Tag: New England Patriots

Eagles outlast Patriots 41-33 for first Super Bowl win

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Photo credit: @Eagles

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, February 4, 2018

In his broadcasting days, John Madden often mentioned how “missed extra points have a way of coming back to haunt you.”

In this see-saw edition of the Super Bowl LIII (52), three missed extra point attempts nearly cost the underdog Philadelphia Eagles, but a timely defensive play helped preserve the Eagles’ first NFL title in 57 years.

For the first time since 1960, the Eagles are NFL champions. After two previous Super Bowl losses, the NFC champion Eagles held on and defeated the AFC champion New England Patriots 41-33 in a wild championship game at US Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis on Sunday night.

This was the ninth Super Bowl for New England, which was seeking its sixth NFL title. The Patriots, a slight favorite in what was easily the wildest offensive shootout in Super Bowl history, never punted in the game.

The victory put the icing on the postseason cake for Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles, who was voted the game’s most valuable player.

Foles, a journeyman who contemplated retirement, took over after starter Carson Wentz suffered a season-ending knee injury. Foles completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards, three touchdowns and was picked off once. He also caught a key touchdown pass at the end of the first half.

Tom Brady, the Patriots’ 40-year-old quarterback, threw for an NFL postseason record 505 yards on 28 of 48 attempts. Brady also threw three touchdown passes, but his only sack played a key role in the outcome of the game.

With 2:21 left, the Eagles’ Zach Ertz hauled in a pass up the middle from Foles for what was ruled an 11-yard touchdown reception.

Ertz had catch at the goal line, and the play was initially ruled a touchdown, the video review concluded that Ertz had possession as he crossed the plane of the goal line. Philadelphia led 38-33.

On the two-point conversion attempt, Foles’ pass to Corey Clement was incomplete, which seemed to give the Patriots the window of opportunity they needed.

New England’s next possession was thwarted when Tom Brady was strip-sacked by Brandon Graham at 2:09. It was the first sack of the game for either team. Four plays later, Jake Elliott made a 46-yard field goal with 1:05 left, extending the Eagles’ lead to 41-33.

The Patriots were unable to reach the end zone in their final possession, with Brady throwing a Hail Mary incompletion as time expired.

Super Bowl LII was a back-and-forth battle all night. Philadelphia opened the scoring with Elliott’s 25-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. The Patriots responded nearly four minutes later with a Stephen Gostkowski 26-yard field goal.

With 2:34 left in the first quarter, the Eagles surged ahead on Nick Foles’ 34-yard pass to Alshon Jeffrey in the left side of the end zone. Elliott missed the PAT kick, and Philadelphia had a 9-3 lead after one quarter.

The Eagles made it 15-3 when LeGarrette Blount ran 21 yards for a touchdown. Trying to get the missed extra point back, Philadelphia tried a 2-point conversion, but Foles’ pass to Jeffrey was incomplete.

New England cut their deficit to 15-6 at 7:24 of the second quarter when Gostkowski booted a 45-yard field goal. Five minutes later, the Patriots pulled to within 15-12 on a 26-yard touchdown run by James White, but Gostkowski missed the PAT kick.

New England tried a gadget play that had Brady as the intended receiver, but the pass from Danny Amendola was incomplete. With 34 seconds remaining in the first half, the Eagles reached into their bag of tricks on 4th-and-goal from the Patriot 1 yard-line. Lined up in the shotgun, Foles was an eligible receiver and caught Trey Burton’s pass in the end zone.

At halftime, the Eagles led 22-12 – the first time in NFL history a game went into halftime with that score, as reported by NBC.

New England wasted little time finding the end zone in the third quarter. On the Patriots’ opening possession, Brady found Rob Gronkowski for a 5-yard TD, cutting Philadelphia’s lead to 22-19.

On the Eagles’ ensuing possession, Foles completed a 3rd-and-6 pass to Corey Clement at the back of the end zone. After a video review, the play was ruled a touchdown, and Philadelphia led by 10 again at 29-19.

Again, the Patriots marched right back and cut their deficit to 29-26 on Brady’s 26-yard TD pass to Chris Hogan.

Jake Elliott’s 42-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter put Philly up 32-26, but New England took its first lead of the game at 9:22 when Brady and Gronkowski connected for a touchdown for the second time in the game – this time from four yards out. Gostkowski’s extra point put the Pats up 33-32 for their only lead in the contest.

Blount was Philadelphia’s leading ground-gainer, picking up 90 rushing yards on 14 carries. While Clement caught four passes for 100 yards, Nelson Agholor snared nine passes for 84 yards, and Ertz caught seven passes for 67 yards.

Three New England receivers gained over 100 yards through the air. Amendola caught eight passes for 152 yards, Hogan gained 128 receiving yards on six catches, and Gronkowski caught nine passes for 116 yards and two TDs.

Attendance was 67,612. The winners share was $112,000, and the losers share was $56,000.

Sports Monday: The NFL Playoffs never lacks excitement

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Photo credit: @NFL

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

Like most football fans, I was glued to my couch for most of the weekend watching the NFL’s best weekend of the year: the divisional round of the playoffs.

The divisional round usually features the best competitive games of the year as the eight remaining teams fight for their right to play in the conference championship games the very next week; with the winners heading to the Super Bowl.

With the Falcons losing to the Eagles, 15-10, in Philadelphia to kickoff the divisional round Saturday, their will be a new NFC Champion heading to Minneapolis on Feb. 4 for Super Bowl 52.

Sixth-seeded Atlanta (11-7) was trying to make a return trip to the NFC Championship Game and eventually back to the Super Bowl after last year’s painful loss in the Big Game to the New England Patriots after dropping a 28-3 lead, but Matt Ryan and Co. couldn’t get pass an Eagles team that were heavy underdogs coming into the game even as the NFC’s top seed with a 13-3 regular season and home field advantage.

