Category: NFL

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with David Zizmor: Former Stanford alums Thomas and McCaffrey match up on Sunday’s Panthers-49ers opener

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San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (94) runs in pursuit during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 32-31. (Scott Boehm via AP

On the SF 49ers podcast with David:

1 It’ll be the NFL debuts of the 49ers rookie defensive tackle Solomon Thomas a No.3 draft pkck and former Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey who is the No.8 draft selection. Dave talks about their match up making all Stanford alums proud.

2.  The Carolina Panthers are pretty set on offense with starting quarterback Cam Newton and running back help from McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart can the 49ers contain them or will they circles around the 49ers defense?

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

 

San Francisco 49ers-Carolina Panthers preview: Panthers give 49ers daunting challenge with one of a kind offensive unit

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AP File Photo: Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton throws a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

By Jeremy Harness

 SANTA CLARA–The regular season is only days away, and the 49ers will have a stiff test right out of the gate.

 The Carolina Panthers figure to have a dynamic offense this season, particularly after drafting multi-faceted running back Christian McCaffrey out of Stanford in the first round. To make things more daunting for the 49ers is the fact that Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, who had surgery on his throwing shoulder in the offseason, is expected to play Sunday.

 Not only does he have Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olson to throw to, but he also has budding star wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin as well, and when you put all of this together, it means that the 49ers’ young defense will have all it can handle, to say the very least.

 Carolina opens up as five-point favorites over the 49ers, with the over/under reportedly listed as 48 points at press time.

 In the meantime, the 49ers have one fewer recognizable name on the roster this year. In order to trim the roster to the league-mandated 53 players, the team cut receiver Jeremy Kerley, who led the 49ers in receptions in 2016.

 On Tuesday, the New York Jets, Kerley’s original NFL team, signed him to a one-year contract.

 There will be a new face at tight end as well. The 49ers traded last year’s starter, Vance McDonald to the Pittsburgh Steelers, meaning that George Kittle, who first impressed the team’s coaching staff in the second preseason game against Denver with a third-quarter touchdown catch-and-run, is listed as starter on the team’s Week 1 depth chart.

The 49ers will see its younger, revamped, Robert Saleh-led defense in an obviously more-extended way on Sunday, and given the weaponry that Carolina possesses on offense, that should make for a very interesting matchup.

 

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with Joe Lami: Beathard survives cuts; Barkley, Hightower and Barnes released

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard, right, runs for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

By Joe Lami

SANTA CLARA–San Francisco 49ers quarterback CJ Beathard has a future he ran a 62 yard keeper up the middle after the Seattle Seahawks defense started to put the pressure on Beathard and he had no where else to go so he kept it for the run and was impressive and ended up being starting quarterback Brian Hoyer’s backup.

Hoyer is an okay quarterback your not going to expect a lot he’s formable he’s your looking at a Alex Smith type and the 49ers do manage a team on time of possession. There is the potential of Beathard of being the starting quarterback. Something that is is very possible. Also third string quarterback Matt Barkely was released by the 49ers on Friday along with running back Tim Hightower and lineman Tim Barnes.

Joe Lami does the San Francisco 49ers podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Sports Headlines Podcast with London Marq: Irving says move to Celtics was about growth not playing around one player; Last minute deal that sent Verlander to Houston; plus more

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Boston Celtics’ Kyrie Irving, left, and Gordon Hayward hold up their new jerseys with General Manager Danny Ainge, right, during a news conference in Boston, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

On the Sports Headlines Podcast with London:

1 Kyrie Irving was pleased with leaving Cleveland and going to the Boston Celtics during Friday’s presser at TD Waterhouse Garden Irving said that the move will help him grow and that the team concept in Cleveland was playing around one player and he wanted a change. Also LeBron James might be joining the Los Angeles Lakers and Irving didn’t want to be stuck in Cleveland.

2 At the last minute of the August trade deadline on the last day of that month the Detroit Tigers barely got Justin Verlander sent away and to a pennant contender at that as Verlander joins the Houston Astros. Verlander’s first choice was playing for the Chicago Cubs but going to Houston who has all the moving parts was alright too.

3 Despite a five game losing streak the Los Angeles Dodgers will soon get back on track again. After having such a great run all year the Dodgers were due for a slump but it won’t be long when they’ll snap out of it.

4 The Oakland Raiders finished pre season with a 0-4 record and the visiting Seattle Seahawks 4-0 and are expected to finish on the top of the league and odds makers like their chances of getting to the Super Bowl.

5 The San Francisco Giants in dropping another tough game on Thursday night it was weird happenstance for Brandon Crawford who hit a home run only to have it called back because of fan interference and Giants reliever Mark Melancon walked a runner in with the bases loaded how much worse can it get.

