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5 things to look out for in Week 1

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Last night saw the 2022 NFL Season get underway as the Buffalo Bills walked away from SoFi Stadium as winners over the Los Angeles Rams in NBC’s Kickoff Game. The reigning Super Bowl Champions were defeated 31-10 in an epic start to the season. Luckily there are still 15 more games on this weekend’s slate for you to enjoy, here are five things to look out for in Week 1.

1. Will Baker Mayfield stick it to the Cleveland Browns?

Many feel that the 2018 number one overall pick, the first Browns quarterback to win a playoff game in 26 years, was harshly treated by the organisation in their acquisition of Deshaun Watson. He has a chance to get one over them on Sunday, as his former team rock up to Charlotte, NC, to play the Carolina Panthers. The Browns will be without Watson, who faces the first of his eleven-game suspension for sexual misconduct.

2. A first look at Tua and the Dolphins’ exciting new offense.

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Miami did a lot of work this offseason to give third-year QB, Tua Tagovailoa, everything he needs to succeed. He’s got a new offensive head coach who seems to believe in him, a run-game, explosive new weapons in Tyreek Hill and Cedrick Wilson, and vastly improved protection in front of him. He’s not had the easiest of starts to his NFL career, but this season things seem to have calmed down. We’ll know a lot more about his future after Sunday evening’s game at home to New England.

3. 2015’s top two picks go head to head

Week One seven years ago saw quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota face off to start their NFL careers. Sunday sees them meet for the first time since. It’s fair to say that both of their careers haven’t panned out as expected, with the two of them now on their second starting job, this time in the same division! Mariota’s Titans were 42-14 victors back then, will his Falcons win the first of two meetings with Jameis’ Saints this season? 

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4. Who will take the early bragging rights in the AFC West?

We don’t have to wait long for an inter-division matchup in the highly talented AFC West. Sunday sees the Los Angeles Chargers welcome the Las Vegas Raiders to SoFi Stadium. Both sides are vastly improved this season and are looking to end the Chiefs’ recent dominance of the division. Victory here will certainly help towards that, with every win counting in an absolutely stacked conference.

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5. It was a ride, 12’s 

Russell Wilson will brace Lumen Field for potentially the last time as his Broncos travel to Seattle to face his former Seahawks teammates. Denver kicked off an insane free-agency period this offseason by acquiring the Super Bowl XLVIII winning QB via a blockbuster trade. This game will certainly be filled with emotion, what a story it would be if the home team could pull off an upset. The perfect way to finish off the week, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Mr Unlimited on Monday Night Football. 

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Week 1 Preview Saints @ Falcons- Key Matchups And More

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It’s finally here! the first NFL Sunday of the 2022-2023 NFL season is two days away. It’s time to preview the New Orleans Saints week 1 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. I’m going to discuss 3 key matchups. A position to watch, whos playing and whos not? and of course the result.

Overview

The Saints enter week 1 as the favourite against the rival Falcons. Both teams have many new faces, most notably Tyrann Mathieu for the Saints and a new starting QB in Atlanta. Marcus Mariota succeeds franchise legend Matt Ryan after he was traded to the Colts in the offseason (much to Cam Jordan’s dismay). Mariota will give the New Orleans defense a totally different challenge compared to Ryan. Mariota is far more mobile, Arthur Smith is likely to try use this mobility by running the read-option, plenty and often. Unless the Saints show improvement at containing it. The Saints have struggled to defend this plenty over the last few seasons.

These two teams are at very different stages, the Saints with a largely veteran team, should be a playoff team this season and if things go their way, a legit Superbowl contender. Whereas the Falcons are at the start of a rather large rebuild, with very few players to build around.

One paper this should be a walk in the park for the Saints. However, this is a divisional game and one of the NFL’s more heated rivalries. Nothing can be taken for granted here, especially in week 1.

3 Key matchups/Players To Watch

Michael Thomas And The Saints New WRs

One of the primary things I will be watching, how does Michael Thomas and the 2 new Saints receivers look? We haven’t seen Thomas play since 2020 and that was at far less than 100%.

If Michael Thomas is 85% of the player he was, then that is huge for this Saints team and QB Jameis Winston. Reports from camp suggest that 85% might be a conservative number too.

Things have changed considerably since the 2020. Meaning that even Thomas at 85% will give the Saints 3 legit studs at WR, with the additions of Jarvis Landry and Rookie Chris Olave.

It will be interesting to see how Landry’s game meshes with Winston’s. Traditionally Winston prefers to through deep and outside the numbers, whereas Landry’s game has been more in-between the numbers in the short and intermediate range. All signs so far seem good but we need to see it in regular season action.

Lastly, Chris Olave. The Ohio State sensation joins a whole host of other Buckeyes on the roster. How does he match up against good NFL corners? One of the main concerns coming out of college was, if he can be physical enough against press man coverage to get open? All reports from camp have been glowing in this regard. We just need to see it in action now.

This matchup against future all-pro A.J. Terrell and excellent vet Casey Hayward should provide a good measuring stick for the Saints to see where their top 3 WRs are at.

Who Does Marshon Lattimore Match Up Against?

I’m interested to see if Marshon Lattimore will travel against Kyle Pitts. Traditionally Lattimore matches up well against bigger and more physical pass catchers. Compared to the smaller more twitchy players.

So, from a style perspective Pitts fits well for the Saints to match him up against Lattimore. It also wouldn’t hurt for the Saints to take Pitts out of the game as much a possible by having Lattimore on him.

Now, where this get interesting. What do the Saints then do with rookie Drake London? The 6ft 5 210lb first round pick out of USC, also fits the mold of a player worth putting Lattimore on.

So do the Saints just play sides? And let Lattimore lockdown one side of the field and just see who lines up opposite him?

I’m very interested to see how they decide to defends the 2 mammoth pass catchers.

Grady Jarrett Vs The Interior O-Line Especially Cesar Ruiz

Grady Jarret is a game wrecker, a star and one of the best at his position. Whether it be defending the run or rushing the passer, Jarrett can do it all.

So how does the Saints interior O-line hold up against him? I expect Erik McCoy who is a top 5 Center in the league to do just fine, he might lose a few reps but all in all hold up very well. McCoy just got a fully deserved, fat new contract. He will really earn his money against Jarrett this week.

More on McCoy’s new deal here- Saints, center Erik McCoy agree to five-year extension worth up to $63.75M (nfl.com).

The question comes when Jarrett matches up over LG Andrus Peat and RG Cesar Ruiz. Peat is coming off a season ending pec injury and can be inconsistent. This matchup will be a strong test in his first regular season game back.

RG Cesar Ruiz is in a make or break year. The former 1st round pick is going into his 3rd NFL season and there’s not been too much to celebrate from his play on the field. Reports are that he has massively improved his game this offseason. If that’s true we should find out pretty quickly here. I’m not expecting Ruiz to win every snap against Jarrett, that wouldn’t be a fair standard to set. But to see improvement would be huge for the Saints O-line.

If the Saints are going to be the team I expect them to be this season, then they really need their interior O-line to be a strong, especially in the run game. This was an area of weakness last season, compared to years past.

That’s why I think this is one of the key matchups to watch.  

A Position To Watch

That position? Safety and more specifically how will the Safeties be used?

When former HC Sean Payton ‘retired’ the Saints wanted to keep continuity. Hence keeping a lot of the same staff and promoting former DC Dennis Allen to the Head Coach.

Well, continuity is not the word to use to describe the Safety position. Versatility is.  

After losing starting safeties Marcus Williams in free agency and Malcolm Jenkins to retirement. The Saints added 2 new starting safeties, in Louisiana native and LSU hero Tryann Mathieu and Former Jet Marcus Maye.

Marcus Williams was an excellent safety for the Saints but, we was fairly predictable. Generally lining up as a deep safety. In Mathieu and Maye the Saints have 2 players who can line up anywhere, they can player deep as a single safety or in 2 safety looks. They can both play in the box in zone or man coverage to cover TEs/RBs. They can help in run support and be productive blitzers, they can even cover the slot.

