Texans safety Tyrann Mathieu was the first recipient of the NFLPA’s weekly Community MVP award this season and another member of the team’s secondary has been recognized this week.Safety Kareem Jackson took the honor in recognition of the efforts he made to raise money for breast cancer awareness. Jackson hosted an event that raised more than $207 Ka'imi Fairbairn Jersey White ,000 for his foundation and then spent some of that money by taking 75 breast cancer survivors and their guests to enjoy “a VIP experience that included a gourmet meal, mobile spa, makeup swag bags聽and聽prothesis聽bra fittings.”鈥淢y foundation and the work that we do is especially close to my heart because my mother is a two-time breast cancer survivor and my sister also beat cancer as a child,鈥?Jackson said in a statement. 鈥淚 know the struggles that families face when a loved one is battling cancer and if I can make just one day easier for them and give them a reason to smile, then I鈥檝e reached my goal. That鈥檚 my motivation.鈥漈he NFLPA will donate $10,000 to Jackson’s foundation or a charity of his choice. He will also join Mathieu and the other weekly winners as contenders for the Alan Page Community Award at the end of the season. HOUSTON (AP) — Ask Jadeveon Clowney how the Houston Texans turned around their season by winning six straight games after an 0-3 start and the hulking defensive end breaks into song.“Started from the bottom now we’re here,” he bellows. “Started from the bottom now the whole team here.”While the 2013 Drake tune is a little old to be the team’s anthem, the sentiment of the song couldn’t be more fitting for these Texans.They occupied the basement of the AFC South after opening the season with losses to New England Womens Zach Cunningham Jersey , Tennessee and the New York Giants by a combined 13 points. After falling into such a big hole early, the Texans were written off by many as headed to a lost season.Everyone insists that such a defeatist sentiment never took hold within the team, with the struggles galvanizing them to get on track and prove the doubters wrong.“Don’t quit. Everyone keeps fighting. Everyone keeps believing,” quarterback Deshaun Watson said. “Everyone keeps fighting to the very, very end. That is what we do. Regardless of the situation or the adversity, we are always going to keep fighting. That is how we feel.”Houston is the second team in NFL history to win six in a row after opening 0-3, the first since the Giants in 1970. The winning streak has the Texans in first place in their division and in good position to compete for their third AFC South title in the last four seasons.A big reason for Houston’s turnaround has been the play of Watson and defensive end J.J. Watt. Both have started each game this year after having their 2017 seasons cut short by major injuries. Watson tore a knee ligament in practice after appearing in seven games in 2017. Watt played just eight games in the previous two years because of back surgeries and a broken leg.Watt is tied for third in the NFL with nine sacks and his four forced fumbles are tied for most in the league.“I know he probably doesn’t want to talk about it too much, but I’ve never seen anything like it Womens DeAndre Hopkins Jersey ,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “To come back from what he’s been able to come back from, some really serious injuries, and to be able to play at the level that he’s playing at, it just says all you need to know about him and how much he cares about the team and how much he wants to help this organization win.”Watson, the 12th overall pick in last year’s draft, has thrown for 2,389 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions despite being slowed by lung and rib injuries. O’Brien said his diligence in coming to the facility every day after his injury last season to study film and talk to coaches has helped Watson take a step forward this year.“He’s grown a lot,” O’Brien said. “He’s just an awesome guy to work with. He cares about studying Sammie Coates Jersey White , he cares about putting time in to prepare for each game. I think he’s learned a lot about NFL defenses. He’s had a lot thrown at him defensively this year, whether it’s third-down defenses, red-area defenses. He’s improved every week.”Watson has been helped by the stellar play of receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who is No. 3 in the NFL with 894 yards receiving and whose seven touchdowns are tied for second. The Texans hope that new addition Demaryius Thomas, acquired in a trade with Denver last Tuesday, will make more of an impact after the break with some time to learn the offense.Hopkins, who has five touchdowns in the last four games, said despite this strong stretch the Texans are approaching things the same way they did when they were desperate for a victory.“We’ve got the same mentality Jadeveon Clowney Jersey , and that’s win,” he said. “That’s why we go to practice and that’s why we wake up every day. It’s the same mentality we had when we were 0-3. Nothing’s changed.”They know that if they let up, their season will end prematurely, just as it did when they went 4-12 in 2017.O’Brien let out a slight chuckle when asked if 0-3 feels like forever ago.“It’s not a really long time ago,” he said. “I think our players understand that, and I think the difference between 0-3 and where we are now is not a big difference. We’re just making some more plays, we’re coaching some things better. I think our guys have to — and they do — understand that every week is going to be difficult.”First up is a trip to Washington on Nov. 18 before a Monday night matchup with Tennessee on Nov. 26 in the first of three straight home games when a win would be key in moving closer to taking their division.“It’s just important to note that we haven’t been blowing anybody out,” safety Tyrann Mathieu said. “I don’t think we are a complacent group of guys. We’ve been in some fist fights Greg Mancz Jersey White , some real close ballgames, so it’s not like everything is cookie cutter and everything is going all good for us.”“We still have things we can improve on and work on, so I think that’s what’s going to keep us pushing forward.”

