NFL News

[edindetroit]

NFL circles the wagons on latest Tua Tagovailoa head injury

Posted by Mike Florio on December 27, 2022, 8:58 PM EST

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The people paid to spot potential head trauma during NFL games failed (again) to do their jobs. The NFL is (again) circling the wagons in any effort to persuade fans and media that all is well.

Appearing on NFL Network (i.e., a league-owned outlet that isn’t naturally inclined to pose tough questions to in-house colleagues), NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills defended the handling of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa‘s latest concussion.

Because of course he did.

“What our spotters and our unaffiliated neuro doctors are looking for is any blow that transmits force to the head or neck area, followed by that injury behavior,” Sills said, via Jason Owens of Yahoo Sports. “And so, there are many blows to the head that occur during a game. . . . There were no visible signs present, even though there was a blow to the head and the player did not report any symptoms, despite being in contact with the medical staff throughout the game. So, there was nothing that would have triggered the protocol in the moment.”

That’s an adroit way of tiptoeing around the reality that the player/patient’s specific history should have compelled a concussion evaluation during the game, after Tua hit his head on the turf. Whether anyone noticed any symptoms during the game is one thing. Whether anyone noticed a blow to the head that should have resulted in a simple sideline examination of Tua for any symptoms whatsoever is another.

Dr. Sills, frankly, is adept at maneuvering his way through the potential land mines that lurk after a situation like this happens. He can, with confidence and authority, say whatever needs to be said to make it sound like everything was handled properly. Even if it wasn’t.

In this case, the question isn’t whether Tua should have been placed in the protocol. It’s whether he should have had a proper evaluation, based on the fact that his head struck the turf.

Obviously, something happened to Tua. A day later, he had sufficient symptoms to land in the protocol. The comments from Dr. Sills gloss over the simple reality that maybe, just maybe, someone should have taken a close look at Tua during, not after, the game.

Dudes headed for a short career.

[Futureshock]

Not always...
Lovie Smith on Texans getting top pick: Things work out the way they should in the end

Posted by Josh Alper on December 29, 2022, 7:23 AM EST

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The Texans are currently in position to earn the first overall draft pick in 2023, but that spot is less secure thanks to their win over the Titans last weekend.

Should they win again in the final two weeks of the season, they may wind up with a better record than the Bears but head coach Lovie Smith said that’s not something that is on the mind of his team as they prepare to face the Jaguars and Colts. Smith said “if you compete, you compete to win” and everything else works out as it should.

“Everything is short-term. We have a short-term opponent, and we’re going to do everything we can to beat that opponent. Kind of simple as that,” Smith said, via DJ Bien-Amie of ESPN.com. “It’s what players do. One play at a time. It’s one game at a time, and you do the best you can do in that game. And that’s what we do here. That answers any other questions about any other direction you wanna go. It’s kind of simple as that. I think things work out the way they should in the end.”

Smith was the coach of a Buccaneers team that took a more proactive approach to landing the top pick at the end of the 2014 season. The Bucs pulled starters at halftime of a game they were winning in the final weekend of the season in order to improve their chances of landing Jameis Winston and they wound up losing to secure the top pick.

That didn’t result in any long-term success for the Bucs and it remains to be seen if the Texans will go down a similar path if it looks like they might win another game before the year is out.

[Futureshock]

Not surprised. The NBA's model only works in a barren landscape...

On Christmas, the NFL’s average audience was five times larger than the NBA’s

Posted by Mike Florio on December 29, 2022, 6:39 AM EST

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The NFL vs. NBA on XMA(s) was a TKO.

In the biggest test yet of pro football’s muscle on December 25, the league for the first time ever put three games up against a five-game, all-day slate of NBA action. The audience gravitated to the game played with the oblong ball.

The widely-circulated numbers paint a very stark picture.

Packers-Dolphins: 25.92 million viewers. (This was the only game of the day between a pair of playoff contenders.)

Broncos-Rams: 22.57 million viewers. (Both teams had been eliminated from the postseason, with the Rams winning 51-14.)

Buccaneers-Cardinals: 17.15 million viewers. (The Cardinals were starting a third-string quarterback in a game between two teams under .500.)

76ers-Knicks: 4.04 million viewers.

Lakers-Mavericks: 4.33 million viewers.

Bucks-Celtics: 6.03 million viewers.

Grizzlies-Warriors: 4.70 million viewers.

Suns-Nuggets: 2.49 million viewers.

That’s an average viewership of 21.88 million for the NFL, and 4.318 million for the NBA. The NFL drew an audience more than five times bigger than the NBA’s.