What this means is Dennis Allen now has 2 cheese pieces that he can move around the defense all game long, to fit a certain matchup, a certain tendency, or to simply confuse. These 2 could be anywhere at any time. Causing huge amounts of confusion for the opposing Qb’s. As they will be in one position pre snap and somewhere complete different post snap.  

This is going to festinating to see what how Dennis Allen and Co-Defensive Coordinators Kris Richard and Ryan Nielsen decide to deploy these 2 in their first game as New Orleans Saints.

State of the rosters

Saints Injury report:

WR- TreQuan Smith- OUT

RB- Dwayne Washington- OUT

CB- Paulson Adebo-OUT

T- Landon Young- Questionable

WR-Michael Thomas- Questionable

S-J.T. Gray-Questionable

S- Tyrann Mathieu- Questionable

C- Erik McCoy- No designation

LB-Pete Werner- No designation

Falcons Injury report:

TE- Parker Hesse- No designation

CB- Darren Hall- Questionable

WR- Drake London- Questionable

Key Saints things to take from this? all signs seem to point to Michael Thomas playing. With Paulson Adebo out, all reports suggest that Bradley Roby will start at outside CB opposite Marshon Lattimore. With Justin Evans and/or P.J. Williams manning the slot. With no designation that means Pete Werner will play which is hugely important for the Saints run defense.

Key Falcons things to take from this? simply that rookie WR Drake London appears to be ready to make his NFL debut.

Result

I think the Saints defense dominate and confuse Mariota. With a wide range of coverages pre and post snap and a ferocious pass rush that gives him very little time to throw.

 I think the offense will be efficient in all areas, with the run game excelling.

Result- Saints Win 27-10

I will be previewing of all of the New Orleans Saints games this season on New Orleans Saints – Full10Yards

Please let me know your feedback on my article throughout the season, I’m always looking to improve and add things that people want to read about!

 I will also be posting at least 1 other article on the site weekly, so stay tuned.

I want to create as much of a UK Saints community as possible, so please follow me on Twitter @SaintsReportUK, for much more Saints content and discussion.

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New Orleans Saints 2022-2023 Season Record Prediction

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We are on the eve of the 2022-2023 season. The 53 man roster is set, for now anyway. This seems like a good time to put out my prediction for how the 2022-2023 regular season will go for the New Orleans Saints.

Disclaimer- these predictions are based on the teams as they are now. Of course injuries, suspensions and trades could all massively change the Saints and any of their opponents throughout the year.

Week 1 @Atlanta Falcons

The Saints are on the road for week 1 against the division rival Falcons. #Falconshateweek is already in full flow on Saints twitter. This is a matchup that has been kind to New Orleans in recent memory winning 3 of the last 4.

On paper the Saints have a far superior roster but, games against the Falcons are unpredicable. Both team usually play each other well.

I predict the Saint’s defense is dominant, against an underwhelming Falcons offense. The New Orleans offense will simply just need to not make mistakes to win this game.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 27- 10

Saints bold prediction- Saints defense has 6+ sacks.

(Record 1-0)

(For a full preview of this game keep an eye out later in the week on New Orleans Saints – Full10Yards and @SaintsReportUK on twitter).

Week 2 Vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Terrific comes to the Caesars Superdome for a huge home opener. Despite Brady and the Bucs dominance on the rest of the league, this matchup has been a stellar one for New Orleans. The Saints defense has held Brady to 13 points per game in their 4 previous regular season meetings.

The Bucs offense has been more potent in the Dome compared to at home and I think this will be a close game coming down to 2 key points, who commits more turnovers? And can the Saints harass Brady to the same degree as they have previously?

I think these 2 teams will split the season series. Brady’s Bucs have performed better at the Superdome but, I’m going to go for a Saints win. It’s going to be very hard to run on the Bucs front with Vita Vea and former Saints Akiem Hicks manning the middle. I think this game is won from the arm of Jameis Winston with Chris Olave have his first big NFL performance.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 30-27

Saints bold prediction- Chris Olave 100+ receiving yards

(Record 2-0)

Week 3 @ Carolina Panthers

3 games to start the season, 3 division games for the Saints. Game 3 means a road trip to the ‘Bank of America Stadium’ in Charlotte. The Panthers have a new man leading the offense. Former number 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield will start under center for Carolina.  I am higher Baker than others. they a bring a young, hungry and fast defense that traditionally plays the Saints well.

I think this is a game where the Saints start slow, coming of a huge performance against the Bucs and despite a late rally; the slow start costs them here.

Result- Panthers Win

Score- 24- 20

Saints bold prediction- Saints defense holds MaCaffrey to under 60 rushing yards.

(Record 2-1)

Week 4 Vs Minnesota Vikings (London Game)

Coming off their first defeat of the season the Saints head to London for a ‘home’ game against the Vikings.

With first year HC Kevin O’Connell a disciple of Sean McVay. The Vikings are expected to have a new and improved offensive system and have stars on both sides of the ball. I expect the Vikings to be a playoff team this year, i even think they might win the NFC North.

I think this game is close, I think it’s going to be an offensive battle. With the biggest play coming from the Saints defense forcing 1 crucial turnover that swings the game in their favour.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 34-30

Saints bold prediction- Winston throws for 350+ and 3+TDs 

(Record 3-1)

Week 5 Vs Seattle Seahawks

Usually when teams play in London they have a bye week. The Saints refused that option, as they felt this would be too early in the season for a bye. To aid the team to transition back from the time zones changes and extra travel that the London game brings. Should the schedule makers have put this game on Monday night? I think yes, But of course its New Orleans so they did not.

So here come the Seahawks, a post London hangover is certainly possible here for the Saints. Luckily this is not the Seahawks of old, gone are the Russel Wilson lead, Legion of Boom teams. Enter the Geno Smith era, at least for now.

I think the Saints defense overpowers whichever QB the the Seahawks are starting on their way to comfortable victory.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 27-14

Saints bold prediction- Saints defense has 3+ interceptions

(Record 4-1)

Week 6 Vs Cincinnati Bengals

A huge Louisiana matchup follows, with former LSU Tiger legends Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase coming to town, as the Saints welcome last year’s Superbowl runner up Cincinnati Bengals to the Caesars Superdome.

On paper it appears the Bengals got even better this offseason, especially on the O-line (admittedly it’s not difficult to be better than last year’s line) with the free agent additions of Ted Karras, Alex Cappa and La’el Collins.

I predict a comeback down to earth game for the Saints, with the Burrow/Chase lead offense being just too much to keep up with on the night.

Result- Bengals Win

Score- 30-26

Saints bold prediction- Michael Thomas over 125 receiving yards.

(Record 4-2)

Week 7 @ Arizona Cardinals

Week 7 takes the Saints head to the desert to face the Cardinals, a team many the media believe will be a playoff team this season. I on the other hand do not share that same vision for them.

Now. I’m not saying are bad, I just don’t see them as a playoff calibre team, more likely around .500. They are not good enough at key spots O-line, CB and other than J.J. Watt (can he stay healthy? ) and Marcus Golden there is not much at Pass Rusher either.

Yes Kyler has weapons and this will be DeAndre Hopkins first game back after suspension. But, I think the Saints defense, especially the front 7 dominate this game. With a statement away win.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 34-21

Saints bold prediction- 3 Saints receivers go over 80 receiving yards.

(Record 5-2)

Week 8 Vs Las Vegas Raiders

A new and improved Raiders come to town. Or so you were told. The Raiders have been a darling of the offseason. With the trade for Davante Adams, free agency addition of Chandler Jones and the hiring of Patriots offensive mastermind Josh McDaniels as HC.

I, on the other hand. See a team with a weak O-line and a defense outside that of Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby who, admittedly are studs. Appears average.

I think the Saints put together their most complete game of the season, they harass Derek Carr all night and Winston throws it all over the field for big numbers.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 38-18

Saints bold prediction- Marcus Davenport 2+ Sacks.

(Record 6-2)

Week 9 Vs Baltimore Ravens

If the Saints are the team I think they are, I think they should win this game. It will be tough though and this Ravens team should not be taken lightly.

