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Tag: Tee Higgins

  • Bengals offense starting to click entering Week 5 showdown against rival Ravens

    Bengals offense starting to click entering Week 5 showdown against rival Ravens

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Despite their 1-3 start, the Cincinnati Bengals are starting to play better with a big challenge set for next week.

    Joe Burrow is making smart decisions, displaying poise in the pocket along with accuracy. Ja’Marr Chase again resembles one of the league’s top playmakers after an offseason of contract dispute, and running mate Tee Higgins is rounding into form after missing the first two weeks with an injury.

    And then there’s the Bengals running game.

    Second-year back Chase Brown picked up 80 yards on 15 carries and ran for the first two touchdowns of his career in Sunday’s 34-24 win over Carolina, while Zack Moss added 51 yards on the ground and caught four passes for 27 yards and a score helping to soften the blow from the trade of Joe Mixon.

    After being held to 11 yards rushing in the first half, the Bengals had 130 yards on the ground after intermission to take control of the game.

    “We’re explosive,” Brown said. “I mean, we can put up 30 points against anybody. That’s our mindset.”

    Burrow finished 22 of 31 for 232 yards with two touchdowns and one interception coming on a miscommunication with Chase. But over the past two games Burrow and Chase have mostly been on the same page, hooking up 13 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns.

    It’s probably no coincidence that Chase’s increased production have coincided with the return of Higgins, who takes added pressure off the team’s No. 1 wideout.

    “We’ve been moving around, making plays,” Chase said. “The team looked pretty good starting out the first half, which is what we needed, someone to keep the momentum up for us, and all around everybody is making plays.”

    The Bengals have now increased their point total with each game and Burrow said the offense is now “playing at a high level.”

    The amount of playmakers has coach Zac Taylor excited about the future, especially with Burrow at quarterback.

    “There are certainly plays where we are trying to target key guys,” Taylor said. “If they take them away defensively with whatever they’re doing, Joe progresses and finds the next option. There are so people that can make plays for us. About everyone in that game made critical plays for us in big moments. And the line is playing its tails off, giving great protection so Joe feels like he can call anything.”

    Of course, few things make an NFL coach happier than the ability to run the ball late in a game and burn the clock.

    The Bengals did just that on Sunday.

    Leading by seven with 4:23 left, the Bengals ran the ball nine straight times to move into field-goal range for Evan McPherson, who made it a two-possession game with a 46-yarder with 1:17 remaining.

    “No doubt it was important,” Brown said. “They were stacking up the box, they were gapped out. We know what’s coming. We play for those moments in those four-minute situations and we know we just want to put points up at the end. The thing is, you keep the rock on our side and kick the field goal to really push on the dagger at the end.”

    The win gives the Bengals some needed momentum heading into an important home game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

    “We knew we needed this one this week, especially going into a divisional game next week,” Brown said. “We just want to carry that momentum and that energy into next week and the rest of the season and just continue this style of football.”

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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  • Setting The WR Market, Eagles Extend DeVonta Smith – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Setting The WR Market, Eagles Extend DeVonta Smith – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    The Eagles front office has done it again.

    After speculation that the Eagles would be paying their WR2 next after agreeing to a 3-year $66M extension with Jordan Mailata just two weeks ago. News finally broke on Monday that not only would DeVonta Smith’s 5th year be picked up, but it also came with a nifty 3-year extension.

    The Eagles will now have the following players on the offense under contract through 2026:

    • QB Jalen Hurts
    • QB Kenny Pickett
    • WR A.J. Brown
    • WR DeVonta Smith
    • RB Saquon Barkley
    • LT Jordan Mailata
    • LG Landon Dickerson
    • OL Tyler Steen
    • RT Lane Johnson

    Not a bad thing to have 8 offensive starters under contract for the next 3 seasons!

    But how did the Eagles get all these top tier players under contract without being well over the cap? (like the Saints have been for years)

     

    Ahead Of The League

    This is now back to back off-seasons where Howie Roseman and co. have been able to extend franchise cornerstone players before the other 31 teams in the league came to terms with their counterparts.