And oh yeah, Philadelphia was playing without MVP front-runner and franchise quarterback Carson Wentz, who was lost for the season with a torn anterior crucial ligament in his left knee he suffered against the Rams in Los Angeles in Week 14.

Backup quarterback Nick Foles made every Eagles fan hold their collective breaths whenever he took a snap, played efficient football throwing for 246 yards on 23-of-30 passing with no touchdowns, but more importantly, zero interceptions. Foles kept Atlanta’s defense off guard for most of the afternoon as Philadelphia controlled the football for 32 minutes, compared to 28 minutes for the Falcons. Philadelphia converted 6-of-13 on third downs, while the Falcons were just 4-of-13 on third down conversions.

But the Falcons still had a chance to win a game, but Ryan and superstar wide receiver Julio Jones couldn’t connect on fourth-and-two from the Eagles’ own two-yard line with 1:05 left in the game. Jones, who finished with nine catches for 101 yards, slipped in the end zone and saw the pass slip right through his hands. Even if Jones makes the catch, his feet would’ve been out of bounds when you look at the replay.

Jones felt that he should’ve came up with the catch and made no excuses after the game.

“It was a sprintout, a rollout to me,” said Jones after the game per ESPN’s Vaughn McClure following the game. “Trying to take advantage of one-on-one [coverage] down there.

“I don’t know, but at the end of the day, I can make those plays. I ended up on the ground when I came out of my route. And that’s a tough call [for the official] to make during that situation in the game. That was it.”

Ryan finished the game throwing for 210 yards on 22-of-36 passing. Atlanta’s franchise quarterback did throw a six-yard touchdown to running back Devonta Freeman to give the Falcons a 10-6 lead in the second half, but Atlanta’s red zone woes that haunted them in the regular season (23rd in the NFL in red zone efficiency at 49.1-percent per ESPN Stats and Info), reared its ugly head.

“Just keep on disrespecting and we’re going to keep proving people wrong,” said Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey after the game to David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Philadelphia (14-3) will host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field for the NFC Championship at 6:40 p.m. ET, which should be a great matchup given what the Vikings had to do to setup a date with the Eagles with a chance to play the Super Bowl in their own building, which would be the first time a team would play in the stadium where the Super Bowl is being held in NFL history.

Minnesota (14-3) had to rely on a 61-yard touchdown thrown from quarterback Case Keenum to wide receiver Stefon Diggs with 10 seconds remaining down the sideline to pull out an improbable 29-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints in the other NFC divisional playoff game Sunday. The play was reminiscent of a walk-off home run in baseball for the home team.

Diggs’ heart-pounding score sent a raucous sold out crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium into a frenzy as the stadium reached 118 decibels per reports. Diggs finished with six catches for 137 yards and the game-winning touchdown that cemented the Vikings’ first trip to the conference championship game in eight years.

“It’s a storybook ending — and it never ends that way,” Diggs said after the game to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Usually, it’s reality. It’s real life. Things go, you walk home and worry about tomorrow. But today had other plans. I give it all to God, because things like this just don’t happen.”

After falling behind 17-0 to the Vikings at halftime, the fourth-seeded Saints stormed back with 14 unanswered points behind two touchdown passes from quarterback Drew Brees to wide receiver Michael Thomas that trimmed Minnesota’s lead to 17-14. Thomas’ two touchdowns came within a span of 3:09 that spanned into the fourth quarter.

Following a 49-yard field goal from kicker Kai Forbath that gave Minnesota a 20-14 lead early in the fourth quarter and an interception thrown by Keenum to rookie safety Marcus Williams that set up the Saints at the Vikings’ 40-yard line, Brees threw his third touchdown in the second half when he connected with rookie running back Alvin Kamara from 14-yards out that gave the Saints a brief 21-20 lead.

Brees finished the game throwing for 294 yards on 25-of-40 passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions, both coming in the first half.

“We’re still a bit shell-shocked after what happened there at the end,” said Brees after the game per the Associated Press.

But it was the big play by Diggs, who avoided a would-be hit by Williams and never looked back as he raced for the end zone for arguably the biggest touchdown in Minnesota’s history, a perfect delivered pass from the NCAA’s all-time passing leader in Keenum, who threw for 318 yards and matched Brees’ 25-of-40 passing.

On the AFC side, the top-seeded Patriots (14-3) made short work of the visiting Tennessee Titans (10-8), winning 35-14 on Saturday night advancing to their seventh straight AFC Championship Game next Sunday in Foxborough with a dominating performance over the sixth-seeded Titans in the chilly New England weather where game time temperature were in the 20s.

After taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, Tennessee saw New England roll off 35 unanswered points that led to the Patriots’ dismantling of the Titans. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw for 337 yards on 35-of-53 passing and three touchdowns, his 10th career postseason game in which he’s thrown three touchdowns moving past Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana for most in the NFL per the Elias Sports Bureau.

“To be in the playoffs, to play well and to advance, that’s just really great for this team,” Brady said to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “We’ve got to do it again next week.”

Wide receiver Danny Amendola, one of Brady’s most dependable pass catchers, finished with a team-high 11 catches for 112 yards. Tight end Rob Gronkowski hauled in six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown over Titans safety Kevin Byard, who predicted that Tennessee would make the future NFL Hall of Famer look like Blake Bortles.

More on Bortles and the Jacksonville Jaguars, who stand in the way of Brady from making his eighth Super Bowl appearance in his 18-year career that includes five wins in seven appearances, in a bit.

After the game, Brady was business as usual after leading New England pass by an overmatched Titans team that were doomed from the start. Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota played through a strained quadriceps muscle that he suffered on run in the first quarter that limited the Mariota’s mobility and Tennessee’s playcalling for the remainder of the game.

