Category: NFL

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Lami: Ford day-to-day from knee injury; Garoppolo says team is pushing for next win; plus more

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On the 49ers podcast with Joe:

#1 Dee Ford, a Pro Bowl pass rusher who missed the second half of Sunday’s game in Cincinnati due to knee tendinitis and also the early part of training camp, suffered from a healing knee injury. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Ford is day-to-day and has a chance to get in against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday.

#2 Safety Jaquiski Tartt is suffering a toe injury. Shanahan said that Tartt’s injury is not a turf toe injury.

#3 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said the 49ers have seen the worst of the worst in past years and said with that in mind, the team is this year will not take it’s foot off the pedal and said it’s what’s pushing them.

#4 A 2-0 start both wins on the road the 49ers really look forward to this week’s game with the Steelers. The Steelers are spending their first week without injured quarterback Ben Roethisberger and adjusting to life without former Steeler receiver Antonio Brown.

#5 The Steelers are 0-2. It’s early, but is it a reflection of who they are or do they have a quarterback and a receiver who can give them their confidence back?

Joe does the San Francisco 49ers podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Vazquez admits to solicitation charges with minor; Astros’ Cole K’s 300 batters in a season; plus more

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photo file from nytimes.com: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez admitted to Pennsylvania Police that he had sexual relations with a 13 year girl. Vazquez’ admissions has sent shockwaves through the Pirates organization and MLB.

On Headline Sports with Tony Renteria:

Breaking: Antonio Brown will not be prosecuted for rape allegations from Florida ex-trainer Britney Taylor

#1 Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez admitted that he did have sexual relations with a 13 year old minor. The mother of the minor said she contacted police after finding photos that Vazquez sent to her daughter’s phone. Vazquez reportedly admitted to contacting the minor, who he met at a Pirates game when he was in the bullpen and got her contact information at the time.

#2 Houston Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole struck out 300 batters becoming the 18th pitcher in MLB history to do so. Cole is 18-5 with an ERA of 2.61. The Astros are having a great year and having pitching like this from Cole certainly has complimented the ball club.

#3 Just looking ahead to the postseason, the Oakland A’s are in first place in the AL wild card. They have dominated some of baseball’s best teams winning series from teams like the New York Yankees and Houston Astros. If the A’s can get past the wild card, the road to the World Series is past teams like the Astros and Yankees.

#4 After Sunday’s second quarter drubbing by the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oakland Raiders are regrouping and taking a look at their secondary, who took a bath when the Chiefs scored four touchdowns all the scoring they needed to upend Oakland 28-10.

#5 After the tough loss last Sunday at home, the Raiders have four away games in their next five games, which schedule wise can be considered their toughest challenge of the season.

Tony does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Raiders start long road journey away from Oakland Sunday in Minnesota

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Photo credit: dailynorseman.com

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

After two AFC West divisional games to start the season at home, the Raiders get set for their first road test of the year as they prepare to face the NFC North’s Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. The Silver and Black are 9-5 all time against the Purple People Eaters, with each team winning two games apiece over their last four matchups.

In their last meeting, the Vikings took down the Raiders 30-14 on Nov. 15, 2015 at the RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland.

Kickoff is set for 10:00 a.m. PDT this Sunday at U.S. Bank Field, as the Raiders begin a 49-day stretch away from Oakland and the first of four games against the NFC North this season.

The Raiders (1-1) lost 28-10 to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, after jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes shredded Oakland’s defense in the second quarter, throwing 278 of his 443 yards and four touchdowns in the period that put the game out of reach.

With the win, Mahomes improved to 3-0 against Oakland and has now thrown for 10 touchdowns to just one interception in those three games.

History was made in the game for Oakland as quarterback Derek Carr surpassed Hall of Fame quarterback Ken Stabler for most passing yards in franchise history, as Carr threw for 198 yards in the game and now stands at 19,196 threw his first 80 games.