    QB Frenzy

    Starting with Jalen Hurts on April 17th 2023. A 5 year, $255M contract was signed ahead of the following quarterbacks

    • Joe Burrow – 5 years, $275M signed on September 7th 2023
    • Justin Herbert – 5 years, $262.5M signed on July 25th 2023
    • Lamar Jackson – 5 years, $260M signed on April 27th 2023

     

    Offensive Line Mania

    Not only did the Eagles get away with drafting Jordan Mailata in the 7th round of the 2018 draft. They’ve now extended him. Twice! While doing so, the Eagles have gotten ahead by signing Mailata to a 3 year, $66M deal. Now under contract until 2029.

    There weren’t many Offensive Tackles looking to be signed this off-season, but getting an extra 3 years from Mailata at $22M was perfect value giving some previously signed OT’s including:

    • Laremy Tunsil – 3 year, $75M signed on March 19th 2023
    • Andrew Thomas – 5 year, $117.5M signed on July 26th 2023

    However, this was the perfect market to get the Left Tackle signed for those extra years. Because the following will be due for a 5th year option and probable extensions in the next year.

    • Penei Sewell – drafted 7th overall 2021
    • Rashawn Slater – drafted 11th overall 2021
    • Ronnie Stanley – 5 year, $98.75M signed in 2020

     

    Setting The WR Market

    And that’s exactly how the Eagles have set the WR market with DeVonta Smith’s new deal.

    Had the Eagles not worked as quickly as possible on this deal. They would’ve been at risk of the following Receivers potentially getting record breaking deals done first.

    Since we don’t have contract money for these other receivers, let’s keep it simple and compare Yards/TDs.

    • DeVonta Smith – 50GP, 3,178 Rec Yards, 19 TD. signed a 3 year, $75M deal.
    • Justin Jefferson – 60GP, 5,899 Rec Yards, 30 TD. On a 5th year option for $19.74M
    • Ja’Marr Chase – 45GP, 3,717 Rec Yards, 29 TD. 
    • Tee Higgins – 53GP, 3,684 Rec Yards, 24TD. On a $21.8M Franchise Tag
    • CeeDee Lamb – 61GP, 5,145 Rec Yards, 32TD. On a 5th year option for $17.99M

     

    With DeVonta Smith’s extension checked off the offseason to-do list. The next big milestone will be the draft. Just one week away.

     

    Who do you have the Birds taking at 22nd?

     

     

    Photo Credit: Matt Slocum / AP Photo

     

     

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  • Bills’ Hamlin in critical condition after collapse on field

    Bills’ Hamlin in critical condition after collapse on field

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    CINCINNATI — Bills safety Damar Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field after a tackle hours earlier, leading to the indefinite postponement of Buffalo’s pivotal Monday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.

    “Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment,” the Bills said in a statement. “He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”

    In a chilling scene, Hamlin was administered CPR on the field, ESPN reported, while surrounded by teammates, some of them in tears, while they shielded him from public view. He was hurt while tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on a seemingly routine play that didn’t appear unusually violent.

    The NFL announced Hamlin’s condition shortly after he was taken to a hospital, but neither the league nor the hospital released any other details about the 24-year-old’s medical condition. The team’s statement was released before its flight arrived back in Buffalo early Tuesday. There was also no immediate update about the future status of the game.

    On the play Hamlin was injured, Higgins led with his right shoulder, which hit the defensive back in the chest. Hamlin then wrapped his arms around Higgins’ shoulders and helmet to drag him down. Hamlin quickly got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, and then fell backward about three seconds later and lay motionless.

    Hamlin was treated on the field by team and independent medical personnel and local paramedics, and he was taken by ambulance to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Teammate Stefon Diggs later joined Hamlin at the hospital.

    About 100 Bills fans and a few Bengals fans gathered on a corner one block from the emergency room entrance, some of them holding candles.

    Jeff Miller, an NFL executive vice president, told reporters on a conference call early Tuesday that the league had made no plans at this time to play the game, adding that Hamlin’s health was the main focus.

    An ambulance was on the field four minutes after Hamlin collapsed while many players embraced, including quarterbacks Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow.