One ESPN analyst is fully on board with the Lions’ offseason plan."It’s the offseason Youth Isaac Nauta Jersey , which usually means pent-up anger from Detroit Lions fans as NFL analysts make predictions that either overlook the Lions or openly insult them.Well, you can put away the pitchfork for this one. A panel of eight ESPN NFL experts offered their opinions on Monday as to the most improved team this offseason. One brave analyst, ESPN fantasy writer Mike Clay, chose the Detroit Lions.“General manager Bob Quinn has quietly done a nice job filling voids on Detroit’s roster over the past few months,” Clay wrote. “Those moves included revamping the tight end position with Jesse James and first-round pick T.J. Hockenson Austin Bryant Detroit Lions Jersey , upgrading with Trey Flowers on the edge of the front seven, overhauling cornerback behind Darius Slay by signing Rashaan Melvin and Justin Coleman, and adding Day 2 talent at linebacker (Jahlani Tavai) and safety (Will Harris).”That’s a pretty thorough recap of the Lions’ offseason strategy, and one we’re not really accustomed to seeing from a national outlet. The only major point Clay misses is the changing of offensive coordinators, which could honestly be viewed as a positive or negative. Obviously White Isaac Nauta Jersey , it seemed it was time to move on from Jim Bob Cooter, but the transition to a new offense isn’t likely to click immediately. But Clay doesn’t stop there. He thinks the Lions have improved enough to potentially capture their first division title in decades.“Every year there is a team that goes from last to first in its division, and the Lions have a shot to be that team in a wide-open NFC North.”Well, I guess it’s no longer Detroit vs. Everybody. The NFC North is 1-1 in Week 6. The Detroit LIons had the week off, while the Bears had a huge letdown game in Miami and the Vikings began to right the ship against the poor Cardinals team.But we aren’t quite done with the Black and Blue division for the week. The Green Bay Packers are searching for answers after their devastating loss to the Lions last week. At 2-2-1 Luke Willson Jersey , this game could be a crossroads for them. Lose, and you drop below .500 with the Rams and Patriots on deck. Win, and you could possibly turn the season around and take one of those games over the next two contests.In their way tonight is the San Francisco 49ers—a team without their starting quarterback for the rest of the season. C.J. Beathard is doing his best to keep the team’s head above water, but the 49ers are sinking in the bay fast, and new head coach Kyle Shanahan may not be able to do anything about it until his precious Garoppolo is back.Obviously Sylvester Williams Jersey , Lions fans will be pulling for the 49ers upset here, but the Packers are big favorites. Here’s how to watch tonight. Location: Lambeau Field—Green Bay, WIGame time: Monday, October 15, 2018 | 8:15 p.m. ETTV channel: ESPN Online Stream/Replay: Watch ESPN Eli Harold Jersey , NFL GamepassSB Nation sites: Acme Packing Company (Packers) | Niners Nation (49ers)

Come watch the third and final day of the draft and see what new rookies the Texans bring into the fold."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Texans StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Texans NewsYahoo Texans Team PageYahoo Texans ReportYahoo Texans Depth ChartYahoo Texans TransactionsYahoo Texans PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕2019 NFL Draft2019 NFL Draft Results Live:Round FourNew http://www.thetexanslockerroom.com/authentic-tyler-ervin-jersey ,71commentsCome watch the third and final day of the draft and see what new rookies the Texans bring into the fold.CDTShareTweetShareShare2019 NFL Draft Results Live:Round FourChristopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY SportsAs of right now, the Texans have three more picks left in the 2019 NFL Draft:Pick 161 (23rd Pick - 5th Round)Pick 195 (23rd Pick - 6th Round)Pick 220 (6th Pick - 7th Round)While the Texans may not have a pick in the fourth round at the moment, that doesn’t mean they might not trade up to get someone.So it’s probably safest for you to park yourselves somewhere comfortable, keep your eyes glued to the TV and talk with your friends here about the draft and the current state of the Texans’ draft board.It’s the right thing to do.REMINDER: Please do not post any tweets or posts that tip picks before they’re announced on the live television broadcast. Doing so will be a bannable offense. The first wave of free agency is over. It’s time to examine what the Texans should be looking for in the 2019 NFL Draft."The Texans’ opening free agency salvo now behind us. It’s time to take a look at what the Texans’ needs might be heading into the 2019 NFL Draft and the reasons why they should still be drafting a armada of cornerbacks.DRAFT NEED NO. 1: CornerbackThe Texans walked into the offseason with big questions swirling around the cornerback position. Kareem Jackson was a free agent. Kevin Johnson and Aaron Colvin were suffering from injuries and a loss of form, respectively. The voodoo magic Johnathan Joseph had been using to elongate his career had begun to wear off. Once free agency began, the Texans bid adieu to Kevin Johnson and watched Kareem Jackson sign a three-year deal with the Denver Broncos. Just as the Denver Broncos raided the Texans for some secondary help, the Texans turned towards former Broncos first round pick Bradley Roby to help provide them with some quality. In addition to Roby, former Browns nickel corner Briean Boddy-Calhoun was added to the Texans’ depth chart at the position. These new faces add potential quality depth to a position that has been riddled with injuries and poor performances over the past couple of seasons, but neither offer any real promise of long term security. Roby signed for one season and his play throughout his career has had promising moments along with more inconsistent ones.The same goes for Boddy-Calhoun.The draft helps teams regenerate certain positions through the addition of young talent Jordan Thomas Jersey , especially because these players are locked in on a team friendly contract for four to five years. The draft rarely benefits teams looking to add one final piece to aid in a playoff push. The inexperienced nature of younger players and the development cycles that can take two or three seasons kill teams who need them to perform right away. However, due to the nature of the Texans’ situation at corner, there is a legitimate chance the Texans can find a player who makes an immediate impact on the depth chart. They could find their CB1 while also providing a platform to ensure long-term stability at the position. Houston is in win-now mode, and the draft often times does not favor this approach. It typically favours more forward thinking approaches to roster building, but the Texans are in a unique position.Potential Options: Greedy Williams (LSU), Byron Murphy (Washington), DeAndre Baker (Georgia).DRAFT NEED NO. 2: Offensive TackleThe much maligned offensive tackle position for the Texans has certainly garnered a lot of attention this offseason due to the often noticeable failings throughout the 2018 season. Going into this offseason, the Texans’ tackle rotation consisted of Julien Davenport, Martinas Rankin Womens Will Fuller V Jersey , and Seantrel Henderson. The Texans primary right tackle last year, Kendall Lamm, recently signed a deal with the Cleveland Browns, further draining the Texans’ talent at the position. This position is a bit more fluid in the sense that while the Texans have already addressed cornerback through free agency, they have yet to address the offensive tackle position. That being said, they are linked to various free agent tackles, such as former Raiders OT Donald Penn and former Bills OT Jordan Mills. For the sake of this discussion, I’m going to assume the Texans would bring in at least one veteran tackle in order to add depth and maybe quality to the position. If the Texans for some bizarre reason don’t attempt to address this position through free agency or trade, then this position takes quick precedence above cornerback. However that assumes a certain degree of negligence on the Texans part and that would never happen.........Much like the corner position the tackle position for the Texans could almost be instantly improved DeAndre Hopkins Jersey White , and have it’s potential future secured through the draft. However, unlike the cornerback position, the cupboard isn’t entirely bare. Davenport has showed promise at left tackle. Martinas Rankin is still young and there is room for development. This alongside the general tendency for offensive lineman to have longer development cycles (think Derek Newton) makes the prospect of drafting another young offensive lineman to come in and replace these young players harder to swallow. The most obvious problems this raises is that playing time is scarce, and yet it’s one of the factors for development, so if you are playing young tackles off of each other for playing time you can be potentially stifling their own development. Cornerback doesn’t have that same kind of issue because there isn’t any other young talent there for the Texans to potentially cannibalize. Both of these positions are in dire need of a infusion of talent and deciding which one between them is just a splitting of hairs. The nature of the draft is to acquire and develop young and cheap talent, which is a key part of roster building, and drafting another tackle early on would work against this.Potential Options: Andre Dillard (Washington St.) , Greg Little (Ole Miss), Jawaan Taylor (Florida).DRAFT NEED NO. 3: Defensive TackleLet’s go all John Lennon for a second and imagine tackle or cornerback aren’t that much of a need. Roby is a secret stud Seantrel Henderson Jersey , and Davenport is about ready to evolve into his final form. It’s easy if you try. The Texans’ defense, and in particular its front seven, has been the most consistent and productive part of the roster for the past couple of seasons. It makes sense because the value of pass rushers seems to be one of those very few universal constants within the NFL. A strong defensive line is worth its weight in gold. Being able to stop the run and harass quarterbacks are elements that will always be needed on NFL teams. The Texans are blessed with two excellent talents in this regard in J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. Instead, let’s examine this idea: You could make the defensive line so fantastic that its effects minimize the requirements of the rest of the defense. Think of the Carolina Panthers as a model for this. They focus their investment on the front seven with the understanding that the strength of that unit can negate the penalties of not investing evenly throughout the rest of the defense. It also protects against the potential fear that the Texans and Jadeveon Clowney can’t come to a long-term deal on a new contract. The value of a great defensive line is so great so that it could be worth far more than making slight improvements over other positions such as cornerback, offensive tackle, or running back. POTENTIAL OPTIONS: Christian Wilkins (Clemson), Dre’Mont Jones (Ohio St.), Jeffrey Simmons (Mississippi St.) BONUS OPTION: Burn it all down.Earlier this offseason, we talked about how the Texans’ championship window was currently open for the next two to three seasons because Deshaun Watson will be playing under his rookie contract. During this time Lamar Miller Jersey , the Texans are not burdened with the immense cap commitment that comes with veteran quarterbacks.So if the Texans are truly in win-now mode, what use is the addition of younger players who may not flourish or reach their peaks within this window? Furthermore, what use are they when their rookie contracts run out and they are not able to be retained due to the scarcity of cap space thanks to Waton’s very large future contract extension? This is not to say the potential of the players selected as a whole isn’t a complete bust or a waste of an assest. Draft picks themselves are forms of ethereal assets that can hold zero or a lot of value to the holder. In this case, why wouldn’t the Texans look to utilize these assets now in order to acquire veterans who could contribute for this current potential title push? It’s so incredibly difficult to win a title in the NFL that the value sometimes outweighs the costs that it could potentially bring about. Would anyone remember the Texans’ careful management of draft picks and sustained roster development if they never won a Lombardi Trophy? I dare say they wouldn’t. Titles mean everything, so who would care if they sacrificed potential long-term security and development for the prospect of winning a title or two now? Is it worth it?

