Category: NFL

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with David Zizmor: They’re getting close but can Niners close the deal to finally get into win column

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

On the 49ers podcast with David:

1 It was  a close call in Indianapolis but the 49ers couldn’t hold on to win in the overtime winning by three to the Colts last Sunday. The 49ers try it again as they take on Washington Sunday

2 The 49ers took a knee and VP Mike Pence took a walk. This week Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has ordered his team to stand for the national anthem and if the don’t they won’t play. ESPN’s Jemele Hill called Jones a slave owner and has been suspended by the World Sports Leader for two weeks

Join David for 49ers podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

49ers Can’t Buy a Win; Lose Fourth Straight by Less Than Three

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Indianapolis Colts’ Adam Vinatieri (4) celebrates after kicking the game winning 51-yard field goal out of the hold of Rigoberto Sanchez (2) during overtime of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. Indianapolis won 26-23. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

By: Joe Lami

INDIANAPOLIS — The San Francisco 49ers can’t buy a win under head coach, Kyle Shanahan. Unfortunately for the Niners, things didn’t change on Sunday as they lost to the Indianapolis Colts in overtime 26-23. It marks the fourth straight loss in which they fell by three points or less as they have lost the last four games by a combined 11 points.

The Niners did look good in some parts, but once again penalties came back to haunt the red and gold, as they committed ten penalties for 77 yards.

For the second straight week, the first half was slow as the Colts and 49ers went into the break tied at six. Robbie Gould nailed field goals from 28 and 40 yards, including one at the half-time buzzer.

Indy came out and dominated much of the second half, leading at one point 23-9 with under ten minutes to play. Marlon Mack ran in a TD from 22 yards, finishing the day leading the Colts on the ground with 91.

Backup QB, Jacoby Brissett also ran one in from three yards out. He finished the day running for 14 yards on eight attempts, but more importantly torched the 49ers through the air for 314 yards.

The last ten minutes were crucial for San Francisco, as their offense scored the first Sunday touchdown of the season as Kyle Juszczyk caught a six-yard touchdown.

Brian Hoyer threw his second touchdown of the game with just 20 seconds remaining, as he found tight end George Kittle for Kittle’s first career score. Kittle battled his way to paydirt, just getting the nose of the football across the goal line to put the Niners an extra point away from sending the game into overtime.

Hoyer clearly had his best performance as a Niner on Sunday, throwing for 353 yards on 43 attempts with no interceptions. The veteran finished with a 101 passer rating.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t good enough in overtime despite having a chance to win the game.

The Colts started the overtime period with the ball, as they marched it down to the San Francisco eight yard-line, but Brissett threw his first pick of the game as Ray-Ray Armstrong saved the day with his second interception of the season. Ray-Ray returned the ball to the 28 as the 49ers just had to kick a field goal for their first win of the season.

The 49ers stalled pretty quickly though, as they only got the ball to their own 45 before having to punt.

The Colts winning drive came on an eight-play 48-yard drive led by a 34 yard rush from Mack before Adam Vinatieri knocked through a 51-yard field goal for the game-winner.

San Francisco’s heartbreak continues as they seek their first win but they continue to get close. They just need to ensure that they don’t get down over the outcome. Shanahan is doing his best to keep his team’s spirits up, “it’s human nature to get down like this and I’m counting on our guys to get over it. The guys that are going to be here are the guys that are able to get over it.”

San Francisco wraps up their three-game road trip back on the east coast next Sunday against Washington before returning to Levi’s to host the Cowboys.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: The Niners have taken a knee and their fans have taken a nap

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Members of the San Francisco 49ers kneel during the playing of the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

The San Francisco 49ers lost their game today 26-23 against their hosts the Indianapolis Colts and are now 0-5 in this 2017-18 NFL season. Maybe they should stand up for the National Anthem and maybe their luck will change. So far this season at the end of week #5 they have taken a knee and their fans have taken a nap. I have said before how I feel about the taking of the knee. I respect their rights to protest under the First Amendment, but disagree with that action. There is enough politics today as it is, fans pay good money to see football because they want to escape the real world. The National Anthem and the Flag are symbols of the country as a whole, not symbols of a cause, a specific person or group or any political party. They have been symbols that identify all of us, way way before Football was even invented. Football was invented in the 1880’s.

The NFL was founded in Canton, Ohio in 1920. The Star Spangled Banner was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key. The American flag was sewed by Betsy Ross in 1776.

As Americans, the Anthem and the Flag should be something that unite all of us, millions have died defending those symbols for over 200 years. NFL Football is a game played by around 1,600 athletes in 32 teams, in a country of 330 million people.The least they can do is pay respect to these national symbols that allowed them to live in this country, and to all who made the ultimate sacrifice to give them the rights that allowed them to do such things. We are a unique country, if you were born outside the United States of America, chances are that the country you were born doesn’t gives you the freedom to disrespect the Anthem and Flag, in many countries today that is enough cause to “take you away”. Thank God the US is not like that, we all enjoy the freedoms, and nobody is holding us hostage in this country.

