Dennis Allen’s Job In Jeopardy
Raiders’ head coach Dennis Allen could be fired this week, after suffering a blowout loss to the Dolphins in London. Terry Collins of the Associated Press tweeted that the Raiders have already fired Allen, and that the announcement could come as early as Tuesday. The tweet was later deleted, but captured in a retweet here by Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin (via Twitter).
The report has no elaboration, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk points out, and it certainly could be challenged. However, Smith writes, it would not be a surprise if it was true, sooner rather than later.
If Allen is fired, it is expected that Tony Sparano will take over as the interim head coach, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).
NFC Notes: Eagles, Bridgewater, Panthers
Despite scoring 21 points in a loss to the 49ers, the Eagles offense was shut out during the game. They scored on a blocked punt, and interception return, and a punt return. When speaking after the game, head coach Chip Kelly was very critical of the team’s ability to run the football and block along the offensive line, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Dailey News (via Twitter). “We got lumped up front,” said Kelly. “They created pressure with three and four rushers. [We] tried to put in quarterback’s hands.”
The Eagles could not run the ball, and Kelly attributes that to the troubles along the offensive line, writes Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter). “We’re not very good up front right now,” said Kelly.
The team is without starting offensive linemen Jason Kelce and Evan Mathis due to injury, and Lane Johnson is set to return to game action next weekend after serving a four-game suspension. They also lost left tackle Jason Peters for portions of the past two games, last week to an ejection and today due to injury.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- Vikings‘ quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was brilliant in his first NFL start, but he left the game late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. X-rays came out negative, and he will undergo an MRI tomorrow. The question is whether or not he will be ready to play this Thursday against Green Bay, and head coach Mike Zimmer is optimistic on his quarterback’s chances. “I assume he’s going to play,” said Zimmer. “Teddy’s pretty dang tough.”
- After Bridgewater left with the injury, the Vikings turned to former first-round pick Christian Ponder once again. Ponder was prepared to be back in the starting lineup, but has come to terms with the team’s commitment to Bridgewater.“Football is a crazy game and injuries unfortunately always happen. I’ve got to be prepared, God forbid something happens to Teddy. It’s Teddy’s team,” Ponder said. “Teddy, he was the first-round pick this past year and that’s the direction they’re heading. For me, I’m going to prepare to play if something happens, but I’m here to support Teddy and help him any way I can.”
- The Panthers‘ running game has struggled this season with injuries to Mike Tolbert and Jonathan Stewart, in addition to a limited Cam Newton. It only got worse today, and DeAngelo Williams left the game early and was not able to return, writes Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. The team had to play two undrafted free agents in the backfield, and will have trouble finding replacements if those injuries persist all season.
AFC Notes: Whisenunt, Marrone, Watt, Ryan
Titans‘ head coach Ken Whisenhunt was fielding questions during his post-game press conference, and was asked if he had overestimated the team’s ability. His candid answer has upset some fans, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.
“You know, I guess that’s the problem saying those kind of things. You go on a stretch where you have a couple games and you don’t play well and those are the kind of things that, hey, I still believe that, I still believe we have a team that’s good enough, that’s better than what we are playing right now,” said Whisenhunt. “But we have to look at what we are doing, how we are doing it. We have to look at everything. Maybe.”
Looking back to the offseason, Whisenhunt was heavily rumored as an option for the Lions and Browns, along with the Titans after the success he had coordinating Philip Rivers and the Chargers’ offense. He is believed to have preferred the Titans’ position.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC:
- Doug Marrone’s Bills team started off fast with wins over the Bears and Dolphins to begin the season, but has cooled considerably in losing efforts against the Chargers and Texans. Marrone admits that it is tough to find consistency with such a young offense, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter). “You got young receivers, a young quarterback, and some [young] guys on the line,” said Marrone. “They have to grow and they have to grow fast.”
- Texans‘ defensive end J.J. Watt had an impressive showing against the Bills earlier today, leading to owner Bob McNair to praise him publicly, reports Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com (via Twitter). “He is worth every cent,” said McNair. “I hope he doesn’t come in tomorrow and ask for a raise.”