Packers Fan Survey Mike Daniels Jersey , Week 1: APC readers expect big win over Bears, dislike helmet rule Welcome to SB Nation FanPulse, a survey of fans across the NFL powered by SurveyMonkey. Each week, we send 32 polls to 100+ plugged in fans from each team. Packers fans, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.Week one around the NFL also means week one of the APC FanPulse survey, and this week’s questions asked readers a few questions, covering topics from the Green Bay Packers’ opening game to the NFL rules changes. Scroll down to check out the results, as respondents are feeling good about the Packers’ chances of beating the point spread on Sunday night against the Bears.Will the Packers win or lose in Week 1?Packers fans think they will beat the Bears by 10 The Vegas point spread is currently 7.5 points in the Packers’ favor, so our survey group is clearly taking Green Bay against the spread.How confident are you in the direction of the team?Very confident: 50 percentSomewhat confident: 48 percentMeh: 2 percentNot very confident: 0 percentNot confident at all: 0 percentThat’s impressive, particularly for a team with a new general manager. However, the selections that Brian Gutekunst made in the 2018 NFL Draft have looked very promising this preseason, and he was just able to lock up Aaron Rodgers for a league-record deal to keep him in Green Bay until he’s 40. That, plus the contract extension for Davante Adams and the replacement of fans’ whipping boy Dom Capers probably helps explain these feelings.What is the worst NFL rule?This is an interesting breakdown, and it is likely driven in part by the inconsistency with which the helmet rule has been applied this preseason. Flags dropped quite a bit by the end of the preseason Brett Favre Jersey , however, as the referees seemed to get a better idea of how to enforce the new rule. It would be fascinating to see the polling on this question again at the end of the year to see if the catch rule jumps back up. When Aaron Rodgers throws to Davante Adams, he’s still Aaron Rodgers. For all the discussion about Rodgers’ struggles—Is he the same after the collarbone? What’s the deal with his mechanics Does he believe in Mike McCarthy? Is he a leader? Does he kick puppies when he goes to the mall?—when he lines up a shot to Adams, good things happen. Only two other players have a better passer rating when targeted among receivers with at least 100 targets, according to Pro Football Focus. In fact, when Rodgers has thrown it to receivers he knows, players he trusts in this offense, he’s still extremely successful. When he’s thrown it to rookies or new players on this team, the results have been Josh Allen disastrous. That disparity, as much as almost anything else going on with this offense, has held back this team. Things might have gone different for Mike McCarthy and the Packers had Geronimo Allison and Cobb simply stayed healthy. When targeting one of Adams, Allison, or Cobb this season, Rodgers completed over 66% of his throws on 8.2 yards per attempt for 16 touchdowns and no interceptions. That’s a 115.1 quarterback rating on 232 of his 537 throws (and remember Paul Hornung Jersey , over 50 of those total attempts are throwaways). That’s Aaron Rodgers. That’s why he insisted after Sunday’s game that Cobb is so important to this team and should be back despite underperforming his last contract. The initial counter would be, “Well, Adams is awesome, of course,” but even accounting for Adams’ enormous share of that production, Rodgers still has a 106 quarterback rating throwing just to Allison and Cobb, completing over 67% of such throws. Perhaps that number would fall over the course of a season if they had played more snaps, but there’s no reason to suspect it would. If anything, Allison and Cobb likely would have caught more touchdowns, improving those numbers, not pushing them down. When targeting the “other” pass catchers in this offense, Rodgers completes just 59.4% of his throws for 7.6 yards per attempt and a dismal 89.25 passer rating. Part of what drags this number down is the tight ends being included here, but Jimmy Graham was brought in to be a difference maker and he hasn’t. Lance Kendricks dropped a handful of big-play balls, and Marcedes Lewis isn’t used enough to impact these numbers very much. If we just accounted for throws to Marquez Valdes-Scantling Bart Starr Jersey , Equanimeous St. Brown, and Graham, the numbers actually get worse. In throws to that trio, Rodgers completes just 56% of balls on a slightly lower 7.6 yards per attempt basis (rounding), and a brutal 83.8 passer rating. What does this mean? First and foremost, this indicts Mike McCarthy and his offensive scheming. The Patriots can sign guys off the street and immediately find ways for them to contribute. Sean Payton’s offense has helped Drew Brees turn bartenders and car salesmen into touchdown makers in the NFL. Everything in this offense requires elite precision or the play isn’t going to work. So when Rodgers looks for a player with knowledge of the system, who can execute it, things work. When the team has talent like Adams or Jordy Nelson and prime Randall Cobb, that’s enough. But add in rookies, new players, guys who aren’t used to having to be so precise, the offense bogs down. A timing and rhythm-based scheme insisting on so many individual wins just isn’t sustainable or preferable given today’s league.There’s also the obvious, “Graham, MVS Ray Nitschke Jersey , and EQ aren’t as good as Adams, Allison and Cobb,” counter, which is true, but the contrast shouldn’t have to be this stark. Continuity reigns supreme in this offense. Rodgers expects a slant to look the same every snap, for the post to be bent just so, and for receivers to understand how to sit down in certain coverage situations. He also expects them to win contested catch situations, something Graham hasn’t done since he arrived in Green Bay and a trait Valdes-Scantling just isn’t strong enough to possess at this point in his career. Adams wins those balls and even Cobb has made some adversity catches this season, including for a touchdown last week against the Falcons.It’s easy to look at this disparity and believe Jordy Nelson would have made a world of difference, and he certainly would have been more comfortable than the rookies. On the other hand, no one has thrown deep more often this season than Rodgers (78 times) and Nelson simply can’t get open down the field anymore. He may have helped some on third down and in the red zone, but the team decided they’d be fine with Allison and Cobb in the lineup with Adams.The numbers say they were right, at least for as long as that lasted. None of this should paper over the obvious accuracy inconsistency Rodgers battled this season. Plenty of throws sailed wide or deep of their mark that we expect him to make. He has to get that part figured out for himself. But the reality is those throws happened far more often when targeting receivers he’s not as familiar with, the product of a flawed offensive philosophy and a coach refusing to adapt to it. A new coach with a more adaptive Dave Robinson Jersey , creative approach should mitigate these concerns in the future, although each game will be the least amount of time Rodgers has spent with these players moving forward. In 2019, MVS and EQ will get a full offseason after nearly a full season playing an essential role in this offense. Their talent isn’t in question, but their attention to detail, as Rodgers put it, has been. Other teams, and by extension other coaches, find a way to put less on the plate of their talented playmakers, getting them the ball with far less work. An offense that looks like that could be exactly what Rodgers and his accuracy woes need in 2019 and his talented “new” playmakers could see their numbers skyrocket as a result.