Mariota completed 22-of-37 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns, but was under siege from Patriots’ pass rush that sacked Mariota eight times on Saturday night, a franchise record for one postseason game.

“Embarrassed,” said Mariota, standing at the podium after the game per the Associated Press.

“You play to win the whole thing. Yeah, it’s nice to be in the playoffs, but again, you don’t play to get in, especially coming into the divisional playoff losing the way we did.”

Raise your hands if you had the Jacksonville Jaguars heading to their first AFC Championship Game since 1999 at the start of the 2017.

Anybody?

Don’t feel bad if you didn’t because you aren’t alone, especially with the aforementioned Bortles leading the way. For most of his four seasons in Jacksonville, Bortles was the favorite punching bag for Jaguars fans (and the media) to hit for the team’s lackluster play even with a vastly improving defense with to lean on.

But the perception of Bortles is rapidly changing, especially after help leading the third-seeded Jaguars (12-6) to 45-42 victory over the second-seeded Steelers (13-4) at Heinz Field to close out the divisional round weekend. Bortles didn’t have earth-shattering numbers, completing just 14-of-26 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown, but didn’t throw an interception nor was he sacked in Jacksonville’s second win in Pittsburgh this year. Pittsburgh set a franchise record with 55 sacks this season, leading the NFL this season.

Jacksonville dispatched Pittsburgh 30-9 in Week 5 behind a punishing defense that forced five interceptions, returning two of those interceptions for touchdowns.

In that regular season game, Bortles was a non factor as he threw for just 95 yards on 8-of-14 passing and an interception, but the offense was carried by ground game as rookie running back Leonard Fournette rushed for a career-high 181 yards on 28 carries and two touchdowns, one of which went for 90 yards, the longest scoring run by a rookie against the Steelers per the Elias Sports Bureau.

This time around, Bortles appeared more confident and comfortable against Pittsburgh.

Jacksonville’s 45 points are the most points scored by an opponent against the Steelers in franchise history. Fournette scored two first half touchdowns, while backup running back T.J. Yeldon added another score that gave Jacksonville a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter before the Steelers answered with a touchdown of their own from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to wide receiver Antonio Brown that cut Jacksonville’s lead to 21-7.

Fournette, who left the game briefly with an ankle injury, rushed for a 109 yards on 25 carries and scored three touchdowns.

Shortly before the two minute warning and with Pittsburgh on the Jacksonville 47-yard line, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue sacked Roethislisberger forcing a fumble which was returned by middle linebacker Telvin Smith that gave Jacksonville a 28-7 lead. It was Smith’s second defensive touchdown against the Steelers this season, also finished with a team-high 14 tackles.

Roethlisberger would throw a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Martavis Bryant before the end of the first half, then a 19-yard touchdown pass to running back Le’Veon Bell pulling the Steelers closer, 28-21, in the third quarter.

But Bortles made the biggest play of the game in my book, throwing a 45-yard bomb down the middle of the field in double coverage with 11:55 left in the fourth quarter that was hauled in by rookie wide receiver Keelan Cole that set up the Jaguars at the Pittsburgh 3-yard line before Fournette plowed into the end zone for his third rushing touchdown that re-opened a two-touchdown lead for Jacksonville making the score, 35-21.

“These guys played with confidence all day,” Bortles said after the game per the Florida Times-Union.

Jacksonville would add 10 more points in the fourth quarter, while the Steelers played catch up (pun intended) for the majority of the day despite big performances by Pittsburgh’s “Killer Bs” of Roethlisberger, Bell and Le’Veon Brown.

Roethlisberger threw for 469 yards on 37-of-58 passes, with five touchdowns and one interception. Brown, who appeared healthy following a torn left calf muscle he suffered in Week 15 against the Patriots that caused him to miss the Steelers’ final two games of the year, finished with seven catches for 132 yards and a pair of spectacular touchdowns.

Bell finished with 155 total yards from scrimmage (67 rushing and 88 receiving) and two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving).

“Its disheartening” said Brown per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I thought we had the right group of guys.”

The conference championship games between Minnesota-Philadelphia in the NFC and Jacksonville-New England in the AFC weren’t what people imagined when the 2017 season started, even though most fully believed that the reigning Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots had the strongest chance at making another Super Bowl run.

Minnesota and Philadelphia did enter the season with postseason expectations, and should be a fierce matchup led by unwanted quarterbacks in Keenum and Foles along with strong defenses, and fan bases thirsty for a major championship.

Jacksonville wasn’t suppose to crash the postseason party, but here are the Jaguars who now must travel to New England and try to dethrone Brady and the Patriots to earn the franchise’s first trip to the Super Bowl.

“I’m sure there will still be tons of people that are going to disapprove and talk negative or hate or do whatever they want,” Bortles said before the Jaguars left Pittsburgh. “But we get to keep playing and we get an opportunity to play in Foxborough next week  for another week. Just honored to be able to do this especially with this group of guys.”

“Its been an awesome year. Just want to keep it going.”

NFL Playoffs Podcast with David Zizmor: A look at eight teams that’s battling it out for the Super Bowl

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Photo credit: @NFL

NFL Playoff Podcast with David Zizmor:

Sunday’s game AFC: Jacksonville 10 Buffalo 3

AFC Divisional Round

Saturday: Tennessee Titans @ New England Patriots

Sunday: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday’s game NFC: New Orleans 31 vs. Carolina 26

NFC: Divisional Round

Saturday: Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday: New Orleans Saints @ Minnesota Vikings

David goes through the NFL Playoff schedule for this weekend at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Brady, Patriots dismantle Raiders en route to 33-8 blowout in Mexico City

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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady scrambles with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Mexico City. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

By Jeremy Kahn

MEXICO CITY — It seems that the bye week did not help the Oakland Raiders figure out how to defeat the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

In his first ever game in Mexico, Tom Brady threw for 339 yards and three touchdowns and the Patriots defeated the Raiders 33-8 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

Brady completed his first 12 passes, as the Patriots raise their record to 8-2 on the season and return home to face the Miami Dolphins on November 25 at Gillette Stadium.