Always well coached and led by former MVP QB Lamar Jackson and a strong, deep and versatile secondary, I think this game will be close. My main concern if I’m a Ravens fan, Can Rashod Bateman or any other WR step up this season? If not that’s a lot to put on Mark Andrews in the passing game.

I think this a defense battle, with the Saints relying on their running game and producing just enough in the passing game to get through with a win.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 24-21

Saints bold prediction- Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram both average over 4.5 yards per rush.

(Record 7-2)

Week 10 @ Pittsburgh Steelers

A trip to the Steel City awaits the Saints in week 10. Some of the points I made about the Ravens are true here. The Steelers are well coached, instead of the excellent secondary the Ravens posses. For the Steelers it’s a dominant front 7 led by reining defensive player of the year T.J. Watt.

The biggest question by this point of the season will be, who is the starting QB? Will it be Mitch Trubisky or will rookie Kenny Pickett have taken over.

This could be a low scoring grind it out type of game. As all Saints fans know there’s always at least one let down game every season. A game the Saints should win and they just lay an egg. Here’s where I guess that game comes.

Result- Steelers win

Score- 21-17

Saints bold prediction- Juwan Johnson leads the team in receiving yards.

(Record 7-3)

Week 11 Vs Los Angeles Rams

The Reigning Superbowl Champions visit New Orleans, this matchup when played the dome especially, will not bring fond memories for Saints fans. I feel that trend could continue.

I don’t think the Rams will be a Superbowl powerhouse this season and I really could see the Saints winning this game. But and there isn’t any analysis in this take. For some reason this just feels like a game the Saints will lose, maybe with some frustration from fans, feeling like this was a missed opportunity. Leaving the game feeling like the Saints should have won.

Sometimes as a fan you have these feelings. I’m going to go with my gut here.

Result- Rams Win

Score- 27-20

Saints bold prediction- Alvin Kamara 140+ yards from scrimmage

(Record 7-4)

Week 12 @ San Francisco 49ers

Coming off a loss to the Rams the Saints travel to Santa Clara to face Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers. Will Trey Lance still be the starter? We will see. Shanahan’s offense has traditionally given Dennis Allen issues.

This time I think the Saints defense strikes back, confusing the rookie QB with disguised coverages. Leaving San Fran’s offense in disarray.

Whilst Jameis has is way with the 49er’s secondary.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 31-20

Saints bold prediction- 2+ interceptions for Saints Safeties

(Record 8-4)

Week 13 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As I said earlier I think the 2 teams split this series, so in the second meeting with the Bucs, Tom and his cronies come out on top.

Result- Bucs Win

Score- 27-21

Saints bold prediction- David Onyemata’s Sacks + TFL’s will be 3 or more

(Record 8-5)

Week 14 Vs Atlanta Falcons

Rinse and repeat from my week 1 comments. The only difference here is Desmond Ridder may have found his way into the starting line-up at QB.

Either way I think this is a Saints win.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 34-17

Saints bold prediction- Cam Jordan breaks the Saints franchise sack record with 2+ Sacks.

(Record 9-5)

Week 15 @ Cleveland Browns

Deshaun Watson will have had plenty of time to knock off the rust by now after not playing for a season and serving his suspension.

Giving the Saints a challenge in this game. I think they manage to shut down the Browns run game. Leaving a passing offense with limited weapons outside of Amari Cooper out to dry.

Winston takes a backseat to a dominate Saints run game led by Kamara, Ingram and Taysom Hill.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 30-24

Saints bold prediction- Marshon Lattimore holds Amari Cooper to 4 or less catches whilst lined up against him.

(Record 10-5)

Week 16 @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Saints bogey team over the last 2 seasons and unfortunately the Eagles are much improved this year compared to those teams. After a masterful offseason, capped with a trade for C.J. Gardner Johnson that depressed most Saints fans. Giving the Eagles defense the final piece it needed.

Unfortunately I don’t think the Saints bring in the New Year with a win. With the Saints issues against the Eagles attack continuing and the formidable Eagles front making it very difficult for the Saints offense to operate, especially in the run game.

Result- Eagles Win

Score- 31-21

Saints bold prediction- Saints offense is held to under 50 yards rushing.

(Record 10-6)

Week 17 Vs Carolina Panthers

I had the Saints losing this matchup in week 3. I don’t see a sweep for the Panthers. Avoiding a slow start this time around. The Saints romp to a dominate win to close out the regular season.

Result- Saints Win

Score- 27-19

Saints bold prediction- Taysom Hill 3 total TDs

(Record 11-6)

There you have it! You now know exactly how the Saints regular season will go (said with tongue firmly in cheek). New Orleans finish 4-2 in the division and 11-6 overall.

I will posting at least 2 Saints articles to New Orleans Saints – Full10Yards every week throughout the regular season and beyond! So stay tuned there.

I want to create as much of a UK Saints community as possible, so please follow me on Twitter @SaintsReportUK, for much more Saints content and discussion.

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Five Things: Preseason Game 3 – New York Giants at New York Jets

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The Giants fell to a 31-27 defeat against the Jets last night, and after two wins and a loss, the preseason is over. With the regular season fast approaching, let’s look at some talking points.

Webb Shooter

Davis Webb’s preseason performances have been impressive, and although he is unlikely to see the field this season, the familiarity he has shown in this offence has given us glimpses of what may be to come for Daniel Jones once Brian Daboll’s system clicks. Davis came into the game late in the first quarter following Tyrod Taylor’s untimely exit due to a back injury and once again carried the team forward.

Normally, focusing on stats is pointless in preseason, but glossing over Webb’s would be doing him a disservice. He finished yesterday’s game with 30 completions on 38 attempts for 202 yards, rushed four times for 13 yards, and threw a touchdown to Tight End Austin Allen. If you look at the whole preseason, he was also joint 5th for passing yards with 457 and had 60 completions on 81 targets, which is the highest number of completions across the NFL.

Cornerback Woes

The majority of Giants fans would agree that the biggest concern this offseason, other than the injuries, has been the state of our cornerback group. Outside of Adoree Jackson, it is very much a patchwork group with no standout backups ready to step in. Sunday’s game was an opportunity for one of them to step up, but unfortunately, it ended by raising more concerns.

Multiple players had rough days, with both Aaron Robinson and Cordale Flott missing tackles that will cost the Giants dearly in the regular season. However, it’s probably fair to say that neither struggled as much as Khalil Dorsey did on the Jets’ final drive. With the Jets on the Giants’ 36-yard line, Dorsey was flagged for pass interference, placing the Jets on the 10 yard line. Four plays later, he was beaten on a corner route and the Jets scored what ended up being the game winner.

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Calitro Shines

Austin Calitro signed with the Giants a month ago, and the much-travelled Linebacker who is on his 9th team, has been fighting for a roster spot ever since. Calitro, a life-long Giants fan, has had an up and down preseason. After impressing against the New England Patriots, he struggled against his previous team, the Cincinnati Bengals, but last night’s showing could just see him avoid being cut and make the Giants’ 53-man squad for the season.

His impressive showing yesterday started with a fumble recovery after fellow Linebacker Micah McFadden forced the ball out of Michael Carter’s hands. Then, in the second half, a poor throw by Joe Flacco was straight at Calitro, and he took the gift all the way to the endzone for the Giants’ first touchdown of the game. By the end of the game, he added five tackles (two solo) and one tackle for a loss to his stat line.

When Will It End

In what seems to be a weekly occurrence, another smattering of injuries has disrupted the Giants’ preparations for the upcoming season. During the weeks joint practise with their final preseason opponents, the Giants saw second-year Edge Rusher Azeez Ojulari leave the field hobbling with what was later revealed to be a lower leg injury. This was only days after one of the stars of preseason Wide Receiver Collin Johnson was ruled out for the season with an Achilles injury.

The injuries didn’t let up during Sunday’s game, although we can be thankful that on paper they don’t look to be as impactful as a number have been in the last few weeks. Tyrod Taylor left the game with a back injury on the dreaded cart, but seemed to avoid a serious injury. Tight End Daniel Bellinger and Defensive Lineman Jalyn Holmes were also both ruled out after they were evaluated for concussions.

