The List: NFL Seen Some Fantastic Finishes, Halftime Headliners, and the Loss of a Legend
The NFL’s top news in Week 10 saw an increase in COVID-19 cases, a few more devastating injuries, and the loss of one of the game’s greats, Hall of Fame running back Paul Hornung. However, the news wasn’t all bad. The Weeknd was named the Super Bowl Halftime Show lead performer, and there were some great finishes to games, including a last-second field in Detroit and an ending in Arizona that is on the shortlist for the play of the year.
THE GOOD
Murray’s magic and a last-second Hail Mary
Kyler Murray, the top pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, is setting records and leading his team to some impressive victories. The latest came on Sunday, when Murray ran for two touchdowns and threw a last-second Hail Mary to DeAndre Hopkins for a 32-30 Arizona win over Buffalo.
The teams traded scores throughout and neither was able to take control of the game. Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes for the Bills and rookie kicker Tyler Bass set his personal-best for longest field goal three times on Sunday, including knocking through a 58-yarder on the final play of the first half. Murray responded with two touchdown runs, and the Cardinals kept it close with four Zane Gonzalez field goals. Murray became the first quarterback in more than 60 years to rush for a touchdown in five straight games, and he now has 10 this season. Former Packers passer Tobin Rote had a rushing score in six straight games in 1956, tying the record set by Bears quarterback Johnny Lujack in 1950. Murray also became the first quarterback to have both a passing and a rushing touchdown in five consecutive contests.
Arizona led, 26-23, when Buffalo took over with 3:35 remaining. Allen led the Bills on a 12-play, 78-yard drive that included his own 12-yard run, a 17-yards pass to Cole Beasley, and two key completions on third down. The possession culminated in a beautiful 21-yard scoring pass from Allen to Stefon Diggs with 34 seconds left. Murray responded by completing three quick passes to get into Buffalo territory. On the final play, he scrambled to his left, broke a tackle, and threw a lob to the end zone that Hopkins caught after out-jumping three defenders. Murray took a knee on the two-point attempt and the Bills fumbled away the kickoff as time expired. Murray had 245 yards passing and 61 rushing, Hopkins had a game-high 127 yards receiving and Kenyan Drake led all players with 100 rushing yards for Arizona. Allen threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns, and he led Buffalo with 38 yards rushing. Beasley had an NFL week-high 11 catches for 109 yards and Diggs added 10 receptions for 93 yards in a losing effort.
Detroit edges Washington on late kick
Matt Prater spoiled Washington’s comeback, kicking a 59-yard field goal as time expired to give the Lions a 30-27 win over the former Redskins. Despite injuring his thumb in the game, Matthew Stafford threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns as Detroit took a 24-3 lead midway through the third quarter. Washington used the ground game to chip away at the deficit, with a touchdown from J. D. McKissic and two from Antonio Gibson leading to a tie score with 6:09 remaining. Prater gave the Lions the lead, but Alex Smith responded with a 26-yard pass to Terry McLaurin, as well as a pass interference call on fourth down. Dustin Hopkins kicked a 41-yard field goal with 16 seconds left, making overtime a possibility. However, Stafford completed two quick passes, and a 15-yard rough the passer helped set up Prater’s game-winning kick
Marvin Jones Jr. had eight catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, and D’Andre Swift added 81 rushing yards for Detroit. Smith posted an NFL week-high 390 yards and McLaurin caught seven passes for 95 yards to lead Washington.
Jones’ big run leads the Buccaneers over the Panthers
Tom Brady threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns, and Ronald Jones had a near record-setting run as the Buccaneers throttled the Panthers, 46-23. Jones broke free for a 98-yard scoring run midway through the third quarter, becoming just the fourth player in NFL history to record a run that long (Dallas’ Tony Dorsett had a 99-yard run in 1982, Tennessee’s Derrick Henry matched him in 2018 and Jones joined Green Bay’s Ahman Green, who also had a 98-yard run in 2003).
Early in the fourth, Carolina’s Trenton Cannon made several moves during a 98-yard kickoff return before he was tackled inside the Tampa Bay five-yard-line. The game is the first in NFL history to feature two 98-yard plays. Jones finished with 192 yards, and Chris Godwin led the Buccaneers with 92 yards receiving. D. J. Moore had 96 yards to lead the Panthers, who lost Teddy Bridgewater to a knee injury in the fourth quarter.
