NFL News

[Futureshock]

Nobody is able to deal with snow when if you get 36-72 inches in a short amount of time. I've drove through New York during a snowstorm where 15 inches fell. They shut down the Thruway from Buffalo to Rochester. And you weren't supposed to drive on any roads for 24 hours.

Yeah. One of my Drivers was caught in one where they had almost 8 feet. I went ham on my dispatchers for sending that man into that storm. He was there for 3 days. But Froot's right. They'll shut that throughway down to save lives.

[edindetroit]

Man this is Buffalo, they know how to deal with snow.

Yeah, they deal with it by getting out of town and going to Detroit.

[Futureshock]

Bills cancel today’s practice due to snow

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 18, 2022, 8:11 AM EST

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The snowstorm that moved Sunday’s Browns-Bills game out of Buffalo is also keeping the Bills from practicing today.

The Bills announced that today’s practice has been cancelled due to weather, and Bills players and coaches will meet virtually.

Sunday’s game will be played at Ford Field in Detroit, and the Bills plan to fly to Detroit on Saturday afternoon. Obviously, the snowstorm could affect their travel plans, but the team is hoping to find a safe time to take off from Buffalo.

The Bills will play their next two games in Detroit, as they face the Lions on Thanksgiving. But their current plan is to fly back to Buffalo on Sunday after the Browns game, then fly to Detroit again on Wednesday for the Thanksgiving game.

[Futureshock]

Aaron Rodgers has 16 consecutive games with less than 300 passing yards

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 18, 2022, 7:02 AM EST

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For Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, 300 yards used to be a pretty normal game. Now it’s an accomplishment he just can’t manage.

After throwing for just 227 yards on 39 attempts in Thursday night’s loss to the Titans, Rodgers has gone 16 consecutive games without reaching 300 passing yards.

Rodgers’ last 300-yard game was in Week 13 of the 2021 season against the Bears. After that he came up short of 300 yards in the final four games of the regular season, in the Packers’ playoff loss to the 49ers, and then in all 11 games this season.

This is the longest streak of consecutive games without 300 yards in Rodgers’ career.

Great quarterbacks just don’t go this long without a 300-yard game in today’s NFL: Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have each had eight 300-yard passing games since Rodgers last had one.

For that matter, bad quarterbacks don’t usually go this long without a 300-yard game: Davis Mills has had three 300-yard games since Rodgers last had one. Carson Wentz also has three. Joe Flacco has two. Josh Johnson, P.J. Walker and Zach Wilson have all had a 300-yard game more recently than Rodgers.

When the Packers signed Rodgers to his $50 million a year contract extension this offseason, they were expecting him to continue to play at an MVP level. He has actually played at about the level of a quarterback who’s about to get benched.

[Futureshock]

Derrick Henry on TD pass: I call myself a young Peyton Manning

Posted by Josh Alper on November 18, 2022, 6:23 AM EST

USA Today Sports

Titans running back Derrick Henry did a little bit of everything on Thursday night.

Henry ran for 87 yards — which made him the first back in the league to hit 1,000 rushing yards for the season — and a touchdown while also catching two passes for 45 yards. Those are his typical roles in the team’s offense, but Henry did not stop there against the Packers.

Henry also threw a three-yard touchdown to tight end Austin Hooper. It was the third touchdown pass of Henry’s career and he made a lofty comparison when asked about getting to show off his arm.

“I call myself a young Peyton Manning,” Henry said, via the team’s website. “It felt good, and I’m happy Hoop caught it.”

The Titans offense had it’s best night of the year as they set season highs in points and yards during the 27-17 win. Future efforts may not give Henry many more opportunities to air things out, but the team can generate what they need in a variety of ways as they work toward sewing up the AFC South in the weeks to come.

[Futureshock]

Ha Ha!

Matt LaFleur says the Titans whipped the Packers in every phase, “extremely disappointing”

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 18, 2022, 4:57 AM EST

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Packers coach Matt LaFleur was not happy after his team dropped to 4-7 with a 27-17 loss to the Titans on Thursday night.

In a brief interview with the Packers’ YouTube channel, LaFleur used the words “extremely disappointing” three different times to describe his feelings.

“They whipped us in pretty much every phase,” LaFleur said. “We’re disappointed. Give them credit. We didn’t complement each other enough. It’s obviously extremely disappointing, especially coming off a few days ago. To come back and play like that is extremely disappointing.”

LaFleur said he doesn’t even have the words to describe how frustrated he is with how this season has gone.

“I don’t think any of us thought we’d be in this spot, and we are,” LaFleur said. “To have seven losses at this point of the season is extremely disappointing.”

[Futureshock]

Aaron Rodgers: “I missed a couple of throws, for sure”

Posted by Mike Florio on November 18, 2022, 12:28 AM EST

USA TODAY Sports

The Packers had an opportunity to win their second home game in less than a week, four days after upsetting the Cowboys. For as good as Green Bay looked against Dallas on Sunday, they were the exact opposite of it on Thursday night.