Giovani Bernard could exceed expectations for the Bengals this season Bernard has frequently found himself as the second option on the Bengals running back depth chart Giovani Bernard Jersey , despite often outplaying whoever has been in front of him. As a rookie, it was BenJarvus Green-Ellis, and over the past four years it was Jeremy Hill. Last year, it was also Joe Mixon.For his career, Bernard has taken about a 40/60 split with his fellow running backs with the rushing duties and often ceded short yardage and touchdown carries. Despite this, since joining the Bengals in 2013, Bernard has almost an identical yards from scrimmage as Green-Ellis, Hill, and Mixon combined, despite touching the ball 285 fewer times.Bernard has gained over 2,000 receiving yards since being drafted which is good enough for tenth best in the entire 2013 draft class, even outpacing a trio of wide receivers and a tight end who were drafted in the first and second rounds, ahead of him.What are his chances of making the roster, and where does he currently stand in the pecking order at his position?Giovani BernardHeight: 5’9”Weight: 205 poundsCollege: North CarolinaHometown: Fort Lauderdale, FLExperience: Sixth-Year PlayerCap StatusBernard has two years remaining on a 3-year, $15.5M contract that he signed with the Bengals which took effect after his original rookie contract. The deal will keep him in Cincinnati until 2020, when he is scheduled to enter free agency.The annual average compensation of $5.167M per season makes Bernard the ninth highest paid running back in the NFL. Among the Bengals his average is eleventh highest on the team. BackgroundMost of the self-appointed draft experts had Bernard near the top of their running back board, if not at the very top, for the 2013 draft. He joined the Bengals as a second round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. With no running backs selected in the first round http://www.thebengalslockerroom.com/authentic-josh-malone-jersey , Bernard was the top overall running back selected in 2013 and has arguably been the second most successful, behind the Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell who was drafted 11 picks later, at #48 overall.Bernard was selected with pick #37 overall, which came to the Bengals as a package of two picks from the Oakland Raiders in exchange for Carson Palmer. Bernard was actually one of two running backs that the Bengals drafted in 2013, selecting Nebraska’s Rex Burkhead in the sixth round.As a freshman at the University of North Carolina, he tore his ACL on the third day of practice and missed his entire first season. In his second season, his redshirt freshman year, he emerged as the team’s starter, compiling 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns on the group, as well as 362 yards and 45 receptions thru the air. UNC changed their offense for Bernard’s redshirt sophomore season, but he still did well, rushing for over 1,200 yards and added 12 touchdowns. He also collected 47 receptions for 490 receiving yards and five touchdowns.In college, he was an elusive, shifty type of running back who could also serve as a good receiver. He was quick with good vision with the ball in his hands and operated well out in space. Essentially, his traits were that of a great third-down back who could be productive on first and second down, as well.In hindsight, the 2013 draft was rather awful at the top. Eric Fisher Tyler Boyd Jersey , Luke Joeckel and Dion Jordan were the top three picks, with Barkevious Mingo, Jonathan Cooper, Tavon Austin and Dee Milliner also in the top 10. So, to find anything of value was a job well done, and the Bengals did a good job selecting Bernard.2018 outlookBarring an unforeseen and abrupt retirement from the NFL, Bernard is essentially assured of a spot on the Bengals roster and a big role in the offense. The Bengals have little depth and experience behind him and Joe Mixon, so there is zero percent chance of Bernard being outplayed and losing his roster spot at any point – especially given Marvin Lewis’ penchant for favoring veterans to a fault.Bernard is a good, veteran player at a position that doesn’t have a lot of depth on the roster. After a first quarter that made it seem like the Bengals vs. Saints game might be competitive, the second through fourth quarters proved that idea invalid.The Saints had their way with the Bengals in all phases of the game, winning by a landslide, 51-14.As the score would indicate, the Saints imposed their will on the Bengals.Drew Brees completed 22 of his 25 passes for 265 yards with three touchdowns and a rating of 150.4. Running backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara combined for 25 carries for 160 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. The Saints ran 69 plays and converted seven of their eleven third downs. The Bengals gave up over 500 total yards for the third game in a row, setting an NFL record.The Bengals only had 13 first downs and converted none of their third down attempts (0/6).The Saints started out the game doing what they always do: they continually fed Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas. The latter in particular caught four of Drew Brees’ six completions on the first drive for 37 yards and the game’s first touchdown. From the seven-yard line, Brees threw a dart to Thomasa few yards inside of the endzone, and even though William Jackson’s coverage was nearly perfect, the ball was just out of his reach. Will Lutz’ extra point was good, so the Saints had the early 7-0 lead with 6:34 left in the opening quarter.Joe Mixon carried the Bengals’ offense on the next drive. He had four carries for 35 yards to open the game. Without A.J. Green, the wide receiver crew stepped up to help the offense as well. Tyler Boyd opened things up with a 23 yard reception Carl Lawson Jersey , and John Ross concluded the drive with a two-yard touchdown reception on his first catch after being sidelined with a groin injury in the last two games. Randy Bullock’s extra point was good, so the game was tied at 7-7 with 1:56 remaining in the first quarter.The Saints started off the next drive by going to Mark Ingram, first with a five-yard run and then with a 27-yard reception. They went back to Ingram a few plays later and he ran through the Bengals defense for a 28-yard touchdown pass. Ingram caught the screen and followed his entourage for the score to re-take the lead with 13:33 to go in the second quarter. With the extra point, the Saints were up again, 14-7. With that score, they never looked back.The Bengals punted on their next drive and the Saints picked up right where they left off. The Saints’ first five plays on the drive went for first downs as running backs combined for 42 yards on the ground on four carries. Kamara finished off the drive by running the ball through the heart of the defense for an eight-yard score. After the extra point, the Bengals quickly found themselves in a deep hole, down 21-7 with 5:34 to go in the half. The Bengals punted again, and after an uncharacteristically short punt from Kevin Huber (who was walloped on his first punt even though no flag was thrown on the play), the Saints took over from the Bengals’ 40 yard-line. With less than four minutes left in the half, the Saints chipped their way down the field, milking the clock the whole way. They got all the way down to the one-yard line where Brees tossed the ball to Kamara, who outran the Bengals defense to get to the pylon for the score. With the point after, the Saints were up 28-7 with 1:22 left in the half. But no, they weren’t done yet.The Bengals were left with just enough time for one more monumental mistake. In field goal range with 24 seconds left, Dalton floated a lobbed pass to Alex Erickson that was picked off by Marcus Williams and returned for 78 