The former Serra High star went 30-for-37 for 339 yards and those three touchdowns, and was sacked one time by the Raiders defense.

Dion Lewis led the Patriots running game with 10 carries for 60 yards.

Brandin Cooks, who is in his first year with the Patriots caught six passes for 149 yards that included a 64-yard touchdown pass from Brady. Danny Amendola led the Patriots in receptions, as he caught eight passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Lewis also caught four passes for 28 yards and a touchdown.

This was the second year in a row that the Raiders headed to the capital of Mexico, and were looking for their second straight win after last year’s 27-20 victory over the Houston Texans.

Derek Carr finally got the Raiders on the board in the fourth quarter, as he found Amari Cooper for the Raiders’ only score of the afternoon.

Carr ended up going 28-for-49 for 237 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. He was also sacked once.

Marshawn Lynch led the Raiders running game, as he carried the ball 11 times for 67 yards, including a season-long 25-yard run.

Michael Crabtree led the Raiders in receiving, as he caught six passes for 51 yards on the afternoon.

Cooper, who caught the lone touchdown for the Raiders caught three passes for 28 yards against the Patriots.

Stephen Gostkowski hit a Patriots record 62-yard field goal to give the Patriots a commanding 17-0 lead at the half. The Gostkowski field goal tied for the sixth longest in NFL history. Gostkowski ended up kicking four field goals on the afternoon.

The NFL record for longest field goal in a game is held by Matt Prater, who while playing for the Denver Broncos hit a 64-yard field goal in 2014.

Notes: After being on the road since their dramatic last-second victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on October 19, the Raiders return home on November 26 to face AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos.

Johnny Holton went to the locker room in the first half to be evaluated for a concussion, but he returned in the second half and was uncalled for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Brady became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 300 or more yards in three different countries. He did it twice in London and threw for 300 or more on 79 different occasions in the United States.

Raiders head to Mexico City following bye week for big showdown against Patriots

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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady practices at Falcon Stadium at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. The Patriots are practicing at Air Force to get acclimated to playing at a higher elevation for Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders in Mexico City. (Doug Brownlie/The Gazette via AP)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND — For the second straight year, the Raiders will travel to Mexico City for a “home” game at Estadio Azteca. Last year, the Silver and Black came away with a 27-20 victory over the “visiting” Houston Texans before worldwide audience on Monday Night Football.

This season, Oakland will face a much tougher opponent when they “host” the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots Sunday in a pivotal Week 11 matchup for both teams in the AFC.

Kickoff is set for 1:25 p.m. PT.

Oakland (4-5) is coming off a much needed bye week after dispatching the Dolphins 27-24 in Miami in Week 9. Raiders starting quarterback Derek Carr played efficiently, passing for 300 yards on 21-of-30 completions with one touchdown and one interception for a quarterback rating of 99.3. For the season, Carr has thrown for 1,954 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a quarterback rating of 91.8.

Offensively, the Raiders rank 22nd overall, but rank 16th in the NFL in points per game (21.6) after ranking in the top-10 last season scoring nearly 28 points per game through 16 games.

Starting running back Marshawn Lynch returned from a one-game suspension to run for 57 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns on the night. The two rushing touchdowns by Lynch were the first scores for Lynch away from home this season.

Tight end Jared Cook had a big night, leading all receivers with eight catches for 127 yards. Wide receiver Johnny Holton scored his second touchdown of the season on the game’s biggest play for the Raiders when Holton reeled in a 44-yard touchdown throw from Carr in the first half. Holton has just two catches this season, both of which have gone for touchdowns of 44 and 64 yards.

Defensively, middle linebacker NaVorro Bowman led the Raiders in tackles for the third straight game with 10. Dating back to his final game with the San Francisco 49ers against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, Bowman has recorded 10-plus tackles in four straight games this season.

Through nine games this season, the Raiders still have yet to record an interception, which is a very dubious record in the NFL for one team to own especially for the Raiders, who will face a quarterback that has only thrown just two interceptions this season in Tom Brady.

Following a 2-2 start to the season, New England (7-2) has won five straight games and are rounding into form at the right time.

The 40-year-old Brady enters Week 11 leading the NFL in passing yards (2,807), tied with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson for the most touchdown passes (19) and second behind Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith in quarterback rating (113.9 to 108.3) this season.

Brady completed 25-of-34 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns in New England’s 41-16 smashing victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football in Week 10. The five-time Super Bowl winning quarterback leads a Patriots offense that is No. 1 in total yards per game (409.6) and fourth in points per game (28.6) this season.

That’s not good news for a Raiders defense that rank 26th in total defense surrendering 361.1 total yards per game to opposing teams this season. Oakland is allowing 23.8 points per game.

Wide receiver Brandon Cooks led New England with six receptions and was tied with tight end Rob Gronkowski for the most receiving yards on the team with 74 against the Broncos.

Starting running back Dion Lewis left his imprint on the game, leading the Patriots with 14 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown but it was his play on special teams that gave New England the upper hand against Denver.

After Denver kicker Brandon McManus made a 39-yard field goal that made the score 7-3 in the first quarter, Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown that gave the Patriots a 14-3 lead before the Broncos blinked. Lewis, along with fellow running back James White and fullback Rex Burkhead are Brady’s security blanket when guys like Gronkowski and wide receiver Brandon Cooks are covered.

White leads the team in receptions (46), Cooks in receiving yards (637) and Gronkowski and wide receiver Chris Hogan in receiving touchdowns (5), making the Patriots’ offense a multi-dimensional unit, engineered by Brady.

