Category: NFL

Raiders’ playoffs still in sight after 24-17 win over Giants at Coliseum

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Oakland Raiders wide receiver Johnny Holton (16) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the second half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND — Entering the game, the Oakland Raiders knew that a win over the New York Giants coupled with a loss by the Kansas City Chiefs would put them in the hunt for the AFC West crown.

Marshawn Lynch carried the ball 17 times for 101 yards, that included a season-long 51-yard touchdown run on the Raiders’ third play from scrimmage and the Raiders hung on to defeat the New York Giants 21-17 before a crowd of 54,994 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

“It was obviously an explosive play. I think it was the longest run of the year for him with us. It was a great job executing the play and him hitting it and taking t to the house. It was awesome for us to get that start,” said Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio.

With the victory, and the Chiefs loss to the New York Jets, the Raiders, the Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers are tied for the lead in the AFC West with four games remaining.

Lynch took the ball on all three plays of the Raiders’ initial drive that culminated with him finding a hole and scampering 51 yards to the end zone to give the Raiders a quick 7-0 lead just 1:31 after getting the ball from the Giants, who went three-and-out on the first drive of the game.

Without the services of the suspended Michael Crabtree and the injured Amari Cooper, who missed the game due to an ankle injury, Derek Carr found other weapons in his arsenal on the afternoon.

Carr ended the afternoon going 22-for-36 with 287 yards passing and a touchdown, as the Raiders stayed in the playoff hunt.

Seth Roberts led the Raiders in catches, as he caught five passes for 46 yards, while Cordarrelle Patterson caught four passes for a team-leading 97 yards.

Johnnie Holton caught three passes for 39 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown pass that gave the Raiders a 24-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

“I knew it was a touchdown. I took some steps I feel. I tried to make the defender miss, the ball ended up coming out, but I recovered it to make sure it was a touchdown for sure,” said Holton.

Just prior to the Holton touchdown pass, the Giants cut the Raiders’ lead down to 17-14, as Geno Smith found rookie Evan Engram for a 10-yard touchdown pass.

Engram led the Giants with seven catches for 99 yards and a touchdown. The talented rookie also made a terrific one-handed catch to get the Giants into field goal on what ended up being their final drive of the afternoon.

After there was no scoring in the third quarter, the two teams scored on every possession in the fourth quarter.

DeAndre Washington gave the Raiders a 10-point lead, as he scampered in from nine yards out and then Engram got the Giants within three. Then, Holton essentially put the game with his 16-yard touchdown pass and then Aldrick Rosas closed the scoring with his 52-yard field goal.

In his first game as starter of the Giants, Smith went 21-for-34 for 212 yards passing and a touchdown.

Smith became the first quarterback not named Eli Manning to start a game for the Giants in the last 210 games, the second-longest streak in NFL history behind Brett Favre’s 297 consecutive game streak.

“I thought Geno competed at a high level. There were a couple fumbles, we’ll have to take a look at the tape. The one where he was throwing, trying to pull it back, and it got away from him. The one where the ball got ripped out of his hands there. That nice two-minute drive at the end of the ball game, he did something creative and threw a nice ball for the touchdown. I thought he competed,” said Giants head coach Ben McAdoo.

The Giants went right down the field following the Carr to Holton touchdown pass, and Rosas nailed a 52-yard field goal with 1:38 remaining; however, the Raiders recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

Notes: Now the Raiders head back out on the road to Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Chiefs, next Sunday afternoon. In their previous meeting, the Raiders edged the Chiefs 31-30, as Carr found Crabtree in the end zone with no time remaining and Giorgio Tavecchio nailed the extra point to give the Raiders that improbable victory. The Chiefs are heading home after a 38-31 loss to the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Jimmy Garoppolo is Difference Maker in 49ers’ 15-14 Victory over Bears

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San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) looks for an open man against the Chicago Bears in an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017. (Mark Black/Daily Herald via AP)

By: Joe Lami

It came down to the last play of the game, but Jimmy Garoppolo’s debut start for the San Francisco 49ers was victorious as the hapless team defeated the Chicago Bears 15-14 on Sunday afternoon.

“I thought it was a real good first start. He handled the offense well. [He] definitely moved the chains and the ball for us. It’ll be fun to get back and watch the tape and be able to coach him through what he did good and did bad,” said coach Kyle Shanahan.

Robbie Gould’s return to Chicago was perfect, as he nailed five field goals all within 35 yards in the victory.

