter Eagles turnovers to pull out a Christmas Eve win. |
| 17 | NO 20, @PHI 10 | If Minshew was almost a hero in Week 16, he was anything but this week. Despite the defense generating 7 sacks and largely shutting the Saints down, Minshew was sacked 6 times and threw a 4th quarter pick-6 as the offense struggled for any sort of momentum, failing to clinch the 1 seed yet again. |
| 18 | @PHI 22, NYG 16 | The Eagles finally clinched the 1 seed in a largely vanilla contest, with the Giants resting their starters and the Eagles eager to protect Jalen Hurts's shoulder. Although a late Giants TD put a slight scare into the home crowd, this game never really felt as close as the score indicated. |
| Wild Card | BYE | |
| Divisional | @PHI 38, NYG 7 | This game looked more like Week 14 than Week 18. The Eagles scored TDs on their first 2 drives, sacked Daniel Jones on 4th down on the Giants' first drive, then picked him off on the next drive. They took a 28-0 lead into half, rushed for 268 yards, and sacked the Giants 5 times. |
| NFC Championship | @PHI 31, SF 7 | It's easy to point out that the Eagles were aided by knocking both 49ers QBs out of the game. But the Eagles simply wore the 49ers down as the game went on, rushing for 148 yards and 4 scores against one of the league's best rushing defenses, making the Super Bowl for the 4th time in team history. |
| Super Bowl LVII | KC 38, PHI 35 | In the most offensively-dominated Super Bowl since SB52, the Eagles took an early lead and did their best to keep Mahomes off the field. But despite a herculean effort by Hurts, the defense let up one too many times, with a late penalty setting up a Chiefs game-winning FG with 8 seconds left. |
Roster Overview
QB (A-): Jalen Hurts put himself squarely in the MVP discussion - what more needs to be said? He was everything for the Eagles this year: passing weapon, short yardage back, team leader, and, in all likelihood, the QB of the future. Had Gardner Minshew won either of his 2 starts late in the year, I would have given the corps an A+, but alas.
RB (B): Miles Sanders found the consistency and health that had both eluded him thus far in his career, setting career highs in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns. As a result, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott didn’t see as much action, but Gainwell came alive during the playoffs and Scott brought some much-needed juice to the kick return role late in the season.
WR (A-): Yes, A.J. Brown lived up to the hype and then some, putting together his best NFL season. But don’t overlook DeVonta Smith’s major step forward, as the two formed arguably the most formidable young WR duo in the NFL. Quez Watkins was the next WR up after Brown and Smith, and while he still showed the skill of a burner, he was a bit more inconsistent due to Brown, Smith, and Goedert swallowing up most of the targets. Zach Pascal wasn’t asked to do much, but as a WR4 mainly asked to block and play special teams, he was effective.
TE (B): For the first time, Dallas Goedert entered a season as the Eagles’ TE1, and operated nicely as the Eagles’ underneath middle-of-field option. He was on pace for career highs across the board until a shoulder injury sidelined him for 5 games. Jack Stoll reprised his role as the blocking TE2, and while he wasn’t involved much as a receiver, was an integral part of the Eagles’ rushing attack as a blocker on the move. Grant Calcaterra didn’t see much action as a rookie, even in Goedert’s absence. Tyree Jackson came back from an ACL injury midseason, but the former QB didn’t see a target.
OT (B+): Lane Johnson reminded everyone of the sort of force he can be when he’s fully healthy, being named 1st Team All-Pro for the 2nd time in his career, while giving up 0 sacks in 651 dropbacks and setting the tone as a run blocker. On the blindside, Jordan Mailata proved that his breakout 2021 was no fluke; while he was slightly more up and down than Lane, it speaks more to Lane’s excellence than anything with Mailata, who should remain a franchise caliber LT for many years. Jack Driscoll started 1 game at LT and 2 games at RT when injuries hit; he’s not necessarily starting caliber as a tackle but is still very much a valuable utility player.
iOL (A-): The trio of Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, and Isaac Seumalo started every single game, and it’s no surprise that their talent and stability were critical in the Eagles’ efficient rushing attack, and their basically automatic QB sneak. Kelce’s 5th All-Pro season puts him in all-time territory for NFL centers; him not being named a 1st ballot Hall of Famer would be a shame. Dickerson flashed elite potential, only allowing 1 sack all year and being named to the Pro Bowl, but he also led all NFL linemen in accepted penalties. Seumalo may be the least flashy of the Eagles’ OL but he was nevertheless a consistently solid two-way blocker. Andre Dillard, Sua Opeta, and Cam Jurgens didn’t see much game action as a result.