As Sign of Things to Come

After sitting through last year’s abysmal offensive play, Giants fans were intrigued when the tandem of Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka were brought in to overhaul the playbook. Early signs in camp pointed to a more modernised offence and, although it is still very much a work in progress, it would seem that the pieces are starting to come together.

Looking at the three games that the Giants have played in the preseason, they averaged 25 points a game, something they only managed three times in the entirety of last season. Couple this with the 272.7 Passing Yards per game and the 382.7 Total Yards per game (both of which were the highest in the league) and you have a reason to be optimistic.

Obviously, this is only preseason, so it cannot be interpreted as a foreshadowing of what is to come, but for a team that has struggled so frequently in recent years, it’s a breath of fresh air and long may it continue.

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Five Things: Preseason Game 2 – Cincinnati Bengals at New York Giants

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Preseason game two is in the books and another win for Big Blue this time over the Cincinnati Bengals. Here are five things to mull over:

Decisive Daniel

Brian Daboll kept his cards close to his chest this past Friday, refusing to say whether Daniel Jones would play in the preseason game against the reigning AFC champions, but he will be pleased with the performance of his much-maligned quarterback after deciding to start him.

After multiple weeks of inconsistent practises and an up and down showing last week against the New England Patriots, Jones produced an assured performance, albeit against the Bengals’ 2nd string team as the starters were held out.

Jones was under centre for most of the first two quarters before Tyrod Taylor replaced him on the Giants’ fourth possession. During those three possessions, Jones played 24 snaps, completing 14-of-16 passes for 116 yards. The only mark on his stat sheet will be the interception. Nevertheless, Daboll was keen to express though that he thought rookie Tight End Daniel Bellinger should have caught the ball that ricocheted into the hands of Bengals rookie Safety Daxon Hill.

Fourth-Quarter Comeback

As the fourth quarter got underway last night, the Giants were 16-7 down and heading towards defeat. However, a quick field goal after a stalled drive that started in the 3rd quarter was converted, and the game was suddenly closer at 16-10.

The Bengals’ next drive ended around midfield when Evan McPherson missed a 58-yard field goal. This meant Davis Webb found himself with great field position, knowing that the team needed a touchdown. Nine plays later, Webb would connect with Alex Bachman for a 22-yard touchdown. He then followed it up with a run of his own to convert the two-point conversion, and suddenly it was 16-18.

The Bengals would answer that with a touchdown of their own, but a failed two-point conversion would give the Giants an opportunity to seal the game. In a drive that took just over two minutes, Webb would find Bachman again for the go-ahead touchdown, and Jamie Gillan converted the extra point. The final play of the game would come after undrafted rookie free agent Tomon Fox smashed into Trenton Irwin to cause a fumble that was recovered by newly signed Olaijah Griffin.

Injury Ravaged

The Giants entered Sunday’s game with EIGHTEEN players unavailable due to injury. For the stats people out there, that’s 21% of the roster and it doesn’t include the five players either on injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list.

It was due to these issues that the Giants had to start their sixth player at Centre Max Garcia, which subsequently put Daboll in two minds on whether to play his starters.

Most of the players did play, and unfortunately, things only got worse. In the first half alone Wide Receiver C.J. Board injured his ribs, Kicker Graham Gano suffered a concussion as a result of having to make a tackle on a returned kick, and rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux was almost carted off with a knee injury but luckily only strained his MCL. Nothing changed in the second half as last week’s standout, Darrian Beavers, left with a knee injury, which has now been confirmed as an ACL tear, ending his season.

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Take a Punt

As alluded to in my previous point, Graham Gano left the game in the first half with a concussion, leaving the Giants in the precarious position of not having their standout kicker available for the rest of the game. Normally, in a situation like this, you would start going for two-point conversions, but preseason allows opportunities for experimentation. 

Punter Jamie ‘The Scottish Hammer’ Gillan took over kick-off duty and, on the whole, performed well, but the real experiment started early in the 4th quarter with the Giants facing a 4th and 9 on the Bengals’ 12 yard line. Gillan and versatile Safety Jullian Love trotted out to become Place Kicker and Holder respectively, and they connected with a 31-yard field goal. The pair returned late in the 4th to secure the XP that gave the Giants a 3-point lead.

Bach to Bach(man)

Wide Receiver Alex Bachman has been on the roster bubble the last two preseasons for the Giants, and he’s been a mainstay on the practise squad. He has seen game time with the Giants, but opportunities have been scarce, with a combined 56 snaps on Offense and Special Teams in four games. Last night, however, may have just shown exactly what Bachman can do.

In a breakout performance, he finished yesterday’s preseason game with 11 catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns, both from Quarterback Davis Webb. When asked prior to the game, Brian Daboll was complimentary about his attitude: “He showed up in the spring and worked as hard as he possibly could and got better each day. He’s one of the first guys in the weight room each day. He was down, down on the depth chart, rep chart if you will, and all he does is compete and play hard. And I appreciate guys like that. I think his teammates do, too. It was good to see him have some success out there. He’ll get more chances.”

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What’s the deal with Tua? Is this his breakout season?

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I think it’s fair to say that Tua Tagovailoa hasn’t had the best of starts to his NFL career. Before the injury he was seen as one of the best quarterback prospects since Andrew Luck, but things haven’t quite worked out in the league.

That being said, I don’t think there are many quarterbacks at all that would be able to succeed if they went through what the ex-Alabama QB has had to deal with over these past few years. Yes, he’s been nothing more than average, but he’s not had the chance to be anything else.

That could be set to change as Tua has been spectacular so far in Training Camp. The front office has surrounded the QB with a loaded offense, and there is a whole load less noise around him and the team, even with the Brady stuff, there’s positivity there.

But before we delve further into why I believe the narrative is about to change, let’s recap Tua’s career so far.

Going into the 2019 college football season, Tua Tagovailoa was the expected number 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft. He was one of the biggest stars in college football after his come from behind 2018 (2017 season) National Championship win from the bench as a freshman. The following season he came second behind Kyler Murray in the Heismann voting and lost the Natty to Clemson, but did break Baker Mayfield’s single-season FBS passer rating record of 199.4. 

2019 looked set to be just as successful, before a shootout loss to LSU and a season-ending injury occurred in the space of 7 days. His season was ruined against Mississippi State on November 16th, the 10th Week of the CFB season, dislocating his hip and sustaining a posterior wall fracture, a very uncommon injury to suffer on the football field. A bad one.

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After he was drafted in 2020 (5th overall), Tua was cleared to play medically in the summer but was expected to sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick for the year. 2019 proved that the team were all in on him, and Tagovailoa had spent the offseason rehabbing rather than training. Some believed it was possible he’d never play football again, so it seemed right to take a slow approach. The lack of a pre-season in 2020 too meant he was very raw in terms of NFL snaps. 

Joe Burrow of LSU, the quarterback who eventually went number one overall, started from the get-go for Cincinnati, whilst Justin Herbert took the opportunity to start that game vs Kansas City and ran with it, looking like a star as a rookie.

Tua’s first snaps were in relief of Fitz in a blowout win vs the Jets in Week 6. Bar a situation like that, it seemed highly unlikely that Tua would play a game that season, especially with the Fins in the hunt for a playoff spot.

The team’s bye week then followed, in which Tua was suddenly announced as the starter for the Week 8 game at home to the Rams, out of nowhere. After that, nothing really made sense with the team’s handling of him.

It’s expected that Brian Flores was pressured by Stephen Ross to start him, probably caused by how good Herbert looked. I think Ross was determined to prove that they didn’t make a mistake by not drafting him by showing Tua off to the world, which was totally the wrong choice to make. 

As we know, he didn’t play anything like the Chargers QB, he wasn’t awful, but didn’t show off anything bar his ability to scramble when the pocket closed. It was hardly surprising, you could tell the training wheels were on. He also looked lighter and weaker, like he wasn’t ready to play yet. Almost as if he spent the last 12 months recovering from a serious injury.