Although the 49ers didn’t get into the end zone, Garoppolo was the difference as he was able to get San Francisco’s offense moving, throwing the ball down the field and reaching the red zone five times. He finished the day 26-of-37 for 293 yards and one interception, which had a completion stolen out of the hands from Louis Murphy Jr.

This season, San Francisco had five losses all decided by three points or less, but the difference on Sunday was Garoppolo and his ability to move the offense.

The biggest difference Garoppolo made came on third down, as the 49ers’ nearly doubled their efficiency with him on the field, converting 58% of their third downs.

Most impressively, he led the 49ers on their drive, going 86 yards on 14 plays in the last 5:23, setting up Gould’s 24-yard game-winning field goal.

The Bears’ offense was held to only one touchdown and 147 net yards as the 49ers’ defense showed up to play. Chicago’s first touchdown came out of the hands of rookie quarterback, Mitch Trubisky, who finished the day throwing just 102 yards.

Their second score came on special teams when Tarik Cohen returned a 62-yard punt return to the house.

The 49ers’ earn Shanahan’s second career win and up their record to 2-10 as Garoppolo makes this team look a lot better down the stretch of the season with four games to go.

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with Joe Lami: Garoppolo gets ready for Chicago this weekend; Shanahan says he looks ready in practice

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Photo credit: @insidethe49

On the 49ers podcast with Joe Lami:

1 The talk about when the 49ers’ Jimmy Garopollo will get in ends this Sunday in Chicago when Garoppolo gets his first start of the season is highly anticipated.

2 Garoppolo came in the closing moments last Sunday to throw a touchdown after quarterback C.J. Beathard left due to an injury.

3 Garoppolo has been practicing with the team. Head coach Kyle Shanahan says Garoppolo looks game ready since joining the team almost four weeks ago.

4 Garoppolo will throw against the Bears’ defense if he can get enough time in protection. He could do some damage.

5 So it’s Garoppolo and the 49ers in Chicago this Sunday. Joe tells us who he likes in this one.

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

 

Headline Sports Podcast with London Marq: Ohtani sweepstakes heating up; Teams vying for Japanese superstar; Cooper sits with injury and Crabtree out with suspension

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Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) remains on the ground after being hit against the Denver Broncos during the first half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

On the Headlines Sports Podcast with London:

1 The A’s made their bid for Shohei Ohtani who will become a free agent from Japan’s Nippon Ham Fighters. If the A’s can sign someone on the level of Ohtani it would be a huge haul for the A’s can they get him? It’ll be a tough task when other teams will start the bidding in the low $30 millions.

2 It seems like all MLB teams are going after Ohtani this weekend the bidding is expected to pick up

3 If the A’s were to sign Ohtani his 23 year age would be in the age range with A’s third baseman Matt Chapman 24 and A’s pitcher AJ Puk 22

4 Turning to football the 49ers will start quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for the first time this season. Garoppolo who will throw against the Chicago Bears defense  London goes into how Garoppolo will do and will he score his first win.

5 The Oakland Raiders Michael Crabtree will sit this Sunday amongst the New York Giants after being suspended for fighting and Amari Cooper will be out of the line up as well due to an injury. London takes a look how this will impact the Raiders.

London does Headlines Sports Podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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Oakland Raiders Podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Without Crabtree or Cooper Seth Roberts to see more time

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AP File Photo: Oakland Raiders wide receiver Seth Roberts (10) is tackled by New England Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers (98) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Mexico City. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe: The Raiders have Michael Crabtree sitting out Sunday’s game due to a suspension for fighting last Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Amari Cooper is out with an injury can the Raiders take on the NY Giants without these two in the line up. The Raiders will have those two holes to fill but the Giants who have stuggled all year will start back up quarterback Geno Smith in place of starter Eli Manning who will miss his first start in 210 games.

Seth Roberts who will get to see more plays at receiver this Sunday since Michael Crabtree is out on suspension and Amari Cooper is out on an injury. The Raiders when Marshawn Lynch was suspended and now Crabtree and Cooper injured has quarterback Derek Carr saying about the missing player merry go round, “it has been next man up”

Joe makes his predictions for this Sunday at the Coliseum between the Raiders and Giants

 

 

Fantasy Football Emergency Podcast Week 13: Come on – let’s make the Playoffs!

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Fantasy-Football (1)

Your hosts Vasu “the Party Man” Vaddiparty & Charlie O. Mallonee

  • Are there any QB’s out there that can help me save my season? What about Geno Smith or Jimmy Garoppolo?

  • What about RB’s? It seems like all the good ones have gone down to injury – who is left on the wavier wire that help me win?