Wide receiver Tyrell Williams caught his second touchdown of the year, while tight end Darren Waller led the Raiders in receptions again for the second-straight week as he caught six balls for 63 yards.

Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Waller joined Todd Christensen (1986) and Brandon Myers (2012) as the only tight ends in team history to record at least 50 yards receiving in the first two games of the season.

Defensively, the Raiders didn’t muster much of a pass rush against the Chiefs but Benson Mayowa had a day to remember, as he recorded 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

Mayowa became the first Raiders player to record at least one sack and one forced fumble in each of the first two games of the season since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, while also becoming just the seventh defensive player league wide to do so since 2010 according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

After defeating the Atlanta Falcons 28-12 in Week 1 at home, the Vikings (1-1) lost on the road in Green Bay, 21-16 in Week 2 at Lambeau Field.

Vikings running back Dalvin Cook rushed for a career-high 154 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries against the Packers. It was the second-straight game that the third-year pro from Florida State rushed for over 100 yards.

Through the first two games of the season, Cook is the NFL’s leading rusher with 265 yards.

Vikings signal-caller Kirk Cousins can play like he’s a top-10 NFL quarterback at times, making tough throws look routine to stud wideouts Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.

Then there are times where Cousins will throw those head-scratching passes late in a game that’ll get intercepted, sealing a loss that makes you wonder, if he’s even worth the $84 million fully guaranteed the Vikings are paying him?

Minnesota has Super Bowl aspirations and the pressure is on Cousins to guide them to Miami (the site of Super Bowl LIV), this season.

After throwing just 10 times in the season opener against the Falcons, Cousins finished 14-of-32 with one touchdown and two interceptions against the Packers.

With a chance to throw a potential game-winning score for Minnesota late in the fourth quarter, Cousins was intercepted by Green Bay cornerback Kevin King in the end zone.

Didn’t I mention a few spaces before about those head-scratching throws from Cousins that’ll cost you a game?

But the ultimate strength of the Vikings is its defense, which has been among the NFL’s best during head coach Mike Zimmer’s six seasons in Minnesota. The Vikings can generate a strong pass rush from its edge rushers in Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen, which will give its strong secondary led by strong safety Harrison Smith and cornerback Xavier Rhodes opportunities to create turnovers.

Carr and the offense have to be on high alert for a tough Vikings team and one of the toughest venues in the NFL, U.S. Bank Stadium this Sunday.

Following Sunday’s game, the Raiders will travel to Indianapolis to battle the Colts in Week 4 before flying to London to take on the Chicago Bears in a “home game” in Week 5.

The Vikings will begin a two-game road trip when they take on the Bears in Week 4 followed by a trip to New York for a date with the Giants in Week 5.

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Roethlisberger heartbroken over season-ending injury; Brees seeks second opinion on torn thumb; plus more

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On Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger injured his right elbow and will need surgery and said after last Sunday’s game that it was heartbreaking to be out on an injury. The injury knocked Roethlisberger out for the rest of the season and Roethlisberger said he looks forward to coming back next season.

#2 New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees torn thumb will need surgery. Brees sought a second opinion in Houston, and after being looked at in Los Angeles, Brees will miss six to eight weeks of the football season, which would put him at Week 10 at the latest that he can return.

#3 The Oakland A’s continue to believe in miracles. They got a huge win past the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night. The A’s, who lost the first game of the series Monday night to the Royals 6-5, who came back on them, came back on the Royals on Tuesday night after being down 1-0 scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for the 2-1 win. The A’s lead second place Tampa Bay by two games.

#4 What happen to the Raiders after having a 10-0 lead on Sunday? The visiting Kansas City Chiefs took over in the second quarter scoring four touchdowns and won it 28-10 and the Raiders couldn’t score in the second half.

#5 The San Jose Earthquakes, who have lost three of their last five games battled against one of the MLS’ best NYC FC, on Saturday losing 2-1. The Quakes’ Chris Wondolowski continues to find the back of the net with the Quakes’ only goal — his 14th of the season.