- After losing to the Lions to fall to 1-3 on the season, Jets‘ head coach Rex Ryan is on the hotseat, writes Bob Glauber of Newsday. The team has three tough games against the Chargers, Broncos, and Patriots, and if they finish that stretch at 1-6, Glauber writes that general manager would be smart to reconsider his commitment to both Ryan and quarterback Geno Smith.
Injury Updates: Sunday
Chargers‘ starting cornerback Shareece Wright left the matchup against the Jaguars with a knee injury, reports Michael Gehlken of the U-T San Diego. The team believes Wright may have sprained his MCL, but hopes no damage has been done to his ACL. He will have an MRI on Monday to confirm the injury.
Gehlken notes that Wright is in the final year of his rookie contract, which could hurt his free agency if he misses a huge chunk of the season. 2014 first-round pick Jason Verrett was inactive for the game.
Here are some other injury-related news to look out for:
- Bills‘ defensive tackle Kyle Williams was not with the team in the locker room after the game, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). The team has reported that he suffered a knee injury in the loss against the Texans.
- Falcons‘ safety William Moore was forced to leave the game against the Vikings with a shoulder injury, and will not be able to return, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
- The 49ers have already suffered a number of injuries in their matchup against the Eagles. Two of the most notable are the losses of Anthony Davis and Vernon Davis. Anthony has been ruled out for the game with a knee injury, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter) and Vernon will not return with a back injury, reports Can Inman of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter).
- Texans‘ receiver Andre Johnson had to leave the win over the Bills early due to an ankle injury, but says the injury is not serious, according to Adam Wexler of CSNHouston.com (via Twitter).
- Raiders‘ quarterback Derek Carr left the loss to the Dolphins in London with knee and ankle injuries, reports Jerry McDonald of InsideBayArea.com. The team is reaching its bye, and does not have a game next week.
NFC South Links: Smith, Glennon, Hankins
One of the biggest free agent moves of the offseason was the release of Steve Smith by the Panthers, leading to Smith’s signing with the Ravens. In David Newton’s mailbag for ESPN, he discusses whether the team’s general manager David Gettleman regretted letting Smith go. While Newton notes that Gettleman rarely speaks to the media, it would be hard to imagine him being excited to face a Smith hungry for revenge this weekend.
Here are some more links from around the NFC South:
- The Charlotte Observer put a page together where Panthers‘ fans could share their favorite Smith memories in anticipation of his first game against his former team.
- Quarterback play alone cannot propel a Buccaneers‘ team that has been abysmal in all facets of the game through three weeks, but Mike Glennon will have a chance to stake his claim to the starting job, writes Andrew Astleford of Fox Sports Florida.
- Gary Shelton of the Tampa Bay Times imagines where the Buccaneers‘ franchise would be had they ever made the right choice in selecting a quarterback, citing Tom Brady and Joe Montana as players they had a chance to take. He also notes that the team had Doug Williams and Steve Young, who went on to win Super Bowls with the Redskins and 49ers, respectively.
- Buccaneers‘ head coach Lovie Smith was expected to straighten out a franchise that ws run amok in recent years, but his plans have been torn apart, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The plan stared to go awry with the implosion of free agent quarterback Josh McCown, who was eventually benched due to injury, although he showed little in his action to that point. The broken hand suffered by star defensive tackle Gerald McCoy only further weakened the 0-3 Buccaneers.
- Saints‘ defensive tackle John Jenkins did not travel with the team to Dallas for their matchup with the Cowboys, reports Brett Martel of the Associated Press (via Twitter). He notes that his absence is not injury related, and that Jenkins was also a healthy scratch last week against the Vikings.
AFC North Notes: Bengals, Steelers, Hoyer
The Bengals are 3-0 for the first time since 2006, and with a top flight offense to go along with a strong defense, they are one of the NFL’s best so far this year. The team has outscored their opponents 80-33, and should only improve as they get receiver Marvin Jones back from injury, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC North:
- Wilson also noted the the return of James Harrison out of retirement reunites him with many of his old Steelers‘ teammates, including Brett Keisel, who was brought back as well. Wilson writes that it was Keisel who texted Harrison to convince him to come back.