  • My WR’s have been a huge disappointment all season long. I need points this weekend! Is there anyone out there who can catch a TD pass?

  • I need more than 3.2-points from my Defense this weekend. Is there any DST I can pick up who will score me real points?

The answers to these questions and many more on this week’s edition of the Fantasy Football Emergency Podcast. Listen now to win!

Headline Sports with Tony Renteria: Ohtani and Stanton sweepstakes still continues; 49ers Garoppolo center of attention; Crabtree sitting out Sunday’s match; plus much more

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Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) yells after fighting Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib during the first half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017. Both players were ejected. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

On the Headline Sports Podcast with Tony Renteria:

1 Baseball free agency has some top names vying for new clubs and the Japanese superstar player Shohei Ohtani who can hit, pitch and literally play everyday is one of the hottest commodities on the free agency market. Some of baseball’s money teams like the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers, Astros, Nationals, Giants, Cubs are willing to either open their wallets or want to take a look at Ohtani.

2 The Miami Marlins Giancarlo Stanton whose doing some shopping of his own is also seeking the same like “money clubs” to go play for. Stanton still undecided still shopping for that highest bidder.

3 The 49ers will be starting Jimmy Garoppolo the highly anticipated quarterback who the 49ers got from New England. Garoppolo says he’s ready and stepped in at the closing moments of last Sunday’s games against the Seattle Seahawks after starter CJ Beathard got injured and was booed by the 49ers fans while being assisted off the field

4 The Oakland Raiders have another player to add to their suspension collection after Marshawn Lynch who sat out for one game for making contact with an official during a Thursday Night Football game at the Oakland Coliseum vs. Kansas City Chiefs had served his suspension. Now it’s Michael Crabtree’s turn after fighting with the Denver Broncos corner Aqib Talib last Sunday he will sit down for the game against the New York Giants this Sunday. The Raiders Amari Cooper will also be sitting due to an injury and the Giants quarterback Eli Manning will sit and back up Geno Smith will start snapping Manning’s long streak of 210 starts.

5 The Warriors who lost to the Sacramento Kings on Monday night struggled against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night at Staples Center. For Monday it was the absence of Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry that contributed to the loss to the Kings on the Warriors home floor and the Lakers either did some serious film study on Golden State or they just met a team that had Durant and Curry not playing 100% although the Warriors won they battled through to get in the win column.

Tony Renteria does the Headline Sports podcasts for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

49ers report: It’s Jimmy Garoppolo time in San Francisco

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Photo credit: @49ersHub

By Jeremy Harness

49er fans have been eager to see this moment from the day the team traded for him, but now that moment has come.

On Sunday, the 49ers will see quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo under center, making his first start for his new team, one month after the team acquired him in a trade with the New England Patriots.

The 49ers would have wanted to ease Garoppolo into the starting spot, but he was forced into action late in last Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, when starter C.J Beathard injured his knee in the final minute of the game.

It didn’t take him long to throw for his first touchdown in a 49er uniform, as he accomplished that on the last play of the game, albeit in a losing effort. For that reason, the defeat did not silence the excitement for the new quarterback, as the score was seen as a sign of many things to come.

The 49ers will see more of that this Sunday, as they head to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Bears, a team that Garoppolo, who grew up in the Chicago area, rooted for as a kid.

“I’m just trying to take it one game at a time right now,” Garoppolo said. “There’s a lot of football left in this season. We’re trying to make the best of it, but we’ve got to take it one week at a time.

“If we start looking too far ahead, we’ll get ahead of ourselves. “(But) I think we’re in the right mindset going into this one.”

Oakland Raiders take on the New York Giants with QB Geno Smith (not Eli Manning) at quarterback

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New York Giants quarterback Geno Smith speaks with reporters at the NFL football team’s training facility, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Giants announced on Tuesday that Smith will start in place of Eli Manning when they face the Raiders in Oakland on Sunday. (AP Photo/Tom Canavan)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

OAKLAND — Sunday’s matchup between the Raiders and Giants at 1:25 p.m. PT will begin a stretch where the Silver and Black will play three of their next four games against NFC East opponents, with the Raiders hosting the Dallas Cowboys on December 17 and then travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles on Dec ember 25. Oakland lost to Washington in Week 3 to start the NFC East portion of their schedule.

This will be the first time the Giants have played at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum since 2005.

Oakland (5-6) defeated the visiting Denver Broncos in Week 12 by a score of 21-14 in a game that the Raiders desperately needed to keep their playoff chances alive in the AFC. Oakland’s much maligned defense was the fuel that drove the Raiders to victory, holding the Broncos to just 219 yards of total offense and registering five sacks, two apiece by defensive lineman Denico Autry and linebacker Bruce Irvin.