Join London for Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Niners look to stay unbeaten vs. shorthanded Steelers

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By Jeremy Harness

The 49ers are in a position that they have not been in since their Super Bowl year of 2012, as they are 2-0 and have a great chance to extend that win streak as they get ready to take on their rivals in the NFC West.

And they’ll have a reeling, hurting Pittsburgh Steelers team traveling across the country to face them at Levi’s Stadium Sunday.

However, just a note here: Pittsburgh has ended a 49ers winning streak before. The Niners won their first six games of the 1984 season until the Steelers pulled off a 20-17 upset win at Candlestick Park.

The 49ers did not lose another game that year, which culminated with the second Super Bowl victory in franchise history, a 38-16 win over the Miami Dolphins.

However, they do have some injury concerns going into Sunday.

Defensive end Dee Ford is listed as day-to-day with a quad injury, and he did not practice Wednesday. Among the others who were sidelined for Wednesday’s practice were receivers Trent Taylor (foot) and Jalen Hurd (back), starting back Tevin Coleman and safety Jaquiski Tartt (toe), who is listed as day-to-day but is expected to play against the Steelers.

Tackle Joe Staley suffered a broken tibia during Sunday’s game, and he is expected to be out for several weeks.

However serious the 49ers’ injury situation currently is, it pales in comparison to what’s going on in Pittsburgh. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger injured his elbow in Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks and has been forced to have season-ending surgery on his throwing elbow.

Mason Rudolph took over for Roethlisberger following the injury, and he is expected to be under center Sunday. The Steelers selected Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft and was the third quarterback that season before being elevated to the backup job before the start of this season.

Meanwhile, cornerback Joe Haden, whom the Steelers recently signed to a multi-year extension, did not practice Wednesday as he recovers from a shoulder ailment. Meanwhile, former 49ers tight end Vance McDonald was limited in practice Wednesday with a back injury.

Starting running back James Conner was held out of practice Wednesday while nursing a knee injury, but the team fully expects him, as well as Haden, to start against the 49ers.

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: Can Garoppolo, 49ers do it again with the offense this Sunday?; How concerned is Gruden about Raider defense?; plus more

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On Headlines Sports podcast with Barbara:

#1 For the San Francisco 49ers, the offense gained 527 yards rushing and the defense stopped the Cincinnati Bengals ground game.

#2 The Raiders couldn’t hold Kansas City’s offense as they scored four touchdowns in the second quarter in the Raiders’ 28-10 loss to the Chiefs.

#3 The Oakland A’s Matt Chapman lets it rip. He belted a home run that help set an Oakland franchise record for 244 home runs surpassing the A’s 1996 all-time record for home runs in a season

#4 San Francisco commuters on the 8 City College Muni line were held hostage to horrible traffic conditions in what may be more congestion issues to come at the home of the Golden State Warriors. The Dave Matthews Band held a concert there last Tuesday, September 10th and Muni pulled most of it’s buses from the 8 City College lines, which forced commuters to find other alternative ways to get home. The move allowed concert goers and traffic to move the public smoothly in and out of Chase, but at the cost of making commuters trying to figure how to get home on another line, that pulled almost all of its service to facilitate concert goers to Chase.

#5 He may be the victim of collusion and never will throw a ball again in the NFL, but former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is being recognized for his recent commercial with Nike, which just won an Emmy Award at the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Kaepernick’s commercial addresses his activism and bringing up issues and achievements in promoting diversity and calling out racism and discrimination.

Join Barbara on Headline Sports each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Simply put, 49ers put this one out of reach

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On the 49ers podcast with David Zizmor:

#1 The 49ers were all about the offense on Sunday in Cincinnati. The key quarter was when the 49ers got two touchdowns and pretty much put the Bengals away for the afternoon.

#2 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo went 18-27 for 166 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Jimmy G was feeling it on Sunday, wasn’t he?