Flores’ decision to pull him late in games when the offense was struggling to find a groove backfired massively. I admire the ambition to win, but ultimately that was probably the beginning of the end of his time in Miami. It created a huge media story of a lack of confidence, which just wouldn’t have been there if he kept Tagovailoa in the games and let him learn.

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2021 came around, and the team attempted some moves to help him succeed, but not many worked out. The very heavily RPO-based offense suited his skill set, but the decision to have not one, not two, but three guys in his ear relaying it to him was dumb. New England looks to be learning that at the moment.

Drafting Jaylen Waddle was also smart, reuniting Tua with one of his college receivers, without him the offense would have absolutely stunk last year. Since Tua has been in Miami, his receivers have created the least amount of separation in the entire league. Imagine how bad it would’ve been without Waddle.

There were however some absolute disasters too, the main one being the failure to address the offensive line. The unit got even worse after losing Ereck Flowers. 

Don’t forget Will Fuller too. Signing him would have been such a good idea, had he played. An odd finger injury kept the WR out virtually the whole year. All of this was going on whilst the Deshaun Watson situation was developing. Fuller’s addition only sparked more rumours. 

Surprise surprise, the line got the QB hurt at home to Buffalo in Week 2, derailing the season from the very start, missing three games, of which the team lost all three. Week 7, also against the Bills, saw Tua sustain an finger injury that put him out for the game against the Texans, the game after the trade deadline.

Baltimore were the next opponent after Houston, on TNF, a game where the quarterback, who lead you to a win at Foxborough, was active, but not starting, as a ‘precaution.’ What the hell was that? His finger was healed enough to be active. Heck, he was even on the golf course on the day of the game.

Jacoby Brissett hurt his knee just after the half, prompting Tua to go in and try and extend a 6-3 lead. The unit was moving better with Tagovailoa, so even when Brissett was cleared to go back into the game, Flores stuck with him. How odd. 

These kinds of decisions just didn’t make any sense, and they happened regularly. We know you didn’t get on, but your replacement was the disaster that was Brissett, I thought you wanted to win Flores?

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After the game, Tua started the rest of the season. The continuity, paired with a significantly better defensive performance saw six more wins follow, before a collapse from the offense on a win-and-in-game in the rain in Nashville. A bad game, towards the end of a season. 

A season in which we saw improvement from Tua Tagovailoa in less than ideal circumstances. The Dolphins finally going back down to their level after beating up on bad teams down the stretch. 

Anyway, enough of the old regime, bar the meddling owner trying to illegally pursue Tom Brady for the second time, the team looks in a much better place. It seems that GM Chris Grier is more fond of the now third-year signal caller than Flores was, together with Mike McDaniel they’ve given him everything he needs to succeed this offseason.

Bringing us to today, where confidence in Tua seems higher than ever.

It’s almost as if you give a QB a relatively trouble-free offseason, with minimal noise, an upgraded offensive line, two more playmakers and a running game, he’d look pretty damn good in training camp.

I’m not surprised, he’s got some very key attributes to be a successful QB in this league. The pocket presence is good, you really can’t deny that. Tagovailoa knows exactly where to go under pressure, often stepping up into the pocket when it collapses. He needs to protect himself when scrambling though, trying to truck defenders isn’t wise. Tua had the league’s 5th best pressure to sack percentage last season at only 14.4% Brissett was 2% higher on that list and took just one less sack in 169 fewer snaps. 

Then there’s touch, the Dolphins #1 throws a very catchable ball, which is often very accurate, accuracy being his main strength. Tua is rarely off target, especially in short range. He’s one of the best in the league at completing those quick throws. 67.8% of the quarterback’s throws were completed last year, putting him right between two very similar players in Jimmy Garoppolo and Mac Jones.

Tua’s going right into the offense that has seen Jimmy reach two NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl. A QB-friendly system that creates opportunities off of play action thanks to an excellent run game. I’d argue that if he was in Josh McDaniels or Kyle Shanahan’s offense last year, the young QB would’ve been better, than his former Alabama teammate and, certainly Garoppolo. The numbers are so similar, and consider situations. 

His first year without rehabbing since the injury has helped, he’s clearly worked on his arm strength and throws outside of the pocket. The two biggest criticisms of his game since his debut. Both elements have been poor so far in his NFL career. Local reporters have been impressed with the difference.

It feels like every single practice we’re hearing about a 50-yard connection to one of his many receivers. His accuracy has shown up too, with many balls that are expected to be intercepted, ending up right at the chest of the intended target. 

Tagovailoa’s play has been recognised, being one of only five players to have worn the orange jersey twice since the start of OTA’s. The orange jersey is awarded to the player with the best practice the previous day, by the coaching staff.

Elsewhere on the offense, the wall protecting him is looking much better. They’ve now got a veteran leader in Terron Armstead, to pair with Robert Hunt who’s been the only acceptable lineman these past two years. Playing Conor Williams at C is odd, but if it allows you to get your best five out there then I guess it makes sense. 

By the sounds of it, the run game has been the phase that’s impressed the most though. Which is exactly what is needed in this offense, Chase Edmonds, who by the seems of things may be the feature back, has been impressing. 

All of this should really help Tua, who I expect to have a much better season. I’m not expecting him to be Justin Herbert, Josh Allen, or Patrick Mahomes, but can he be Kirk Cousins? Absolutely. 3500 yards, 25 TD’s and 10 INT’S or so seems entirely possible from what we’ve been hearing is going on in Training Camp. 

Tua and the offense were the standout unit in Thursday’s joint practice against the Buccanners. Everything that’s happened so far on the lead-up to the season points towards a much improved year from the Fins’ 3rd-year quarterback. 

Our 2022 NFL Season Guide is now available to pre-order. With over 160 pages packed with previews, reviews and opinions from fans across the league and the UK, this is the comprehensive NFL UK fan guide written by NFL UK fans. Log on to www.full10yards.co.uk/guides/ and enter code FULL10 for 10% off your copy today.

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Five Things: Preseason Game 1 – New York Giants at New England Patriots

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Our first game against the New England Patriots has now been and gone. It wasn’t a convincing performance by any means, but there were plenty of talking points. Here are five things that stood out:

Jones vs. Tyrod

Whilst it is unlikely that this will turn into a starting job competition, there is already some intrigue regarding how bad the Giants’ record would have to be before the coaching staff pull Daniel Jones and move forward with Tyrod Taylor. Thursday’s preseason game was a good opportunity for them both to show what they can achieve this season if needed.

Jones took the first two series and had a good but not brilliant showing, completing 6 of 10 passes for 69 yards as well as a 7-yard scramble. He would have likely had a much-needed touchdown too if Kenny Golladay hadn’t dropped a pass that hit him right between the numbers.

On the other hand, Taylor showed exactly what the Giants had been missing the last few years from a backup, which is competency. He completed 13 of 29 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. Again, like Jones, there were good moments, but against a stronger calibre of player, a few overthrows may have ended up being interceptions.

First Rounders

There was a noticeable buzz from the Giants fanbase before the game, and the majority of that was aimed at the chance to see both Evan Neal and Kayvon Thibodeaux in their first semi-competitive game.

Neal was in from the start and ended up playing 19 offensive snaps and it was an up and down showing from the rookie. In the passing game, he looked unsure but showed much more promise in the running game. It’s no secret that his offensive line teammate Andrew Thomas struggled in his first season but has blossomed into a key piece, so I think we can allow Neal some time to learn.

Thibodeaux also started on the defensive side and played 14 snaps before being removed. Although he wasn’t on the field for long and the stat line doesn’t show much, he had a dominant showing. Kayvon finished the game with an assisted tackle and was responsible for a Patriots offensive false start but is raring to go for the next game. “I thought I was gonna be a little more nervous or a little more uptight,” Thibodeaux said, “but it was really natural, and it was good … this was definitely just a warm-up.”

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The Thin Offensive Line

With an offensive line group that is mostly made up of new additions from either the draft or free agency, the Giants needed the line to stay healthy and gel. Unfortunately, on the injury front, that hasn’t been the case. Center Nick Gates and Tackle Matt Peart both remain on the PUP list after starting the preseason there. Matt Gono’s reoccurrence of a career-threatening neck injury has led to his contract being terminated and rookie Marcus McKethan saw his season finish before it started due to an ACL injury.