Defensive end Khalil Mack recorded his 10th career sack against Denver, the most for Mack against any team in the league. Linebacker NaVorro Bowman collected Oakland’s first interception of the season, picking off Broncos starting quarterback Paxton Lynch in the end zone, stalling Denver’s scoring opportunity.

As a unit, the defense held Denver scoreless through three quarters before the Broncos scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Oakland held Denver to 5-of-14 on third-down and made starting drives difficult for the Broncos as punter Marquette King pinned Denver inside their own 10-yard line four times.

Raiders starting quarterback Derek Carr had one of his better games of the season, throwing for 253 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-24 passes while posting a 136.3 quarterback rating. Carr completed passes to nine different Raider receivers on the day. Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson led all pass catchers with three receptions for 72 yards, including a 54-yard reception late in the fourth quarter to ice the game for Oakland.

Running back Marshawn Lynch had his best game by far for Oakland, racking up 111 yards of total offense (67 rushing and 44 receiving) with one touchdown.

The New York Giants (2-9) have had a tumultuous season to say the least.  A team that many prognosticators predicted would be a Super Bowl favorite in the NFC, has been a dumpster fire this season. Both of Big Blue’s wins came against teams from the AFC West, defeating Denver in Week 6, 23-10, and the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, 12-9 in Week 11.

New York is coming off a 20-10 loss in Washington on Thanksgiving night to begin Week 12.

Injuries are part of the game, and the Giants have had the injury bug hit them the hardest with 16 players on injured reserve this season.

Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall were lost for the season with leg injuries, the offensive line has been shuffled more times than a deck of playing cards, and the defense which was the team’s strength last season finishing in the top-10 in total defense, has slipped to 22nd this season.

And now the unthinkable has happened: The Giants are benching franchise quarterback Eli Manning, a move that has come under heavy scrutiny by many in sports media and professional sports since the Giants announced the move Tuesday.

Manning will be on the sideline when backup Geno Smith takes the field for the Giants, snapping a string of 210 consecutive starts for the two-time Super Bowl MVP. On the season, Manning has thrown for 2,411 yards with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 84.1 passer rating in 11 games.

But clearly with Manning’s benching, the Giants are aggressively turning the page on the Manning era and the Raiders could be the beneficiaries Sunday with the Giants starting Smith. Smith was an average quarterback in five seasons with the Jets before signing with the Giants in the offseason.

But Smith has had some success against the Raiders and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

In three games against the Silver and Black, Smith has a passer rating of 91.8, his second-highest against any team in his career, according to Josh Dubow of the Associated Press. Smith is 2-1 against Oakland all-time, throwing for 705 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions in those contests.

Rookie tight end Evan Engram is key for New York’s passing offense. Engram leads the Giants with 44 receptions for 470 yards (10.7 avg.) and five touchdowns, tied for the most among rookies this season. Running back Orleans Darkwa powers the Giants’ ground game, rushing for 519 yards (4.6 avg.) on 112 carries and two touchdowns, all career highs.

Defensively for the Giants, eighth-year defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has 6.5 of the teams 20 sacks, while safety Landon Collins leads the team with 86 tackles (64 solo). Cornerback Janoris Jenkins leads the team with three interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns to lead the NFL. Jenkins was placed on season-ending injured reserve this week with an ankle injury.

After Sunday’s game, the Raiders will travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs in a critical divisional game. The Silver and Black already hold a victory over the Chiefs after defeating Kansas City 31-30 back in Week 7 in Oakland.

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Fans suck for booing Beathard who was assisted off the field with an injury

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard lies on the ground after being hit late in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Don Feria)

On the 49ers podcast with David:

When in the closing moments of the 49ers loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara last Sunday. 49ers quarterback CJ Beathard was injured and had to assisted off the field was booed by 49ers fans some saying “don’t come back” Beathard and the 49ers were losing to the Seahawks at the time. Such behavior by the fans showed bad judgement and poor character to say the least booing the injured quarterback after he gave it his all in a hard fought game.

Beathard was replaced by the much anticipated back up Jimmy Goroppolo who ended up throwing a touch down in his only series of the game. Now the question is will 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan keep Goroppolo out and use Beathard or will Shanahan start Goroppolo for Beathard this coming Sunday? The next match for the 49ers is in Chicago this Sunday.

David Zizmor does the 49ers podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com