Rivers move up on the all-time passing list
Philip Rivers threw for 308 yards and a touchdown, and he moved into fifth place on the NFL’s all-time passing yards list during a 34-17 Colts victory over the Titans on Thursday night. With an 11-yard pass to running back Jonathan Taylor in the second quarter, Rivers passed Dan Marino, who he idolized growing up. Nyheim Hines had a touchdown rushing and another receiving, and Michael Pittman added a game-high 101 yards for Indianapolis. Derrick Henry ran for 103 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for 147 yards and a score to lead Tennessee.
Check out Richie Dordas’ recap of the Thursday night game here.
Best of the Rest
Aaron Rodgers threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers held off the Jaguars, 24-20. Rodgers threw a 78-yard strike to Marquez Valdes-Scantling early in the second quarter and the go-ahead score to Davante Adams with 9:03 left to help Green Bay improve to 7-2. Valdes-Scantling led the NFL with 149 receiving yards in Week 11 and Adams posted a game-high eight receptions for 66 yards. Keelan Cole caught a touchdown pass from rookie Jake Luton, and he also returned a punt 91 yards for a score in the second quarter for Jacksonville.
Daniel Jones had 244 yards pass and also scored a rushing touchdown as the Giants defeated the Eagles, 27-17, to move within one game of first place in the NFC East. Jones finished the game with 64 yards rushing, and he opened the scoring with a 34-yard run to end New York’s first drive. Wayne Gallman ran for 53 yards and two touchdowns, and Graham Gano added two fourth-quarter field goals. Darius Slayton posted a game-high 93 yards receiving for the Giants. Miles Sanders (85 yards) and Boston Scott (63) each had a rushing touchdown and Carson Wentz threw for 208 yards in a losing effort for Philadelphia.
What is it like to be an Eagles fan? Micah Jimoh talks about his fandom and his best and worst moments. (I wonder what he thought of Sunday’s game.)
Youth was served in Miami. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 169 yards and two touchdowns to win his third straight game. Undrafted rookie free agent Salvon Ahmed added 85 yards and a score in a 29-21 Dolphins victory over the Chargers. Fellow rookie Justin Herbert had 187 yards and two touchdowns, and he also ran for a score to lead Los Angeles.
Ben Roethlisberger returned off the reserve/COVID-19 list to throw for 333 yards and four touchdowns as the Steelers improved to 9-0 with a dominant 36-10 victory over the Bengals. Big Ben got help from his receivers, including Diontae Johnson (116 yards and a touchdown), JuJu Smith-Schuster (nine catches for 77 yards and a score), and Chase Claypool (56 yards and two touchdowns). Joe Burrow, the top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft was sacked four times, but he had 213 yards passing. Tee Higgins added 115 yards and a score for Cincinnati.
Rex Burkhead caught two touchdown passes, one from Cam Newton and another on a trick play from wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, as the Patriots beat the Ravens, 23-17, on Sunday night. Newton had one touchdown passing and another rushing, and Damien Harris ran for 121 yards to lead New England. Lamar Jackson threw for 249 yards and two touchdown passes to Willie Snead for Baltimore.
Kirk Cousins had 292 yards passing and threw two touchdowns to Adam Thielen, leading the Vikings to a 19-13 win over the Bears in an NFC North showdown on Monday night. Dalvin Cook ran for 96 yards and rookie Justin Jefferson had 135 yards receiving for Minnesota. The lone highlight for Chicago was former Viking Cordarrelle Patterson returning the opening kickoff of the second half 104 yards for a touchdown.
The Vikings top Richie Dordas’ list of the Biggest Winners and Losers in Week 10.
Stat Leaders:
Alex Smith led all passers in Week 10 with 390 yards, but Washington fell to Detroit on a last-second field goal. All the others who threw for 300 yards were victorious. The list includes Tom Brady (341 yards), Ben Roethlisberger (333), Aaron Rodgers (325), Philip Rivers (308), and Jared Goff (302). Josh Allen tops the NFL with 2,871 yards overall, and he is followed closely by Russell Wilson (2,789), Matt Ryan (2,746), and Brady (2,739). Wilson still leads the league with 28 touchdowns, with Aaron Rodgers (26) in second and Patrick Mahomes (25) in third.