yards to the 17-yard line. With only eight seconds to go, Thomas found a seam in the Bengals’ zone coverage and scored his second touchdown on the day to add insult to injury and give the Saints 35 points in the first half for the second week in a row following the extra point.The Bengals’ defense looked totally helpless in the first half. The Saints ran 40 plays but faced third down only six times, converting every single one.But its hard to get too angry at the defense when the Bengals’ offense kept giving the ball right back to the Saints. Following the 75-yard scoring drive, the Bengals only compiled 67 more yards for the rest of the half. Things were bad all around with the Saints running twice the number of plays and possessing the ball for double the amount of time.The Bengals received the second half kickoff Womens Michael Johnson Jersey , but punted almost immediately. The Saints got the ball back and went to Keith Kirkwood, who was promoted from the practice squad earlier this week. Brees floated the ball to a wide open Kirkwood for 42 yards. The Bengals finally got a third down stop two plays later and forced the Saints to settle for a field goal. Lutz made the 29-yard kick with 9:04 left in the third quarter, increasing the Saints’ lead to 38-7. After a turnover on downs, the Saints ran the ball for 59 yards on their first four plays. The Saints got all the way down to the one-yard line, but were stuffed on third down. So, like any sensible head coach would do in this situation, Sean Peyton called a sneak for their 39-year-old quarterback while leading by 31 points. Brees leapt over the line for the score with 2:25 to go in the third quarter to increase their lead to 45-7 after the extra point.The Saints quickly forced another Bengals’ punt, and Dwayne Washington entered the game at running back for the Saints and carried the ball four times for 14 yards to start the fourth quarter. The Saints ran down the clock but settled for a field goal. Lutz kicked a 42-yarder through and increased the Saints’ lead to 41 points with 10:41 left in the game, now leading 48-7.The offense had been following a distinct pattern: make a few positive plays to look like they are getting ready to actually do something, then give up a sack or a turnover to give the ball right back to the Saints. This pattern continued as the Bengals gained a couple first downs on the next drive. But Dalton’s pass was deflected by blitzing safety Chris Banjo and picked off by Eli Apple for his first Saints interception. Saints backup Teddy Brigdewater entered the game at quarterback for the Saints and led the scoring drive. (Are you thinking of last year’s Minnesota game yet?) Another Lutz field goal made the game 51-7 with 7:24 remaining.Bengals backup quarterback Jeff Driskel entered the game on the next drive and went two for three with 45 yards on the drive. He capped off the possession with a 27-yard touchdown run to lessen the humiliation and decrease the deficit to 51-14 with under five minutes to go in the game. It came on fourth-and-one, which was the Bengals’ second fourth down attempt. They almost went for it on fourth down early in the game but were offsides, which changed their decision and forced them to punt.The Saints collected their eighth win in a row, improving to 9-1 before they host the defending Super Bowl champions in Week 11.The Bengals dropped to 5-4 after the blowout loss. They will go to Baltimore next week to play the Ravens and seemingly quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is rumored to be preparing for his first NFL start.

In the comments the last few days I’ve noticed quite a few fans attempting to discern the origins of the shortcomings of the offense the Seattle Seahawks have displayed at times this season. Specifically fans have attempted to look back at offseason comments about how much the offense actually changed from 2017 under Darrell Bevell to 2018 under Brian Schottenheimer. Specifically Byron Maxwell Jersey , what has been bandied about is the idea from earlier this year that the Hawks under Brian Schottenheimer would keep roughly 70% of the offense from the 2017 season heading into 2018, and fans are trying to understand why the offense looks so much different this season compared to last. In particular, it seems fans want to understand how much of the team’s struggles this season have been the result of switching from an offense based on West Coast principles to an offense based on Air Coryell principles. My quick response to attempting to discern this is as follows: don’t. My long response to attempting to discern this is as follows: don’t waste your time. That may seem harsh, but it’s the case because the breakdown of the playbook is largely irrelevant. The Hawks could have a playbook that is 70% based on West Coast concepts, but call plays drawn out of Air Coryell concepts on 100% of plays. Likewise, an offense can be 70% based on Air Coryell concepts, but the playcalls could be comprised of 100% West Coast concepts. In short, the actual breakdown of the playbook is irrelevant, as the only thing that is important is the actual deployment of the offense and the patterns and tendencies that the playcaller creates. Further complicating the matter of attempting to understand the origins of the playbook is the simple fact that the history of the Air Coryell and West Coast offenses are heavily intertwined and both use a foundational principle of stressing the defense by putting five receivers in the pattern. That is seen when the offenses are broken down to their simplest fundamental element. Specifically, Air Coryell is built around putting five receivers in the pattern and stressing the defense in order to create favorable matchups for the offense, whilethe West Coast offense is built around putting five receivers into the pattern and stressing the defense in order to create favorable matchups for the offense, while also using dynamic routes to adjust to actions of the defense mid-play. In short, the two offenses are very similar in their base concept of using five receivers to stress the defense. To represent the similarites of the offenses in a manner that is easy to understand for most fans, here’s a rough ballpark of a Venn Diagram of the Air Coryell and West Coast systems. The biggest difference between the two systems is the verbiage used by the system, which is nothing more than the specific language used to name a play. Basically, a lot of the plays and concepts are going to be similar, but they are going to be using different names to denote the same idea or concept. Now, I know I’m going to get a lot of pushback from certain observers about what the systems are and what they represent, but it’s important to avoid getting too caught up in anything beyond the base concepts of the system. Specifically, I’m anticipating a lot of push back from commenters arguing that Air Coryell denotes a deep passing threat Richard Sherman Jersey , while the West Coast offense is a pass-heavy timing offense. In reality, the truth of any offense lies in how the offensive play caller utilizes the offense. So, while the then San Diego, but now Los Angeles Chargers used a pass heavy air attack in the 1980s for their version of the Air Coryell attack, the Kansas City Chiefs used a similar offense to attack defenses with a run heavy attack in the late 1980s and early 1990s. On the flip side, Mike Holmgren brought his pass heavy West Coast offense to Seattle in the late 1990s and used the system to put a run-heavy offense on the back of Shaun Alexander within the same system. To explain this in the most simple manner possible, if you and I sat down and played a game of Madden we could play the game with the same teams, with the same playbooks, but call offensive games that would be completely different. The reason behind