Category: NFL

Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos game wrap: McGloin injured in loss 24-6; Cook to take controls in playoff game

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AP photo: Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin sits on the sideline with an injury during the first half of the team’s NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Denver.

By Jeremy Kahn

With a chance to win the AFC West for the first time since 2002, the Oakland Raiders lost not only the game but their quarterback for the second consecutive week.

Matt McGloin suffered a shoulder injury in the first half , as the Raiders lost to the Denver Broncos 24-6.

Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio was forced to turn to fourth round draft pick Connor Cook, who last saw action in pre season, “It was fast,” Cook said. “Felt pretty good to get out there and get some reps, trying to get the timing down with the receivers, but obviously not the way we wanted it to go.”

In a game that Del Rio said if you want the win you’d have to earn it and work hard for it but it didn’t come. Ever since starting quarterback Derek Carr broke his leg last week in Oakland against the Indianapolis Colts the Raiders are almost in a state where their hair is on fire. It’s a matter of desperate measures and if they are going to win they’d have to work extra hard with Cook in the Wild Card for the them, “I tell guys all the time: You get what you earn in this league,” Del Rio said. “And we didn’t do enough to earn a win tonight.”

Prior to be forced to leave the game due to his shoulder injury, McGloin completed six passes for just 21 yards in his first start after the season-ending injury to Derek Carr.

McGloin, who was making his first start since 2013, the year before Carr was drafted out of Fresno State. He was injured when Jared Crick threw him to the turf, that drew a roughing the passer against Crick, “I wanted to play out there tonight,” McGloin said. “If I’m not 100 percent healthy, that’s not what this team needs. I plan on being 100 percent healthy (for Houston).”

Cook, who was drafted out of Michigan State in the fourth round went 14-for-21 with a touchdown to Amari Cooper.

With the playoffs beginning on Saturday afternoon against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium, Cook could be the first rookie in the Super Bowl era to have his first start come in a playoff game, this according to NFL Research.

DeAndre Washington led the Raiders in rushing with seven carries for 43 yards, while Latavius Murray carried the ball five times for 43 yards.

Michael Crabtree was the Raiders leading receiver with five catches for 47 yards, while Cooper caught four passes for 39 yards and the Raiders lone touchdown.

Seahawks Will End 49ers 2016 Misery; Baalke and Kelly expected to be fired after game sources say

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espn.com photo: San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke are expected to be relieved of their duties right after Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levis Stadium

By: Joe Lami

The San Francisco 49ers kick off their final game of the horrendous 2016 campaign on Sunday against their division foes, the Seattle Seahawks. It will most likely be the last game where Trent Baalke is the GM of San Francisco, who’s expected to be fired after his drafts have put together a record of 7-24 over the past two season.

Colin Kaepernick is also expected to play his final game in the red and gold. Due to a restructure in his contract, he has the ability to opt out during the offseason to go elsewhere. All indications show that to be the case, as his $3 million San Jose home being put up for sale being the nail in the coffin.

While most of the chatter has been on what might possibly occur on New Years’ Day with the front office, the team still has a game to try and win.

Seattle has already wrapped up the NFC West and are playing for seeding in the playoffs. This means that they won’t hold back against the team that destroyed the San Francisco 37-18 in week three. If Seattle wins and Atlanta is knocked off, the Seahawks will receive a first-round bye. However, if the Niners can pull off the upset, Seattle will drop to the fourth seed.

When Chip Kelly was asked about playing the spoiler role, he said that his team doesn’t look at it that way. They should look at the guys on the other sideline and be pumped up about the competition they’re going against.

The 49ers will be extremely shorthanded once again, as hitting the injury bug has added injury to the insult of this 2016 season. Carlos Hyde, Vance McDonald, Torrey Smith, and Andrew Tiller are all out, with Joe Staley and Rashard Robinson being questionable.

The good news for Niner fans is Sunday will be the end of misery and the team could look forward to their highest draft pick since the 2005 NFL Draft. Once again, the need for the quarterback position is the highest.

NFL podcast with Tony Renteria: 49ers Joe Staley named for Bill Walsh Award; How Raiders will look on defense against the pass

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San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley (74) looks on from the sidelines during a week 13 NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016, in Chicago. The Bears won 26-6. (Scott Boehm via AP)

The Oakland Raiders are in Denver this Sunday Tony talks about the preparation the Raiders will need on defense going in against the Denver Broncos. The Raiders with quarterback Derek Carr out of the line up will get a good look at back up quarterback Matt McGloin for a good preview of how McGloin might perform in the post season. How McGloin does against the Broncos will gave Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio a sense of how to prepare McGloin  in a post season game.