    “Please pray for our brother,” Allen tweeted.

    Hamlin collapsed at 8:55 p.m., and when he was taken off the field about 19 minutes later in what seemed like an eternity, the Bills gathered in prayer. A few minutes after the ambulance left the field, the game was suspended, and players walked off the field slowly and into their locker rooms where they awaited word on Hamlin and the game.

    “I’ve never seen anything like it since I was playing,” NFL executive Troy Vincent, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback during his career, said in the conference call early Tuesday morning. “Immediately, my player hat went on, like, how do you resume playing after seeing a traumatic event in front of you?”

    Hamlin’s uniform was cut off as he was attended to by medical personnel. ESPN reported on its telecast that Hamlin was also given oxygen.

    Vincent said the league took no steps toward restarting the game and did not ask players to begin a five-minute warmup period as ESPN’s broadcasters had announced.

    “It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play,” Vincent said. “That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive. That’s not a place we should ever be in.”

    Vincent said the Bills were returning early Tuesday morning to the team facility in Orchard Park, New York, with the exception of a few players who stayed behind with Hamlin.

    There was a heavy police presence at Buffalo Niagara International Airport ahead of the team’s arrival. Police tape enclosed the entire parking lot area, cutting off access to where the players park.

    The Bengals led 7-3 in the first quarter of a game between teams vying for the top playoff seed in the AFC. Cincinnati entered at 11-4 and leading the AFC North by one game over Baltimore, while AFC East champion Buffalo was 12-3.

    “The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin,” the players’ union said in a statement. “We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well being.”

    The unfinished game has major playoff implications as the NFL enters the final week of the regular season, with the wild-card playoff round scheduled to begin on Jan. 14.

    The aftermath of the injury was reminiscent of when Bills tight end Kevin Everett lay motionless on the field after making a tackle on the second-half opening kickoff in Buffalo’s 2007 season-opening game against the Denver Broncos.

    Everett sustained a spinal cord injury that initially left him partially paralyzed.

    Hamlin spent five years of college at Pittsburgh — his hometown — and appeared in 48 games for the Panthers over that span. He was a second-team All-ACC performer as a senior, was voted a team captain and was picked to play in the Senior Bowl.

    He was drafted in the sixth round by the Bills in 2021, played in 14 games as a rookie and then became a starter this year once Micah Hyde was lost for the season to injury.

    By late Monday night, a community toy drive organized by Hamlin had surged to more than $1.2 million in donations. His stated goal was $2,500.

    Kathryn Bersani and her mother, Gayle, were among the Bills fans who traveled from Buffalo for the game and went to the hospital from the stadium.

    “This is our family Christmas,” Kathryn Bersani said. “We thought it would be a great game. Joe (Burrow) and Josh (Allen) are such great men. Sad, sad time. Such a shock. I just hope he can live a normal life. It stunned us.”

    Chuck and Janet Kohl went to the hospital after watching the game at home.

    “This is much more important than football,” Chuck Kohl said. “Had to come and pray for Mr. Hamlin.”

    Entering the game, the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin had 91 tackles, including 63 solo tackles, and 1 1/2 sacks.

    A tweet from the Pitt football account was simple and clear: “Damar Hamlin is the best of us. We love you, 3,” the tweet said, referring to Hamlin by his college jersey number. “Praying for you.”

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    AP freelancer Jeff Wallner, AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi, AP Sports Writer John Wawrow and AP Sports Writer Ben Nuckols contributed to this report.

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP—NFL

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  • Tucker’s leg lifts Ravens to 19-17 victory over Bengals

    Tucker’s leg lifts Ravens to 19-17 victory over Bengals

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    BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens essentially have two versions of the victory formation.

    One is when the quarterback takes a knee to run out the clock. The other is when Justin Tucker comes on the field to attempt a game-winning kick.

    “We’ve got the GOAT at kicker,” Lamar Jackson said, using the acronym for “Greatest of All-Time.”

    Tucker kicked a 43-yard field goal on the final play to lift the Ravens over the Cincinnati Bengals 19-17 on Sunday night and into sole possession of first place in the AFC North.