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

Seahawks’ late-minute touchdown finish off Raiders 17-13 in finale preseason tilt

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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Kenny Lawler (11) celebrates after scoring a touchdown with wide receiver David Moore, rear, during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND — With both teams sitting out their star players in the fourth and final preseason game, backup quarterback Austin Davis  connected with former Cal Berkeley wide receiver Kenny Lawler for a 16-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass with 1:12 left in the fourth quarter to give the Seahawks a 17-13 win over the Raiders Thursday night in the preseason finale for both teams.

Seattle finishes 4-0 in the preseason, while Oakland finished 0-4.

Trevone Boykin started the game for Seattle, completing 13-of-21 passes for 166 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in the first half before Davis took Seattle the rest of the way.

Seattle jumped out to an early 10-0 lead, highlighted by Boykin’s 34-yard touchdown pass to third-year wide receiver Rodney Smith that left Raiders reserve cornerback Dexter McDonald flat on his stomach.

The Seahawks committed more penalties (9 for 122 yards) than Oakland (7 for 60 yards) did in the contest, and lost the time of possession (31:57 to 28:03).

EJ Manuel and Connor Cook rotated series at quarterback for Oakland, and both guys didn’t change their order on the depth chart much.

Manuel got the start tonight, finishing 9-for-14 for 85 yards and a touchdown. Manuel threw a couple of passes that were high to receivers, but engineered the longest drive of the game, a 14-play, 94-yard drive that ended with a 18-yard touchdown toss to backup wide receiver Keon Hatcher for Oakland’s first points of the game and cutting Seattle’s lead, 10-7 shortly before halftime.

Manuel, who was signed by Oakland in the offseason after four seasons in Buffalo, entered training camp as the clear No. 2  quarterback behind Carr, should enter the regular season as the backup when the Raiders open up in Nashville against the Titans on Sept. 10.

Cook showed flashes during the preseason, but didn’t make a strong case to overtake Manuel as he looked shaky in front of Raider Nation at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum tonight, finishing just 8-of-19 for 88 yards and an interception.

Running back George Atkinson rushed for 60 yards on nine carries and had a would-be touchdown run in the third quarter called back due to a holding penalty.

Tonight’s game for Oakland was more about guys who were on the roster bubble looking to impress the coaching staff, than actually winning. Oakland has developed some guys that will be hard to cut from the team when all 32 NFL teams must have their final 53-man roster in concrete on Saturday, Sept. 2.

Wide receiver K.J. Brent, a guy that coaches were high on, had just one catch in three preseason games, recorded four catches for 55 yards on the night.

Rookies in defensive tackle Treyvon Hester and linebacker LaTroy Lewis have to be on the roster, especially for a Raiders’ defense that struggled to get after the quarterback in 2016 with a league-low 25 sacks.

Lewis finished with four tackles and a sack on the night. Lewis’s sack gave him four for to close out the preseason, tied for most in the NFL.

Hester finished second in the preseason with three sacks, creating inside pressures from the defensive line that Oakland has lacked in recent years.

 

 

Defense and Special Teams Shines in 49ers Blowout Win 23-13 to Close Preseason

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San Francisco 49ers Victor Bolden Jr. returns a punt for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

By: Joe Lami

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–The San Francisco 49ers closed out their preseason schedule against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night in high-scoring fashion with a 23-13 victory.

The offense was slow moving from backup quarterback, C.J. Beathard running the show in the first half, but great defensive and special teams play carried the scoring.

Beathard showed off his wheels in the second quarter, getting the first touchdown of the game on a 62-yard scamper up the middle of the field. After realizing the pocket was collapsing, the rookie took off and beat everyone, impressing the faithful at Levi’s.

San Francisco scored their second major just 90 seconds later after Victor Bolden Jr. returned a punt for a touchdown, the second of the preseason while ensuring a spot on the 53-man roster to make the score 16-3.

Tim Hightower ended the half by drilling in a score from one-yard out.

Beathard ended the contest, passing 5-of-9 for 31 yards and taking two sacks.

The 49ers defense was the tale of the game, as they forced a total of five turnovers. Asa Jackson led the way with two interceptions, making a strong case for staying around on the practice team. Ray-Ray Armstrong and Leger Douzable each recovered a fumble.

It was a good thing that the Niners defense looked so strong, as the slow moving offense only generated a total of 266 yards.

Thursday night may have seen 33 49ers sit, but it gave a chance for a few notable players to try and ensure their place on the team before Saturday’s deadline.

There will be a lot of movement on black Friday in Santa Clara as both Kyle Shanahan and Jon Lynch have lots of work to do to cut the roster down to 53 men. They expect to meet with all 37 players on the bubble between now and Saturday’s 1 p.m. deadline.

