Category: NFL

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: NFL TV ratings down 29% they blame protest of the players

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NFL TV Ratings: Down 29%, they blame protest of players
by Amaury Pi Gonzalez
AP photo: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick stands on the sidelines during the second half of Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara
SANTA CLARA–When it comes to sports and television ratings, the National Football League is “Numero Uno” for many years now, among all the main sports. But this year the story has abruptly changed.
Is there discrimination? sure, is there social injustice?  Yes,  are there unpopular wars?  Sure. But people that watch sports in this crazy violent world we are living today do it to escape for a couple of hours of all the stuff that is going on. The NFL is no exception and that is why a recent poll showed a 29% drop in their ratings, 40% blame protests like those started by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
As a man that is 100X100 FOR Free Speech(otherwise I would have moved back to Cuba, where for the past half over century there is none)I agree with anybody that wants to demonstrate about a certain issue they feel passionate about it. But, we all know that Kaepernick could have called a press conference anytime he wanted, before of after a game, during the season, or in the off-season and explained his point of view regardless blacks and minorities and the abuse they receive by law enforcement. I have absolutely no problem with Mr Quarterback if he wanted to do that.
However, I totally disagree with not standing up for the National Anthem, and I know he has the right and the freedom to do it and thank the millions of people that have fought and defended the right he enjoys. In a country as diverse as ours I believe there are two things that should be respected all the time, the flag and the national anthem. I have never questioned what is in Kaepernick heart. I do not think I am asking for much, it is only common sense to me. Maybe I can appreciate this much more because of my background and where I come from a place that if you go on the streets and burn the flag, your head will probably be broken in pieces.

This is what the Yahoo Sports/Yougov Polls, taken October 12-13 of 2016 shows why 29% of fans are watching less football.  Election: 17%. Lost Interest 28%. Lack of opportunity 31%. Kaepernick protests 40%.

San Francisco 49ers fans are probably watching less of their team anyway, this is the Bay Area after all, we are famous for flying our teams colors(when they win)but today the 49ers flags we used to see in the cars around the bay are few, and a 1 -6 start to a season will fold anybody’s flag.
It will be very interesting to see how the ratings show the rest of this NFL season. The NFL is a very rich league and their blood-line comes from huge audiences who generate huge advertising revenue.
Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

49ers’ losing streak hits six in dismal, home loss to the Buccaneers, reports surface that Staley could be traded

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kap-sack
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) fumbles the ball as he is hit by Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jude Adjei-Barimah during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016. The Buccaneers recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Morris Phillips

The 49ers haven’t won since opening night, they’ve given up the most points in the NFL, and every running back in the league is checking their remaining schedule to see if they’ll get a shot at the league’s worst run defense in 26 seasons.

The last time the 49ers lost six straight in 2008, Coach Mike Nolan didn’t survive the fifth, and was fired after the team fell to 2-6, after a 2-1 start.  Interim coach Mike Singletary and offensive coordinator Mike Martz were in charge that following week when the 49ers appeared poised to break the skid, only to fail on the game’s last play from the two-yard line where fullback Michael Robinson got the call and was stuffed, instead of Frank Gore, who would go on to become the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.

Like these, those were low times.  But under Singletary, and 28-year old Shaun Hill, the 49ers rallied, winning five of seven to close that season.   In 2008, things got better, and hope was retained heading into 2009.

This time, without Hill and Singletary of all people, things could get worse.

During the 49ers’ loss Sunday to the visiting Buccaneers, the 49ers squandered a 14-0, first quarter lead only to trail at halftime, 17-14, and after three quarters, 27-14.  The Bucs struggled early, unable to run against the 49ers’ defensive front seven, who briefly rallied after being run over by LeSean McCoy and the Bills the previous week.

Tampa Bay didn’t abandon the run down two touchdowns, instead they redoubled their efforts and finished with 513 yards in total offense, including 249 yards on the ground.  The previous week in Buffalo, the 49ers gave up 312 yards on the ground, but this may have been a lesser showing with Jaquizz Rogers (154 yards) and Paul Barber (12 carries, 84 yards) benefitting from numerous, missed tackles.

“We just got to limit the mistakes we’ve been having.  We’ve been doing the same things too consistently, with the turnovers and stuff, the missed tackles, allowing big runs to happen on defense,” safety Eric Reid said.