- The Steelers‘ defense is a little long in the tooth at a number of spots, writes Mark Kaboly of TribLive.com. However, defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has been working magic on defense for years, and will now have the challenge of replacing Jarvis Jones, Ike Taylor, and first-round pick Ryan Shazier.
- Pat McManamon of ESPN opens up a Browns‘ mailbag, and the starting question delves into the type of extension Brian Hoyer could earn if he continues to play this well. McManamon compares Hoyer’s recent success with the contracts received by Andy Dalton, Alex Smith, Carson Palmer, and Matt Cassel over the past few offseasons.
- Hoyer led not one but two Browns‘ mailbags this week, and Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com also considered the contract extension Hoyer is playing for. With Manziel signed for four years, Grossi sees the Browns committing to Hoyer as long as he plays well this season, and making a decision about the future during the offseason.
Colts Notes: Hamilton, Bailey, Bowen
Every time Andrew Luck turns around and hands the ball off to a running back, Colts’ fans take to the internet to demand that offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton’s job. Trent Richardson‘s struggles and the team’s 0-2 start to the season only added to the anti-Hamilton bandwagon. Mike Freeman of ESPN thinks that after the Colts put a huge number on the board against the lowly Jaguars, Hamilton’s job is safe. The team is ranked in the top three in the league in total yards, passing yards, and points per game. Here are some other notes from the Colts:
- In the mailbag, Freeman writes that Champ Bailey is not an option at safety due to his declined play at 36 years old. He also addresses the team’s decision to keep Khaled Holmes out of the starting lineup despite being healthy, in order to keep continuity with that unit.
- One of the biggest surprises of the season so far has been the effectiveness of a much maligned offensive line for the team, wrote Kevin Bowen of Colts.com earlier this week. Rather than being a weakness, Bowen sees them as being among the NFL’s best through three weeks.
- Bowen also compiled some quotes from both coordinators, Hamilton and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, as well as an injury report going into this weekend’s matchup against the Titans.
- Finally from Bowen, he grabbed a number of quotes from head coach Chuck Pagano regarding the rotation at running back, the offensive line, and many other topics.
AFC East Links: Idzik, Mankins, Dolphins
The Jets could find themselves in an interesting situation this offseason if they don’t return to their winning ways soon. If general manager John Idzik fires head coach Rex Ryan, one likely candidate he will seek to replace the embattled Jets’ coach could be Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, writes Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. Idzik, who came from Seattle’s front office, would look to hire his former colleague Quinn, who is represented by former Jets’ general manager Mike Tannenbaum, whom Idzik took over for two offseasons ago.
Here are some other links from around the AFC East:
- While we are talking about the possibility of the Jets firing Ryan, Pat Kirwin of CBS Sports would like everyone to know that would be a dumb idea, as he said on Sirius XM Radio (via Twitter).
- About one month after the Logan Mankins‘ trade, the Patriots‘ have not fallen apart on the offensive line, writes Jen McCaffery of MassLive.com. While the Dolphins were able to disturb Tom Brady, the line has been better since, but faces a tough test against the Chiefs’ pass rushthis week. Tight end Tim Wright, who the team acquired in return for Mankins, has four catches on five targets this season.
- The Patriots will not only be prepared for the pass rush, but must be ready for everything to come away with a win Monday night according to head coach Bill Belichick, writes Kevin Duffy of MassLive.com. “You know you have to go out and play a good football team against an Andy Reid coached team,” says Belichick. “You can’t expect that they’re going to make a lot of mistakes. You’re going to have to earn everything. I think that’s always the mark of a good team.”
- The Dolphins‘ are looking to right the ship as they travel to London to face an 0-3 Raiders team, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. Multiple starters have been critical of the coaching staff through the first three games, even with the upset victory over the Patriots in week one. With a loss, starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s future with the team could be in jeopardy.