After the game, quarterback Aaron Rodgers faced a stream of pointed questions about the team’s disappointing performance — starting with his own.

“I missed a couple of throws, for sure,” Rodgers told reporters. “I definitely missed a couple throws.”

Indeed he did. It became the most obvious in the fourth quarter, as the Packers tried to carve into a 10-point deficit. On one drive, after a Rasul Douglas interception of Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill held the score at 27-17, Rodgers badly missed a wide-open Sammy Watkins on third and 12. On the next drive, Rodgers sailed a throw over the outstretched arms of Allen Lazard on third and three.

Both outcomes sparked a smattering of boos from the crowd at Lambeau Field. Rodgers was asked how it felt hear that reaction from Packers fans.

“Interesting,” he said after a long pause. “That’s the best I can give you.”

It’s hard to know whether Rodgers is truly able to give his best on the field, due to a thumb injury that dates back to their loss to the Giants in London. He said he won’t make excuses based on the lingering issue, but he added that he “didn’t have a consistent grip” against the Titans, and that he “threw a lot of wobblers.”

At one point, he was asked, “Where do you go from here?”

“Home,” he said.

The literal response carried a potentially unintended meaning. At 4-7, they’re teetering on the brink of going home, as it relates to their shrinking postseason hopes.

There was still a flicker of optimism from the two-time defending league MVP.

“If we play up to our potential, we can win the next six games,” Rodgers said.

The problem is that they haven’t been playing up to their potential, for most of the year. He said it will take more than him and the rest of the team captains to get the message to the locker room at large about the chances of turning it around.

On Sunday, they showed what they can do. But they need to do it consistently. They could run the ball against the Cowboys. They couldn’t run it against the Titans.

That’s the basic reality for every NFL team. The talent gap among the franchises isn’t as big as it once was. In every game, both teams are hoping to play to their potential. If one does, the other one necessarily doesn’t.

Seven out of 11 times this year, the Packers haven’t. While it’s not impossible to think they can go six for six and get to the playoffs, each additional loss at this point will close the door a little bit more.

At some point, they may need to admit that it’s just not going to happen. Maybe that’s when Rodgers heads to injured reserve, Jordan Love gets some reps in preparation for 2023, and one of the best quarterbacks of all time sees his career end with a whimper, not a bang.

That possibility remains several games away. With Rodgers at the helm, they’re capable of catching fire, of putting a string of victories together.

The next chance comes in 10 days, when they face the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday Night Football. After that, the Packers go to Chicago. Then comes a bye, followed by a Monday night game against the Rams, a Christmas day visit to Miami, and season-ending home games against the Vikings and Lions.

The seventeenth game keeps hope alive a little longer for every team. Prior to 2021, the Packers possibly would already be done, at 4-7. A loss to Philly in Week 12 likely will mean that they’d need to go 5-0 and hope for help to get to the playoffs with a 9-8 record.

So, basically, the playoffs start for the Packers next Sunday night. If they lose to the Eagles, it could be time to start thinking about turning the page to 2023, which also could mean finally closing the book on the Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay.

Again, it’s not over. Not by a long shot. After one of these upcoming games, however, when Rodgers is asked where he goes from here and he says “home,” it could have a far greater sense of permanence.

[Futureshock]

NFL: Ticket details for Browns-Bills in Detroit are being finalized

Posted by Mike Florio on November 17, 2022, 8:19 PM EST

Getty Images

Lions fans hoping to scout in Week 11 Detroit’s Week 12 opponent won’t have to go far. The Bills are playing at Ford Field, hosting the Browns in a game moved from Buffalo due to a massive snowstorm.

Per the NFL, details are being finalized regarding the purchase of tickets to the game.

Earlier on Thursday, Bills G.M. Brandon Beane said that Buffalo season-ticket holders and app users will have priority, when the tickets go on sale on Friday. Beane also said that the cost of tickets will be much lower than usual.

“They’re not gonna be standard price,” Beane said. “Unless you’re a Cleveland Browns fan.”

For Cleveland Browns fans, Detroit is about 20 miles closer than Buffalo. And with Buffalo residents possibly snowed in, more tickets will likely be available than if the game were played at the Bills’ home stadium.

Regardless, it’s hard to imagine the stadium being full on Sunday.

[Futureshock]

D.C. Attorney General sues Commanders over alleged scheme to retain season-ticket deposits

Posted by Mike Florio on November 17, 2022, 5:18 PM EST

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At the end of last Thursday’s press conference regarding the consumer-protection lawsuit file by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine against the Commanders and the NFL over the Beth Wilkinson investigation, Racine was asked about allegations of financial improprieties that had been made against the club.

Said Racine, “There will be more news on that next week.”

And there is. Racine’s office has announced the filing of a new lawsuit against the Commanders for “implementing an illegal scheme to cheat District ticket holders out of their deposits for season tickets and use the money for its own purposes.”

In a press release, Racine accuses the team of “another example of egregious mismanagement and illegal conduct by Commanders executives who seem determined to lie, cheat, and steal from District residents in as many ways as possible.”