The 49ers appeared to be in better shape with Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmy Ward returning to bolster the secondary.  But neither started on Sunday, then defensive lineman Arik Armstead, linebacker Aaron Lynch, and corner Rashad Robinson were lost to injury during the game.  Armstead’s injury looked to be the most painful, and most troubling since the 2015 first round pick has dealt with a nagging shoulder issue since training camp, and appeared to reinjure the shoulder against Tampa Bay.

Meanwhile, for Tampa, big, productive receiver Mike Evans was injured on a play early in the game in which he was blocked in the stomach and chest on Gerald Hodges interception that set up the 49ers second touchdown.  But Evans returned, finishing with eight receptions and two touchdowns, while Armstead, Lynch and Robinson did not.

Such is the 49ers’ fortunes these days, so poor they rival the teams porous play.  While the defense has been abnormally poor, it must be noted that injuries have been mounting on that side of the ball starting with lineman Ian Williams in training camp, and starting linebackers Ray Ray Armstrong and NaVorro Bowman after the season began.

Offensively, Colin Kaepernick had another uneven performance, completing less than half of his passes and being sacked four times.  While the veteran quarterback kept plays alive with his fast feet, those plays didn’t amount to much as Kaepernick threw for just 143 yards in a game that the 49ers were in catchup mode for the entire, second half.

In the absence of the injured Carlos Hyde, Kaepernick was the team’s leading rusher, with 84 yards on nine carries.  But Kap’s rushing total wasn’t the recipe to success.

“It comes down to execution, not shooting ourselves in the foot, and making plays,” Kaepernick said.  “On our two, touchdown drives, we had players making plays on the field.  And we have to be able to continually do that throughout the game because defenses are talented, things are going to be close, and we have to be able to make those plays, and ultimately that’s what’s going to be the difference in these games.”

With the 49ers mired in last place in the NFC West, reports surfaced that veteran tackle Joe Staley may be traded during the season.  The team’s remaining schedule looks tough with games at Chicago, and at home against the Jets looking like the only two in which the team could be favored, or have a chance to win.

A rally like the one in 2008 appears unlikely, and the appearance of a franchise quarterback may not happen anytime soon, even if the team draws a top-3 pick as their current record would suggest.

Coach Chip Kelly appears safe if for no reason other than he just got here.  But things must be improve, and the team’s attitude will be close monitored.

“I think anger doesn’t help you,” Kelly said.  “You have to find a solution.  If you continue to get mad, get angry, it’s not going to help you.”

The 49ers will enjoy a bye week before returning to the field at home against the New Orleans Saints and prolific passer Drew Brees on November 6.

Oakland Raiders-Jacksonville Jaguars game wrap: Murray returns in win

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By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) takes a dive right into the end zone while he’s grabbed from behind by the Jacksonville Jaguars free safety Tashaun Gipson (39) just getting over the line for a fourth quarter touchdown in Jacksonville on Sunday

What a nice game for Latavius Murray to return to the playing field after missing the two previous games due to turf toe.

Murray scored two touchdowns, as the Oakland Raiders defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 33-16 at EverBank Field.

The running back out of Central Florida gained 59 yards on 18 carries, helping the Raiders to their fourth straight win on the road this season and are 5-2 for the first time since the 2001 season.

Michael Crabtree caught right passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, while Sebastian Janikowski kicked four field goals.

Carr went 23-for-37 for 200 yards and the touchdown pass to Crabtree, as Carr was not sacked nor did he throw an interception.

Crabtree was the leading receiver with those eight catches, while both Amari Cooper and Seth Roberts each caught four passes.

Janikowski got the Raiders on the board in the first quarter, as he kicked a 36-yard field goal and then extended the lead to 6-0, when he kicked a 32-yard field goal.

After Jason Myers cut the Raiders in half, Murray scored the first of his two touchdowns and after another Myers field goal, Crabtree caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Carr.

Myers and Janikowski exchanged field goals in the third quarter, and then Janikowski extended the Raiders lead up to 26-9.

Following a Jaguars touchdown cut the Raiders lead down to 26-16 with 4:12 remaining in the game, and then disaster nearly struck.

After a low snap on a punt, Marquette King picked up the ball and scampered 27 yards for a big first down.