Defensively, the Patriots will give up a ton of yards per game (408.3) but teams are scoring just 21.7 points per game. Safety Devin McCourty leads the team with 58 tackles (50 solo), while cornerback Malcolm Butler has two of the team’s seven interceptions this season.

Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy and defensive end Trey Flowers lead New England with 3.5 sacks each. Flowers is second on the team with 55 tackles (46 solo).

Following Sunday’s game, Oakland will return to the Coliseum to take on the Broncos, while New England will host the Dolphins in Week 12.

 

 

Raiders look for second half turnaround after bye week head to Mexico City Nov. 19th

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) signs autographs at the end of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Raiders defeated the Dolphins 27-24. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND — With nine games in the books, the Raiders are 4-5 at the bye week. Coming into the 2017 season, not many people had the Silver and Black under .500 especially with the offensive talent the Raiders sport led by starting quarterback Derek Carr.

In eight games (Carr missed Week 5 with a back injury), Oakland’s signal-caller has thrown for 1,954 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Carr is completing a career-high 65.2-percent of his passes this season and is on pace for another 3,000-yard passing season (his fourth-straight).

As much as wide receivers Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper get most of the praise in the passing game, it has been tight end Jared Cook that has proven to be Carr’s most trusted pass-catcher through the first half of the season.

Cook leads Oakland in receptions (39) and receiving yards (499) this season. The nine-year veteran is just 13 receptions away from tying his career-high of 52 he established in 2014 as a member of the then-St. Louis Rams, and is just 261 receiving yards away of from surpassing his career-high of 759 yards he set in his third season with the Tennessee Titans in 2011.

Cook caught a team-leading eight passes for 128 yards in Oakland’s 27-24 win in Miami last Sunday in prime time on NBC Sunday Night Football.

For Oakland, it was a much needed win coming off a 34-14 loss in Buffalo the previous Sunday, and entering Hard Rock Stadium having lost the previous five straight matchups to the Dolphins.

Despite struggling with dropping the football early in the season, Cooper is second on the team with 38 receptions for 462 yards and three touchdowns. His 11 catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-30 victory over AFC West rival the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 helped snap Oakland’s four-game losing streak after starting the season 2-0.

Crabtree has 36 receptions for 451 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns, three of those scores came in Oakland 45-20 demolishing over the visiting New York Jets in Week 2.

Running back Marshawn Lynch leads the Raiders ground game with 323 yards rushing and four touchdowns this season. The Oakland-native hasn’t put up big numbers this season in his return to the football field after a year of retirement, but his ability to slow down the game and pick up first-downs could be key for the Raiders down the stretch.

If Oakland is leading in the fourth quarter, the ball should be fed to No. 24. No questions asked. Lynch had a bounce back performance against the Dolphins, rushing for 57 yards on 14 carries for two touchdowns after serving a one-game suspension the previous week for making contact with an official against the Chiefs in Week 7.

The NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year in defensive end Khalil Mack leads Oakland with 4.5 sacks this season and continues to be a terror to opposing offensive linemen, but its been the play of cornerback TJ Carrie that flies under the radar.

Carrie is tied with fellow secondary mates Reggie Nelson and Karl Joseph for the team-lead with 50 tackles and has four passes defensed in eight games. The in-season pickup of inside linebacker NaVarro Bowman, who was released by the San Francisco 49ers after seven seasons on Oct. 13, has added a veteran presence and leader with big-game experience to the locker room.

In three games with the Raiders, Bowman has registered 32 tackles (11 tackles in back-to-back games and 10 tackles against the Dolphins), immediately paying dividends for Oakland.

But the fact that the Raiders haven’t recorded an interception through the team’s first nine games (an NFL record), is still a problem. The team’s top pick in last April’s NFL Draft  in cornerback Gareon Conley was expected to be a big part of the defense, but has only played in a handful of plays this year while battling shin splints.

For those of you who are wondering, the 1982 Houston Oilers own the record for fewest interceptions recorded by a defense in a season with three, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Along with the then-1982 Baltimore Colts, the 2005 edition of the Raiders are tied for second in NFL history recording just five interceptions.

When Oakland returns from the bye week, they will have to prepare for quarterback Tom Brady and the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots in Mexico City on Nov. 19.

The 40-year-old Brady is still going strong in his 18th season in the league, second among passers in yards (2,541) and touchdowns (16). His two interceptions are the second-fewest thrown by starting quarterbacks behind Kansas City’s Alex Smith, (league-high 18 touchdowns) who threw his first interception of the season in Week 9.

Before Oakland plays New England, the Raiders will be rooting for the Patriots (6-2) in Week 10, who travel to Denver to take on the Broncos (3-5) Sunday night at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on NBC’s Sunday Night Football in prime time.

 

Niners get new QB, but don’t expect to see him very soon

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Photo credit: @NESN

By Jeremy Harness

The 0-8 49ers got a major shot in the arm Monday night, as they acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots in exchange for a second-round pick next season, a move that is expected to go a long way to resolve a long-standing issue at the quarterback position.

But don’t expect him to see him on the field for at least the next few weeks.

Not the he is injured, but the second-year signal-caller will need time to learn the 49ers’ playbook, which is completely different from that of the Patriots.

In the meantime, to make room for Garoppolo on the roster, the 49ers on Tuesday released Brian Hoyer, who began the season as the team’s starting quarterback but was benched in the second quarter in favor of rookie C.J Beathard two games ago and has not seen the field since.

In addition to having to learn the playbook, the 49ers will also need time to get their situation at left tackle – the quarterback’s blind side – taken care of. Joe Staley was injured in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and he is not expected to be back in the lineup for another three weeks.

Right tackle Trent Brown, who has been going through concussion protocol since being knocked out of Week 7’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys, returned to practice Wednesday and is expected to assume the left tackle position until Staley returns to the field.