If you disagree with me, that would be fine, I respect your right to do so, and I hope that you do likewise with me.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Museum and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Ravens send Raiders to third straight loss 30-17

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Mike Wallace (17) runs against the Oakland Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND-After back-to-back road losses against the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos, the Oakland Raiders returned to what they thought was the friendly confines of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Unfortunately, the Coliseum was not friendly to the Raiders, as Joe Flacco found Mike Wallace down the left sideline for a 52-yard pass play and the drive ended with a two-yard touchdown on a reverse from Vince Mayle and the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Raiders 30-17.

On the afternoon, Flacco went 19-for-26 for 222 yards passing, while Wallace caught just three passes for 133 yards. Wallace was only targeted three times on the afternoon.

Jeremy Maclin led the Ravens with six catches for 43 yards, as the Ravens improve to 3-2 on the season.

Asides from a great day from Flacco, and the receiving duo of Maclin and Wallace, the Ravens received big days on the ground from Javorius Allen and Alex Collins.

Allen, in his third year out of USC led the Ravens with 21 carries for 73 yards and Collins, who is in his second year in the league after playing his rookie year with the Seattle Seahawks, carried the 12 times for 55 yards.

With Derek Carr injured, the Raiders turned to veteran E.J. Manuel and the former Florida State Seminoles quarterback went 13-for-26 for 159 yards passing and a touchdown in his first start of the season.

Carr, who is reportedly out from anywhere from two to six weeks is already practicing with the team and could be ready for the next Raiders game, on October 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers at the Coliseum.

“Yeah, I have that feel,” said Jack Del Rio, when asked about Carr playing next Sunday.

Michael Crabtree in receptions with six for 82 yards and a touchdown, while Jared Cook hauled in three catches for 25 yards and Seth Roberts caught two passes for 34 yards.

The rut for Amari Cooper continues, as he was only targeted twice and caught one pass for eight yards.

“I wouldn’t say it was by design to have him not get more targets. The read went away from him a couple times. A couple of times, it went to him. I’d like to see him get the ball more. To me it’s about execution right now. I’m not going to sit here and get into how, why, individuals aren’t getting or doing. I don’t see where that’s going to help us,” said Del Rio.

Marshawn Lynch led the Raiders in rushing with 12 carries for 43 yards and a two-yard touchdown run that cut the Ravens lead down to 24-17 in the third quarter.

The Raiders first series of the afternoon ended with a 47-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Jimmy Smith to give the Ravens a 14-0 lead just three minutes into the game.

Following the Smith fumble return for a touchdown, the Raiders drove all the way down to the Ravens 14-yard line where the drive stalled and Giorgio Tavecchio gave the Raiders their first points of the afternoon after a 32-yard field goal.

The Ravens increased their lead up to 21-3 after a 15 play 75-yard drive that took eight minutes and 10 seconds off the clock, as Allen scored from two yards out.

Manuel and Crabtree hooked up for a 41-yard touchdown that narrowed the Ravens lead down to 21-10.

On the ensuing Ravens series, the Ravens lengthened their lead up to 24-10, as veteran Justin Tucker nailed a 22-yard field goal that was setup by a 54-yard pass play from Flacco to Wallace.

Lynch cut the Ravens lead down to 24-17 in the third quarter, as he scored on a two-yard run that sent the Coliseum crowd into a frenzy.

Unfortunately, those would be the last points of the afternoon scored by the Raiders and the Ravens put it away, as Tucker nailed a 21-yard field goal and a 44-yard field goal.

NOTES: This is the beginning of a three-game home stand for the Raiders, as they will host the Chargers on October 15 and then on October 19, the Raiders will stay in the division, as they will host the Kansas City Chiefs.

Quote of the day came from Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who said that he is not a doctor, but he plays one at the podium.

Harbaugh, who is in his 10th year as head coach of the Ravens was talking about Terrance West, who was forced to leave the game after the first series with a left calf injury and did not return.

Oakland Raiders: Another disappearing act from Amari Cooper

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Oakland Raiders quarterback EJ Manuel speaks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND — The season is starting to look grim for the Raiders, who lost for the third-straight week losing to the Baltimore Ravens 30-17 at home in Week 5 following a 2-0 start.

Coming into the game, Oakland had “W” written on paper, seeing that Baltimore was outscored 70-17 by their opponents in their last two losses following a 2-0 start of their own.

Oakland (2-3) did start backup quarterback EJ Manuel for the injured Derek Carr and Manuel did a good job, completing 13-of-26 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. Manuel stepped in a ran the Raiders’ offense as best as he could on Sunday, finding a connection with wide receiver Michael Crabtree early and often.

