NFC Notes: Cousins, Brees, Patterson, Graham
Prior to winning Washington’s starting quarterback job this year, Kirk Cousins had trouble taking care of the football as a backup from 2012-14, throwing 19 interceptions in parts of 14 games. Those issues have carried into this season, as Cousins has tossed four picks in the first three games for his 1-2 team. Despite that, he’s not in danger of losing his job to backups Colt McCoy or Robert Griffin III, head coach Jay Gruden said Friday.
“There’s too many good things going on with Kirk and his progression for us to pull the plug right now because he threw an interception or two,” said Gruden, according to The Associated Press. “But he’s got to be aware and he’s got to protect the football – as does Matt Jones, as does the rest of our football team – for us to have a chance.”
“We’re hoping that a more mature Kirk Cousins will bounce back from these performances,” Gruden added.
To his credit, Cousins has shown an ability to bounce back from a less-than-stellar showing this year. After a subpar Week 1 performance in a 17-10 loss to Miami, Cousins responded by going 23 of 27 for 203 yards, a touchdown and no turnovers in Washington’s 24-10 win over the Rams last Sunday. He’ll be tasked with trying to get off the mat in Week 4 against the Eagles after Thursday night’s two-pick output in a 32-21 loss to the Giants.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- The winless Saints aren’t Super Bowl contenders this year and probably won’t be next season, and Drew Brees will be a 37-year-old set to count $27.4MM against their salary cap in 2016. That doesn’t mean they should let Brees go, writes ESPN’s Mike Triplett, who opines that parting with the nine-time Pro Bowler without an obvious successor would be foolish. Triplett believes Brees and the Saints will eventually agree to an extension to keep him in New Orleans beyond 2016, the last year of his current contract.
- Given his status as a first-round pick in 2013, Vikings receiver Cordarrelle Patterson‘s production during the first two years of his career was underwhelming (78 catches, 800-plus yards, five touchdowns). Now the Vikings seem to be phasing Patterson out of their game plan, as he has just one reception and, unlike the prior two seasons, hasn’t been a factor on returns. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old remains upbeat. “I really can’t control what goes on,” Patterson said, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today. “Whatever the coaches are going for, you’ve got to stick to their plan and just keep trying to get better.”
- Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham is similar to Patterson in that his production is down this year. And, like Patterson, he’s not worried. “This team runs the ball. Simple as that,” said Graham, according to ESPN’s Sheil Kapadia. “We’re not slinging the ball 60 times a game. And if we are, then that means we’re in trouble. I’m just going to keep doing what’s asked of me.” Graham – who averaged 89 catches, 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns per season with the Saints from 2011-14 – is on pace for 56 grabs, 496 yards and eight TDs in his first year in Seattle.
Latest On Tom Brady Case
The NFL and the NFL Players Association jointly filed a motion Friday on an expedited briefing schedule in the Tom Brady case, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted. Arguments in the case are likely to take place in early 2016. The schedule, according to Rapoport, is as follows (via Twitter):
Oct. 26: Opening briefs
Dec. 7: Response due
Dec. 21: Reply due
Oral arguments would happen in January if the Second Court’s schedule permits.
Given the timeline, it’s doubtful Brady will face any kind of suspension this season for his role in the DeflateGate scandal. However, unlike this season, there shouldn’t be any suspense regarding his status leading up to the 2016 campaign. All parties involved should know his fate well before next September. If the NFL wins, then, Brady could start off next year suspended for up to four games.
Seahawks Notes: Lynch, Graham, Kam
The latest on the 0-2 Seahawks, who will try to break into the win column this week against bottom-feeding Chicago:
- Running back Marshawn Lynch has a calf injury and will be a game-time decision Sunday, head coach Pete Carroll said (Twitter link via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta). Lynch hasn’t quite been himself in 2015, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry with no touchdowns. The Bears give up 4.3 yards per attempt, so whether it’s Lynch or backup Fred Jackson, Seattle should be able to run the ball this weekend.
- Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report said earlier this week that tight end Jimmy Graham is frustrated with his lack of usage so far this year. That’s news to Graham, Condotta tweeted. Graham added that he’s only frustrated with losing games (Twitter link). The 28-year-old was among the NFL’s best weapons from 2011-14 in New Orleans, which traded him to the Seahawks in the offseason for Max Unger and a first-round pick. He has been quiet in Seattle, though, with only seven catches, 62 yards and a score in two games.
- Safety Kam Chancellor, who ended his long holdout earlier this week, is expected to play Sunday (Twitter link via Condotta).
DeAngelo Hall To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall will miss three to four weeks with a sprained toe, head coach Jay Gruden announced Friday (link via CSNMidAtlantic.com).
Hall, who has started all three of Washington’s games this season, suffered the injury to his right foot in the third quarter of the team’s 32-21 loss to the Giants on Thursday night. This is the second straight season in which injuries will limit Hall, who didn’t miss a game from 2010-13. The 31-year-old sat out all but three games in 2014 because of a torn Achilles.
