NFL News

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Rams, 49ers each play four teams coming off bye weeks

Posted by Josh Alper on May 12, 2023, 7:45 AM EDT

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The Rams and 49ers are set to see a lot of well-rested opponents this season.

Both of the NFC West teams are slated to play four teams that are coming off of their bye weeks this season. No other teams will face more than two opponents in that situation,

The Rams are slated to face the Steelers in Week Seven, the Cowboys in Week Eight, the Ravens in Week 14, and the Commanders in Week 15. The games against the Cowboys and the Ravens will be on the road, which makes them even tougher draws for a team coming off of a 5-12 season.

The 49ers’ post-bye opponents are the Browns in Week Six, the Bengals in Week Eight, the Jaguars in Week 10, and the Cardinals in Week 15. The Bengals game is the only one that will be played at Levi’s Stadium, but the Jacksonville trip is a bit less daunting because the 49ers will also be coming off their bye that week.

[Futureshock]

Texans, Cardinals, Colts, and Falcons aren’t scheduled for prime-time games

Posted by Josh Alper on May 12, 2023, 6:42 AM EDT

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The Texans hope that they set the stage for a brighter future at the top of this year’s NFL draft, but the league’s schedule makers don’t think they will be making a quick turnaround.

Houston took quarterback C.J. Stroud and edge rusher Will Anderson with the second and third overall picks, but their addition did not make the Texans attractive enough to land any prime-time games on the 2023 schedule. mThere is no requirement that every team in the league be scheduled for a prime-time game this year and three other teams were left out of those contests when the full 2023 schedule was announced on Thursday night.

The Cardinals, Colts, and Falcons are the other clubs. Arizona, Houston, and Indianapolis currently have the longest odds of winning the Super Bowl, which explains how they landed on the list. The Falcons have slightly better odds and the NFC South seems fairly open, but an unproven quarterback in Desmond Ridder likely played a big role in leaving them off the prime-time slate.

While there’s no prime-time action for the Colts, there will be one chance for them to play a standalone game. They will play the Patriots in Germany in Week 10, so there will be one chance for a national audience to catch the team and the opportunity to watch them will likely be more appealing if rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is leading the offense at that point.

[Futureshock]

NFL schedule largely maintains tradition of NFC on Fox and AFC on CBS

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 12, 2023, 5:03 AM EDT

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So much for every Sunday afternoon NFL game being a free agent between CBS and Fox.

Despite the league saying previously that the new TV contracts would eliminate the traditional CBS-AFC, Fox-NFC schedule, most Sunday afternoon games are remaining on the same network they would have been on with the old TV contracts.

In Week One, there are seven Sunday afternoon games with an NFC road team, and five of those seven games are on Fox, with only two on CBS. There are six Sunday afternoon games with an AFC road game, and five of those six games are on CBS, with only one on Fox.

It’s similar in Week Two: There are 12 Sunday afternoon games, and 10 of them maintain the NFC-Fox, AFC-CBS tradition, while Fox gets one AFC game and CBS gets one NFC game.

In Week Three there are 12 Sunday afternoon games, with nine maintaining the NFC-Fox, AFC-CBS alignment.

As the season goes on the NFL has flexibility to change which networks are showing which games to put the best games in front of the largest TV audiences, but the trend largely remains the same: Most NFC games will be on Fox and most AFC games will be on CBS.

That’s also clear from the networks’ own promotions: When the schedule was released, Fox trumpeted 10 “Notable 2023 matchups” it is showing, and nine of those 10 are NFC games. CBS announced nine “featured national games” from its schedule, and eight of those are AFC games.

So while the league has given itself more flexibility to move games across networks, for the most part, Sunday afternoon viewing habits won’t change: AFC games will mostly be on CBS, and NFC games will mostly be on Fox.

[Futureshock]

NFL Thanksgiving schedule has Packers-Lions, Commanders-Cowboys, 49ers-Seahawks

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 11, 2023, 8:03 PM EDT

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Detroit and Dallas are again hosting games on Thanksgiving, with Seattle added in as this year’s third home team.

In the first game of Week 12 of the 2023 season, the Packers are at the Lions for a 12:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Thursday, November 23.

In the second Thanksgiving game is one of the most popular Thanksgiving matchups, the Commanders at the Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. ET.

And in prime time on Thanksgiving, it’s the 49ers heading to Seattle to take on the Seahawks at 7:20 p.m. ET.

The NFL will also have its first Black Friday game this season, with the Jets visiting the Dolphins on the day after Thanksgiving.

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Giants play seven of first 10 games on the road

Posted by Mike Florio on May 11, 2023, 7:55 PM EDT

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In recent years, when a team gets dealt a tough hand by the schedule makers, we asked, “Who did they piss off at 345 Park Avenue?”