The 49ers have five key injuries which include running back Carlos Hyde, wide receiver Torrey Smith as they prepare to face the Seattle Seahawks at Levis in Santa Clara.  The 49ers coming off that one point victory in LA last Saturday are expected to have their hands full Tony says their chances to win that game are slim and none. Could their be some miracle left in them.

The 49ers left tackle Joe Staley was named as the team’s MVP for the 2016 season. The 49ers coaching staff voted Staley the MVP and quarterback Colin Kaepernick was also voted the winner of the Len Eshmont Award. The award is given to the player that best “exemplifies the inspirational and courageous” play.

Tony Renteria does the NFL podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: McGloin ready to step in at QB for injured Carr on Sunday

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin (14) throws the ball during warm ups prior to an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016 in Oakland, Calif. Oakland won 33-25. (Peter Read Miller via AP)

When the Oakland Raiders kick off against the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium this Sunday it’ll be a big difference from having good ole reliable quarterback Derek Carr under center for most of this season after he broke his leg last week against the Indianapolis Colts. With Matt McGloin doing the audibles it’ll be a different game for the Raiders.

Sunday it’ll be their first game without their franchise quarterback from players and coaches they have the utmost confidence in McGloin getting the call for this Sunday. McGloin has been with the franchise and was the starting quarterback since 2013 for the Raiders before Carr took over as the starter. McGloin starts this game with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. McGloin is someone the Raiders feel confident in.

Joe Hawkes does the Raiders podcasts each week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Lami: After win 49ers try to go after third one against Caroll and Seahawks

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Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Caroll, center, after an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 22-10. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The Seattle Seahawks have locked up a spot in the NFC West for a playoff  the Hawks are still battling for seeding so the Hawks will probably be playing their main guys. Hawks head coach Pete Carroll may pull them out later in the game just because he doesn’t want anyone to get too banged up heading into the playoffs.

Last Saturday a great 49ers win and it was one of the best comeback wins and second half performances that we’ve seen all year from San Francisco and scoring the 15 points in the fourth quarter really helped out unfortunately for the Niners it’s a win in the record books but the 49ers lose that first overall pick now.

Joe Lami has all the latest on the 49ers check out the podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Raiders try to wrap up AFC West title in Denver without Derek Carr in regular season finale

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Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio, left, watches as quarterback Derek Carr, bottom, is tended to by trainers during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND, Calif — With a playoff spot already in their back pocket, the Raiders have a chance to clinch the AFC West title with a win in Denver (or a Kansas City loss in San Diego) Sunday at 1:25 p.m. to close out the 2016 regular season at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

But the 12-3 Raiders are going to have to go out and win the division (and the AFC’s No. 2 seed) without franchise quarterback and MVP candidate Derek Carr. Carr fractured his right fibula during Oakland’s 33-25 win over the visiting Indianapolis Colts in Week 16 on Christmas Eve.

The third-year quarterback completed 21-of-31 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns before being helped off the field following a sack by Colts defensive end Trent Cole in the third quarter. Carr’s leg got stuck in the Oakland Coliseum turf as Cole spun Carr around, fracturing his right fibula. On the season, Carr passed for 3,933 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.

The loss of Carr is devastating for the Silver and Black as they embark on their first postseason appearance since 2002, but Carr’s backup Matt McGloin is a guy that is ready for the challenge of leading a very talented team.

“I feel great,” McGloin said this week via CBSSports.com. “I know this team, these guys around me, this staff and this organization will do a great job of helping me out, embracing me, and making sure we keep moving in the right direction.”

McGloin, who threw for 1,547 yards, eight touchdowns, and eight interceptions in six starts for Oakland in 2013, will have the same offensive unit that took down the Broncos 30-20 in Week 9 in front of the country on NBC’s Sunday Night Football in the first matchup.

In his career, McGloin has thrown for 1,847 yards with 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 58.3 percent of his passes.

Starting running back Latavius Murray bludgeoned one of the league’s best defenses on 20 carries for 114 yards and three touchdowns that night in front of a sold out Raider Nation crowd at the Oakland Coliseum.

Rookie running back DeAndre Washington had career-day against the Colts, carrying the ball 12 times for a career-high 99 yards and two touchdowns, both for 22-yard scores that capped off four straight touchdowns for Oakland.

The tandem of Amari Cooper (78 catches, 1,110 yards, 4 TDs) and Michael Crabtree (84 catches, 956 yards, 8 TDs) are great weapons for the former Penn State quarterback to throw to.

Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio believes in the closeness of his team and the coaches.

“We’ve got a good group of guys and a good group of men and a good group of coaches and players,” Del Rio said via CBSSports.com “who are going to work hard to put together a good plan, and we go out and expect to win.”

Denver (8-7), who will miss the playoffs this year after winning the Super Bowl last year, is coming off a 33-10 loss to Kansas City (11-4) on Christmas Night at frigid and rainy Arrowhead Stadium.