Meanwhile, the team has other injury issues, as safety Jimmie Ward was placed on season-ending injured reserve due to the broken forearm that he suffered against the Eagles, which will prompt Eric Reid, who had played the past two weeks at linebacker, to go back to safety for this Sunday.

The 49ers made another move at defensive back on Tuesday, as the team dealt cornerback Rashard Robinson, who has had more than his fair share of on-field troubles this season, to the New York Jets for a fifth-round pick.

This Sunday, the 49ers will face the Arizona Cardinals, another team that has had to deal with unfavorable quarterback issues this year. Their regular starter, Carson Palmer, suffered a broken arm two weeks ago and is expected to miss the remainder of the season.

After the Arizona game, the 49ers will play the disappointing New York Giants, and they will have their bye week following that. At that point, the 49ers can expect to put Garoppolo on the field for the first time, given that he is comfortable with the new playbook at that point, and that no major injuries occur at the quarterback position between now and then.

Aaron Hernandez saga may just be getting started

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In this still image from video, Aaron Hernandez, right, listens beside defense attorney Ronald Sullivan, Friday, April 14, 2017, in court in Boston, as he is pronounced not guilty of murder in the 2012 shootings of two men in a drive-by shooting in Boston. (WHDH-TV via AP, Pool)

By: Ana Kieu

It’s obvious that former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was a criminal who has done a lot of bad things, but the saga surrounding his death may just be getting started. Hernandez was a rather strange man — very talented, yet very secretive and reserved. He was a man of mystery.

Aaron’s two murder trials clearly affected him, but they also affected his family. They haven’t openly commented since his debatable death. They just put up a sign on the door of their Connecticut home that said “no comment.”

Aaron’s older brother D.J. served as a graduate assistant for the Iowa Hawkeyes’ football team. He tried to land a full-time position, but was unable to do so. He was also willing to coach at the Division II level. Many teams were hesistant to hire him because they wanted to avoid the negative publicity. Aaron’s murder trials affected everything from job opportunities to finding dates. Today, D.J. wants a fresh start and now goes by his middle name Jonathan. He currently runs a roofing business named High Rise Roofing in Wylie, Texas.

Aaron’s father Dennis Hernandez passed away on January 6, 2006 after suffering complications from a routine hernia surgery. He was a custodian at Bristol Eastern High School in Bristol, Connecticut. He enjoyed watching both of his sons play sports. He also enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Aaron may have been affected by the sudden death of his father. After all, he was only 16 years old at the time.

Following Dennis’ death, Aaron’s mother Terri Valentine-Hernandez married Jeffrey Cummings, who had a criminal record that included drug charges and domestic violence. He attacked Terri with a knife after a night of drinking. He made cuts on her cheek, shoulder and wrist. He went back to prison. Shortly after the violent incident, Terri filed for divorce.

Terri also dealt with problems of her own. She was arrested for getting involved in a gambling ring when she was simply trying to provide for her family. As a result, no charges were filed against her.

Aaron committed suicide by hanging himself with a bed sheet in his cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, Massachussetts. Kyle Kennedy was Aaron’s alleged prison boyfriend. This controversial statement was released just days after Aaron’s death.

The war of words got quite heated between the two lawyers. Kennedy’s lawyer Lawrence F. Army Jr., said that Aaron knew the 22-year-old man before either of them went to prison. Army also said that Aaron wrote a note that said “I think I’m going to hang it up, lol.” three weeks before hanging himself.

Meanwhile, Aaron’s lawyer Jose Baez said that he never wrote a suicide note to a prison boyfriend. Baez slammed the rumors, claiming that they were just malicious leaks used to tarnish a dead person. He only confirmed the two letters that Aaron wrote to his fiancee Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez and their four-year-old daughter Avielle.

Aaron’s funeral was held on Monday. The following day, his lawyers asked the court to dismiss the murder conviction. Under the law of Massachussetts, his conviction could be vacated because he died before his appeal was heard. He might’ve killed former Boston Bandits linebacker Odin Lloyd to conceal his bisexuality. As bad as it sounds, it’s understandable if he was bisexual and wanted to hide it from the NFL. It’s arguably the most homophobic sports league among the players, coaches and fans.

Kennedy broke his silence Thursday. He said that he missed his friend Aaron and would like to send his condolences to his mother, fiancee and daughter.

Court records also broke the details on Aaron’s home Thursday. His home in North Attleboro, Massachussetts, is worthless. However, there was an offer made by an undisclosed buyer that was worth $1.3 million. The home includes a pool, a sauna and a movie theater.

Jenkins-Hernandez and Avielle currently live in a condo in North Providence, Rhode Island. It seems like she chose Hernandez over her sister, who dated Lloyd before the time of his death. She’s an unmarried widow now, which is a horrible thing. Her daughter will probably get bullied when she goes to school.

There seems to be no end in sight when it comes to the Hernandez saga.

As of right now, best-selling author James Patterson is currently working on a “true crime story” about Hernandez. Patterson is best known for the Alex Cross series of novels. His upcoming book will be in stores in early 2018.

Family holds funeral for Aaron Hernandez, many questions remain unanswered

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Defendant Aaron Hernandez listens during his double murder trial in Suffolk Superior Court, Wednesday, March 29, 2017, in Boston. Hernandez is on trial for the July 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado who he encountered in a Boston nightclub. The former New England Patriots NFL football player is already serving a life sentence in the 2013 killing of semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, Pool)

By: Ana Kieu

Aaron Hernandez was a former New England Patriots tight end who was convicted of killing semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd in 2013. Lloyd played for the Boston Bandits as a linebacker. As a result, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He was also indicted for killing both Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in 2012, however, the judges acquitted him of a double homicide.

Despite having dug himself in a hole, Hernandez remained vehement. How did all of this happen?