Crabtree finished with team-highs in catches (6), targets (8) and receiving yards (82), most of those yards coming on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Manuel in the second quarter after Baltimore was already leading 21-3.

Crabtree leads Oakland with four touchdown catches this season after today’s game.

But where was fellow wide receiver Amari Cooper today? In fact, where has Cooper been this entire season?

Cooper didn’t record his first and only catch of the game until 12:35 in the fourth quarter, for eight yards. He had just two targets on the day.

After recording nine catches on 18 targets for 95 yards and a touchdown in Oakland’s first two wins of the season, Cooper has just four catches on 15 targets for 23 yards and zero touchdowns in the last three losses for the Silver and Black.

Cooper has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his first two years in the Bay Area and is considered to be Oakland’s best play-maker, but he has looked nothing like it or the ‘superstar’ every Raider fan believes he is this season.

Is it a mental thing?

Leading the league with seven drop passes according to Pro Football Focus can have that affect on a wide receiver. Maybe the drops are becoming a mental block for No. 89?

Oakland has played teams with good secondaries in recent weeks like Washington and AFC West rival Denver and better wide receivers than Cooper have had trouble this season finding success against those teams, but Cooper has to perform better if the Raiders have any chance of winning football games and making a run at the Super Bowl this year.

The Raiders are expected to get back Carr from his transverse process fracture he suffered in Denver (possibly as early as next week with the visiting 1-4 L.A. Chargers coming to town) and Cooper could reignite his season with Carr’s return.

If Carr and Cooper are on the same page, Oakland’s offense will take off without an issue.

For Oakland’s sake and their season, will the real Amari Cooper please stand up?

Pence (and Trump) choose to politicize Niners – Colts game in Indy; Pence walks out on orders from his boss

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
niners kneeling in Indy
49ers players kneel during National Anthem in Indianapolis with Vice President Mike Pence in the stands Photo: Mike Conroy/Associated Press

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Vice President Mike Pence and his wife attended the San Francisco — Indianapolis football game in Indianapolis on Sunday. They did not stay long but they did make it to their seats.

As the former governor of Indiana attending a Colts game was a perfectly natural choice for the Vice President. He attended games as the governor of the state and was known to be a Colts fan. Pence was not at the stadium on Sunday to watch a football game.

The Trump Administration has picked a fight with the NFL and its players

The President made a bombastic speech where he called for NFL players to be fired if they “took a knee” during the playing of the National Anthem. The President has framed his argument that “the kneel” is showing disrespect to our troops, flag and country.

The players have consistently said that the protest is not against the military but against the inequality that is experienced by people in America on a daily basis. If the President was really concerned about the situation, he would invite protesting players to the White House and open a dialogue about their grievances.

That has not happened because the “Trump political base” would not like him sitting down with protesters. The President can say there were “good people” among the white nationalist who created havoc and ultimately the death of a young woman in Charlottesville, Virginia but evidently there are no “good people” among the NFL players who exercising their Constitutional rights to Free Speech and non-violent protest in the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Sunday was a show for the Trump “MAGA” base

Pence, the White House and the political handlers knew exactly what was going to happen before the game began. They knew members of the 49ers team were intending to “take a knee” during the anthem. The Vice President and his enterouage had their walkout already planned.

If you do not think this was a political stunt, look at Trump’s tweet concerning the incident.

From @realDonaldTrump

The President could not even let the action look like a strong move by his Veep. “I asked @VP to leave … “. Simply put — this was a political stunt orchestrated out of the White House and this is not “Fake News”.

In the meantime not a word about the protest in Charlottesville

Charlottesville nbc29
White nationalist protest on Saturday night in Charlottesville Photo NBC29

The white nationalist returned to Charlottesville, Virginia again on Saturday night with their tiki torches and vile speech. There were only 40-50 protesters but they were back. Their leader posted a “victory” speech on the internet.

Not word on Twitter from @realDonaldTrump or @VP about that protest and the on-going attempt to incite violence against minorities.

This is a diversionary tactic plain and simple

Plan

This “counter protest” by the President is simply designed to make people look away from what is happening in his house by getting people to look what is going on over there.

Thank you to every member of the military

military

Finally, let us all be thankful for our active military and military veterans who protect our Constitutional rights of free speech. Because of their work, we have the opportunity to agree or disagree and work for change.

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with Joe Lami: 49ers looking for Hoyer to put a little something on it going into Indianapolis

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer (2) during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

By Joe Lami

In the first four game of the season despite being 0-4 the San Francisco 49ers are playing better and better right now they can’t buy a win. In the last two games with  Los Angeles and Arizona they had lost by a couple points. You look at three of the four of those games all of them against the NFC West. The defense for the 49ers was never going to be a problem. The secondary impressed the most you didn’t expect a lot out of the secondary and they also are guided by that front seven which is one of the better front sevens in the NFL.

