Month: November 2017

There was once a time when this game looked like it might have massive playoff implications. Instead, the Broncos are going nowhere fast with an inept offense that has negatively affected one of the NFL’s best defenses.

Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler, who has completed 57 percent of his passes (70 of 123) for 663 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions in three career starts against the Patriots, will face the league’s worst pass defense. If he can’t keep Tom Brady and the top-ranked Patriots offense on the sideline, it will be a long night for the Broncos.

The Dolphins get their third straight prime-time game Monday in Charlotte. Miami has lost the previous two and its struggling offense will have its hands full against Carolina’s top-ranked defense.

However, OTL’s sources said that not only does Jones want Goodell out, but he also has his own candidate in mind to replace him. Though the sources didn’t know that person’s identity, the fact that Jones might be teeing up his own candidate has lost him potential support in ousting Goodell.

“Then Jerry will be completely in control of the league,” a source told OTL. “It’s turning off some owners.”

Meanwhile, a league executive said Jones’ injecting himself into the process, despite not being a member of the owners’ compensation committee, has increased Goodell’s determination to sign a new long-term deal.

There are some high-ceiling arms in the system as well, but chances are that isn’t going to be the backbone of the 2018 pitching staff.

The Giants’ unexpected performance came less than a week after co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said the embattled McAdoo would remain in charge through at least the end of the season. Days later, McAdoo and his team held what he termed “a brutally honest” team meeting in which mistakes and lack of effort plays were shown for all to see after the two losses by a combined 82-38 margin.

“In consultation with the NFLPA and his lawyers, and after careful deliberation and review of the recent Second Circuit decisions, Mr. Elliott has decided to forego any further appeals and will serve the remaining suspension.

This decision arises from a practical assessment of the current legal landscape. Mr. Elliott’s desire for closure in this matter is in his best interests, as well as the best interests of his teammates, family and friends. This decision is in no way an admission of any wrongdoing, and Mr. Elliott is pleased that the legal fight mounted by him and his team resulted in the disclosure of many hidden truths regarding this matter, as well public exposure of the NFL’s mismanagement of its disciplinary process.

It’s safe to say there weren’t any sizable expectations for Case Keenum before the season started because he was never supposed to be in this position. He has shattered every notion tied to his role as a backup and has helped position Minnesota as a legit contender in the NFC. He’s now 6-2 as a starter after guiding the Vikings to their sixth straight win on Sunday against the Rams, and has proved why he should remain the starting quarterback despite having Teddy Bridgewater waiting in the wings. Regardless of where he signs next season, Keenum has earned himself a nice payday by proving he can be more than just a viable backup. — Courtney Cronin

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has threatened to sue the NFL and some fellow owners individually over negotiations to extend commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract, The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing two unidentified people with direct knowledge of the situation.

The Times reported that during a conference call last week with the league’s compensation committee, composed of the owners of the Chiefs, Falcons, Giants, Patriots, Steelers and Texans, Jones informed them that legal papers had been drawn up and would be served this Friday if the committee did not scrap its plans to extend Goodell’s contract.

The Times was unable to get comment from Jones, Boies’ firm or the league for its story.

While Gordon can’t officially practice until Nov. 20, hejoin his teammates on the grass fields for conditioning work and individual drills, per NFL.com.

After his first day back, Gordon posted a video on Instagram sharing shots of the practice field and he said, “The first day back in the building went great. The real work begins now. Let y’all know where I’m at. Let’s go.”

On Wednesday, Gordon addressed the media for the first time since his reinstatement and shared nothing but positive words about where he is both mentally and physically as well as expressing gratitude for another chance in the NFL.

“Now I know I have the support in place outside and inside the building and my life is just in a conducive space of where I need to be for me psychologically, physically, it’s all coming together so right now in this point and time in my life I’m feeling well. I’m feeling great,” Gordon said.

Athlete fashion is now meeting purpose. Former NFLers Nate Burleson, Marcel Reece, and Rashad Jennings, as well as Ravens safety Eric Weddle, have teamed up with New York shoe brand Awl & Sundry to help put shoes on kids in Africa.

The Jets lost by seven. Huge call, obviously, one that separated the Jets and Patriots from the tie in the division entering the weekend to a one-game lead for New England at the end of the day. I reached NFL officiating vice president Al Riveron, who insisted they’d seen enough evidence. “As the runner is going to the ground,” Riveron said, “he loses control of the football.