Headline Sports Podcast with Tony Renteria: Rangers should have swapped and had Astros series in Arlington; Fans needs baseball after Harvey

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Texas Rangers’ Mike Napoli, right, gets hugs in the dugout after his three-run home run off Houston Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Astros moved their three-game home series against the Rangers to St. Petersburg after being displaced by Hurricane Harvey. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

By Tony Renteria

The Texas Rangers made a big mistake forsaking their fellow Texans, fans, and their counter parts the Houston Astros by refusing to swap with the Astros a scheduled series in Houston and moving the series to Arlington this week because of Hurricane Harvey. This is something that should have been done out of courtesy, Texas is in need of something right now they won’t forget what is happening but bringing this series between the two teams would have meant a lot to a lot of baseball fans in Texas.

The Rangers and the Astros aren’t going to be in the playoffs and the Astros have pretty much have sewn it up in the AL West. It would have been great to have had this series going and the Rangers should have swapped and kept the game in Texas and it would have meant so much for the fans in Arlington and in Houston as well. So I disagree that having this series after Harvey would have been inappropriate it would have done Texas some good to have played the games in the Dallas-Forth area.

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

 

Oakland Raiders Podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Starters to rest for last pre season game; Del Rio looking for some standouts in final game

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Oakland Raiders fan Lincoln Tayamen, 3, poses for photos while tailgating before an NFL preseason football game between the Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

On the Raiders podcast with J Hawkes:

1 The Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio will be looking at his bench and some of the fringe players tonight at the Oakland Coliseum to see how they match up against the visiting the Seattle Seahawks for the final pre season game. There just might be that chance someone will standout and win a job.

2 The usual starters won’t be in this game against the Seahawks and don’t expect to see quarterback Derek Carr to get the call he’s expected to be sitting out this ball game as well.

3 One thing coach Del Rio wants is to protect his 35 players that are starters. Del Rio says he doesn’t want anyone getting hurt before the real thing starts next week

4 The Raiders receivers of KJ Brent and Jaydon Mickens are battling for a sixth receiver spot most likely neither won’t last or make it to opening day but stranger things have happened in football before

J Hawkes podcasts the Raiders each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with David Zizmor: Shanahan to make his decisions tonight as 49ers close pre season with Chargers

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks during a news conference after an NFL preseason football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 32-31. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

By David Zizmor

The San Francisco 49ers host the San Diego Chargers Thursday night at Levis Stadium for a 7PM kick off in the NFL Pre Season closing game. In this contest 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will make some tough decisions on who to keep and who not to keep. The 49ers already released tight end Lance McDonald finishing up his time with San Francisco with 64 catches, 866 yards, and seven touchdowns.

The 49ers will have quarterback Brian Hoyer as their starting play caller. Hoyer showed improvement from his game against Denver two weeks ago where he struggled to get the offense moving. Last Saturday in Minnesota Hoyer had his passing moving and he threw with time in the pocket and had targeted his receivers with much better skill.

David has much more on the 49ers podcast click to listen for more at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS PREVIEW: Help in secondary possibly on the way?

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 Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford, left, talks with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer after an NFL preseason football game Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 32-31. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

 By Jeremy Harness

SANTA CLARA– Coming off a game against a solid Minnesota Vikings team that saw the starters give a stellar performance, it is time for the 49ers to build on that, as well as a time to make some decisions.

 There are only 11 days left in the preseason, and the team has to trim its roster to the league-mandated 53 players. Five days ago, the team released veteran Ahmad Brooks, who was a major contributor on a 49ers team led by former coach Jim Harbaugh and went to the Super Bowl five years ago.

 The outside linebacker has since landed with the Green Bay Packers as of Wednesday morning.

 Meanwhile, the secondary is considered to be a major weakness in the 49ers’ revamped defense, particularly in a division that thrives in the vertical passing game. A well-known cornerback suddenly became available as of Wednesday morning, and this could benefit the 49ers.

 After trying to trade him earlier in the week, the Cleveland Browns – yes, the team that went 1-15 last season and could use all the help they can get – cut veteran Joe Haden, and according to reports, there are teams that have shown interest.

 Among those teams are none other than the Pittsburgh Steelers, but there are other teams, such as the 49ers, who appear to have a solid pair of starting safeties in Eric Reid and Jimmie Ward but need serious help at the corner position.

 Rookie Rashard Robinson is considered to be the team’s top corner at this point, but his performance has been up and down, and that is not a good sign heading into a season that will see the 49ers face teams like the Cardinals (twice) as well as the Dallas Cowboys, two teams the love to throw the ball around.

 The 49ers will now get ready to face the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi’s Stadium on Thursday, another team that is 1-2 in the preseason.