iDL (B): Javon Hargrave followed up his dominant 2021 with an even more productive 2022, buoyed by a much-improved pass-rushing cast. Fletcher Cox’s best years are certainly past him, but when the Eagles bolstered their depth partway through the season, they were finally able to get the most out of his snaps. Jordan Davis looked every bit the menacing nose tackle he was in college, but the 13th overall pick was still raw as a pass rusher and also missed time with injury. The injury prompted the Eagles to sign Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph, and for part-season players, they were effective enough, with Joseph spelling Davis at NT and Suh mainly part of the pass-rushing rotation. With all the other big names on the interior, it was easy to overlook 2nd-year players Milton Williams and Marlon Tulipulotu, but both took a step forward this year - Williams as a pass-rushing complement to Jordan Davis and Tulipulotu showing potential both on the interior and further outside.
EDGE (A-): Along with Javon Hargrave, the trio of Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham all notched double-digit sacks. Reddick was a heat-seeking missile in his first season in Philly, and his athleticism and versatility unlocked more of the Eagles’ defensive potential. Sweat was similarly effective in his 2nd season as full-time starter; while he didn’t get a Pro Bowl nod like in 2021, he was even more dangerous as a pass rusher, playing more on the outside and getting 11.0 sacks. Graham’s recovery from a torn Achilles was nothing short of remarkable; while he saw a much reduced snap share from his prime, he still a career-high with 11.0 sacks in a Comeback Player of the Year level season. When Derek Barnett tore his ACL in Week 1 and Tarron Jackson couldn’t fill in effectively on the DL, the Eagles picked up Robert Quinn to provide veteran leadership and pass rushing efficiency in a reduced role, but he didn’t record a sack in 6 games in green. Patrick Johnson and Kyron Johnson were the backup hybrid rushers; both were regular special teamers, but largely unremarkable.
LB (B): The Eagles typically operated in nickel formation, with T.J. Edwards as the SAM and Kyzir White as the WILL. Their stability was crucial to the Eagles’ defensive prowess - Edwards was a complete LB - a tackling machine with a nose for the ball both going forward as well as in coverage, while White was a stable presence who could cover when called upon, a skill rarely seen in recent Eagles LBs. For all the hype around Nakobe Dean in college, White’s health kept him off the field on defense, though he did look good in the few snaps he got and improved as a special teamer as the season went on. Shaun Bradley also rarely saw defensive snaps as the backup MIKE, but the special teams captain was likewise a consistent special teams presence. Christian Elliss was a late season promotion to the active roster after a couple explosive special teams plays as a practice squad call up; he could be a regular special teamer in 2023.
CB (A-): The trio of Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Avonte Maddox was one of the league’s best when healthy. Slay was named a defensive captain for the first time in his career and was a consistent threat in the secondary, although his play dipped slightly later in the season. Maddox missed 8 games in the first season of his extension, but when he was healthy, his versatility, agility and surprising physicality was a major part of the coverage scheme. Bradberry was the perfect playmaking puzzle piece to the secondary, earning a 2nd-team All-Pro nod for his play. Josiah Scott took over slot CB duties when Maddox was hurt; he was a noticeable step down from Maddox, but did pick off 2 passes. Zech McPhearson, Josh Jobe, and Andre Chachere were all core special teamers, only seeing defensive snaps in blowouts.
S (B): The Eagles had long favored Marcus Epps as one of the 2022 starters, but while Epps was decent if unspectacular, it was C.J. Gardner-Johnson who ended up as the secondary’s primary playmaker. CJGJ started slow as he adapted to the playbook, but he would lead the team in interceptions despite missing time with a kidney laceration. Reed Blankenship went from UDFA special teamer to excellent safety fill-in when CJGJ was hurt; the five-year college starter was an excellent tackler and even picked off Aaron Rodgers in his first start. K’Von Wallace hasn’t quite followed in the footsteps of his Clemson colleague Brian Dawkins, but Wallace led the Eagles’ special teams in tackles and is a solid tackler and run stuffer in limited reps.
ST (C-): The Eagles didn’t call upon Jake Elliott often this season, not because Elliott was bad, but because the Eagles’ efficient red zone offense and overall aggressiveness made Elliott’s big leg unnecessary for field goals. That said, only Brett Maher had more touchbacks on kickoffs than Elliott. Arryn Siposs improved his gross and net punt averages in his second season, but was still well below average overall. And somehow, Brett Kern was worse. Not much was said about Rick Lovato this year - not that that’s a bad thing for a long snapper. Can’t ignore Cameron Dicker’s Special Teamer of the Week performance.