Murray then clinched the game, as he scored his second touchdown of the game, when he ran it in from nine yards out.

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Lami: Game against Bucs is a winnable game for 49ers (home field at Levis)

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AP file photo: San Francisco running back Carlos Hyde looking to get some yards carries against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday at Orchard Park NY is suffering shoulder injury

This game going into Sunday with the San Francisco 49ers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be interesting the defense for the 49ers had struggled and it struggled in the second half of last Sunday’s game in Buffalo. It makes you want to think that a high tempo offense is wearing out the defense in the second half and everything just falls apart. The 49ers have played in a lot of close first halves this year and they’ve kept it really close.

Its that second half that the offense really begins to struggle and the second half adjustments are made on the 49ers and all of a sudden they get down really big. The 49ers do have Tampa Bay coming into Levis this Sunday and they have been struggling with their record at 2-3 and it seems like Carlos Hyde has been like the only player on the 49ers offense that’s been able to do anything so far this season.

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

 

San Francisco 49ers preview: Second-Half Will Decide 49ers Game

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By: Joe Lami

AP file photo: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick gets set to launch one against the Buffalo Bills will get his second call to start this Sunday at Levis Stadium against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–On Friday, ESPN released it’s annual rank of the 122 professional sports franchises in North America. Ranked 122nd, the San Francisco 49ers. Who would have thought that the franchise would ever fall so low?

This is rock bottom for the once great 49ers. This season, it’s been all struggles for 1-5 team. On Sunday, they hope that newly named quarterback Colin Kaepernick can have consistency at the position to lead to some success. During practice, his reps have tripled with the first team, which can lead to more success with finding some chemistry with his receivers.

The first half hasn’t been the issue for San Francisco. They have been able to keep it close in most of their games. It’s been the second half where things have really fallen apart for the red and gold. The key indicator of this could be the defense is just gassed by the second half, due to Chip Kelly’s high-tempo offense.

If this continues to happen, it may be time for Kelly to abandon his patented system and go to one that actually works for one of the weakest rosters in the NFL.

In town is the 2-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are coming off a big win over the Carolina Panthers 17-14. Bucs QB, Jameis Winston has mediocre numbers at best this season throwing nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. The 49ers secondary may have a chance to shut down the sophomore.

Sunday provides another great chance for the 49ers to get out of the cellar, but if they continue to play poor in the second half, it will be another long day for fans in Santa Clara.

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Davis said Oakland was in the drivers seat to keep the team but they didn’t accomplish anything

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AP photo: Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis addresses the media Wednesday at the NFL Fall Meetings in Houston

On the Raiders podcast with Joe:

Defense has been the chanted word heard from local teams fans such in places like Stanford, Cal, or at the 49ers. For the Oakland Raiders Joe will take a look at what was missing on the Raiders defense last Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Joe takes a look at the most impressive part about the Kansas City Chiefs offense and why the Raiders defense just couldn’t contain them.

The Raiders lost last Sunday but they certainly put a lot of stock in wide receiver Amari Cooper who caught nine passes in the first half of the game.

Will the Raiders be up to the task in being able to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in Florida.

Raiders owner Mark Davis makes the case to move to Vegas, the city of Oakland has no money to finance a new stadium and Davis said he put Oakland in the drivers seat but Oakland has no plans to finance a new stadium and so Davis says there is no choice but to move the team to Vegas.

Joe Hawkes Beamon takes a look at the Raiders-Jaguars match up for this Sunday at http://www.sportsraadioservice.com

Oakland Raiders-Jacksonville Jaguars preview: Raiders hit the road for Jacksonville

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

AP file photo: Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr looks for some help out there in last Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs

OAKLAND, Calif — Looking to get back to winning football, the Raiders begin a two-game trip through the Sunshine State with a stop in Jacksonville Sunday to take on the Jaguars at EverBank Field in Week 7 action.

It’s the Raiders second game against the AFC South this season. Oakland derailed the Tennessee Titans 17-10 in Nashville in Week 3.

Kickoff is set for 10:00 a.m. PT in Oakland, 1:00 p.m. ET.

Oakland (4-2) were tripped up by Kansas City 26-10 last Sunday in a rainy, muddy game at the Oakland Coliseum that dropped the Raiders to 1-2 at home on the season. It was the first time this season that these two AFC West rivals faced each other.