Thanks to his 98-yard touchdown run, Tampa Bay’s Ronald Jones had 192 yards this week, which is the third-highest total in the NFL this season. Others who reached 100 yards include Browns teammates Nick Chubb (126) and Kareem Hunt (104), New England’s Damien Harris (121), Las Vegas’ Josh Jacobs (112), Jacksonville’s James Robinson (109), Tennessee’s Derrick Henry (103) and Arizona’s Kenyan Drake, who ran for 100 yards in the win over the Bills. Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook leads the league with 954 yards and 12 touchdowns. However, Henry is a close second with 946 yards and Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray has 10 scores.
Green Bay’s Marquez Valdes-Scantling posted a league-high 149 yards receiving in a win against Jacksonville. Other top receivers include Vikings rookie Justin Jefferson (135 yards) and two top targets from arguably the best game in Week 10. Cole Beasley totaled 109 yards and an NFL-high 11 catches for Buffalo, while DeAndre Hopkins had 127 yards, including 43 on a last-second Hail Mary reception to give Arizona the win. Beasley’s teammate, Stefon Diggs leads the league with 73 receptions and 906 yards. Hopkins ranks second with 861 yards and is tied (with Alvin Kamara) for second with 67 catches. Adam Thielen’s two touchdowns this week put him in a three-way tie with Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill and Green Bay’s Davante Adams with nine scoring catches.
Super Bowl Halftime Show headlining act named
Super Bowl LV has its Halftime Show lead performer. Pepsi, the NFL, and Roc Nation announced that The Weeknd will take the stage at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on February 7. The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, is a Canadian singer and songwriter who has won three Grammy Awards and placed five songs into the top spot on the Billboard 100 chart in the United States. His Beauty Behind the Madness album was certified platinum five times over in 2015 and sold more than 1.2 million copies, thanks to hits including “The Hills” and “Can’t Feel My Face.”
The Weeknd’s next two albums also went to number one on the Billboard album charts, including Starboy in 2016, with its title track reaching the top spot on the Hot 100. His most recent release, After Hours, came out in April and immediately led the album charts. Number one hits “Heartless” and “Blinding Lights” are sure to be a part of his set in Tampa.
Falcons owner donates to the University of Texas
Falcons owner Arthur Blank made a $20 million donation to the University of Texas on Thursday in order to establish a Center for Stuttering Education and Research. Blank, who struggled with stuttering when he was younger, was the co-founder of the Home Depot retail giant who bought the Falcons in 2002. He also owns the Major League Soccer team Atlanta United FC, which began play in 2017. Blank donated more than $5 million to COVID-19 relief in March, and in October, his foundation donated $200 million to build a new children’s hospital in Atlanta.
Bakhtiari, Gano sign extensions
The Giants and Packers were busy outside of their games on Sunday. Green Bay signed left tackle David Bakhtiari to a five-year, $105.5 million extension, which includes nearly $63 million in guaranteed money. The $30 million initial signing bonus and $23 million annual salary base make Bakhtiari the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. The Colorado product was selected by the Packers in the fourth round in 2013. He has started 112 games, has been selected to a pair of Pro Bowls, and was named an All-Pro in 2018.
After New York’s victory over Philadelphia on Sunday, the team signed kicker Graham Gano to a three-year, $14 million extension that will keep him in the Big Apple through the 2023 season. He has made 21 of 22 field goals this season, including 20 in a row, and he has also knocked through all 16 extra points. Gano started his career with the Redskins in 2009 and signed with the Panthers in 2012. With 79 points in 10 games, the 2017 Pro Bowler is well on the way to his eighth 100-point season. After missing all of 2019 due to knee surgery, Gano signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Giants in August.
Things weren’t all happy for Gano or the team, however. On Tuesday, the kicker tested positive for coronavirus and two staff members were identified as high-risk contacts. New York is on bye this week, so Gano should be able to return in time for a Week 12 game against Cincinnati.
Ex-Giant Baker has charges dropped
Former Giants cornerback Deandre Baker was cleared of robbery charges in Florida on Monday. Baker had been charged with holding up four men at gunpoint at a barbecue in May. The lawyer of the alleged victims, William Dean, was arrested and charged with extortion after telling Baker’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, that his clients would change their stories or stop cooperating with prosecutors altogether if Baker paid them off. Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar had previously been cleared of charges due to lack of evidence. He had been accused of helping Baker hold up the victims at the party.
The actions of this attorney and these “victims” are reprehensible at best. Here you have four men with felony records and a greedy lawyer who actually told the opposing side that his clients could be bought. There is only one right way to solve this: Baker and Dunbar need to be reinstated to the NFL and quickly find homes (the Giants still need help in the secondary), and Dean and the four felons should have to share a cell for a long time for making up this nonsense.