Aaron was the son of custodian Dennis Hernandez and school secretary Terri Valentine-Hernandez. He was born in Bristol, Connecticut. He attended Bristol Central High School, where he played for the Rams, starting as a wide receiver before shifting to a tight end. In his senior year of high school, he was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Connecticut after recording 67 receptions for 1,807 yards, 24 offensive touchdowns, 72 tackles, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and four blocked kicks on defense. He also set the Connecticut record with 376 receiving yards in a single game and 180.7 receiving yards per game.

Hernandez’s beautiful life no longer existed. His father died from hernia surgery complications when he was 16. His father was only 49 years old. This moment possibly changed his life forever. He became a quiet person who kept to himself. He opted to play football at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, instead of his initial plan to follow his brother D.J.’s footsteps at the nearby University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut.

Hernandez played college football under head coach Urban Meyer. In his freshman year, he started three games with the Florida Gators, finishing the 2007 season with nine receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns. In his sophomore year, he started 11 out of 13 games, finishing the 2008 season with 34 receptions for 381 yards and five touchdowns. In his junior year, he led the Gators with 68 receptions for 850 yards and five touchdowns. He also won the John Mackey Award as the country’s best tight end in 2009.

Hernandez forwent his senior year to enter the 2010 NFL Draft. He finished his college career with 111 receptions for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns as a Gator. He was drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round with the No. 113 pick in the draft. He signed a four-year contract with a $200,000 signing bonus on June 8, 2010. New England also drafted tight end Rob Gronkowski the day before.

In 2010, Hernandez became the youngest active player on an active roster in the NFL. He finished the season with 45 receptions for 563 yards and six touchdowns. In 2011, he wore the No. 85 on his jersey, but ultimately decided to wear his college number of No. 81. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate. In 2012, he signed a five-year, $40 million contract extension with a $12.5 million signing bonus.

Hernandez’s career was great, but his life slowly went downhill. In 2012, he was indicted for the double homicide of de Abreu and Furtado, but was eventually found not guilty. In 2013, he murdered Lloyd, the boyfriend of his fiancee’s sister. He was charged with first degree murder and five gun charges. These incidents weren’t only wrong, they were also really unbelievable. How could a successful man commit such crimes?

Yes, Hernandez experienced grief after his father’s death, but there are still other possibilities surrounding his personal life that never separated from the workplace. He committed suicide by hanging himself with a bed sheet in the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts on April 19, 2017. He left three suicide notes behind. His fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, demanded that the Massachussetts district attorney must provide copies of the notes. The family received the notes just moments before his private funeral at the O’Brien Funeral Home in Bristol.

Was Hernandez bisexual? Many sources say that he had an alleged male lover in prison. He apparently seduced a 22-year-old armed robber named Kyle Kennedy. We don’t know if this actually happened because his sex life was discreet. If he was bisexual, it’s understandable why he tried to conceal his sexual orientation. The NFL is arguably the most homophobic sports league. Football is a very macho and masculine sport. Despite defensive end Michael Sam becoming the first openly gay player in the league, the homophobia hasn’t ended.

Whether or not Hernandez was bisexual, this provided a twist in the aftermath of his death. The NFL cannot probe about sexual orientation in the hiring process, but gay-hate crimes are common and I wouldn’t be surprised if he did hide his sexual orientation. He seemed like a shy, reserved person. Whatever happens, happens, but one thing’s for sure — he wasted his talent and threw away a career with a plethora of golden opportunities.

NFL Divisional Playoffs Preview: Patriots, Cards, Panthers, and Broncos move on

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

After a 4-0 record last weekend in the wild card round, I can pat myself on the back for accurately picking that Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Green Bay would win, but the divisional round is a whole different animal.

Oh yeah, it was the first time in NFL history that all four road teams won in the wild card round.

With three of the four games rematches from the regular season, there is a chance that all four games are going to come down to the wire. The teams that can execute in crunch time, limit the bone-head mistakes, and penalties will have the greatest chances of playing in next week’s conference championship games.

In the divisional round this weekend, it will be the home teams that will protect their turf with impressive victories and move one step closer to Santa Clara and Super Bowl 50.

Kansas City Chiefs (11-5); 5th seed at New England (12-4); 2nd seed –  Saturday 4:35 p.m. ET/1:35 p.m. PT – CBS

The divisional round is kicked off with Kansas City again, but this time the Chiefs are flying to Foxborough to take on a Patriots team fresh off a bye week.

Kansas City has been the hottest team in football, winners of 11 straight after destroying the Texans 30-0 in Houston last Saturday’s AFC wild card game. It was Kansas City’s first playoff victory in 22 years.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was a difficult cover for the Texans, finishing the game with eight catches for 128 and provided quarterback Alex Smith with a reliable receiver.

Smith’s top playmaker, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, is dealing with a high-ankle sprain and is a game time decision. Should Maclin play, he will draw the attention of Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, who was voted to his first Pro Bowl team this season.

Kansas City does have a solid running game with Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware, who racked up 67 rushing yards. Those two will be heavily involved in the game plan as the weather in Foxborough calls for rain, which makes Kansas City’s running game that much vital if they have a chance to knockoff New England. Ware is dealing with an ankle injury as well, but should be ready to go.

The last time Kansas City played New England, the Chiefs thumped the Patriots 41-14 at Arrowhead last season, prompting talks that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was old and it was time for him to retire.

Brady, who finished the regular season with 36 touchdowns and a 102.2 passer rating (his best numbers in four seasons), should have his full compliment of targets in tight end Rob Gronkowski, and wide receivers Danny Amendola, and Julian Edelman at his disposal.

All three players missed time during the regular season, but New England continued to find ways to win games, but are entering the playoffs with a 2-4 record, the worst six-game record under head coach Bill Belichick to end the season.

Brady was sacked 38 times in the regular season, third-worst in his career. Kansas City has one of the best pass rushes in the league, finishing with 47 sacks, which was two behind New England’s defensive unit.