Kansas City racked up 484 yards of total offense and held a 21-7 lead in the first quarter against the once vaunted Broncos defense, highlighted by a 70-yard touchdown run by rookie speedster Tyreek Hill and an 80-yard catch-and-run score by tight end Travis Kelce.

Both Hill and Kelce were named to the AFC Pro Bowl team as starters with Hill being named as a return specialist for his first selection of his career.

Hill, who has superb hands is second on the Chiefs with 56 catches for 547 yards and six touchdowns, has 497 yards on 38 returns including a 78-yard punt return for a score against Oakland in a 21-13 victory on Dec. 9 in Kansas City.

Hill also has an 86-yard kickoff return for touchdown that helped Kansas City take the Broncos in overtime,  30-27, in Denver on Nov. 27.

Kelce earned his second-straight Pro Bowl nod by having another impressive year for Kansas City  with 84 catches for 1,117 yards and four touchdowns.

The playoff-bound Chiefs are hoping that Denver can knock off Oakland because a Raider loss would give Kansas City the No. 2 seed and the first-round bye, and knock Oakland to the No. 5 seed where they would open the playoffs on the road in either Pittsburgh or Houston on Wildcard Weekend.

But the Raiders have shown that they can win on the road this season going 6-1 (well 7-1 if you count playing in Mexico City that was technically considered a Raider “home” game), but that was with Carr under center, not McGloin.

Second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian has surpassed the 3,000-yard passing mark for the first time in his career with 3,195 yards, but has engineered a Broncos offense that scores just 20.6 points per game, 20th in the league.

Siemian has thrown for 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 83.9 passer rating.

But according to Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, Siemian will share some snaps this Sunday with former  first round draft pick Paxton Lynch.

“I think Trevor deserves the right to go back out there as a starter,” Kubiak said via the Denver Post. “He’s done a lot of good things this year. He’s a young player that needs to keep going.

“I want him to get the Kansas City taste out of his mouth. It was a tough outing. Paxton is also going to play. I’m preparing both and you’ll see them both in the game.”

Just like Oakland, Denver have a premiere wide receiving corps with Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders leading the way.

Thomas leads the team with 86 catches for 1,036 yards and Sanders is second with 79 catches for 1,032 yards.

Both are tied for the team lead with five touchdowns a piece.

After starting the season 7-3, Denver is just 1-4 since.

Oakland won last season’s game in Denver on Dec. 13, 15-12, behind the dominate performance of defensive end Khalil Mack who tied a franchise-mark with five sacks off former Broncos quarterback now Houston Texas  high-priced backup, Brock Osweiler that day.

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Will 49ers bring some adrenaline into Seattle after their win in LA last Saturday?

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick dives into the end zone for a two point conversion against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

We’ve seen plenty instances like this when teams mail it in to end their season if it was any indication last Saturday at the LA Coliseum the San Francisco 49ers clearly with nothing to lose made an all out effort to win against the Los Angeles Rams and did so after a 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick two point conversion that sealed the game for San Francisco 22-21.

As bad as the 49ers are and make no mistake this is a bad 49ers team and it will go down historically one of he worst 49ers teams in the franchise’s history. This isn’t much of a team but their still trying down on the field. The win over the Rams was the 49ers third win in their meetings with the Rams once last season and twice this season.

 

 

A whole bunch goes right: big, fourth quarter propels 49ers to win over the Rams, ending 13-game losing streak

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By Morris Phillip

Down one, the 49ers went for two. Just one of the memorable moments in a second half on Saturday that eclipsed all the forgettable football San Francisco has endured over last three plus months since the team’s last win.

Colin Kaepernick’s designed run on a two-point conversion with 31 seconds remaining lifted the 49ers to a 22-21 win over the Rams, snapping the franchise-record 13-game losing streak with one bold stroke. Amazingly, Kaepernick’s game-winner was merely the capper to a fourth quarter like no other for a team that hadn’t shown this level of resolve at any point in recent memory.

“It worked out for us,” Kaepernick gushed. “It felt amazing, a feeling this team had been looking for for a long time now. It is something this team can build on.”

That the 49ers played so poorly for most of the afternoon, punting on eight, consecutive possessions at one point, then trailed by two touchdowns with 10 minutes remaining, made this victory improbable. And that conclusion was obvious without factoring in how decimated the 49ers were on both sides of the ball.  In fact, when starting running Carlos Hyde was felled by a vicious tackle at the fourth quarter’s outset, the team’s offense was without its starting running back (Hyde), its top receiver  (Torrey Smith), two of its top three tight ends (Vance McDonald, Blake Bell) and all five, presumptive starters on the offensive line.