Update:
The NFL Network’s Mike Garofalo reported on Tuesday that the Chiefs were expected to sign Baker to their practice squad.
THE BAD
Packers Hall of Famer Hornung passed away
Paul Horning, a star with Vince Lombardi’s superstar Packers teams of the 1960s and a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, died from complications of dementia on Friday at age 84. Hornung was a two-time All-American and the 1956 Heisman trophy winner as a back and safety with Notre Dame. Green Bay took him with the first overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft.
Hornung was a halfback and fullback with Green Bay, and he joined Jim Taylor to create one of the most formidable rushing tandems in NFL history. Hornung was a two-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro who amassed 3,711 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns with the Packers, including a league-leading 13 in 1960. The following year, he was named NFL MVP after posting 597 yards and eight scores. Hornung was also a top-notch kicker, leading the league in points for three straight years, including a mark of 176 in 1960 and 146 during his MVP campaign. Lombardi was seen as a hard-nosed coach, but he was impressed with Hornung, calling him “the greatest player I’ve ever coached.”
His low point came in 1963, when his penchant for living the high life finally caught up with him. Hornung and Lions defensive star Alex Karras were both suspended for the season due to gambling. “The Golden Boy” returned and helped the Packers win two more NFL titles in the mid-1960s, but he did not play in the first Super Bowl due to a pinched nerve in his neck. Hornung was left unprotected and taken in the 1967 Expansion Draft and was taken by the Saints. However, his neck issues forced him to retire before ever playing a game with New Orleans.
Hornung was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame the following year. An award bearing his name is also given to the most versatile player in college football. His 19 points in the 1961 NFL Championship Game was a record that stood for 56 years until James White scored 20 for the Patriots in a win over the Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
Rams control Wilson and top the Seahawks
Jared Goff threw for 302 yards and Malcolm Brown ran for two touchdowns as the Rams defeated the Seahawks, 23-16. Russell Wilson had 248 yards passing and a game-high 60 rushing, but he was intercepted twice, lost a fumble and was sacked six times. The result, along with the Cardinals’ win against the Bills creates a three-way tie atop the NFC West, as Arizona, Los Angeles and Seattle all have 6-3 records.
Saints win the game but lose Brees
Alvin Kamara scored three touchdowns as the Saints beat the 49ers, 27-13. However, everything on the field will be overshadowed by Drew Brees’ injury. Brees was injured on a hit by Kentavius Street in the second quarter and he did not play in the second half. Kamara ran for just 15 yards, but he had two short touchdown runs. He also caught a scoring pass from Brees late in the first half and had a game-high 83 yards receiving. Nick Mullens threw for 247 yards and a touchdown for San Francisco.
Browns top Texans in a rain-soaked contest
Heavy rain and hail delayed the start of the Browns-Texans game by 37 minutes and also was a factor during play. However, Cleveland was able to adjust, running for 231 yards in the 10-7 victory. Nick Chubb ran for 126 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Kareem Hunt added 104 yards on the ground to help offset the lack of a passing game brought on by the conditions. Deshaun Watson threw for 163 yards, including a 16-yard scoring pass to Pharaoh Brown with 4:59 left, but the Browns turned to the ground game once again. Chubb broke free with a little more than a minute remaining, but he decided to forego the touchdown and allow Cleveland to run out the clock.
The Raiders scored four rushing touchdowns and harassed Drew Lock all game en route to a 37-12 win over the Broncos. Josh Jacobs ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns, and Devontae Booker added 81 yards and two scores for Las Vegas. Lock threw for 257 yards and a touchdown, but the Raiders sacked him twice and intercepted him four times.
Injury News
The list of players that sat out Sunday’s games was loaded with stars, including Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (shoulder), Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay (hip), Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew (thumb) and wide receiver Laviska Shenault (hamstring), Chargers running back Justin Jackson (knee) and defensive end Joey Bosa (concussion), Texans running back David Johnson (concussion), Bengals running back Joe Mixon (foot), Giants running back Devonta Freeman (ankle), Seahawks running backs Chris Carson (foot) and Carlos Hyde (hamstring), as well as cornerback Shaquill Griffin (concussion and hamstring), and 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (hamstring), along with running backs Tevin Coleman (knee) and Raheem Mostert (ankle).