Coaching/FO Overview
GM Howie Roseman - It may have been easy for Eagles fans to call for Howie’s head after the dismal 2020 campaign, and I fully admit I was one of them. But Jeffrey Lurie stuck by Howie in that turbulent time, and, well, it was the right decision.
In the 2 years since, the Eagles have shed a lot of dead weight, added a slew of young, homegrown talent, and maneuvered their way into one of the NFL’s most talented rosters while still keeping their options open for the future. What Howie’s proven to be best at, and certainly better than the past few years, is finding an edge at the margins. It’s easy to attribute his success to drafting better, when drafting is a crapshoot. It’s easy to be lauded as a cap wizard for the simple act of restructuring contracts, even though 31 other teams do it too. But it’s about the little value moves - executing a trade for A.J. Brown when few teams knew he was on the market, or picking up extra draft capital from desperate teams (cheers to you, Miami and New Orleans), or pouncing on players like James Bradberry and CJGJ when their respective teams couldn’t keep them around due to cap concerns, or hiring a little-known head coaching candidate who would become one of the NFL’s best in-game decision-makers, or even having faith in the players who were already on the team (Jalen Hurts, Jordan Mailata, T.J. Edwards, among others) to grow into being franchise cornerstones.
But it’s one thing to get to the top - now it’s about being able to stay there. The Eagles were at the top, and came crashing down. If Howie continues to practice the same value moves that got him to the top, the Eagles should continue to be Super Bowl contenders for as long as Jalen Hurts is in his prime.
HC Nick Sirianni: It’s highly poetic that the Eagles’ NFC Championship victory came 2 years to the day after Sirianni’s first press conference as Eagles head coach, where he was widely lambasted as an awkward, stuttering mess. But it’s an appropriate symbol for how far Sirianni’s leadership has brought the team in 2 seasons.
Like Doug Pederson before him, Sirianni has earned a reputation for both being a players’ coach and a master of in-game decision-making. Whether it’s knowing when to challenge a play, take a timeout vs. a delay of game, or knowing when to go for it on 4th down, no coach has been better than Sirianni at giving his team the edge in borderline game situations. And on top of that, his energy and swagger are a perfect match for the NFL’s most rabid fanbase. Especially when Eagles fans know everyone else hates it.
OC Shane Steichen: Chargers offensive coordinator is hired to be the Eagles’ offensive coordinator under a new coach, then departs for the Colts’ head coaching role two years later after a Super Bowl run. Deja vu? Maybe a bit, but hopefully Steichen can be more successful than Frank Reich.
Sirianni relinquished the offensive playcalling duties to Steichen a few weeks into 2021, and the Eagles haven’t really looked back since. Whether on the ground or through the air, the Eagles offense could carve defenses of any quality up. You don’t get to be the NFL’s second-best scoring team by accident.
Of course, the Colts won’t have Jalen Hurts, a loaded skill position corps, or a talented OL, which will test Steichen’s bonafides early. He’s elevated a weak offense before - can he do it again?
DC Jonathan Gannon: For all the success of the Eagles’ defense this year, Gannon still remains a polarizing figure. Yes, the Eagles’ defense vastly improved this year to become one of the most formidable units in the NFL. Yes, some of the Gannon criticism could be a bit harsh and nitpicky at times. Yes, Gannon’s defense is hardly the first one in Eagles history to falter in a big game situation - Jim Schwartz’s unit gave up 613 yards in Super Bowl LII, only saved because of Doug Pederson and Nick Foles.
But at the same time, what separates the great DCs from the pack is their ability to get a defense to play greater than the sum of its parts, and it just didn’t seem like that’s what happened enough with Gannon. For all the dominant performances, Gannon’s scheme was prone to imploding one too many times against great passing teams (see: Super Bowl LVII, the Week 16 game v. Dallas, and so on.) And the relative passiveness of Gannon’s scheme was a stark contrast to the historical aggressiveness of defensive coaches like Buddy Ryan, Jim Johnson, and Schwartz, all of whom are beloved in Philly.
It was long rumored that Gannon would be a head coach somewhere sooner rather than later, and the Cardinals came calling quickly after the Super Bowl. Again, the question will be whether he can elevate a less talented defense.