David Zizmor doesn’t miss a beat. Catch Dave each Tuesday for the 49ers podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

49ers Win Huge 41-17; Start Season with Perfect Road Trip

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photo from sfgate.com: Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers runs for a touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

By Joe Lami

After not winning a single road game last year, the 49ers are off to a perfect start to their 2019 season. On Sunday, they impressively manhandled the Cincinnati Bengals 41-17 in their largest offensive road output since 2014 marking a complete 2-0 road trip.

The onslaught started early, as the defense quickly forced a three-and-out, giving the offense great starting field position on the first drive. The Niners easily capitalized as Jimmy Garoppolo found Marquise Goodwin wide open for a 38-yard score.

Garoppolo flashed what excited the faithful in late 2017 in a dominant performance, throwing three touchdowns on 17 of 25 passing for 297 yards. The Bengals challenged Jimmy G by trying to shut down his top target, George Kittle, but he spread the ball around incredibly well, finding three different receivers for scores and eight different pass catchers for receptions.

Rookie Debo Samuel led the way with five catches for 87 yards and his first career touchdown. Goodwin finished with three catches for 77 yards and a score, while Mostert got four balls out of the backfield for 68 yards and a score. Kittled finished with three catches on three targets for 54 yards.

Garoppolo had one throw he’d like back, throwing a terrible interception while targeting Richie James Jr. in triple coverage.

The passing attack was set up all by the rush, as the 49ers had their best rushing game under Kyle Shanahan, totaling 259 yards. Matt Breida was a monster, rushing for 121 yards on 12 carries, including one rush that reminisced Barry Sanders. Raheem Mostert carried 13 times for 83 yards, while Jeff Wilson Jr. came off the practice squad for ten carries, 34 yards, and two touchdowns.

On defense, the front seven was all over Andy Dalton, sacking him four times, while Kwon Alexander picked up his first interception as a Niner. They held Dalton to 311 yards, on 26 of 42 passes for two touchdowns. Dalton depended upon Tyler Boyd and John Ross as his two main targets, as both combined for 14 catches, 234 yards, and a score.

However, the Niners did lose Joe Staley with a broken left fibula in the win. He’s expected to miss six to eight weeks, and it remains to be seen on whether or not he’ll be placed on the IR. After losing swing tackle Shon Coleman in the pre-season, the Niners may seek free agency or a trade to replace their all-pro left tackle.

At 2-0, the Niners now return home to host the 0-2 Steelers in their home opener. The Steelers lost 28-26 to Seattle on Sunday, very similar to Seattle’s 21-20 win over the Bengals in week one.

Join Joe for 49ers coverage each week and podcast commentary each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Mahomes throws for four touchdowns in Chiefs’ 28-10 win

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photo from sfgate.com: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) calls out the audibles during Sunday’s game at the Oakland Coliseum against the Oakland Raiders

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND — Patrick Mahomes continues his magical run thru the NFL, and it was another impressive showing on Sunday afternoon.Mahomes went 30-for-44 for 443 yards with four touchdowns, as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Oakland Raiders 28-10 before a crowd of 52,748 at the Coliseum.

The second-year quarterback put on a show in the second quarter, as he threw four touchdowns in the quarter and the Chiefs took a 28-10 lead into the locker room at the end of the first half.
Demarcus Robinson caught six passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns, including two in the second quarter that helped the Chiefs overcome a 10-0 deficit.

Robinson was the receiving end of a Mahomes 44-yard touchdown pass with just five seconds gone into the second quarter, and then a 39-yard touchdown pass seven seconds after the Raiders punted the ball.
In the second quarter alone, the Chiefs gained exactly 300 yards and scored four touchdowns to take a 28-10 lead into the halftime.

Derek Carr went 23-for-38 for 198 yards passing, one touchdown and two interceptions on the afternoon.
Rookie Josh Jacobs continues to impress, as he carried the ball 12 times, while gaining 99 yards on the game.
Tyrell Williams caught a four-yard pass from Carr that gave the Raiders a 10-0 early in the first quarter.
Daniel Carlson got the Raiders on the board on their first series of the game, as he kicked a 28-yard field goal to give the Raiders an early 3-0 lead.