And remember — the NBA games weren’t televised only on ESPN. ABC simulcast each and every one of them, in an obvious effort to boost the ratings.

What does this mean for the NFL and the Nielsen ratings of Christmas future? Look for the NFL to constantly find a way to fill the day, regardless of the day of the week on which it lands.

In 2023, it will be easy. Play a full slate of games on Sunday, December 24, and play three on Monday, December 25.

In 2024, it gets a little more complicated. Thanks to the leap year, Christmas nudges to Wednesday. How will the NFL manage the schedule to put games on a Wednesday? The best (and perhaps only) option would be to give the six Christmas teams the prior Sunday off, giving them a very late bye week — but giving them basically two half-byes, with a 10-day break and then an 11-day break.

In 2025, Christmas lands on Thursday, just like Thanksgiving. In 2026, Friday. In 2027, Saturday. In 2028, Monday.

Given the performance of the NFL with the captive audience of Christmas, look for the NFL to find a way to keep stealing Christmas away from the NBA.

And imagine how big the NFL’s numbers will be if/when the games are more entertaining than this year’s trio was.

[froot loops]

Not surprised. The NBA's model only works in a barren landscape... - Futureshock

Totally false, you might think that, but the NBA ratings were up on Christmas day 5.3 percent. The NFL ratings show that the NFL is very strong in relation to anything, but there is no indication whatsoever that the NBA cannot thrive on Christmas.

[Futureshock]

Just because something is up doesn't mean it is anywhere it could be. No proof that there isn't a better one. That doesn't disprove anything aside from you acting as the Grand Pooba again.

[Futureshock]

New Broncos coach will need to end the special treatment of Russell Wilson

Posted by Mike Florio on December 28, 2022, 8:12 PM EST

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Teams that fire coaches tend to hire replacements who are the exact opposite of the former coach. And the next Broncos coach needs to handle quarterback Russell Wilson in the exact opposite way that Nathaniel Hackett did.

No more special treatment. No more office in the building. No more anything other than being treated like one of the other players on the team.

Or, if anything, the next coach should single out Wilson for criticism, if only to prove a point that there are no sacred cows in Denver.

The Broncos already will be inclined to hire a no-nonsense, take-charge coach who rules with an iron first and tells it like it is, since that’s the opposite of Hackett. And the new coach will have no reason to tiptoe around Wilson.

Really, what has Wilson done to merit special treatment? With one more year to go until the Broncos reasonably can get out from under his bloated deal, there’s nothing to lose by applying tough love to Russell Wilson.

He hasn’t been good enough. He needs someone to tear him down in the hopes he’ll once again build himself up. If he doesn’t, he’ll be gone anyway.

Actually, he’ll likely be slapped in bubble wrap at some point during the 2023 season, if the Broncos decide he’s not the answer for 2024 and beyond — and if the Broncos want to be able to avoid having another $37 million in 2025 compensation from becoming fully and completely guaranteed.

Bottom line? It’s time for the next Broncos coach to abandon the kid-gloves approach to Russ and to start coaching him aggressively and bluntly and, hopefully, successfully.

[Futureshock]

Randy Gregory regrets punching Oday Aboushi: I’ve got to be better than that

Posted by Charean Williams on December 28, 2022, 7:45 PM EST

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Broncos defensive end Randy Gregory might not play Sunday against the Chiefs, but he is eligible to play.

Gregory, who missed practice Wednesday with a knee injury, had a one-game suspension overturned Tuesday. Instead, he will pay a $50,000 fine for punching Rams offensive lineman Oday Aboushi postgame.

“Definitely regret it,” Gregory said Wednesday, via Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. “I’ve had a lot go on in my journey in this career and definitely not one of my bright spots. It was more of a back-and-forth throughout the game, and I just took the frustration a little too far. I let my emotions kind of lead me and didn’t think of the ramifications of my actions. I’ve got to be better about that.”

Gregory served four suspensions for multiple violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy while with the Cowboys. Having sought help to deal with his addiction and social anxiety disorder, Gregory has worked to change his reputation. Sunday was a setback in that quest.

“I’ve spent a lot of my career trying to rebuild my image and trust within organizations, the league and the public eye,” Gregory said. “I’m not new to being in this position, whether that be individually or collectively as a team.”

[Cody_Russell]

Malik Willis benched.
I wonder if this is Tennessee resting Willis or Doubs getting a chance to prove himself for their week 18 play-in game vs Jacksonville:

As noted before… Willis has played poorly. Nothing shocking for a mid-round draft choice/ rookie.

[Futureshock]

Russell Wilson “devastated” that Nathaniel Hackett was fired, “wish I could’ve played better”

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 28, 2022, 5:55 PM EST

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Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson said today that he feels for Nathaniel Hackett, the head coach who was fired yesterday, and believes he bears some of the responsibility for Hackett losing his job.

