Fantasy sports podcast: Helping owners through a QB crisis
There’s no doubt what the major talking point is in fantasy football this week. Quarterbacks. Quarterbacks. Quarterbacks. That discussion occupies the bulk of this week’s fantasy sports podcast with Jeff Erickson of Rotowire. Yup. I’m one of those people. I’ve got Patrick Mahomes on my team. I’m replacing him with...
First Call: Would Steelers trade Artie Burns?; Eddie Olczyk takes a jab at PiratesVideo
In Thursday’s “First Call,” the “Trump Ump” has local ties. Artie Burns is a potential trade target. And even Eddie Olczyk takes a jab at the Pirates during a hockey broadcast. Why bother? NFL.com has a list of trade ideas for each team before the deadline hits on Oct. 29....
Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown dies at 78Video
Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown, who provided the iconic play of the Oakland Raiders’ first Super Bowl title, died on Tuesday. He was 78. The Raiders and Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Brown’s death but did not reveal a cause. He had been dealing with cancer. “The entire...
Ric Flair calls out Cleveland Browns on WWE ‘Raw’Video
Ric Flair was stylin’ and profilin’ Monday night in Cleveland. But he didn’t endear himself to Browns fans. During an appearance on WWE’s ‘Monday Night Raw,’ which took place at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, the two-time WWE hall of famer called out the NFL team. The @Browns are IN...
Is Tom Brady funny? Ex-teammate Matt Cassel dishes on Patriots’ prank warVideo
Prankmaster Tom Brady? Check your Spygate and Deflategate comments at the door. We’re talking actual pranks, here. Brady’s former teammate and fellow quarterback Matt Cassel talked about pranks Brady and he used to play on each other. The discussion came up during a New England Patriots pregame show before their...
First Call: Pirates manager rumblings; Discipline coming for Dolphins starter
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” some Pirates managerial talk. The Steelers have an off-field issue with the Anthony Chickillo situation. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have a problem, too. Also, Sam Darnold’s Monday Night Football disaster impacts Le’ Veon Bell. Mutual interest One name floated as a potential candidate for the Pittsburgh Pirates...
Patriots blitz Darnold, Jets 33-0 to remain undefeatedVideo
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Tom Brady set the tone and the New England Patriots’ blitz-happy defense took over from there. Bill Belichick’s bunch is still undefeated after another absolutely dominant performance. Brady threw a TD pass to Phillip Dorsett, Sony Michel ran for three scores and New England forced Sam...
Browns relieved Myles Garrett incident with punching fan not worse
BEREA, Ohio — Browns coach Freddie Kitchens believes the fan who punched Myles Garrett was lucky. “I was glad the guy ran,” Kitchens cracked Monday as Cleveland returned from its off weekend. As the Browns began their break last week, Garrett was driving in downtown Cleveland when a fan pulled...
Browns RB Kareem Hunt cleared to practice during NFL suspension
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Browns came back from their bye week with Kareem Hunt. The suspended running back is practicing with teammates for the first time since August after being cleared to return by the NFL while serving the final two games of his eight-game ban for two violent...
Cowboys run over Eagles, take 1st in NFC East with 37-10 winVideo
ARLINGTON, Texas — Ezekiel Elliott ran over safety Malcolm Jenkins on his way to 111 yards and a touchdown, Dak Prescott threw an easy scoring pass on a great fake to his star running back before a TD run and the Cowboys rolled to a 37-10 victory over the Philadelphia...
Lamar Jackson’s legs, Ravens’ defense run to win in SeattleVideo
SEATTLE — Whether it was scrambling away from trouble or designed runs to use his speed, there was no stopping Lamar Jackson. Baltimore’s speedy quarterback ran for 116 yards and a touchdown, made key throws when necessary and led the Ravens to an impressive 30-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks...
NFL Week 7 review: Colts take AFC South lead with 30-23 victory over TexansVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — Jacoby Brissett threw a career-high four touchdown passes Sunday and the Indianapolis Colts sealed a 30-23 victory over the Houston Texans with Darius Leonard’s late interception. Indy (4-2) has won three straight in the series and took over the early season lead in the AFC South. The loss...