This year, when it comes to the Giants’ schedule, we know. Co-owner John Mara spoke out against the Commissioner’s desire to have late-season flexes for Thursday night football, calling it “abusive” to fans.

The schedule arguably is abusive to the Giants.

Via USA Today, the Giants play seven of their first 10 games on the road. They’ll play three games in 11 days, and three of their first four games will be in prime time.

The early-season road slate includes consecutive games on the West Coast; the Giants asked for those games to happen on a back-to-back basis.

Of course, playing seven of the first ten games on the road means that five of the final seven will be played at home. Which won’t be be a bad thing — unless they are out of it by the time their tenth game has been played.

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Kyle Shanahan: Sam Darnold is an unbelievable thrower and top talent

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 11, 2023, 4:20 PM EDT

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The quarterback question in San Francisco this year has primarily been about whether Brock Purdy or Trey Lance is more likely to be the Week One starter. But to hear coach Kyle Shanahan tell it, the 49ers have three good quarterbacks.

Shanahan said today that Sam Darnold is an elite passer and still very much the talented quarterback who was the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

“Sam’s an unbelievable thrower. He was born to do that,” Shanahan said, via David Lombardi of TheAthletic.com. “I truly see Sam talent-wise as a top pick in the draft, just like he was. You watch his whole career and there’s no reason to think differently. He hasn’t been in the best situations, so we’re glad to have him here. And I’m so glad he wanted to come here. He could’ve gone to a lot of different situations and probably made a lot more money.”

Shanahan said that Purdy currently deserves to be considered the top quarterback on the depth chart if healthy because of what he has accomplished, but Shanahan also believes that both Lance and Darnold are capable of accomplishing a lot if given the right opportunity.

“I do believe we have three quarterbacks talent-wise who are all capable of being franchise-like quarterbacks,” Shanahan said. “But that’s just capable . . . Brock’s done that in his eight [starts]. And we have two other guys on our roster who we strongly believe can do that also.”

If Purdy’s elbow isn’t fully healed in time for him to play Week One, Shanahan sounds like he’d be open to giving Darnold the start.

[jaadam4]

People can sue for anything. The burden of proof to win is less also. We were once sued from a drunk driver who ran a stop sign and totaled a police vehicle. He won $250k. Was some bs. But he won.

Terrible. What an absolute mess

[chemiclord]

This is BS. Carter wasn’t driving the car that killed those people. Unless he was intentionally putting them into a wall his name shouldn’t be in the paperwork.

Not necessarily. For example, if you tell someone to go shoot a person, you're still liable for that crime, even though you didn't pull the trigger. Because, yeah, your actions still directly led to a crime.

But that's also what would have to happen for Carter to be civilly liable for this; the plaintiff would basically have to prove to the point of overwhelming evidence that the drag race was Carter's idea and he convinced everyone else to go along. I honestly don't see how that could be possible; if that evidence existed and was in counsel's hands, it would put the authorities in a pretty big bind, because they let someone go and then tried to cover up for a person who should be guilty of manslaughter. There's simply no way that sort of evidence exists and hadn't already blown up.

[Futureshock]

Aaron Jones embraces Packers’ underdog role

Posted by Charean Williams on May 11, 2023, 4:14 PM EDT

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For the first time in 16 years, the Packers don’t have Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback. For the first time in a long time, the Packers aren’t favored to win the NFC North.

The Lions and Vikings have better odds to win the division, with the Bears even ahead of the Packers on some sports books.

The Packers are embracing the underdog role.

“I’m used to it, being an underdog or being slept on, personally, so it’s a position I love to be in,” Packers running back Aaron Jones said, via Wes Hodkiewicz of the team website. “Nobody sees you coming at all. Everybody’s relaxed when they’re thinking about you, or they don’t think you’re capable of it.”

Jordan Love is replacing Rodgers as the team’s starting quarterback. The Packers went 6-10 in Rodgers’ first season as the starter after he replaced Hall of Famer Brett Favre.

And Packers head coach Matt LaFleur already warned that the team and its fans “all kind of have to temper our expectations for [Love].”

Love and the Packers, of course, hope to prove everyone wrong.

“When you prove people wrong, it’s one of the best feelings in the world,” Jones said. “I think that’s what we’re going to do this year — prove a lot of people wrong. We’re not worried about anybody’s opinions. We know what’s going to be written out there or where they’re going to have us selected to finish.”

The Packers believe in themselves, not what others believe about them. Time will tell.

[Futureshock]

Not necessarily. For example, if you tell someone to go shoot a person, you're still liable for that crime, even though you didn't pull the trigger. Because, yeah, your actions still directly led to a crime.

But that's also what would have to happen for Carter to be civilly liable for this; the plaintiff would basically have to prove to the point of overwhelming evidence that the drag race was Carter's idea and he convinced everyone else to go along. I honestly don't see how that could be possible; if that evidence existed and was in counsel's hands, it would put the authorities in a pretty big bind, because they let someone go and then tried to cover up for a person who should be guilty of manslaughter. There's simply no way that sort of evidence exists and hadn't already blown up.