Hall has 16 tackles this year and has earned a positive grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), which ranks him 22nd out of 64 corners who have played at least 50 percent of defensive snaps in 2015. His loss should hamper Washington, though it’s not exactly facing a litany of great quarterbacks over the next handful of weeks. Other than Matt Ryan, whom Washington will deal with in Week 5, the club will match up against Sam Bradford, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Jameis Winston before its Week 8 bye.
Extra Points: McCoy, Pats, Sherman, 49ers
The latest from around the NFL as Sunday’s Week 2 action draws closer:
- A hamstring injury has hampered Bills running back LeSean McCoy since August, and it showed in a 17-carry, 41-yard performance last week in the team’s 27-14 win over Indianapolis. There’s been some question this week as to whether McCoy will play Sunday against AFC East rival New England, but the three-time Pro Bowler is expected to go, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
- On the other hand, Patriots defensive tackle Dominique Easley – who suffered a hip injury early in a Week 1 win versus Pittsburgh – won’t be available to help stop McCoy, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter).
- Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman‘s transition from the outside to the slot could clamp down Packers No. 1 wideout Randall Cobb this week, writes of USA Today. The Packers have avoided testing Seattle’s all-world corner in the past. If they do again, it could go a long way toward a bounce-back performance from the Seahawks, who are coming off a 34-31 loss in St. Louis.
- Running back Carlos Hyde was so effective in the 49ers’ 20-3 defeat of Minnesota on Monday that coordinator Geep Chryst suggested it allowed him to keep other aspects of his offense under wraps, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. If Pittsburgh slows down Hyde this week, the onus will be on quarterback Colin Kaepernick to make more plays. Hyde ran over Minnesota for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 26 rushes, while Kaepernick threw for fewer yards (165) on the same amount of attempts (26). To his credit, Kaepernick also added 41 yards on just seven carries.
- The Steelers are cognizant of Kaepernick’s ability to run, and they’re hoping to force the 27-year-old to beat them with his arm. “Obviously, the plan is not let (Kaepernick) get out in the open field,” said safety Michael Mitchell, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “They have a scrambling quarterback and a downhill running back, but we always have to account for Kaepernick.” Added linebacker Ryan Shazier, “We have to make him throw the ball.”
North Notes: AP, Walsh, Manziel, Bears
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is at his best in the shotgun. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is at his best in the I-formation. Bridgewater is eight years younger than Peterson, meaning the Vikings have to consider his development of the utmost importance. That doesn’t mean they’re going to phase Peterson out of their offense, writes Bob McManaman of AZCentral.com. Peterson had just 10 carries for 31 yards in the Vikings’ 20-3 loss in San Francisco on Monday, but offensive coordinator Norv Turner doesn’t expect that lack of usage to become a trend.
“We’re looking at the things we have to do and the things that give us a chance to beat Detroit,” said Turner. “Games come up different and we all know Adrian is a big part of what we do and we want him to be able to have an impact.”
The Vikings’ matchup against the NFC North rival Lions is one of Week 2’s biggest, considering both playoff hopefuls are looking to avoid 0-2 starts. It’ll be interesting to see if Peterson rebounds and tears through the Lions’ defense – something he’s done throughout his career. The 30-year-old has 1,258 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games against Detroit.
Here’s more on the Vikings and a couple other North-based clubs:
- The Vikings elected in the offseason to let Peterson’s former lead blocker, fullback Jerome Felton, depart in free agency. Felton signed in Buffalo for $3.6MM in guarantees, and the Vikings gave kicker Blair Walsh slightly more ($3.7MM guaranteed). Both decisions could prove to haunt the team, opines Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Walsh’s accuracy has dropped precipitously every year of his career, from 92.1 percent to 86.7 to 74.3 last year, and he missed one of his two kicks Monday.
- With Johnny Manziel set to make his third career start, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal checked off what the second-year man will need to do against Tennessee in order to show the Browns he’s ready for a bigger role. Manziel’s tenure in the pros has been disastrous thus far, so a solid Sunday showing would obviously be a welcome change for him and the Browns.
- The Bears had the second-most turnovers during the preseason, but most of the plays were made by defenders who are no longer filling prominent roles now that the regular season has begun. That’s a problem, writes the Chicago Sun-Times’ Adam Jahns, who wonders where the Bears’ defensive playmakers are. They have several well-paid defenders and former high-round draft picks, but they were quiet during the exhibition season and in the team’s Week 1 loss to Green Bay. Head coach John Fox is hoping for better things against Arizona in Week 2. “You get 16 opportunities, and we’re into our second one,’’ Fox said. ‘‘I look for improvement.’’
Packers’ Bryan Bulaga Out 4-6 Weeks
SATURDAY, 7:28pm: Bulaga should return in four to six weeks, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports (via Twitter).