“First of all, obviously, devastated about Coach Hackett because I think he’s an amazing man, amazing teacher, amazing father, watching him with his kids, and what he’s been able to do and how he’s taught the game for us,” Wilson said. “This season has been a season we never thought was going to happen the way it did. He was a guy who put all of his time and all of his effort into us as players, as staff members, everybody, coaches as well. I think he’s an amazing coach, one of the brighter minds I’ve been around.”

Wilson said he knows he hasn’t played as well as Hackett needed him to play.

“It’s been a crazy season, tons of injuries, tons of everything else, but the reality is I wish I could’ve played better for him,” Wilson said. “I wish I could’ve played at the standard and level that I’ve always played at and know how to play at. So what I do know is he’s resilient, he’s going to be a tremendous coach like I said, and I love him to death and everybody misses him, for sure.”

The next head coach will need to get Wilson to play a whole lot better. And if Wilson plays as badly next year as he did this year, that’s going to raise serious questions about whether the Broncos’ enormous investment was in a past-his-prime quarterback no coach can fix.

[Futureshock]

David Njoku: We’ve got to finish strong, give the Commanders hell

Posted by Josh Alper on December 29, 2022, 8:19 AM EST

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The Browns have no playoff aspirations of their own at this point in the season, but they can still play spoiler for others.

Sunday brings a matchup with the Commanders and a loss to the Browns would deal a big blow to their chances of advancing in the NFC. Browns tight end David Njoku said “we have no one to blame but ourselves” for the position that the team is in at this point, but that the only thing to do is “get back to work, pick up the pieces and finish it strong.”

“This is a big test to see who loves this game as much as they say they do, number one,” Njoku said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “Number two, I know me, I know the tight end group, we’re going to give it our all — I know the whole team will. I have no doubt that we’re going to put our best foot forward and give the Commanders hell.”

The Browns close out the season with the Steelers and the results in Week 17 could leave the Steelers with playoff hopes for the Browns to snuff in the finale as well.

[froot loops]

Just because something is up doesn't mean it is anywhere it could be. No proof that there isn't a better one. That doesn't disprove anything aside from you acting as the Grand Pooba again.

You said it only works on a barren TV landscape and that was clearly false. Their ratings from last year were up over last year's ratings on a barren TV landscape. You were taken in by a slanted article that didn't mention the NBA ratings were up.

[edindetroit]

What the heck happened to the Tennessee Titans? Weren't they one of the hottest teams at one point this season?

[ghandi]

Their season sounds like the Lions...0-2, 7-1, then 0-5...I dont know what game Tannehill got hurt but I am guessing taht has alot to do with it.....It was also a mistake by them to get rid of AJ Brown

[whatever_gong82]

Their season sounds like the Lions...0-2, 7-1, then 0-5...I dont know what game Tannehill got hurt but I am guessing taht has alot to do with it.....It was also a mistake by them to get rid of AJ Brown

On top of that, they fired their GM mid-season, which isn't rare, but for a first-place team (at the time)?

The Titans are a major mess, and I never thought that I'd say that, because they're usually a decent NFL franchise.

[Futureshock]

Geno Smith: No extra motivation facing Jets, we need a win to get to playoffs

Posted by Josh Alper on December 30, 2022, 8:25 AM EST

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Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith has made the most of his return to a starting job this season and he’s been steadfast about keeping his eyes on the present and future rather than thinking about opportunities that didn’t come his way in the past.

It’s a little harder for Smith to avoid thinking about his history this week, however. The Seahawks are hosting the Jets, who selected Smith in the second round of the 2013 draft and employed him as their starter until defensive end IK Enemkpali broke his jaw with a punch during a locker room altercation.

Smith would only start five games between that punch and the start of this season, but the veteran insists that he’s not adding any extra weight to this Sunday’s game because of his ties to the Jets. As Smith notes, the Seahawks’ attempt to advance to the postseason provides ample reason to make this week a bigger focus than what happened years ago.

“I just feel like the importance of it is that we need a win to get to the playoffs,” Smith said, via the team’s website. “Obviously, there will be some speculation and talk about that, it comes with the territory; it’s to be expected. I have a lot of love for the Jets, the organization and the people that are still there that were there when I got drafted. For me and this team, it’s business as usual, another week to prepare and a tough challenge for us to go out there and try to get this win. We need it.”

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll also has history with the Jets. He was fired after going 6-10 in his lone season as the team’s head coach in 1996, but agrees with Smith that the past is “not a factor” for this weekend.