Civil is 51%. So they have to prove it was more true. That's it.

[Futureshock]

Kenny Clark: We’ve definitely got to start faster

Posted by Myles Simmons on May 11, 2023, 3:55 PM EDT

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As the Packers move from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love at quarterback, much of the attention surrounding the team has been focused on its offense.

But if Green Bay is to be competitive in 2023, the team’s defense will need to be on point throughout the season.

In 2022, the Packers were average defensively, finishing No. 17 in points allowed and yards allowed. But the club was No. 26 in rushing yards allowed and No. 28 in surrendering 5.0 yards per carry.
Those things need to change in the coming season, according to veteran defensive lineman Kenny Clark.

“We definitely got to start faster. But again, I think it starts with just tackling and stopping the run,” Clark said, via Kassidy Hill of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Stop guys on first and second down, get them in third-and-long situations. And you know, whenever they throw the ball short, be able to tackle, just tackle the ball carrier and get after the passer.”

Clark, who’s entering his eighth season after Green Bay selected him at No. 27 overall in 2016, also acknowledged that he’s in a position to take on a greater leadership role.

“I feel like, start of the year, I’ve been more vocal, definitely to start the year,” Clark said. “Just looking inward at myself, I do definitely got to be more vocal. Guys want to hear me, hear me talk and they respect what I say.

“So, I definitely gotta be more of a vocal leader for the team. But as far as just my approach, I’m coming in every day and working being the same guy every day.”

In 106 career games, Clark has registered 26.5 sacks, 38 tackles for loss, and 55 QB hits. In 2022, he finished with 53 total tackles, five tackles for loss, 10 QB hits, and 4.0 sacks.

[Futureshock]

[Futureshock]

https://www.the33rdteam.com/category/news/tom-brady-in-talks-to-become-limited-partner-of-las-vegas-raiders/

NEWS Tom Brady in Talks to Become Limited Partner of Las Vegas Raiders


The 33rd Team

May 12, 2023 2 min read

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Tom Brady could be returning to the NFL, just not as a player. The recently retired quarterback is “deep in discussions” with Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis about becoming a limited team partner, ESPN reported on Friday.

The two sides have been discussing Brady’s potential involvement with the team for a couple of weeks. If Brady does become a limited partner, he will not have any control of the team’s business or football decisions. His investment in the team is reportedly “passive.”

This isn’t the first time Brady would join an ownership group led by Davis. In March, Brady announced he now owns a stake in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, which is also primarily owned by Davis. If Davis and Brady reach an agreement, the former quarterback would still have to be vetted and approved by 24 of the league’s owners.

Brady’s 10-year, $375-million contract with Fox will reportedly not affect the deal, as the network has “blessed” the deal. NFL owners cannot hold positions at media companies that would affect broadcast rights negotiations. Brady won’t have that authority at Fox, allowing him to work there and owner a stake in the Raiders.

Brady’s interest in becoming part owner of an NFL team isn’t new. In 2021 and 2022, Brady had discussions with Miami Dolphins brass — owner Stephen Ross and vice chairman/limited partner Bruce Beal — about becoming a minority partner in the team.

However, a six-month investigation by the NFL found the Dolphins had violated tampering policies by talking to Brady. The Dolphins were stripped of their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for illegal contact with Brady.

Brady has connections with some of the Raiders’ players, coaches and management staff. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was Brady’s backup in New England. Head coach Josh McDaniels was Brady’s offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2008 and 2012 to 2019. General manager Dave Zeigler worked in the Patriots front office from 2013 to 2021.

Brady said he retired “for good” on Feb. 1 after 23 seasons in the NFL. His career resume includes seven Super Bowl wins, and he is the only player to win Super Bowl MVP for multiple franchises. He holds NFL records in major career passing categories, including passing yards, completions, touchdown passes and games started.

[chemiclord]

Civil is 51%. So they have to prove it was more true. That's it.

The technical phrase is "preponderance of evidence," which while it technically means "more likely than not," rarely is actually interpreted that way. But even then, even if it was a straight up 51% likely, that would require something that at least insinuated that Carter was actively pressuring the occupants of the other people into a drag race. And if that evidence existed in the hands of a lawyer, then it would have blown up by now... because there's no way such gross negligence investigating an NFL draft prospect would have been covered up like that and not become a huge story if it was out in the wild.

Think of how quickly all that blew up for Jameis Winston, or Cam Newton's "sticky fingers."

[Futureshock]

Chargers schedule release video slams Detroit Lions for gambling suspensions


The Chargers made a pretty darn funny joke in their 2023 schedule release video about the Detroit Lions gambling suspensions.