    Tucker also made a 58-yard kick in the third quarter, and even when the Ravens (3-2) fell behind 17-16 on Joe Burrow’s 1-yard sneak with 1:58 remaining, they could feel confident because they only needed a field goal. Tucker’s game-winner extended his streak to 61 straight successful field goals in the fourth quarter and overtime.

    He is 17 for 17 in his career on attempts in the final minute of regulation.

    “What matters in those 1.3 seconds between snap, hold and the kick, are the things that are going to help the kick go through the uprights,” Tucker said. “My feelings, my emotions — for 1.3 seconds, they don’t really matter, whether I’m feeling very confident or nervous or even outright afraid. That’s partly why I always make it a point to say a brief prayer as I’m lining up to kick — not to ask for results, but to ask for peace and to show gratitude just for sort of being able to be in that moment.”

    Jackson shook off a rough night passing, leading the Ravens with his arm and his legs on the winning drive. Baltimore blew leads of 21 and 17 points in its previous two home games when it lost to Miami and Buffalo. The Ravens squandered a 10-point lead in this one but recovered.

    It was a remarkable turnaround for the Baltimore defense, which allowed 41 points in each of two losses last year to the AFC champion Bengals. This time the Ravens kept Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase mostly under control and pulled off an impressive stand in the third quarter after Cincinnati (2-3) had first-and-goal from the 2.

    The Bengals trailed 13-10 when they wasted that opportunity. The key play was a 12-yard loss when Cincinnati tried a reverse pass on second down. A third-down completion put the Bengals back at the 2, but then a shovel pass on fourth down went incomplete.

    “They played it well,” Burrow said.

    The Ravens then drove all the way to the other end of the field for a short field goal that made it 16-10. Tucker’s earlier kick from 58 had broken a 10-all tie. After that one, he stood near midfield and posed in celebration with his arms outstretched.

    “I’ve celebrated in many a humorous way over the years,” he said. “Also, you’ve got to save a little bit for the end of the game too. So I don’t want to peak too early.”

    Baltimore took a 10-0 lead on Jackson’s 11-yard scoring pass to Mark Andrews in the second quarter, but the star quarterback was intercepted in Cincinnati territory on his next drive.

    The Bengals scored on a 19-yard pass from Burrow to Hayden Hurst, and the game was tied by halftime.

    Jackson finished 19 of 32 for 174 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and he rushed 12 times for 58 yards. Burrow also had a TD and a pick and was 24 of 35 for 217 yards.

    Baltimore improved to 19-2 in prime time games at home under coach John Harbaugh.

    YET AGAIN

    All three of Cincinnati’s defeats this season have been on field goals on the final play.

    “We’ve lost three games on the last play of the game,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “I told the guys, ‘We’ve got to keep taking our shots, and the season will even itself out’”

    This was also the 10th consecutive loss for the Bengals in a Sunday night game.

    FACING FOURTH

    A week after his decision to go for it on fourth down at the Buffalo 2-yard line in a tie game backfired, Harbaugh had a few more tough calls to make.

    In the third quarter, the Ravens went for it on fourth-and-3 from the Cincinnati 41, but Jackson overthrew a wide open Tylan Wallace, who likely would have scored. After Burrow threw an interception, Baltimore had fourth-and-4 from the 40. That time, Harbaugh had Tucker try his kick from 58.

    The Ravens faced fourth-and-1 from the 3 in the fourth, but instead of going for it, Baltimore kicked a short field goal that made it 16-10. That meant the Bengals had a chance to take the lead with a touchdown — which they did — but because the Ravens kicked a field goal there, three points was enough on their final drive.

    INJURIES

    Cincinnati WR Tee Higgins went without a catch and exited with a left ankle injury. … Ravens S Marcus Williams left with a dislocated wrist, and Harbaugh expects him to miss a significant amount of time. … Baltimore T Ronnie Stanley (ankle) played for the first time since last season’s opener.

    UP NEXT

    Bengals: Visit the New Orleans Saints next Sunday.

    Ravens: Visit the New York Giants next Sunday.

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    Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister

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    More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP—NFL

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