That front seven is able to pressure the quarterback your able to do things with Solomon Thomas getting his first sack against Arizona and of course the performance from the two guys from the University of Oregon have also been pretty good. It’s the fact that the 49ers defense isn’t able to do a ton. On offense this time their putting  lot of trust in quarterback Brian Hoyer and he will be facing the Indianapolis Colts at the Hoosier Dome this Sunday.

Joe talks 49ers football each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Oakland Raiders Podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: This time Manuel had a week to get ready to fire ball against Ravens on Sunday

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Oakland Raiders quarterback EJ Manuel passes against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

By Joe Hawkes Beamon

The Oakland Raiders who host the Baltimore Ravens at the Coliseum this Sunday had trouble last week completing third downs in Denver. Quarterback Derek Carr got injured late in third quarter then TJ Manuel had to step in Carr’s shoes. Manuel threw for 106 yards but that last interception he threw in the game pretty much sealed the Raiders fate. The Raiders completed two straight weeks on the road both games they lost to Washington and Denver.

Manuel looked like he was unprepared when he came in but your a pro you got suck it up. The Raiders were able to actually be in it in the final minutes of the game. A week of practice for Manuel gives him more time to prepare for Baltimore on Sunday. It’s going to be a benefit for Manuel he can really throw the ball he’s a big guy 6’4 he’s physical on the line and has a good arm.

Joe Hawkes Beamon does the Oakland Raiders podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Sports Headlines Podcast with Tony Renteria: After Newton apologizes for sexist remark towards reporter said reporter apologizes for using N word in racist tweet

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Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton speaks to the media following an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, in Foxborough, Mass. Dannon, the maker of Oikos yogurt, is cutting ties with spokesman Cam Newton following what the company perceives as “sexist” comments the Carolina quarterback made to a female reporter. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

On the podcast with Tony Renteria:

1 Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was in full damage control on Thursday night apologizing for remarks he made towards Charlotte Observer beat writer Jourdan Rodrique. Telling her during Wednesday’s presser “it’s funny to hear a female talk about routes- it’s funny” when Rodrique asked him about the Panthers route plays. Rodrique issued an apology of her own after Black Sports Online reported that 4.5 years ago when she tweeted the N word as a joke to a comedian  “the best. Racist jokes the whole drive home,” and in another she manually retweeted an account screaming in all caps, “the earth moves at 450+ mph, that’s 10 times triller than NASCAR Dale Earnharts a bitch [n-word].” Rodrique said in her apology “I apologize for the offensive tweets from my Twitter account from 4/5 years ago,” she said “There is no excuse for these tweets and the sentiment behind them. I am deeply sorry and apologize.”

2 Newton issued an apology through the Panther media relations office well after 24 hours after making the remarks. Newton who had endorsement deals with big sponsors that include Gatorade and Underarmour who have reportedly dropped him stated “After careful thought, I understand that my word choice was extremely degrading and disrespectful to women,” he said. “And to be honest that was not my intentions. If you are a person who took offense to what I said, I sincerely apologize. I’m a man who tries to be a positive role model in my community and tries to use my platform to inspire others. I take ownership to everything that comes with that and what I did was extremely unacceptable.”

3 Washington wide receiver Terelle Pryor who was seen flipping off a fan and being restrained by an NFL employee pushing him in the runway tunnel towards the locker rooms after allegedly saying the fan he flipped off called him the N word last Sunday in Kansas City. According to the Kansas City Star who reported on Thursday night there was no evidence of any fan calling Pryor the N word. The NFL is asking that any fans who were there bring in any video that might have been recorded proving that Pryor was called the N word while heading towards the locker room following the game at Arrowhead Stadium.

4 Former San Francisco 49ers running back now Indianapolis Colt  Frank Gore will be facing his former team the 49ers this Sunday. No matter where the teams are in the standings Gore looks forward to seeing his former teammates and playing against his former team

5 With Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr out of action for six weeks the Raiders state that they have full confidence in backup quarterback TJ Manuel to be able to step in during a dire offensive situation and lead the team under center this Sunday in Oakland.

Tony Renteria does the Sports Headlines each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

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San Francisco 49ers Podcast with David Zizmor: Hoyer and Shanahan might be close on figuring out how to win a game

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer (2) during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

On the San Francisco 49ers podcast with David:

In the 49ers last two loses were tough a game in which they were in in Seattle and in Arizona a game which they lost by a field goal. Game that the 49ers were in but couldn’t get past their opponent thus putting the 49ers at an undefeated mark at 0-4 for week five of the season.

Also David takes a look at quarterback Brian Hoyer and head coach Kyle Shanahan despite the loses the two might be close to finding a way to win a game. They face Indianapolis this Sunday and a good chance to win it.

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