Quarterback Derek Carr threw for 225 yards on 22-of-34 passing with one touchdown and one interception for Oakland, who were held scoreless in the second half.

Carr has thrown for 1,608 yards, 12 touchdowns, and just three interceptions in six games for Oakland this year.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper finished with a career-high 10 catches for 129 yards.

Cooper led all Raiders wide receivers with 14 targets, while fellow wide receiver Andre Holmes hauled in his second touchdown catch of the season on the Raiders’ opening drive of the game.

Oakland’s running game was powered by rookie DeAndre Washington, who led the Raiders with 49 yards rushing. The Raiders played without starter Latavius Murray, who missed his second straight game with a toe injury.

On defense, the Raiders allowed 406 total yards to the Chiefs Sunday. Oakland’s defense ranks 32nd in the NFL, allowing 444.8 yards per game after giving up 500+ yards in the team’s first two games of the season.

Rookie safety Karl Joseph led Oakland with 11 tackles (seven solo) and defensive end Khalil Mack registered his second sack of the season, sacking Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith in the first quarter that forced a punt.

Jacksonville (2-3) scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to take down the Chicago Bears 17-16 at Soldier Field last week.

Quarterback Blake Bortles, who was drafted in the same class as Carr in 2014 out of Central Florida, completed 20-of-33 passes for 271 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Bortles, who threw a career-high 4,428 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions in 2015, has thrown for 1,321 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions this season.

Oakland’s much maligned secondary could have their hands full with Jacksonville’s wide receivers, most notably Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns.

After exploding in 2015 with 90 catches for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns (all team-highs), Robinson is second on Jacksonville with 287 receiving yards and leads the team with three touchdowns on 24 catches.

Hurns, who is first on the team with 300 receiving yards, has just one touchdown through five games for Jacksonville after hauling in 64 catches for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2015.

Jacksonville has a very aggressive defense led by linebackers Paul Posluszny and Telvin Smith. The duo have combined for 86 tackles this season, which are second in the league behind Buffalo linebacker duo of Zach Brown and Preston Brown’s (no relation) 121 tackles.

Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue leads all rookies with four sacks this season and will be a test for Oakland’s stout offensive line.

Following Sunday’s game, the Raiders will stay in Florida in preparation for their Week 8 meeting at Tampa against the Buccaneers, before returning home for their big showdown with the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football in Week 9 before their bye week.

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Kaepernick going over his rough second half film prepares for Tampa Bay Sunday

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AP photo: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick prepares to let one fly under pressure  against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday at Orchard Park NY

Lets first talk about the performance against Buffalo that was a the tale of two halves in the first half of the game 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick looked pretty decent he was 8-13 his running ability looked as good as it ever had. He was making plays with his speed and he was moving around and he was reading the defense. The Niners scored 13 points in the first half, that’s not fantastic but for the 49ers offense that’s not bad.

In the second half things just went completely went south where Kaepernick was throwing in the neighborhood of 5-16, his yardage was bad, his rushing wasn’t particularly good. Also part of the problem was Carlos Hyde was injured and didn’t play a lot of the second half. Generally speaking Kaepernick wasn’t hitting his receivers. In essence Kaepernick just wasn’t making plays.

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

 

49ers not much better with Kaepernick than without in blowout loss at the feet of the Bills

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bellore-lunging

By Morris Phillips

Kap—or no Kap—the 49ers have significant work to do.

The addition of the team’s best-known player into the starting lineup on Sunday in Buffalo did little to change this stark reality: after getting throttled 45-16 by the Bills, the 49ers have dropped five consecutive games for the first time in more than a decade.

With Kaepernick, the 49ers aren’t any closer to being a playoff contender, or a significant player on the lesser landscape of the NFC West. In fact, with Kaepernick or the benched Blaine Gabbert, the 49ers maybe greater impacted by the loss of defensive leader NaVorro Bowman.

On Sunday, it sure appeared that was the case. Overshadowing what Kaepernick did or didn’t do was the 312 yards rushing the 49ers’ defense surrendered to the Bills, including 140 yards and three touchdowns to LeSean McCoy, who seemed to be mystery in cleats to a number of lunging San Francisco defenders.