In order for him to re-establish control, he has to have the ball when he touches the ground, and he has to survive the ground—when he hits the ground he must retain control of the ball …

It’s the type of trade that could only happen in-season, after a team like the Jaguars is able to identify a specific need. The Bills saved millions, and the Jaguars got a chance at an upgrade in what could be a playoff season. More teams in the future should think outside the box and make moves like this, but it will take a while for others to follow suit, even though such a trade makes sense for both sides.

A day earlier, Kershaw stood alone on the mound after the Dodgers’ dramatic win in Game 4, trying to get a visual for the biggest start of his career.

This was definitely not how he pictured it.

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner cruised into the fourth with a 4-0 lead before things suddenly fell apart. After Correa hit an RBI double, Gurriel launched a tying, three-run drive.

Kershaw whipped his head around to watch Gurriel’s drive sail, his face immediately showing shock, utter disbelief and frustration, all wrapped up in one expression before he bent over, hands on his knees.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers’ rocky opening to the 2017-18 season looking like growing pains at best and an all-out free fall at worst, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue called his team’s latest loss — a 114-95 rout at the hands of the New York Knicks — “unacceptable.”

The Patriots are averaging only 21.8 points per game over their past four. All were wins, but if there’s any cause for concern in New England right now, it’s the red zone offense. The Patriots have turned just 50 percent of red zone drives into touchdowns (63 percent last season).

The Chiefs are winning, but their defense hasn’t been helping the cause. They’ve allowed 392.3 yards per game, the third-most in the NFL. Eventually, Alex Smith will throw some interceptions, and when he does, the defense might not be able to hold.

But expansion is very different from relocation. One day there are 30 NHL teams and then the next—poof—there are 31. Hockey has expanded south and west, fully conquering the Sun Belt, putting sheets of ice in any climate it chooses. And so the longstanding dream of a professional team in Vegas is finally realized.

“I think fans need a day off, we need a day off and the media needs a day off,” Astros pitcher Collin McHugh said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun in L.A.”

It’s instructive to exhale for a moment and reflect on what has transpired since the series shifted from Los Angeles to Houston late last week. After Clayton Kershaw conducted a pitching clinic in the opener and the Astros went homer-happy in extra innings to steal Game 2 in L.A., the Astros returned home and took two of three while dealing with their fair share of weirdness.

The College Football Playoff selection committee will release its first top 25 ranking of the season on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN App) after deliberations at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas. The committee’s 13 members will continue to meet in Grapevine every week until Dec. 3, when they will select the top four teams for the playoff and assign them to semifinal sites.

Doug Baldwin had nine catches for 92 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks’ 24-7 win over the Giants on Sunday.

“Outside, there was a lot of noise, but there wasn’t inside,” coach Dan Quinn said. “So, that kind of resiliency, that kind of toughness is what this group stands for.”

FAST START: The Jets opened the game with an impressive drive, going 75 yards in eight plays and capped by McCown’s 20-yard touchdown toss to a wide-open Eric Tomlinson , who had his first NFL score.

“It’s already a sensitive issue. A lot of different opinions. What I am proud of is the fact that the voice of the player has been pretty concise and consistent, even when you’ve had responses from the president [and] responses from different owners that have not been in the good spirit of solidarity. Players have remained pretty level-headed, and we will continue to do so. We’re more concerned about getting actual work done and change and going about the right steps to do that. And so hopefully, the league will show some signs of taking us serious. … Behind closed doors, they’ve talked about supporting us and wanting to get something done, but as far as action, we really haven’t seen much yet.

Alex Ovechkin finished the 2016-17 campaign with 33 goals, his lowest full-season total since 2010-11. Coming into the new season, the Washington Capitals, having lost a lot of secondary scoring during the offseason, looked to the 32-year-old forward for more.

Ovechkin is currently on pace to score 140-plus goals this season, and while that, along with maintaining a shooting percentage of 31%, isn’t exactly realistic, he has a shot to surpass his career best of 65 goals and could be the league’s first 70-goal scorer since Alex Mogilny and Teemu Selanne notched 76 apiece in 1992-93. A seventh Rocket Richard Trophy might just be in order.

Oh, and his scoring binge has him—maybe, possibly, perhaps—eyeing up Wayne Gretzky’s career mark of 894 goals. It’s a long way away from his current total of 567, but it’s always been hard to rule out Ovechkin.

The Bears placed Freeman on injured reserve in Week 2 after the veteran tore a pectoral muscle in the season opener versus Atlanta, but Freeman suggested Monday that the concussion he also suffered in the Falcons game contributed to the latest suspension.

“I hate to say I’m sorry again, but I’m sorry,” Freeman posted on his Twitter account. “I’ve been on IR all year and you try and stay out of sight, but sorry for the distraction.