Bengals remain winless after Jaguars pull away lateVideo
CINCINNATI — Gardner Minshew led a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that put Jacksonville ahead to stay Sunday, and Yannick Ngakoue returned an interception 23 yards to clinch a 27-17 victory over the winless Cincinnati Bengals. The Jaguars (3-4) managed only field goals by Josh Lambo until their rookie quarterback and their...
Rams start newly acquired CB Jalen Ramsey against Falcons; Giants’ Saquon Barkley back in lineup
The Los Angeles Rams aren’t wasting any time putting newly acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey to work. Ramsey is active and will make his debut with Los Angeles on Sunday against Atlanta. The Rams sent Jacksonville three picks — including first-round selections in 2020 and 2021 — for Ramsey. Los Angeles...
Historically black colleges play significant role in NFL’s 1st 100 years
NFL rosters are crowded with players who performed in the national spotlight at major colleges: Notre Dame, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, etc. Sprinkled throughout, however, are players from schools such as North Carolina A&T, Howard and South Carolina State. Those schools, identified as historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), aren’t...
Bird is Word: Jackson and Ravens face Wilson’s SeahawksVideo
SEATTLE — There is an understandable mutual admiration between Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and Seattle’s Russell Wilson. In Jackson, Wilson sees a combination of speed and shiftiness working in concert with an underrated passing ability that has the young QB causing headaches for anyone tasked with slowing him down. In Wilson,...
Guaranteed: Eagles-Cowboys winner will be 1st in NFC EastVideo
ARLINGTON, Texas — Doug Pederson had to downplay some trash talk from one of his linebackers the previous time Philadelphia visited Dallas for a crucial NFC East meeting. Now the coach of the Eagles is having to explain how he ended up on the bulletin board while the Cowboys respond...
NFL Week 7 capsules: Saints look to keep rolling with Teddy Bridgewater
Oakland at Green Bay, New Orleans at Chicago and Houston at Indianapolis headline this week’s NFL schedule. NEW ORLEANS (5-1) at CHICAGO (3-2) 4:25 p.m. Sunday, Fox Opening line — Chicago by 3 Last week — Saints beat Jaguars 13-6; Bears had bye Streaks, stats and notes — New Orleans...
Chiefs rally around injured Patrick Mahomes to beat BroncosVideo
DENVER — Reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes injured his right knee in a pileup near the goal line before his Kansas City teammates rallied around their fallen superstar for a 30-6 thrashing of Denver on Thursday night. Backup Matt Moore threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill, and the Chiefs...
Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes injures right knee against BroncosVideo
DENVER — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes injured his right knee injury on a sneak Thursday night against the Denver Broncos. Mahomes stayed down on the field for quite some time after picking up a first down on fourth-and-short in the second quarter. He put an arm around each...
Fantasy sports podcast: Elimination pool plays, QB importance, tough bye week
My fantasy football team is terrible this year. I’m not Miami Dolphins kind-of-bad. But I am, like, Arizona Cardinals or Atlanta Falcons kind-of-bad. And I don’t feel alone. Many people I’ve talked to who play are having a really hard time in their leagues this year. I float some theories...
Pass-interference calls going as expected, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell saysVideo
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the new video review rule for pass interference is working as expected, with only obvious mistakes by officials being corrected. Through Week 6, the league has had 44 reviews related to pass interference, and the on-field ruling was reversed seven times....
Browns GM hints about trade discussions with Redskins for Trent WilliamsVideo
BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey already has pulled off one blockbuster trade. He seems eager to make another. Dorsey said he’s had “a few conversations” lately with Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen and hinted one of the topics discussed has been a trade for star left...
First Call: XFL fan account jabs Antonio Brown; Ex-Pirates Gerrit Cole, Daniel Hudson shineVideo
In “First Call” on this Wednesday, no Antonio Brown in the XFL! The NFL knows its refs screwed up during the “Monday Night Football” game. And the Nationals are on to the World Series. Can we handle more “Baby Shark”? Hard pass on A.B. You won’t see “Mr. Big Chest”...
L.A. Rams acquire disgruntled CB Jalen Ramsey from Jaguars
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Rams acquired Jalen Ramsey from the Jaguars on Tuesday night, ending the star cornerback’s tumultuous tenure in Jacksonville with a trade to the defending NFC champions. Jacksonville got first-round picks from the Rams in 2020 and ‘21, along with a fourth-round pick in ‘21....