this is because the playbooks across the NFL are largely similar, with the big difference being the actual deployment of the offensive weapons by the play caller. Thus, trying to figure out the origins of the playbook is a task that will be little more than a waste of time. The important thing to remember is how the system is being deployed, because that will shed far more light onto the subject. In particular this can shed more light on the subject because of how intertwined the two offensive systems are through recent decades. Specifically, the variation of the Air Coryell system Brian Schottenheimer runs traces back to the system that Cam Cameron runs, as Cameron spent multiple seasons with the Washington Redskins under Norv Turner. Turner’s use of the system traces back to Paul Hackett, who was at USC with Turner in the late 1970s. In addition, Brian Schottenheimer spent a year working under Paul Hackett in 2000, and spent another season working with the Chiefs under Jimmy Raye in 1998. Now, all of that is important because the system the Chiefs ran for much of the 1990s under Hackett and Raye is a version of the Air Coryell with injections of West Coast offense concepts that Hackett and Joe Montana added in 1993 when they arrived in K.C. Or, if one prefers, it was a West Coast offense with Air Coryell concepts included. Then http://www.seahawkslockerroom.com/authentic-richard-sherman-jersey , Tom Rossley, who was the Chiefs quarterback coach in 1999 under offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye became the Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator in 2000. This is important because from 2000 until 2005 while Rossley was the offensive coordinator in Green Bay they ran a version of the West Coast that included a lot of Air Coryell concepts, and a guy named Darrell Bevell was an offensive assistant coach for the entirety of that time frame. In short, the concepts of the system the Hawks used in 2017 are very similar to the concepts used in 2018, but the difference in how the offense looks on the field is going to grow out of the individual responsible for calling plays.Whether one wants to look at the differences as two chefs making different dishes out of the same ingredients, two baristas making different qualities of coffee out of the same grinds or two financial advisors making different investment allocations with the same funds in the same markets, at the end of the day, it’s the person in charge who is responsible for the end product more so than the system itself. Yes, understanding the system allows for a better understanding of how the person in charge of the system is making use of the tools at his disposal, but just as Bill Walsh’s variant of the West Coast offense led to Roger Craig leading the NFL in receptions as a fullback in 1985, using the same system Mike Holmgren turned Shaun Alexander into the NFL’s leading rusher two decades later. In short, it’s less the system itself than how the individual in charge makes use of the system. Russell Wilson has agreed to a new five-year contract with the Seahawks, and his agent says he didn’t want to be anywhere else.Wilson’s agent Mark Rodgers told Bob Condotta of the that staying in Seattle was important to Wilson.“Russell loves this town, this team and these fans and part of the compromise involved his affection for all things Seattle,” Rodgers said. “The idea of playing anywhere else was not as appealing as playing right here, the place he and his family call home.”That runs contrary to all the talk we heard in recent weeks about Wilson wanting to go to New York, and not loving Seattle. Was Wilson just bluffing to get the best deal he could? Or is Rodgers now just putting a positive spin on Wilson’s views about Seattle because the Seahawks gave Wilson the money he wanted? We may never know just how accurate the perception that Wilson had an eye on New York was, but now that Wilson is committed to Seattle, his camp is saying he’s all-in.

He’ll replace Tom Brady."The NFL and Texans announced today that Deshaun Watson will participate in the Pro Bowl on behalf of the AFC.Watson replaces Tom Brady Zach Fulton Jersey White , who will be preparing for the Super Bowl rather than making the trip to Orlando.Watson shined in his second NFL season this year, passing for 4,165 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also ran for 551 yards and five touchdowns.J.J. Watt will opt to not participate in the Pro Bowl. He has been replaced by Jaguars DE Calais Campbell. Jadeveon Clowney also pulled out of the Pro Bowl. He will be replaced by Steelers linebacker (and J.J.’s brother) T.J. Watt. Finally, DeAndre Hopkins also declined his invitation; he was replaced by Browns WR Jarvis Landry.With Watt Dylan Cole Jersey , Hopkins and Clowney out and Watson in, there will be three Texans at the Pro Bowl. Watson will be joined by Lamar Miller and Benardrick McKinney. It will be the first appearance for any Texans player since the annual All-Star game moved to Orlando in 2017. Your one-stop shop for Houston Texans, local sports, and news from around the league for Tuesday Womens Corey Moore Jersey , March 11, 2019."Houston Texans NewsKareem Jackson leaves Texans, joins Broncos on $33 million deal (Houston Chronicle)Tyrann Mathieu leaving Texans for three-year deal with Chiefs (Houston Chronicle)Texans re-sign DeAndre Carter, retain Brandon Dunn (Houston Chronicle)NFL NewsJags get their QB: Foles plans to sign $88M deal (NFL.com)Debrief: 8 key takeaways from start of free agency (NFL.com)OLB Anthony Barr expected to join Jets in Gotham (NFL.com)Jackson returning to Eagles after Bucs ship WR (NFL.com)Suggs off to Arizona after 16 years with Ravens (NFL.com)Collins expected to sign $84M deal with Redskins (NFL.com)Flowers deal caps Lions’ busy day in free agency (NFL.com)Updated free agent rankings: Who’s still available? (NFL.com)Houston & Collegiate SportsRockets cruise past Hornets behind big first half (The Dream Shake)

Austin Davis is back with the Seahawks George Fant Jersey Green , but he won’t be backing up quarterback Russell Wilson this time around.The Seahawks announced on Friday that Davis has been added to Pete Carroll’s coaching staff as an offensive assistant. Davis spent the 2017 season with the Seahawks and spent time with the Titans last year after being released by Seattle in September.The team also announced that Steve Shimko will move from offensive assistant to assistant quarterbacks coach and that Brad Idzik will be the assistant wide receivers coach. Idzik, who is the son of former Jets General Manager John Idzik, was a graduate assistant at Stanford.In addition to those moves, the Seahawks also named Ivan Lewis as the team鈥檚 head strength and conditioning coach. Jamie Yanchar, Mark Philipp, Thomas Garcia and Grant Steen will assist Lewis during the 2019 season. How Willie Mays (Sort Of) Played A Role In The Seahawks’ Week 8 Win In DetroitMichael Dickson's unexpected run late in Sunday's win over Detroit was an example of how Pete Carroll empowers his players to occasionally take risks and improvise on the field.Monday Round-Up: Media React To Seahawks' 28-14 Win at LionsLocal and national media reaction to Sunday's Seahawks win over the Detroit Lions.Ed Dickson, K.J. Wright returns give Seahawks 'a great boost' - NFC West- ESPNEd Dickson scored on one catch and nearly another, while K.J. Wright provided the Seahawks' defense with a "breath of fresh air."Changing my Seahawks predictionObviously a lot can happen in the next nine weeks Womens Quinton Jefferson Jersey , but I think it's time to dust off your discount bin Richard Sherman jersey and get back on the Seahawks bandwagon.Mike Ferreri: 4 takeaways from the Seahawks 28-14 win | KOMOChris Carson ran for 105 yards as the Seahawks totaled 176 on the ground. They’ve run the ball