Mecole Hardman also caught a touchdown pass that gave the Chiefs the lead for good, as Mahomes found Hardman for a 42-yard touchdown that ended a 14 play 95-yard drive that took 6:32 off the clock.
Hardman caught three passes off the clock, as the Chiefs improved to 2-0 on the season, while the Raiders fall to 1-1 after the first two weeks of the season.

LeSean McCoy, who was picked up on waivers by the Chiefs after he was released by the Buffalo Bills led the team in rushing, as he carried the 11 times for 23 yards.
Bashaud Breeland led the Chiefs with eight tackles, while Daryl Worley and Tahir Whitehead led the Raiders with seven tackles.

Gareon Conley picked up three tackles just one week after he sustained a neck injury in Mondays 24-16 victory over the Denver Broncos.

NOTES: Mahomes threw for 278 yards in the decisive second quarter were the most by a quarterback since Drew Brees threw for 294 yards in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on December 9, 2008.

Carr passed Ken Stabler as the all-time leading passer in Raiders history, as he connected for a 16-yard pass to Darren Waller in the second quarter. In just his sixth season in the NFL, Carr has thrown for 19,196 yards.

UP NEXT: This is the last Raiders home game with the baseball configuration ever, as the team is scheduled to open Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in 2020.

The Raiders’ next game in the Coliseum will be on November 3 against the Detroit Lions; however, the Raiders will be the home for their Sunday evening game against the Chicago Bears on October 6 in London.

Raiders review: Chiefs vs. Raiders game ball goes to Mahomes

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Photo credit: vivathematators.com

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor
OAKLAND — After scoring on their first two possessions of the game to take an early 10-0 lead, the Raiders couldn’t survive a 28-point swing in the second quarter by the Chiefs, as Kansas City pummeled Oakland 28-10 to improve to 2-0 and dropping the Raiders to 1-1 on the young season.

Patrick Mahomes earns my game ball for his performance against the Raiders in Week 2.
The Kansas City’s signal-caller was unfazed by Oakland’s fast start to the game. After registering the first scoreless opening quarter of his career, Mahomes owned the second quarter, lighting up the Silver and Black for 278 yards and four touchdowns on four-straight possessions.

The Raiders didn’t know what hit them once the Chiefs took control of the game midway through the second quarter.

Mahomes’ 278 yards were the most in a quarter since Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 294 yards in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 9, 2008, per the Elias Sports Bureau.

Just like in last week’s 40-26 victory for the Chiefs over the Jacksonville Jaguars in northeast Florida in which Mahomes threw for 313 in the first half, Mahomes threw for 313 yards again in the first half against the Raiders.
It was the seventh-straight road game that Mahomes has thrown at least three touchdowns. Each of Mahomes’ last five completed passes in the second quarter, went for at least 27 yards, with touchdowns to wide receivers Demarcus Robinson and Mecole Hardman and tight end Travis Kelce.

Robinson, who started the game in Hill’s place and just as hard to cover, hauled in six catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson caught Mahomes’ first and last touchdowns of the second quarter, a 44-yarder and 39-yarder respectively.

Hardman, a rookie speedster from Georgia, was on the other end of a 42-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes (his second of the period). Hardman finished with four catches for 61 yards, but could’ve had a 72-yard score in the third quarter (Mahomes’ fifth TD of the day) had it not been nullified by a holding penalty on running back LeSean McCoy.
Kelce added a 27-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter to his team-leading seven-catch, 107-yard day.

Mahomes finished the game completing 30-of-44 passes for 443 yards and four touchdowns to go with a 131.2 passer rating for the game. The reigning NFL MVP and the Chiefs didn’t skip a beat on offense: tallying 464 yards total and winning the time of possession battle 32:35 to 27:25 for Oakland.
With the win, Mahomes improves to 3-0 against the Raiders and has now thrown for 1,021 yards with 10 touchdowns, one interception and a 123.6 passer rating.