“To get the ball run on you like that, when you know they’re going to run, we just have to stop making the same mistakes, stay in our gaps, make the tackle,” safety Eric Reid said.

“There were a lot of missed tackles today just from my vantage point on the sideline,” Coach Chip Kelly said.

Here’s some historical perspective on all the juking and dashing the Bills did on Sunday: the 312 yards was the biggest total the Bills had enjoyed in a game since 1992. The 49ers had allowed more than 312 yards only once in their franchise history, in 1958.

The 49ers found themselves in a competitive game at the half, trailing 17-13. Kaepernick had a hand in that, hooking up with Torrey Smith on a 53-yard pass play that gave the 49ers a brief 10-7 lead in the second quarter. Kaepernick also had some success running the ball, but in the end his impact as starter was miniscule. The 49ers failed to convert 12 of their 15 third and fourth-down opportunities, and Kaepernick failed to complete half of his passes (13 of 29).

Defensively, things started respectably as well. The 49ers had some success with their pass rush against one of the league’s least productive pass offenses. But after Bills’ quarterback Tyrod Taylor was sacked and stripped of the ball by Arik Armstead, the Bills stuck to the run for the remainder of the first half.   Among the bright spots, Armstead and rookie DeForest Buckner combined for three sacks and two tackles for losses.

McCoy rushed for more than 100 yards in the first half for the second consecutive week. The Pro Bowl back suffered an injury scare before halftime, bumping knees with the 49ers’ Nick Bellore and taking several minutes to return to the Bills’ bench. But McCoy continued his onslaught in the second half, and got ample support from Taylor and backup Mike Gillislee, who scored the games’ final points on a 44-yard run with 5:40 remaining.

The 49ers played without Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmy Ward, thinning their secondary. They also lost corner Rashard Robinson to injury during the game. In Ward’s absence, rookie Keith Reaser made his first NFL start.

The 49ers return home on Sunday to host the Buccaneers, and will face the Saints a week later, also at Levi’s Stadium.

 

 

Oakland Raiders post game analysis: Carr, Raiders take step back with loss to Kansas City

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

AP photo: Tamba Hali recovered for the Kansas City Chiefs (left) and defensive back Daniel Sorenson (49) and in the foreground Michael Crabtree of the Oakland Raiders

OAKLAND, Calif — Rookie Jalen Richard opened the game with a 50-yard return and quarterback Derek Carr completed four of five passes, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Holmes in the back of the end zone, but that was all the big plays that Oakland would generate, dropping their second home game of the season to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs 26-10 in Week 6.

For an offense that averaged 28.4 points per game coming into the game, Carr and the offense struggled on a rainy and soggy Sunday afternoon in Oakland, being held scoreless in the second half.

Carr completed 22 of 34 passes for 225 yards, one touchdown, and an interception.

It was the 12th straight game that Carr has thrown a touchdown, a career-high, but the third-year quarterback threw a terrible pass intended for wide receiver Michael Crabtree that was intercepted by Oakland native Marcus Peters on Oakland’s second drive of the game.

Peters’ first quarter interception was his league-leading fifth of the season.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper had a huge first half, hauling in nine catches for 117 yards, but only had one catch the rest of the way finishing with 10 catches for 127 yards. Fellow wide receiver Michael Crabtree had just one catch for five yards in the first half, finished with two catches for 10 yards.

Oakland was force-feeding Cooper the ball, targeting the former Alabama wide receiver 13 times, while Crabtree finished with just four targets.

The Raiders, who were without starting running back Latavius Murray, was held to just 65 yards on the ground by Kansas City, the lowest by the Chiefs versus any opponent this year.

Kansas City unleashed defensive end Dee Ford, who wrecked havoc on Carr by recording two sacks, one resulting in a fumble that the Chiefs recovered and killed any chances for an Oakland comeback.

Alex Smith finished 19 of 22 for 224 yards and Spencer Ware rumbled for a career-high 131 yards and one touchdown helping Kansas City (3-2) pick up their third straight win against the Silver and Black, and seventh straight win within the AFC West.

Smith is now 3-1 against the Raiders in Oakland for his career.

Oakland (4-2) will head to Florida for the next two weeks, gearing up for games in Jacksonville and Tampa Bay before returning home for a showdown with the Denver Broncos, the co-leader in the AFC West with Oakland on Nov. 6.