for over 100 yards every game since DJ Fluker joined the team after missing the first two games with injury. The Seahawks running game has returned and it is potent and it’s a big reason the Hawks are 4-3. Good to See ya. Bobby Wagner took it upon himself to ruin Golden Tate’s day.Seahawks 'Aussie sweep' was an unplanned, but 'incredibly beautiful play' | king5.comThe "Aussie sweep" as Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll called it, was a quick decision from Dickson, although he says the idea was put in his head by his coach while the team was back in London.Pete Carroll: 'There was a couple of big, big cuss words' during Seahawks punter's trick playThe Seahawks' win over the Detroit Lions was all but sealed when punter Michael Dickson ran for a first down on a fake punt. No one was more surprised than head coach Pete Carroll when Dickson took off.Russell Wilson makes Seahawks history with perfect passer rating.Joey Bosa making strides to return from foot injury - NFL.comLos Angeles Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa has been sidelined with a foot injury since training camp. Bosa said Monday he's making strides to get back on the field for the rest of the season.LeSean McCoy: 'Who knows' if Bills will trade me - NFL.comFollowing Monday night loss to Patriots, Bills running back LeSean McCoy laments his performance and mulls over the possibility of being dealt to another squad on Tuesday's trade deadline.Lions' Golden Tate: 'I don't think' I'm getting traded - NFL.comTrade-deadline day has come and when it's gone, Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate believes he'll still be wearing the same jersey despite teams reportedly showing interest.Ty Montgomery: I don't 'disobey what I'm being told' - NFL.comTy Montgomery cost the Green Bay Packers a chance at a comeback against the Los Angeles Rams when he fumbled the ball, but he dismisses the notion that he intentionally defied orders.What we learned from Patriots' victory over Bills - NFL.comThe New England Patriots (6-2) survived a slugfest with the Buffalo Bills (2-6) Bradley McDougald Jersey Green , eventually pulling away from their AFC East rivals, 25-6, at New Era Field on Monday night to close out Week 8.Detroit Lions seeking mid-round pick for Golden Tate - NFL.comThe Detroit Lions could trade away wide receiver Golden Tate -- for the right offer. Tom Pelissero reports the team is seeking at least a mid-round pick for the talented wideout.Todd Bowles: Record at halfway point is “very frustrating” – ProFootballTalkThe Jets season opened on a promising note with a blowout win over the Lions in the year's first Monday night game and there was a lot to like about back-to-back wins earlier this month, but two straight losses have dropped the team to 3-5 at the end of the first half.Falcons kicker Matt Bryant to test hamstring Thursday – ProFootballTalkThe Falcons got along just fine without kicker Matt Bryant the last two weeks, but he could return after a short absence. According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the veteran kicker will test his sore right hamstring Thursday in hopes of a return.Joey Bosa feels he’s “really making strides” in getting back on field – ProFootballTalkWord has been that defensive end Joey Bosa isn't ready to play yet, but Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn stopped short of ruling him out of Week Nine's game against the Seahawks when he spoke to reporters on Monday.

With Delanie Walker out the Titans young pass catchers must grow up in a hurry First Austin Johnson Jersey White , I want to wish Delanie Walker a speedy recovery. Not only has he been the Titans best pass catcher for the last three seasons, but he’s also an incredible leader and tone setter for this team and the Nashville community at large. Seeing him go down trying to fight for extra yards at the end of Sunday’s game was the last thing anyone wanted to witness. It should also be said that Walker is irreplaceable. He’s one of the top two or three all-around tight ends in the NFL right now. He runs great routes, has sure hands, makes plays after the catch, and blocks his tail off every snap. Those types of guys don’t grow on trees and they certainly don’t grow on the picked over tree that is NFL free agency in September. The Titans have Jerome Cunningham on the practice squad if they’d like to call him up to get a fourth tight end back on the roster quickly. They could also give old familiar names like Anthony Fasano, Phillip Supernaw, or Jace Amaro a call. Maybe even reach out to a guy like Coby Fleener if he has a clean bill of health after being released by the Saints earlier this year with a head injury that he was still dealing with from the previous season. All those guys would be depth moves though. None of them — besides Cunningham and Supernaw — would know the offense and frankly these guys just aren’t that good. There isn’t an instant fix on the market like there was at safety. Walker’s contributions, instead, will have to be replaced from within to the extent that they can be. The bulk of this burden will suddenly fall on second year tight end Jonnu Smith. The Titans drafted him in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft to be Walker’s long term successor as the team’s leading tight end, but that time frame will be sped up now. In his rookie season, Smith caught 18 passes for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns while being on the field for 54.3% of the Titans offensive snaps. The Florida International product looked natural as a pass catcher. At 6’-3” and 248 pounds, Smith is similar physically to Walker and even offers many of the same explosive athletic traits.What Smith doesn’t have as a pass catcher is the nuanced route running and trust with quarterback Marcus Mariota that Walker had developed over three seasons working as a prime target for the Titans quarterback. Unfortunately — or fortunately depending on your viewpoint — that can only get better with time and reps. Smith will be getting plenty of reps in practice moving forward and will need to take advantage of them. What often gets undersold with Delanie Walker is his prowess as a blocker in the run game. Phantom holding calls aside, Walker is rarely unable to get the job done in the running game. That’s critical for a good tight end as it allows your offense to truly be multiple within the same personnel packages. This is a part of the game that Smith still struggles with. He is a willing blocker, but not a very skilled one at this point in his career. The good news is that blocking is something that can develop over time in the NFL Womens Curley Culp Jersey , the bad news is that the Titans don’t have any more time. They need Smith to play well right away.Luke Stocker will certainly see more reps now and can help lighten the blocking load foisted on Smith, but he’s not much of a pass catcher despite his 2 catches for 37 yardsstat line against the Dolphins. Stocker now becomes absolutely critical to the Titans running game. The surprise decision to keep camp standout Anthony Firkser as a 4th tight end now looks pretty good. Firkser, like Smith, is far more receiver than blocker, but he could give the Titans a chance to put some multiple tight end sets on the field that can present a threat in the passing game. His best quality is simply his feel for the game. He has a knack for finding soft spots in the defense and the quickness to beat linebackers. It will be interesting to see how much he is used next week. Of course, Walker was more than “just” a tight end, so it will take more than tight ends to replace him. He was Mariota’s go-to target on third downs, someone that the Titans young quarterback looked for when things broke down. Rishard Matthews seems like the natural fill-in here, but he was