This trend continued during the game as Guard Shane Lemieux began limping during the opening moments of the first offensive series and, after the drive finished, he headed to the locker room. He was later ruled out with a toe injury and was seen on the sidelines in a walking boot. Backup Jamil Douglas then deepened the crisis as he suffered an ankle injury and didn’t return.

Fighting like Beavers

In a game where most fans will have been keeping a close eye on how the rookies took to NFL action, there was a surprising name that stood out. Enter sixth-round pick from the Cincinnati Bearcats Darrian Beavers.

The Linebacker started in place of Blake Martinez, whose game time is being managed as he returns from his torn ACL and was seen all over the field finishing with three tackles and one tackle for a loss. He was even communicating the plays from Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale as he was given the headset for the second-team defense. High praise indeed from Wink, who coached the position for the Baltimore Ravens from 2012 to 2017.

The Third Running Back

Barring any issues, come game week 1, Saquon Barkley will be the Giants’ starting Running Back and will be backed up by Matt Breida. This means there is likely one more spot behind these two, and by the end of the Patriots game, four of the five Running Backs below them on the depth chart had a chance to show what they could do.

Antonio Williams led the way with nine carries for 61 yards (more than the entire Patriots team), one reception that lost a yard, and a touchdown. Gary Brightwell had seven carries for 40 yards as well as two receptions for 19 yards. Undrafted rookie free agent Jashaun Corbin showed a good burst with six carries for 23 yards as well as five receptions for 28 yards. Finally, the Giants’ international pathway player Sandro Platzgummer, who has been with the team since 2020, had three carries for 21 yards at the end of the game, which contributed to the game-winning field goal.

Our 2022 NFL Season Guide is now available to pre-order. With over 160 pages packed with previews, reviews and opinions from fans across the league and the UK, this is the comprehensive NFL UK fan guide written by NFL UK fans. Log on to www.full10yards.co.uk/guides/ and enter code FULL10 for 10% off your copy today.

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Los Angeles Chargers: Preseason Questions

Welcome to the Powder Blue Report! This is a little corner of Los Angeles within the Full 10 Yards network, hosted by myself (Lee) and Ash.

We will be the voices that you were when we are bringing you our podcast,  and the faces that you see on the video. We will bring you some written analysis on everything LA Chargers alongside all the other stuff we are going to be getting up to – You can expect a weekly podcast for you that’ll be available on all your favourite podcast platforms as well as YouTube!

In terms of the written stuff, you have stumbled upon the very first one! Ash and I are going to nail our colours to the mast and bring you some preseason takes.

As always with this sort of thing, I am sure that we will be perfectly correct in all of what we say here and we absolutely will not look stupid come the end of the season… Let’s get into it.

So first question, let’s start with the main man, is Justin Herbert a realistic MVP candidate and if so, why?

Lee – Justin has about as good a chance as anyone. However, it hinges on team success coming along with him putting up insane numbers once more. The offensive staff and Herbert himself have talked a lot about familiarity and continuity this offseason, which is big because then they can work on advanced aspects of the offense and nuances. Add this to the fact that the talent level is higher with the additions of Zion Johnson, Gerald Everett and Zander Horvath, plus it’s year two for the likes of Rashawn Slater and Josh Palmer. It’s all there for him if the defense is as good as it looks on paper and the wins flow.

Ash – Absolutely! Just starting out from last year. 2nd in passing yards, 5th in TDs but also in that he’s authored five fourth quarter comebacks and game winning drives. It says a lot about who he is as a leader and as a player. So MVP? I can’t see why not! 

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Following on from that, are there any other players who you feel could be walking away with any of the major awards come the end of the season?

Lee – Joey Bosa has never had an edge rusher opposite him who is as good as Khalil Mack – No disrespect to Melvin Ingram – and he’s also never had a defensive line with as much talent as what the Chargers have right now. I think Bosa could be as destructive of a force as he ever had been in the league because all of the attention isn’t going to be on him. He sounds happier and healthier than he ever had been in training camp and entering his peak years, if health remains, he could be a defensive MVP candidate. 

Ash – Getting a major individual award takes some doing in the NFL. Forget the Pro Bowl – That for me isn’t major anymore. But if I were to punt on a player or 2 I’d say Rashawn Slater and Corey Linsley make 1st team all pro and with all these new pieces on defense I think one blows up and I’m going for Khalil Mack to make the shortlist for Defensive MVP. 

Which rookie are you most looking forward to seeing this year for the Chargers and why?

Lee – I wrote this up in the Full 10 Yards NFL Season Guide (available to buy here), but JT Woods is a guy who can really unlock the potential of this Chargers defensive unit. The reasons are twofold; he can be a ballhawk on the back end and generate turnovers but his ability to play deep next to Nasir Adderley means that Derwin can play much closer to the line of scrimmage, which is where he can be a game changer.

Ash – For me it’s clearly Zion. Ever since we took him at 17, it’s been nothing but excitement to see how this guy can deliver in season next to guys like Slater, Feiler and Linsley. This offensive line is legit. 

And kind of on the same train of thought, do you feel like any player in particular is ready to have a breakout year?

Lee – I’ll stick on the back end and say Nasir Adderley… He was so unlucky with balls hitting him in the hands last year – Balls that he was picking off in college at Delaware. I think a bunch of those stick this year and he really becomes the playmaker we know he has inside him.  

Ash – To be a nice surprise package and break out it’s gonna take snaps and a fair few at that. Can he make plays and impact games? To me I can’t really see past Josh Palmer. Palmer has the clearest path to snaps and showing us what he’s all about when he came out of Tennessee. 

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And which Chargers player has the most to prove this year?

Lee –  I know Ash is going to say Jerry Tillery so I’ll go for the other defender who has a lot to prove and that’s Kenneth Murray. Murray hadn’t lived up to his draft position at all so far in powder blue, both in terms of on-field play and also with his availability. Of course, his lack of availability isn’t wholly his fault but he needs to be on the field and consistently playing like he did against the Patriots in 2020, which was his best game, in my book.

Ash – Jerry Tillery and frankly it’s not close. Tillery has underwhelmed on a consistent basis, leading to us declining that 5th year option. He’s got to show us why we were so wrong to do that. 

Looking outside of the Chargers roster for a second, is there a player who is available, either as a free agent or as a realistic trade target, who would you love to add to the roster that we have?

Lee – The only real concern for me is the right tackle spot at the moment. I’m all for giving Trey Pipkins or Storm Norton a shot to start if they’ve shown the required leap in the first couple of preseason games but they’re not dominant against backups in preseason I will be hoping that Tom Telesco is looking to grab a veteran… Maybe at final roster cuts. However, for now, I’d be happy to see Daryl Williams come in as a free agent – I know it’s not perfect but it’s the best we can do at the moment.

Ash – I’ve never been happier to see the quality of players we have at our disposal than in 2022, But these questions always bring up areas of concern. RT and LB would probably be areas we could address via trade or FA. But I’m gonna have fun here and help out Herbert. A few people were tagging us with a YAC WR in last year’s draft, so let’s go get Herbert, a Swiss army knife in Laviska Shenault. Jacksonville has a crowded wide receiver group and could use some capital for their rebuild in next year’s draft. Grabbing their now probable WR4, to have on a rookie deal could be win-win for both organisations giving us a big bodied WR that we all hoped Joe Reed would have been. A 2023 4th or 5th may be enough to get that done. 

If this all goes wrong, not that it is going to of course, is anyone on the hotseat on this coaching staff or in the front office? 

Lee – I could make a case for Staley being on the hot seat if the Chargers don’t make the playoffs this year. He gets a pass for last year because he simply didn’t have the horses he needed to run his scheme, but now he’s got pretty much everything. Now it’s time to prove that he’s the defensive genius he was billed as. It sounds harsh, and I don’t want to it seem like a dig – I’ve got every confidence in him and the team but it’s time to prove that the Chargers can do it and be more than offseason darlings.