But somehow in the face of all this inertia, the 49ers and Kaepernick surged, and the Rams collapsed, due to equal parts disinterest and fatigue.  Kaepernick even overcame his well-publicized pattern of poor, second half play, finishing 28 of 38 passing for 266 yards and two touchdowns.

“I thought he did a good job,” Kelly said of Kaepernick.  “We hade a whole new group up front.  There was some growing pains for some of the young guys as they were getting their first snaps up there.”

The 49ers struck first, capitalizing on an interception of No. 1 overall draft pick Jared Goff. Tremaine Brock made the pick, and set up the San Francisco offense with a 38-yard return.  Two plays later, and despite a penalty for too many men on the field on the initial play, Kaepernick connected with Hyde for a 19-yard scoring pass.

But as the afternoon wore on, and the punts by both teams quickly added up, the 49ers proved for more generous than the Rams.

 

Oakland Raiders Saturday post game wrap: Carr injured in victory

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is tackled by Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Trent Cole (58) during the second half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Carr left the game after this play with an injury. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND-Just one week after making the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, the Oakland Raiders were dealt a big blow in their home finale.

Derek Carr, who threw three touchdowns in the second quarter was forced to leave the game with a broken fibula in his right leg.

Despite the injury to Carr, the Raiders were able to hold off a strong comeback by the Indianapolis Colts to win 33-25 at the Coliseum.

Carr gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead just three seconds into the second quarter, as he found Andre Holmes in the end zone for a one-yard touchdown pass.

After former Stanford star Andrew Luck tied up the game on the Colts ensuing possession, as he found Donte Moncrief for a 24-yard touchdown pass, the Raiders would score the next 26 consecutive points to take a commanding 33-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

Clive Walford scored what turned out to be the eventual game-winning touchdown, as he was on the receiving end of a Carr five-yard touchdown pass; however Sebastian Janikowski missed his first extra point of the season after making his first 35 attempts.

Just before the half, Carr hooked up with Jalen Richard from five yards out; however for the second time in a row, Janikowski missed the extra point.

DeAndre Washington, who was inactive for two of the past four games played a huge role, as he carried the ball 12 times for 99 yards and the final two touchdowns of the afternoon. Both of Washington’s touchdowns were from 22 yards in the third quarter.

Luck threw his second touchdown of the afternoon early in the fourth quarter to get the Colts within 33-14.

On the Raiders ensuing drive, Carr was hit by Trent Cole and fell to the ground in pain, as he held his right leg.

Prior to his injury, Carr ended up going 20-for-30 for 228 yards and those three touchdown passes.

Michael Crabtree was the leading receiver, as he caught seven passes for 90 yards on the afternoon.

Luck then drove the Colts down the field, with the big pass play coming when he hooked up with T.Y. Hilton for a 15-yard pass play.

After a 11-yard pass to Jack Doyle, and after a illegal formation penalty, Luck found Dwayne Allen for a 10-yard pass down to the 18-yard line. Following a Sean Smith seven-yard pass interference penalty, Luck called his own number and scampered now from 11 yards out.

Luck and Hilton connected for a two-point conversion that cut the lead down to just 11 with lots of time remaining.

Following a Raiders punt, Adam Vinatieri kicked a 42-yard field goal to bring the Colts within, but that would be as close as they would get.

McGloin was able to close out the game, as he found Amari Cooper for a huge 19-yard gain on third-and-8 that closed out the game.

With the loss, the Colts are eliminated from the AFC Playoffs for the second consecutive season, while the Raiders still have a chance to win the AFC West and earn the second bye in the conference by winning next week in Denver. They also can win the division if the Kansas City Chiefs lose one of their final two games.

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Tony Renteria: 49ers they don’t want to win anymore games going after top draft pick

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FILE – In this Sept. 5, 2015, file photo, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks to pass as Clemson offensive lineman Mitch Hyatt (75) blocks Wofford defensive lineman Steven Cornellier (95) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, in Clemson, S.C. Clemson offensive lineman Mitch Hyatt has been selected to The AP All-Atlantic Coast Conference team, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt, File)

The Los Angeles Rams should be a little resurgent under head coach Jim Fassel and played pretty well and they kind of trimmed the playbook back for Rams starting quarterback Jerod Goff. The San Francisco 49ers don’t want to win anymore games They want to get that top NFL draft pick and losing is the key to the draft picks.

Deshaun Watson quarterback of Clemson is favored  to be the top seeded NFL pick and a guy like Watson would fit perfectly into head coach Chip Kellly’s offense. You have to look at the directions of the two organizations and see where their going the Rams have to have a solid defense and they have to dismiss a few opponents from the defensive side to play the football.

Tony Renteria is filling in for Joe Lami for this week’s 49ers podcast at http://www.sportsadioservice.com