SATURDAY, 3:43pm: Bulaga’s recovery timetable will increase now that the sixth-year tackle underwent surgery for a torn meniscus, according to Albert Breer and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). A more severe injury than a mere MCL sprain, Bulaga is now expected to miss at least six weeks.
The Packers’ bye is in Week 7, so they could have him back after five missed games in Week 8, but this is obviously a much bigger setback. In the meantime, backup Don Barclay will start. The fourth-year undrafted talent started 14 games for Green Bay at right guard in 2013.
THURSDAY, 7:26pm: Packers starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga left Thursday’s practice with a knee injury, but ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports that it’s not as serious as initially feared. Bulaga sustained a sprained MCL, according to Demovsky (Twitter link). Bulaga had the same injury last year and only missed one game. His status for this week’s game against defending NFC champion Seattle is currently unknown.
Just weeks after losing Pro Bowl wide receiver Jordy Nelson to a season-ending ACL tear, seeing Bulaga – a fellow offensive stalwart – suffer a similar injury would’ve been a cruel twist of fate for the Packers. Bulaga has been an outstanding member of Green Bay’s line since the team used a first-round pick on him in 2010, although injuries have been an issue throughout his career. The 26-year-old started a career-high 15 games last season and subsequently signed a five-year deal worth upward of $33MM to remain with the Packers.
Cowboys Notes: Murray, Jones, Michael
After rushing for an NFL-best 1,845 yards in 2014, running back DeMarco Murray left the Cowboys in free agency and signed a five-year, $42MM deal with NFC East rival Philadelphia. Sunday will be Murray’s first matchup against Dallas, which chose him in the third round of the 2011 draft and helped him develop into an elite running back. And, if not for the Eagles’ decision to pursue Murray after trading LeSean McCoy and losing to Indianapolis for Frank Gore‘s services, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones believes Murray might have continued his career in Dallas.
“I still think today we could have gotten him if Philly had not jumped in,” Jones said, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. “I don’t think he would have gone to Oakland or Jacksonville, but they came in at the last second and got [the price] up there.”
More on Murray and his former team:
- Murray said earlier this week that facing Dallas will be “a normal game,” but Jarrett Bell of USA Today believes otherwise. Bell opines that Murray has a chance to make a statement Sunday against the team that let him go and help give Philly an early edge in the NFC East race.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones effusively praised quarterback Tony Romo on Friday, according to the Morning News’ Jon Machota. 105.3 The Fan. “He is a quarterback that can win Super Bowls. He’s a franchise quarterback,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan. “[W]e’re getting the best of him now, and the best of him is probably, in my mind, the best there is.” Jones added that, if Romo doesn’t win a Super Bowl with Dallas, it’ll be the “biggest disappointment” of the owner’s long tenure.
- Running back Christine Michael, whom Dallas acquired from Seattle before the season, sat out last week and also won’t play this Sunday. After that, it’ll be “a little bit of a wait-and-see type of deal,” Stephen Jones told 105.3, per Machota. “I feel like I’m ready to go,” said Michael, who averaged a terrific 4.9 yards per carry on just 52 attempts during his first two seasons.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/19/15
Here are Saturday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL. The news comes courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: T Pierce Burton (Twitter link)
- Cut: WR Damiere Byrd
Miami Dolphins
- Cut: WR Deon Long (Twitter link)
New England Patriots
- Signed: OG Chris Barker (Twitter link)
- Signed: DT Khyri Thornton
- Cut: CB Dax Swanson
Johnny Manziel To Start Week 2 For Browns
FRIDAY, 10:38am: The Browns have officially announced (via Twitter) that Manziel will start on Sunday. Ulrich tweets that McCown remains in concussion protocol and won’t practice today, opening the door for the second-year signal-caller.
THURSDAY, 5:40pm: Browns quarterback Josh McCown will likely start the team’s game against the Titans this Sunday if he’s medically cleared to practice Friday morning, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal writes.
“If he’s cleared and practices fully tomorrow, I don’t see, barring anything unforeseen, a reason why we wouldn’t play him,” head coach Mike Pettine said, according to Ulrich.
McCown entered the season as the Browns’ starter, but he suffered a concussion in their 31-10 loss to the Jets after completing 5 of 8 passes for 49 yards. McCown sustained the injury in the first quarter while diving into the end zone for what could have been a touchdown. However, multiple Jets hit him and caused a fumble that New York recovered. The game was scoreless at the time. Cleveland’s second-string QB, Johnny Manziel, entered the game in relief and performed poorly, hitting on 13 of 24 throws for 182 yards, a touchdown, an interception, and two fumbles.
Manziel will start against 1-0 Tennessee if McCown isn’t medically cleared to play, though Pettine is optimistic about McCown’s chances.
“We’re hopeful, optimistic,” said Pettine. “To me, these situations you learn over time, they’re just impossible to predict.”