Ash – With how much money and assets this defense has had thrown at it this off season, I’d say Renaldo Hill has to get this defense firing on all cylinders. If he doesn’t? we could be seeing a New DC in LA come 2023. 

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However, we know that the Chargers are going to have a great season, so what is your final record prediction?

Lee – I think we go 12-5 this year and depending on results against the other AFC West teams, that could be enough to win the division, which would be huge! The division is going to be insane. A good start is a must but on their day, this team is going to be able to beat any team in the NFL. If they hit the playoffs as a divisional winner they’ll feel battle hardened after the season they’ll have put together and be a problem for anyone they play in the postseason. The ceiling is unlimited for this team in 2022.

Ash – This is the year we start HOT! 6-1 before the bye in week 8, Only losing to them pesky Chiefs in arrowhead. After the bye it’s an up and down typical Chargers losing when we should of won, and Winning when frankly we should of lost going 4-4 before the Battle of LA. This is the defining moment of our season beating the current Super Bowl champions in Sofi giving us a record of 11-5 before going to Denver. Due to us already making the playoffs Staley rests Justin which into gives us a loss in mile high finishing with 11-6 record.

Alright that’s a wrap for these preseason questions. I’m sure we can bookmark this one for future reference and look back on later in the year to see how close to the truth our answers turned out to be.

Check us out and give us a follow on Twitter – @PowderBReport, and follow each of the guys, follow Lee @Wakefield90 and Ash on @tillsa9909s.

And here’s out linktree to all of our channels, Our first podcast is out now – https://linktr.ee/powerbreport 

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Bengals finally sell stadium naming rights

It’s the end of an era in Cincinnati as the Bengals become the 30th NFL team with a stadium carrying the name of a corporate sponsor. Just Lambeau Field and Soldier Field remain as outliers… 

A partnership for the future

The list of NFL stadia for the coming 2022 season was updated twice in the last week. The Pittsburgh Steelers found a new corporate sponsor, with Heinz Field morphing into Acrisure Stadium after a $10 million per year deal was struck with the Michigan-based insurance company. But arguably more newsworthy was the decision by their AFC North rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, to finally sell the naming rights to Paul Brown Stadium, which has honoured the franchise’s legendary founder since it opened in 2000.

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The rights have gone to Paycor, a payroll and human resources software provider. Paycor has been headquartered in the city for more than 30 years and the 16-year arrangement is an extension of an existing business relationship.

Even though the Bengals’ owner and president, 86-year-old Mike Brown, is Paul Brown’s son, the switch to Paycor Stadium wasn’t a total bolt out of the blue. He told reporters last month that selling the naming rights was necessary for his team to be able to compete.

“This is a move that I think my father would have agreed to. He was always for what’s best for the football team. This partnership allows the Bengals to continue to compete at the highest level in the NFL and exemplifies our long-term commitment to the community.”
Mike Brown, President, Cincinnati Bengals

Paul Brown died three decades ago, when the Bengals were still playing at their former home (Riverfront Stadium), so he never saw the arena that would bear his name. I guess we have to believe Mike Brown’s assertion that his father wouldn’t mind being usurped by a HR software business.

It’s all about the money, money, money

Despite their unexpected run to Super Bowl LVI, the Bengals generated “just” $458 million in revenue in 2021 – a league low. The franchise is apparently worth $2.8 billion, which is also the lowest in the NFL. Plus Mike Brown doesn’t have any outside business interests and therefore hasn’t got the same financial clout as his peers. 

While the terms of the Paycor/Bengals deal haven’t been disclosed, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincy will receive the first $60.5 million and then 70% of the remaining revenue, with Hamilton County receiving the other 30%. Whatever the absolute value of the deal, it won’t be anywhere near the $31.2 million per year being paid by fintech company SoFi for the rights to the Rams’ and Chargers’ stadium in Los Angeles for the next 20 years, or the $25 million a year that Allegiant Airlines is forking out in Las Vegas. But, as they say, every little helps.

“We’re a small-market team, we need the revenue streams that we can obtain. The fact that about 30 teams have naming rights and a revenue stream from that, and they have more revenue than we do to begin with. We have to do some things just to keep up.”
Mike Brown, President, Cincinnati Bengals

Why now for Cincinnati?

The move comes as the Bengals are looking to capitalise on one of the best seasons in their history. The team reached the Super Bowl for the first time 31 years and the front office clearly wants to keep this young, exciting and improving team together for years to come.

As part of a general drive by the franchise to generate much-needed income, this deal could help to fund contract extensions coming down the track for the likes of Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase (hence some initial social media fun about “PayJoe Stadium”). It might also contribute to the financing of a new indoor practice facility and some recently revealed renovation plans.

Similarly, Paycor has been increasing its profile since the company went public. Cincy’s Super Bowl run was perfect timing and the team’s on-field success was clearly attractive to the HR company.

“NFL stadium naming rights are a scarce asset. There are only 30 stadiums with naming rights in the U.S. and Paycor is now one of those 30. That was a unique opportunity, coupled with being a hometown team and a team on the rise, that we felt we had to take advantage of.”
Raul Villar Jr., CEO, Paycor

Sports Business Journal

And then there were two…

There are now just two NFL stadia remaining without naming rights deals with a corporate sponsor: Green Bay’s Lambeau Field and Chicago’s Soldier Field. So is either franchise likely to follow the Bengals and sell the name of their stadium?

The short answer is no.

The Packers are actually owned by local residents through a community-based model that is unique in the NFL. Back in 2015, team president Mark Murphy told shareholders that the naming rights to Lambeau Field (much like Paul Brown Stadium, named after the team’s founder and long-time coach Curly Lambeau) would never be sold.

“We will not sell the naming rights to the stadium. We will never do that. It will always be Lambeau Field.”
Mark Murphy, President, Green Bay Packers

Well, that seems fairly unequivocal.

As for the Bears, Soldier Field is more likely to change name at some point, but it’s far from a given. The league’s oldest home field is likely to undergo some major renovations in the near future, with proposals to make it a domed stadium for year-round use on the table. But those plans come with a hefty price tag of up to $2.2 billion, which increases the appeal of securing new revenue via sponsorship and naming rights agreements.

Even if the Soldier Field name is retained and a corporate sponsor added (along the lines of the Denver Broncos’ Empower Field at Mile High Stadium), there would be resistance. That’s because it was named in honour of those who fought and died during World War I and is considered by many to be a war memorial as well as a sporting arena.

“The people of Chicago don’t want their war memorial attached to a corporate name for money. It’s just not right. We’re Chicago and we’re Soldier Field, we’re not Jacksonville. There’s no tasteful way of attaching a corporate name to a war memorial. It’s a desecration.”
Pat Quinn, former Illinois Governor

So, there you have it. The Bengals have finally joined the fold and we now have 28 NFL arenas (SoFi Stadium and MetLife Stadium are shared) bearing the names of banks and financial institutions, car manufacturers, logistics businesses, energy companies, telecoms providers, even Hard Rock Café, all in pursuit of the almighty dollar. And given the unique situations in Green Bay and Chicago, I suspect that’s how it will stay for the foreseeable future. 

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New England Patriots – Way too early Roster Projection – Offense

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Training Camp is underway across the NFL and we are well in to week 2 at this point. The Patriots
will play their first pre-season game on the 11th of August against the Giants. It will be a great
chance to see the second and third string players in real game action for roster buffs like myself.

Now, you might think it is was too early to do a roster projection – and you would be right, it is.
My only caveat is that trades and other free agents will be added to the roster, but for the purposes
of this, I’ll assume the final 53 on on the roster at this moment.

Quarterbacks
On the roster
Mac Jones, Brian Hoyer, Bailey Zappe.
Practice Squad
None
Cut
None
Mac is the QB of now and the near future. Hopefully that will extend for 20 years, but for now, he’s
a starting level QB with a lot of potential.
Hoyer’s roster status might be dependent on how ready Zappe is. I think the coaching staff
wouldn’t be overly comfortable with only a 2nd year player and a rookie at QB on the roster. Hoyer
is a low level backup, but one that is familiar with the system.
Anyone who thinks that Zappe will be stashed on the Practice Squad, needs to be realistic. In
order for him to get on the Practice Squad, he would need to be cut and go on waivers. He will get
picked up by another team as a 4th round rookie Quarterback. Coach Belichick has said in the
past; “you only cut a player you are prepared to lose”.