Last week’s lawsuit seemed to reflect an overly aggressive interpretation of the relevant laws, given that it arises from the idea that D.C. residents were somehow harmed by efforts to conceal internal wrongdoing unrelated to direct dealings with customers. This one has much more relevance, since it alleges that the team essentially picked the pockets of paying customers who live in D.C. by collecting security deposits and not paying them back.

The Commanders have acknowledged a recent effort to refund security deposits. Given the applicable requirements for surrendering unclaimed property to the state, it may not be enough to simply mobilize the payback process. Also, the consumers may be entitled to interest and/or other amounts beyond simply getting their money back.

[Futureshock]

Bills claim A.J. Klein off waivers

Posted by Josh Alper on November 17, 2022, 5:07 PM EST

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Linebacker A.J. Klein is back with the Bills.

The Bills announced on Thursday that they have claimed Klein off of waivers. The Bears dropped Klein when they made roster moves on Wednesday.

Klein shouldn’t need long to get a handle on the defense. He played 31 games and made 15 starts for the Bills over the last two seasons. He moved on to the Ravens this year and was traded to Chicago in the deal that sent linebacker Roquan Smith to Baltimore.

Klein had five tackles in two games for the Ravens and played nine special teams snaps in two appearances for the Bears. He had 110 tackles, five sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in his previous stint with the Bills.

The Bills placed wide receiver Jake Kumerow on injured reserve in a corresponding move. He’s been sidelined by an ankle injury this week.

[Futureshock]

Fritz Pollard Alliance initiates inquiry on Colts interim coaching hire

Posted by Mike Florio on November 17, 2022, 4:59 PM EST

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The Rooney Rule apparently doesn’t apply to interim coaching hires. There are, however, apparently some “guidelines” that may not have been followed.

The Fritz Pollard Alliance has issued a statement announcing the commencement of an investigation as to whether those guidelines were followed during last week’s interim head coach hiring process in Indianapolis.

“In light of the recent interim head coaching hire in Indianapolis, the FPA has initiated an inquiry with the NFL into whether this hiring process conformed with NFL Hiring Guidelines for naming an interim Head Coach,” the Fritz Pollard Alliance said in a statement issued on Thursday.

The Fritz Pollard Alliance issued a statement last week, in the aftermath of Colts owner Jim Irsay’s hiring of Jeff Saturday, expressing concern over the process — and suggesting that it should be applied in interim hiring situations. At a minimum, the Rooney Rule should apply where the hire comes from outside the current coaching staff.

Full compliance with the Rooney Rule will be required once the season ends, and the Colts begin the formal process of hiring a coach. With Irsay already giving off vibes that Saturday will be his guy for 2023, Irsay could have a hard time persuading minority candidates to interview for the job.

The fact that Irsay has hired two Black coaches since 2002 doesn’t give him a free pass when it comes to compliance now or in the future. The rule is in place to rectify decades of questionable hiring practices throughout the entire league, and the owners decided 20 years ago to make it a mandatory part of the every hiring process for head coaches.

[Futureshock]

TODD DOWNINGC, TENNESSEE TITANS
Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing was arrested Thursday night for a DUI and speeding.


Downing, fresh off the Titans' upset win against the Packers, spent the night in jail before posting bond at 7 a.m., according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Downing's offense was highly efficient against a deflated Green Bay defense that could neither stop the run nor the pass, with Ryan Tannehill throwing for 333 yards, 76 more than his previous season high. Tannehill threw two touchdowns as the Titans stayed aggressive in the second half while nursing a lead. Downing could face discipline from the team or the league.

SOURCE: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
Nov 18, 2022, 9:23 AM ET

[edindetroit]

NFL: Ticket details for Browns-Bills in Detroit are being finalized

Posted by Mike Florio on November 17, 2022, 8:19 PM EST

Getty Images

Lions fans hoping to scout in Week 11 Detroit’s Week 12 opponent won’t have to go far. The Bills are playing at Ford Field, hosting the Browns in a game moved from Buffalo due to a massive snowstorm.

Per the NFL, details are being finalized regarding the purchase of tickets to the game.

Earlier on Thursday, Bills G.M. Brandon Beane said that Buffalo season-ticket holders and app users will have priority, when the tickets go on sale on Friday. Beane also said that the cost of tickets will be much lower than usual.

“They’re not gonna be standard price,” Beane said. “Unless you’re a Cleveland Browns fan.”

For Cleveland Browns fans, Detroit is about 20 miles closer than Buffalo. And with Buffalo residents possibly snowed in, more tickets will likely be available than if the game were played at the Bills’ home stadium.

Regardless, it’s hard to imagine the stadium being full on Sunday.

Didn't they give away the tickets for free last time?

[The King]

Burks is a guy who looks ready to explode. He was a beast in college.

[edindetroit]

Justin Fields carted off after end of loss to Falcons

https://sports.yahoo.com/justin-fields-carted-off-after-end-of-loss-to-falcons-212839068.html