On Monday, Washington placed quarterback Kyle Allen on season-ending injured reserve. Allen suffered a gruesome dislocated ankle during the Week 9 game against the Giants. Joining Allen on injured reserve is Packers reserve tight end John Lovett, who tore his ACL during practice and will undergo surgery.
The injuries continued on Sunday with the following players making an early exit from their respective games: Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth (torn MCL and damaged PCL), safety Taylor Rapp (sprained MCL) and kicker Kai Forbath (ankle), Saints wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith and tight end Josh Hill, who both suffered concussions, Bills wide receiver John Brown (ankle), Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson (shoulder), Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola (hip), Giants guard Kevin Zeitler (concussion), 49ers safety Johnathan Cyprien (hamstring), Ravens defensive tackle Brandon Williams (ankle) and tight end Nick Boyle, who was carted off the field with a knee injury. Whitworth and Boyle are both expected to be placed on season-ending injured reserve this week.
However, the biggest names on this week’s injury report are quarterbacks. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford suffered a thumb injury on a sack late in the first quarter, but he stayed in and guided his team to a victory over Washington, and x-rays on Monday were negative for any major damage. Carolina quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered an MCL sprain in the fourth quarter of a loss to Tampa Bay. Former XFL passer P.J. Walker finished the game, but the Panthers are optimistic that Bridgewater can return to practice and play in Week 11.
The Saints suffered the biggest loss, as Super Bowl MVP and 13-time Pro Bowler Drew Brees will miss time after suffering multiple rib fractures and a collapsed lung. Brees broke two ribs on his right side and three on his left after taking a hit from 49ers defensive tackle Kentavius Street late in the second quarter. Street was given a personal foul penalty on the play. Jameis Winston replaced Brees in the second half and both he and Taysom Hill will be used in passing situations until Brees returns.
The injuries continued right up until the final whistle on Monday night. With less than a minute remaining, Bears quarterback Nick Foles was taken off the field on a stretcher after a hit by Vikings defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo. Foles is having his leg and hip evaluated.
Howard among three veterans cut
Jordan Howard, a running back in his fifth NFL season, was waived by the Dolphins on Monday after five games with the team. A former fifth-round pick out of Indiana, Howard scored four touchdowns for Miami this season, but he had just 33 yards on 28 carries. He spent his first three years with the Bears, rushing for 1,000 yards twice and earning All-Rookie Team and Pro Bowl honors in 2016. Howard spent the 2019 season with the Eagles.
Howard was not the only veteran player let go in the NFL this week. On Tuesday, the Jets released cornerback Pierre Desir and the Bengals cut defensive lineman Takkarist McKinley. Desir played just nine games with New York. He was leading the team with three interceptions, but he had several missed tackles and poor coverage assignments in recent weeks. Desir is in his seventh season. His most successful stint was with Indianapolis, where he had five interceptions and 161 tackles from 2017-19. Cincinnati announced that McKinley failed his physical, sending him back into the waiver system. The former first-round pick was waived by the Falcons last week.
Elflein waived by Vikings, claimed by Jets
Pat Elflein, a four-year NFL veteran offensive lineman, was claimed by the Jets on Monday, two days after the Vikings waived him. The center and guard, who was an All-American and a member of Ohio State’s 2014 National Championship Team, started 42 games in his first three seasons.
Elflein played one game with Minnesota in 2020 before suffering a thumb injury. He was taken off injured reserve on Friday and cut a day later.
THE UGLY
Saints to face league punishment for mask-less celebration
The New Orleans Saints are facing discipline from the NFL after videos on social media showed players not wearing masks after the team’s 38-3 win over the Buccaneers in Week 9.
The league fined the Raiders $500,000 and took away a sixth-round pick for COVID-19 violations in late October, the fourth time the team had been disciplined this season. The Saints are also repeated offenders and may receive a stiffer penalty. After the Week 2 game in Las Vegas, head coach Sean Payton was fined $100,000 for not wearing a mask and the team was docked $250,000.
Three more teams to play without fans this week
Add Washington, Philadelphia, and Baltimore to the growing list of cities that will not see fans at NFL games due to an influx of COVID-19 cases around the country. Those three teams will not open their stadiums to the public at least for this week and, in the case of the Eagles, the foreseeable future as well.
Even more COVID issues
The coronavirus seems to be working its way through the NFL, and there is a growing possibility that more games could be affected. There were quite a few new cases of COVID-19 and players landing on the reserve list in the past week.