Running Backs
On the roster
Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, James White, Pierre Strong Jr., Kevin Harris.
Practice Squad
None
Cut
J.J. Taylor
Harris and Stevenson showed enough last season to prove that they are good enough to be a top
half of the league Running Back stable. Expect this to be Harris’ last season in New England as
his contract is up at the end of the season
Pierre Strong looks set to take over as the 3rd down back, but it will be contingent on how he is in
pass protection. Typically Patriots 3rd down backs are red-shirted for their rookie year as they
learn the system, (e.g. Shane Vereen & James White).

Kevin Harris has impressed everyone with his physical stature. At 5’10, 225lbs, he is closer to
Stevenson than Harris in build, and projects as a bruising opening down back that could be a
ready-made replacement for Harris next season.
I originally wrote that White wouldn’t be on the roster this year as he recovers from injury, but I
can’t follow through with it. Provided he can get off NFI soon, White makes the roster.
JJ Taylor has had a few years to make an impact and get more playing time. He looks electric on
the Practice Field and in pre-season but has yet to do much in a real NFL game, albeit in limited
carries.


Wide Receivers
On the roster
DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers , Tyquan Thornton, Ty
Montgomery, Matthew Slater
Practice Squad
Tre Nixon
Cut
Kristian Wilkerson, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Josh Hammond
This is one of the easier position groups to solve as most of the players are relatively established.
Slater, Parker, Bourne, Meyers and Thornton are roster locks.
In Agholor’s case, there has been a lot of talk about a trade due to his contract size and relatively
meagre output last year. The issue is if the Patriots think the contract is bad, then so will the other
31 teams. Unless a deal happens where the Patriots pay a portion of his salary and a low round
draft pick is exchanged, then he will be on the roster.
Ty Montgomery is listed as a WR on the Patriots.com roster but I see him as taking the 5th running
back/special teams role that Brandon Bolden fulfilled last year. Montgomery is the perfect player
for the Patriots. A true versatile player that can play on all 4 downs.
There is a lot of talk coming from Foxborough in Mini-Camp that Tre Nixon is a dark horse to make
the roster. At this point I don’t think there is space. Unless one of the other five are traded or
injured, I think he will revert to the Practice Squad. Also, he has been mainly playing with the
second group in practice which isn’t too positive so far.
Like JJ Taylor, I think Kristian Wilkerson’s time might be at an end. He has had some decent
catches in regular season games but again, most of his highlights were in pre-season against
lesser players. He could stick around the Practice Squad but for now; cutsville.
NotsoL’il Jordan Humphrey (he’s 6’4″), does provide intriguing size but he currently sits as either
the 8th or 9th man in the Wide Receiver room. A rash of injuries might be his only hope.
Hammond was only added after camp started. It seems strange that a player would be added to an
already relatively secure position group, but outside of Special Teams or injuries, Hammond will be
an outsider for a roster spot.


Tight Ends
On the roster
Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Devin Asiasi
Practice Squad

Dalton Keene
Cut
Matt Sokol
Henry and Smith, (sounds like an old English Soap manufacturer) are the big money roster locks
here and aren’t going anywhere.
Devin Asiasi’s future is up in the air. Of the two young Tight-Ends, Asiasi looks more promising,
but really has accomplished very little in his NFL career thus far, (mainly due to injury). If he stays
fit during camp, i think the talent is there for him to make it.
Dalton Keene might just end up going the way of Ras-I Dowling and Anthony Garcia and never
really being healthy enough to get on the field. I am leaning towards Practice Squad for now as he
has the H-Back versatility but you don’t want an oft-injured player ending up on IR again. Keene
looks like he is dealing with an injury at the moment which makes his position even more tenuous.
Unfortunately for Matt Sokol, he has only played in 2 games in 3 seasons and is yet to record a
statistic. I would wager that this doesn’t change in 2022 with the Patriots.

Offensive Tackles
On the roster
Isaiah Wynn, Trent Brown, Justin Herron
Practice Squad
Andrew Stueber
Cut
Yodny Cajuste
The book-ends at Left and Right Tackle I think are set for this season at the very least. Wynn and
Brown appear to have swapped sides during this offseason with Brown now at LT. Wynn really
needs to play 17 games this year to have any hope of getting a deal with either the Patriots or any
other team in 2023. Trent Brown is probably going to be his normal self – miss a few games but
play like a borderline top-10 Tackle when he is healthy.
Justin Herron is probably the strongest of the group of young Tackles that remains. He is a solid
backup that can play both Tackle spots (preferably Left). He will give up pressure from time to time
but he is a 7th round pick and a backup. I think Herron offers good cover and was a bargain for his
draft slot.
Stueber’s case for a roster spot is interesting. He is currently listed on NFI but there are rumours
that he won’t be seen until 2023. In a similar vein to Cam Fleming, Stueber offers the ability to play
RG and RT which might win him a second look next season. For now, I have him on the Practice
Squad as I felt an IR section would be cheating.
Yodny Cajuste has struggled with fitness since being drafted in 2019 in the 3rd round. He has only
managed to feature in 7 games so far He would need an outstanding Training Camp to make the
Patriots think he is worth keeping around.

Offensive Guards
On the roster
Cole Strange, Mike Onwenu, Arlington Hambright

Practice Squad
Chasen Hines & Yasir Durant
Cut
Drew Desjarlais & Bill Murray
At Offensive Line, the starters at Guard are locked in place – Cole Strange at LG and Mike Onwenu
at RG. Lots of people were critical of the Strange selection as the 2022 1st round pick. I am no
different. No matter how good Strange is, with a roster that was lacking in top end talent, a Guard
was never going to have the impact that the team required. Rant over.
Big Mike Onwenu will hopefully be allowed to settle down at the RG position where he plays best
after he filled in a number of positions last season which saw his play drop off. Onwenu looks to
be taking the transition to the new Offense a bit slower than the others. The new zone running
concept is different to the Power Run that Onwenu excels at. Give him time, he will come good.
Hambright arrived in New England with little fanfare, but when Michael Onwenu & Cole Strange
have stepped out of reps, it’s Hambright that has stepped in. That’s something to watch out for as
he could have displaced Yasir Durant.
Yasir Durant has been a capable backup when called upon, however if the Patriots like Hambright
more, Durant is the type of player that they could sneak onto the Practice Squad.
Chasen Hines will begin Training Camp on NFI so he will be up against it to make the roster. The
LSU alumni is an interesting size, at 6’3″ and 350lbs he is quite a heavy young man, but to look at
his physique, he looks less than 300lbs. After starting on NFI, it’s quite likely that he spends the
season on IR.
Bill Murray has made the dreaded position switch from DT to OG, which is the first step to being
cut. See Etling, Danny and Berry, Rashod.
Drew Desjarlais is an interesting proposition. A former CFL player, it’s hard to gauge how good he
will be in the NFL. Outside of a few outliers however, they usually end up back in Canada.

Centres
On the roster
David Andrews & James Ferentz
Practice Squad
Will Sherman
Cut
Kody Russey
David Andrews had begun camp on PUP and is making his way back in a part time role as he gets
back to full fitness. He has no immediate competition for a roster spot.
One would think that James Ferentz is a plucky youngster trying to make his way in the NFL given
that he has been on and off the roster for the last few seasons – he’s 33 years old. Kody Russey
does have a chance to get some higher level reps the longer that Andrews stays in his part-time
role. It could stand to him too if the Patriots decide that they need to have a youngster replace
Ferentz as the emergency Centre. Realistically though, I think Ferentz does his usual hovering
between the active and practice roster.

Sherman has been taking reps at Centre this offseason so it will be interesting to see if he makes
the roster as a swing interior lineman given his versatility. At the moment I’m 50/50 between
Ferentz and Sherman for a roster spot.

@lukeobrienNFL