STC Michael Clay: It’s not great for a special teams coordinator when your unit gets noticed for the wrong reasons - the Eagles were 24th in special teams DVOA through Week 12, with the Eagles struggling to cover kicks and generate returns of their own. But Clay at least deserves some credit for a late season turnaround, making enough personnel and scheme adjustments to bump the Eagles’ special teams DVOA up to 13th by the end of the regular season.
It’s a shame that the Eagles’ special team warts showed up at the wrong time - namely the long Kadarius Toney punt return that set up a Chiefs TD in the Super Bowl - but Clay is still young, and the Eagles don’t have many special teams-only players filling their roster.
Position Coaches of note:
- Few assistant coaches in the NFL get as much praise as OL coach/run game coordinator Jeff Stoutland, and it’s pretty easy to see why. “Stoutland University” is the hottest institution in Philly today, churning out quality OL after quality OL. Whether it’s molding an elite athletic prospect into a generational talent (Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson) or churning out versatile backups (Jack Driscoll, Vaitai) or even just teaching a large athlete the game from the ground up (Jordan Mailata), Stoutland always seems to get the best out of whoever the Eagles give him. A great match for an organization that puts tremendous emphasis on the trenches.
- Some people might remember Brian Johnson as the cover athlete for NCAA Football 10. (Or maybe the lead singer from AC/DC.) But Brian Johnson the QB coach is arguably one of the biggest reasons for Jalen Hurts’s development over the past 2 years - even Hurts says so himself. When Steichen left for Indy, Johnson was the immediate favorite to replace him as OC, and if it weren’t in Philly, Johnson would definitely have gotten OC looks elsewhere.
- A longtime coaching veteran at the college level, Tracy Rocker joined the Eagles in 2021 when Sirianni joined the team, and along with assistent Jeremiah Washburn (the son of longtime DL coach Jim Washburn) turned the Eagles’ defensive front into one of the most dominant in the game.
- Among internal candidates, the most likely replacement for Jonathan Gannon was DB coach/passing game coordinator Dennard Wilson. Wilson coached under Gregg Williams and Jeff Fisher, and served under Lovie Smith, so even though he’s only 40 he’s had a chance to work with multiple great defensive minds. But after the Eagles named Sean Desai the DC, Wilson parted ways with the team.
2023 Offseason Needs, as of March 16
DEFCON 1:
S - Both starters were pending free agents, and there aren’t any in-house replacements on hand. The Eagles continue to make a charge to bring home CJGJ, but with Epps already gone, they’ll have 2 new starters here in 2023 if the push for CJGJ is unsuccessful, both likely from outside the org.
DEFCON 2:
LB - Like safety, both starters were pending free agents, and both were snatched up within the first couple days of legal tampering. While Nakobe Dean should occupy one of the starting spots, the Eagles will have to find a new MLB to incorporate within Sean Desai’s scheme.
DEFCON 3:
TE - Dallas Goedert is a front-line TE1, but his injury exposed the shallowness of the Eagles’ TE corps. The Eagles drafted Goedert before Zach Ertz’s age 28 season, and Goedert turned 28 in January, so they could look to the long term again.
iDL - 4 different DTs, including Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox, were pending free agents. There is some young talent waiting in the wings, and re-signing Cox should at least help with depth, but Hargrave will be tough to replace.
EDGE - Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick are great, and Brandon Graham will likely return. But the Eagles like their rotations, and beyond those 3 there’s a bit of a dropoff.
DEFCON 4:
QB - There’s no questioning Jalen Hurts’s starting position, but the only other QB under contract is Ian Book, who’s far below the standard of a typical Eagles backup QB.
OL - The Eagles’ starting OL should be fine in the short term with Jason Kelce coming back and Cam Jurgens projected to replace Isaac Seumalo. But Kelce and Lane Johnson are close to the end of their respective careers, so the Eagles could invest again in young talent.
DEFCON 5:
RB - The Eagles let Miles Sanders walk in favor of Rashaad Penny, who’s shown undeniable talent but has been a victim of horrendous injury luck. With Boston Scott re-signed as well, the Eagles are pretty much set for 2023, but they could look to the draft for answers beyond this year.
WR - The Eagles have one of the NFL’s best young WR duos, if not the best. And while Quez Watkins was inconsistent, the Eagles don’t need much from him beyond his 4.28 speed.
CB - The Eagles brought back James Bradberry, then cut Darius Slay, but didn’t actually cut Darius Slay, so there isn’t really any hole here, apart from a lack of young prospects.
ST - It’s possible the Eagles make a change at punter, but the probability of that isn’t high.
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