One day after getting cornerback Marlon Humphrey off the reserve list, the Ravens announced an unnamed player had tested positive on Thursday. There were no high-risk contacts and team facilities did not shut down. Las Vegas tackle Trent Brown is on the reserve/COVID-19 list and linebacker Cory Littleton joined him on Thursday. Although the Browns were on a bye this week, the team placed guard Chris Hubbard on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday. On Saturday, the Buccaneers placed wide receiver Jaydon Mickens and practice squad receiver Cyril Grayson on the reserve list, and the Falcons did the same with defensive end Dante Fowler. Atlanta wide receiver Laquon Treadwell joined him on Tuesday, along with Raiders defensive end Clelin Ferrell and cornerback Lamarcus Joyner and an unnamed Washington player who was not with the team for the Week 10 game against Detroit.
The Dolphins faced a similar story to the Ravens this week, with the team taking wide receiver Lynn Bowden off the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday only to place linebacker Kyle Van Noy, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, and wide receiver Matt Cole on the list the next day. Miami will be without assistants Robby Brown (quarterbacks), Marion Hobby (defensive line), Austin Clark (outside linebackers), and Kolby Smith (quality control) for a second straight week.
In addition to the Dolphins, the Eagles and Bengals were without assistant coaches for Sunday’s games. Philadelphia was without defensive assistant Jeremiah Washburn against the Giants, while wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell, linebackers coach Al Golden, cornerbacks coach Steve Jackson, and defensive assistant Mark Duffner were not on the sidelines when Cincinnati faced undefeated Pittsburgh.
The Bills definitely could have used Josh Norman against the Cardinals on Sunday. Buffalo’s star cornerback tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on the reserve list on Saturday. Tight end Tyler Kroft, safety Dean Marlowe, and cornerback Levi Wallace joined him as close contacts.
Even the world champions are not immune from the coronavirus. On Tuesday, the Chiefs placed starting tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, as well as reserve Martinas Rankin, on the reserve/COVID-19 list. However, since it is not known if they tested positive or are just close contacts, the three linemen could play against the Raiders.
Former Jets coach Edwards tests positive
Herman Edwards, a former NFL cornerback and coach who currently leads Arizona State, tested positive for coronavirus on Friday. Edwards’ most famous moment as a player came in 1978, when he recovered a fumbled handoff and scored to beat the Giants, a play known as the “Miracle at the Meadowlands.” As Jets coach in 2002, he unleashed a tirade during a press conference that included the now iconic statement, “You play to win the game!” After three years with the Chiefs and a lengthy stay at ESPN, Edwards took the head coaching position at Arizona State in 2018.
Collegiate Bowl canceled
The coronavirus pandemic has not just affected current NFL players. On Friday, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl was canceled due to COVID-19. Although the annual all-star game was called off on Friday, the NFL will still hold a virtual program that will educate draft prospects on the business and lifestyle changes in the league. The East-West Shrine Classic was canceled several weeks ago, as two of the three biggest events for college stars are off the schedule. The Senior Bowl is still scheduled to be played on Jan. 30 in Mobile, Ala.
Wife of Ravens player harassed on social media after Patriots game
Ravens center Matt Skura had a rough game against the Patriots, with several bad snaps. Baltimore lost, 23-17, in a nationally televised game on Sunday night, meaning Skura’s mistakes received even more scrutiny. Unfortunately, some fans have decided to turn ugly and send Skura’s wife, Emma, harassing and threatening messages after the game. Skura responded with “please know my family is off-limits,” and he is right. Players’ families are just as helpless in controlling the outcome of a game as the fans in the stands or at home, so why punish them? I am as enthusiastic a fan as any for my team, but the only way you can handle your team losing or playing poorly is by sending out hateful messages on social media? We all need to be better than this.
What to look for: Week 11 starts with a battle of 6-3 NFC West teams on Thursday night when the Seahawks host the Cardinals. Other top games on the schedule include the 6-3 Titans facing the 6-3 Ravens, the 7-2 Packers meet the 6-3 Colts, the 8-1 Chiefs come off their bye and take on the 6-3 Raiders in an AFC West showdown on Sunday night, and Tua looks for his fourth straight win when the Dolphins face the Broncos. The 6-3 Rams battle the 7-3 Buccaneers in the Monday night game.
Writer
-By: Kevin Rakas