“I had been lying to friends, family and loved ones when it came to the question of, ‘Are you OK?’ Knowing my career may be over due to everything that came with the head injury (that’s been purposely downplayed by me), memory loss and all, has actually been a bit of a struggle. That being said there’s no excuse to cope with any problems by taking any kind of pills. I don’t know my future but a big thanks to the Bears and the NFL, if I would have used their programs and services earlier than I did I wouldn’t be in this situation. Sorry again for the distraction.”

The Golden State Warriors were down six nearing a minute to go in the game. Stephen Curry tried to hit Klay Thompson at the top of the key, but defensive specialist Avery Bradley picked off the pass and went in to finish a contested layup.

That was the game, and turnovers was the story of it for the Warriors.

Klay Thompson had a game-high 29 points and four turnovers. Kevin Durant supplied 28 points and three turnovers. Stephen Curry added 27 points and five turnovers. Big man Zaza Pachulia even joined the act, accumulating four turnovers in 19 minutes of play.

Good injury news wasn’t limited to Davis. Titans coach Mike Mularkey said quarterback Marcus Mariota is back to 100 percent and should be able to do everything Sunday against Baltimore. Mariota is finally past the hamstring injury that caused him to miss one game and left him primarily restricted to the pocket over his past two games.

“Marcus is back to where we need him to be to play at the same level he did before the injury,” Mularkey said.

Davis initially suffered the hamstring injury a few days into training camp and missed the entire preseason. He returned in Week 1 and made a splash, catching six passes for 69 yards in his NFL debut. He reinjured the hamstring in Week 2.

Davis admitted he rushed himself back from the first hamstring injury, but said the team let it heal fully this time so it won’t happen again.

Left guard Quinton Spain, who has the most serious of the Titans’ injuries, is doubtful to play Sunday with a turf toe injury he aggravated against Cleveland. Brian Schwenke would start in his place.

“I’m obviously very excited for Gabe, and I think he’ll do a great job with that young group of players, a very talented group,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But as far as with respect to our farm system and the culture that he’s kind of instilled with the teaching, he’s really impacted the guys that are with us right now.

“It takes all of us, the farm system, baseball ops, scouting and obviously the major league staff to accomplish what we’ve accomplished, but Gabe and his staff have been a huge part of what we have this year.”

The Seattle Times notes that the move was necessary for the Seahawks to do the deal for Brown, as Seattle had just $1.4 million in salary cap space available for this season, and Brown’s $9.4 million salary prorates to $4.9 million over the rest of the season. Sending cornerback Jeremy Lane to Houston in exchange for Brown provided just $2.1 million in cap relief (Update: Lane failed his physical and the trade was amended by Seattle sending three draft picks to the Texans)

“I think sometimes people perceived that I didn’t want to come back, and that’s not the case,” Girardi said in the interview, which was published Tuesday.

Girardi described his relationship with Cashman as “good,” saying that he thought “we were on the same page most of the time.”

Girardi said that he does want to manage again but acknowledged that he has interest working in Major League Baseball operations or returning to television. He worked for the YES Network in 2004, 2005 and 2007.

Because of the injury, the Vikings traded a first-round pick to the Eagles for quarterback Sam Bradford, who led the team to an 8-8 record in 2016.

If a player starts the regular season on the PUP list, he has to sit for the first six weeks. And once that player is medically cleared, he is eligible to return to the field as early as Week 7.

According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Bridgewater visited Dr. Dan Cooper in Dallas for a checkup and physical on Monday. Cooper repaired Bridgewater’s torn ACL and dislocated knee in August 2016. Now that 24-year-old has been medically cleared to play, Minnesota has three weeks to decide whether he can play this season or not.

Running back Leonard Fournette didn’t practice Wednesday because of an ankle injury, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Fournette didn’t practice at all this week to ensure that he is as healthy as possible for Sunday’s game at Indianapolis. The Jaguars’ offense is built around Fournette, and he accounts for 36.4 percent of the team’s total yards. That’s the second-highest percentage in the NFL behind Antonio Brown and Kareem Hunt (38.1 percent). Expect the Jaguars to be ultra-cautious with Fournette whenever he gets banged up. — Mike DiRocco

DeMarco Murray missed Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring strain suffered Monday night against the Colts. It’s a minor injury but one that will require watching throughout the week. This is Murray’s third hamstring injury in as many months, so it’s a bit of a troublesome trend, even though it hasn’t cost him any regular-season games. Marcus Mariota is also “real close” to being himself after a strong practice Wednesday, so expect a more mobile quarterback Sunday in Cleveland. — Cameron Wolfe