virtually invisible in Miami despite being on the field for over 50% of the offensive snaps. That likely has a lot to do with Matthews still being on the mend from a surgery to repair a torn meniscus, but the Titans now need him to be back to his reliable self in a hurry.The go-to receiver for the Titans in Week 1 was clearly Corey Davis who led all Titans with a whopping 13 targets, resulting in 6 catches for 62 yards. I thought Davis played well. Of the 7 targets that landed incomplete, 1 was a desperation throw in the back of the endzone on 3rd down that never gave him a chance, 4 were straight misses from the quarterback (2 for Mariota, 2 for Blaine Gabbert) Womens Kamalei Correa Jersey , and 2 appeared to be miscommunications (both with Gabbert, including one where it appeared that Gabbert missed an adjustment that Davis was trying to signal to him pre-snap). I’ll go deeper in to this when the All-22 comes out.If Davis wasn’t already going to be the focal point of the passing game, he certainly will be now. He is the most important non-quarterback on the Titans roster at this point so he needs to stay healthy and be productive. He did a few good things on Sunday, but Tennessee will need a lot more from him moving forward. One other guy that I think factors in to replacing Walker’s production is Dion Lewis. He had an outstanding debut — one of the few bright spots on a gloomy Sunday — and showed his value as a pass catcher out of the backfield. That ability will be extremely important moving forward. It will be interesting to see if the Titans feature more 11-personnel or even go with more 2-back sets in an attempt to get their best 11 on the field together.Walker was targeted at team-high 111 times in 2017 — 24 more than the next closest Titan — so that leaves a ton of opportunity for guys like Davis, Matthews, Smith, and Lewis. Davis was supposed to be ready to take the next step this year anyway, but now that step is more important than ever. Smith, on the other hand, wasn’t supposed to be ready this year, but he has to be now. You never know how a guy will respond when he’s tossed in to the fire. You hope that Smith will step up to the challenge, but we will find out starting next week against Houston. He’s not going to be Walker by any means, but if the Titans can get a passable performance from him and some of his other teammates to rise to the occasion, they may still be OK without their best player on offense.Get well soon Delanie. Harold Landry was outstanding in his debut against the Texans on Sunday Womens Wesley Woodyard Jersey , putting up four pressures and two quarterback hits. That’s not who we’re talking about today. Instead, let’s talk about other standout players from the Titans defense during their 20-17 victory over Houston. Here’s three other guys I thought stood out on the Titans defense in Week 2.Adoree’ Jacksongamepass.nfl.comThe second-year corner had himself a day on Sunday, making this spectacular touchdown saving interception guarding DeAndre Hopkins as well as adding in another pass disruption and a tackle for a loss.Jurrell Caseygamepass.nfl.comAlong with Harold Landry, Casey was right there in pressuring Deshaun Watson, sacking Watson twice. He continues to be one of the league’s best interior pass rushers, offering excellent agility and outside movement on this play.Kamalei Correa Acquired in a trade from the Ravens this offseason, Correa has been a pleasant surprise for the Titans defense through two games. On Sunday the outside linebacker posted five tackles, one sack, one tackle for a loss, and two quarterback hits. Not a bad addition to a linebacker group that will have even more depth at linebacker than it already has when Rashaan Evans makes his debut.Did we miss anyone? Let us know and give us your standout defenders (that weren’t Harold Landry).

Packers lead Bills 13-0 on Aaron Jones’ rushing touchdown The Green Bay Packers extended their early lead over the Buffalo Bills in the second quarter of Sunday’s game Womens Marcedes Lewis Jersey , as second-year running back Aaron Jones broke out on the team’s third offensive drive.After Jamaal Williams got the first series and Ty Montgomery was on the field for the second, Jones got the running back duties on the third series and instantly made an impact. His first carry went for 30 yards off left tackle, and he picked up another first down a few plays later. A 17-yard gain on a screen pass set up the Packers in great position, and Jones punched the ball into the end zone from three yards out:Jones finished the drive with 33 rushing yards and 17 receiving, accounting for more than half of the Packers’ yardage on that series.Now that each running back has seen one drive Womens Geronimo Allison Jersey , it will be worth monitoring who gets the majority of the snaps moving forward. Jones certainly proved in the early going that he is the most explosive runner, though Ty Montgomery picked up 43 yards on a wheel route out of the backfield. Jamaal Williams has just ten yards on three carries so far.Packers nose tackle Kenny Clark is poised to blow up the NFL in year 3 It’s not a glamorous job, but someone’s got to do it.For the Green Bay Packers, Kenny Clark’s job is to essentially swallow up blockers on the line of scrimmage and open up holes for the players behind to make the big plays. When you watch a Packers linebacker stand proudly with his arms crossed after a sack or performing a war-cry after a tackle for loss, it’s likely that they’re there because of the grunt work Clark has done in the trenches. There are few players who are able to dominate the line of scrimmage like Clark can Jaire Alexander Jersey White , and hardly any defensive tackle can get off the snap with as much quickness as he does. During the third week of this preseason, Kenny Clark joined Josh Jackson on Pro Football Focus’ Team of the Week with a 95.7 grade. His PFF grade for the entirety of 2017 rounded out at 87.9, good for 13th at the position.Oren Burks has been flying around the field this preseason, but take a look at who opens up the gap for this TFL: Clark takes on the double team, allowing Burks to burst through untouched. He helped Blake Martinez become a league-leading tackler a year ago in this same way. Furthermore Womens Montravius Adams Jersey , he is still only 22 years old until October.Much fuss has been made about what Muhammad Wilkerson can bring to the table with Mike Pettine now calling the defensive shots. Clark, however, is in a position to optimize Pettine’s blitz packages and free up players like Wilkerson, Nick Perry and Clay Matthews to make homes in the backfield. That doesn’t mean Clark can’t go and get his own sacks. He brought in 4.5 sacks during his sophomore season of 2017, and absorbing double teams isn’t exactly going to stop him from pressuring QBs: Those 4.5 sacks that Clark obtained last season were all collected during the last quarter of the regular season. Per PFF http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-jamaal-williams-jersey , Clark was seventh in pass-rush productivity last season. If that’s any indication of where Clark is going, he could be figuring out how to be more effective on passing downs. It’s a reasonable next step in his progression as a third-year player.Last season, I wrote about Clark having an emergent 2017. As anticipated, his great season didn’t show up on the stat sheet, but rather on the game tape. The Packers were also relatively thin on D-line options. This season they have Wilkerson Womens Kyler Fackrell Jersey , Mike Daniels, a healthy Montravius Adams, and Dean Lowry to rotate on the defensive line with Clark to keep players as fresh as possible.With some good injury luck, the Packers boast one of the best defensive line units in football thanks to the unheralded work of Kenny Clark and company.