- Bills‘ offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is trying to keep his receivers happy, despite struggles from quarterback E.J. Manuel, writes Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com. Hackett notes that there are fewer opportunities to go around in the passing game this season, as the Bills have become more run-heavy on offense.
NFC North Links: Packers, Vikings, Bears
The Lions have a lot going on as they prepare to face the Jets this Sunday, but the rest of the NFC North teams are not just waiting for their games. The Packers and Bears have a huge divisional matchup coming up, and the Vikings are ready to usher in a new era, with Teddy Bridgewater‘s first start against the Falcons.
Here are some links to some stories from NFC North teams:
- Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel spoke with Packers‘ safety Morgan Burnett for an in-depth look at the man behind the facemask.
- Dunn’s colleague at the Journal-Sentinel applauds Packers‘ general manager Ted Thompson‘s cap management, noting that his prudent spending has given the team a cushion to improve during the season.
- The Bears cut defensive end Julius Peppers and signed defensive end Lamarr Houston on the same day this offseason, but Houston is far from a replacement, writes Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Houston, along with Willie Young, have been part of turning a team that ranked 32nd against the run in 2013 into a league-average run stopping unit.
- Adam Jahns of the Sun-Times answers some frequently asked questions about the Bears–Packers matchup.
- John Mullin of CSNChicago.com has his own matchup preview, focusing on the health of the Bears‘ top receivers.
- Vikings‘ guard Vlad Ducasse is in line to start for the injured Brandon Fusco, and Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune chronicles the former Jet’s NFL journey.
- Vikings‘ linebacker Chad Greenway has been ruled out for this weekend’s matchup, and is one of the keys Matt Vensel of the Star-Tribune focuses on during his preview.
- Another injured Viking, tight end Kyle Rudolph, will force the team to ask for more from the backups at the position, writes Dane Mizutanii of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press.
- Matt Cassel has undergone surgery on his foot, and Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com took a look on Cassel’s place in the future plans of the Vikings.
Lions Notes: Tate, Fauria, Bailey, Jones
As the Lions and Jets prepare to battle this Sunday, a huge factor in the matchup could come to a decision made much earlier this offseason. Both teams entered the offseason with a very similar needs, namely cornerback and wide receiver. While each team elected to more or less ignore their cornerback problem, both made big splashes at receiver. Eric Decker was thought to be the top pass catcher on the market, but it was the Lions who struck a deal first, electing to sign Golden Tate away from the Seahawks. Head coach Jim Caldwell notes that Tate was their first choice from the beginning, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
“I can tell you that Golden was our prime target and we’re glad he’s here,” said Caldwell. “Decker obviously is a fine football player and does a lot of things extremely well.”
Decker is questionable for Sunday, but expects to play. reports Brian Costello of the New York Post.
Here are some other notes as we draw closer to Lions vs. Jets at MetLife Stadium Sunday:
- While both teams addressed receivers in the offseason, they both failed to improve their situations at cornerback. Each team boasts a top end run defense, with a shaky secondary susceptible to big plays downfield. While answering fan questions on Twitter, Michael Rothstein of ESPN was asked about cornerback Champ Bailey‘s status as a free agent. Both the Jets and Lions could use help at the position, but neither has had any concrete connection to Bailey in 2014. Rothstein believes this could be an indication that Bailey may not have anything left in the tank (via Twitter).
- Lions’ tight end Joseph Fauria injured his ankle on Wednesday, leaving the team with only two players at the position on the active roster. While Brandon Pettigrew and Eric Ebron should be able to cover for Fauria’s minimal production, it could change the way the team attacks the Jets’ defense. The team will be forced to use more three wide receiver sets unless they decide to promote tight end Jordan Thompson or fullback Emil Igwenagu, who has played tight end, writes Rothstein. They could also consider increased roles for fullbacks Jed Collins and Montell Owens.
- The Lions run defense has been great through three games, with defensive linemen Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley getting most of the credit. However, Jason Jones has been a huge part of the team’s success, writes Mike O’Hara in his game preview for DetroitLions.com.