Kansas will have to provide pressure on Brady and force him to be uncomfortable in the pocket. If you allow Brady to have time to survey the field, he will find the open man and will hurt you.

“Any time you can get to the quarterback and put pressure on him, or make him uncomfortable in the pocket, you can create turnovers,” said Kansas City linebacker Justin Houston this week. “Every week that’s our plan, that’s our goal: Dominate every snap.”

Kansas City forced 29 turnovers this season after just mustering 13 last season. Rookie cornerback Marcus Peters finished tied in the NFL with Bengals safety Reggie Nelson with eight interceptions.

The player to watch for New England is defensive end Chandler Jones, who was hospitalized last Sunday for a “medical emergency.” Jones did apologize to his teammates and coaches Thursday for what he termed as a “stupid mistake” on his part.

Jones recorded 12.5 sacks this season, which was fifth in the league.

The Chiefs look to snap a five-game losing streak in New England, but it’s really tough to pick against Belichick and the Patriots when they’ve had two weeks to prepare.

Chiefs 21 – Patriots 30

Green Bay (10-6); 5th seed at Arizona Cardinals (13-3); 2nd seed –  Saturday 8:15 p.m. ET/5:15 p.m. PT – NBC

In Week 16, Arizona hammered Green Bay 38-8, in which the Cardinals registered nine sacks. The game got out of hand very quickly as the Cardinals held the Packers to just 178 yards of total offense, which was their second-worst offensive output this season.

In addition to the nine sacks, Arizona’s defense scored two touchdowns as Green Bay’s offensive line had no chance at protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay found themselves down 11-0 in a NFC wild card game last week to Washington, before waking up and pulling away from the Redskins 35-18.

One player who really wanted to get another shot at the Cardinals is Rodgers, who was sacked eight times on Dec. 27.

“We kind of felt like this was a possibility to be able to go back after that loss,” said Rodgers per the Packers’ official website. “We’re coming off, obviously, a big win, and in (the Cardinals’) last game they got beat by a lot. So it’s going to be a more competitive game, I bet.”

Arizona got ran out of its own building by NFC West rival Seattle 36-6 in Week 17 to close out the regular season.

Carson Palmer, Arizona’s 36-year-old signal-caller, will attempt to win his first career playoff game for the third time. Palmer set franchise records for a quarterback in passing yards (4,671) and touchdown passes (35). The 13-year veteran leads a Cardinals’ offense that finished first in the league in total yards per game (408.3) and second in points per game (30.6).

In the Dec. 27 meeting, Palmer finished 18 of 27 for 265 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and was sacked twice.

Green Bay’s defense harassed Washington’s quarterback Kirk Cousins, sacking him six times.

Cousins is definitely not Palmer, but Green Bay’s defensive coordinator Dom Capers will need to neutralize Palmer and prevent him from getting the ball to wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald (109 catches, 1,215 yards, 9 TDs), John Brown (65 catches, 1,003 yards, 7 TDs), and Michael Floyd (52 catches, 849 yards, 6 TDs).

Rookie running back David Johnson, who has stepped in nicely for injured starting running back Chris Johnson (no relation), combined for 127 yards receiving and rushing and a touchdown against the Packers this season. Johnson finished the season with 13 total touchdowns and could prove to be the difference maker for Arizona.

The game will be closer than it was in Week 16, but the Cardinals are tough at the University of Phoenix Stadium this season (7-1) in what could be a Saturday night spectacular.

In their previous playoff meeting in 2009, Rodgers threw for 423 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception, but it was the forced fumble and recovery by then-Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby for the game winning score that prove to be the difference in Arizona’s 51-45 overtime victory.

That was Rodgers’ first playoff start.

Packers 27 – Cardinals 33

Seattle (10-6); 6th seed at Carolina Panthers (15-1); 1st seed –  Sunday 1:05 p.m. ET/10:05 a.m. PT – FOX

This is the marquee game of the weekend in my eyes. Two teams that are so evenly matched with two outstanding quarterbacks and defenses that will hit you in the mouth.

In all honesty, Seattle has no business even playing this weekend.

The Seahawks’ season were brought back from the dead after Minnesota’s kicker Blair Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal that would’ve won the game, but held on to a 10-9 victory on the road in Minnesota in last Sunday’s NFC wild card game. Seattle is looking to advance to the NFC Championship game for the third straight year, but will need to put up a herculean effort if they are going to get passed Carolina.

Let’s not forget it was Carolina who went to Seattle last year in the divisional round and lost to the Seahawks 31-17, en route to Seattle’s second straight Super Bowl appearance.

This season, Carolina enacted a bit of revenge when they traveled to Seattle again in Week 6 and beat the Seahawks in a gritty, 27-23, come-from-behind victory. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton threw two first-half interceptions before leading Carolina back from a 13-point deficit in the second half, and hitting his favorite target in tight end Greg Olsen for a 26-yard touchdown catch down the middle of the field with 32 seconds remaining in the game.

Newton, who is one of the favorites to win the league’s MVP award, especially with being the only quarterback in NFL history to throw for 30 touchdowns and rushing for 10 touchdowns, completed 20 of 36 passes for 269 yards. Newton also racked up 30 yards rushing and a touchdown.

After the game, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said that game was “one of the bigger victories we’ve had since I’ve been here.”

Panthers safety Roman Harper recently said that Carolina is “the better team.” “We need to go out and show confidence in who we are and the things we have done all year – and don’t shy away from the pressure.”

“After we played them, (in Week 6), we said “We’ll see you again in the playoffs,” Josh Norman, the Panthers’ Pro Bowl cornerback told Carolina’s official website.

Boy, I can’t wait for this game!

Carolina would make a huge statement in knocking off Seattle. Carolina hasn’t been to the NFC Championship game since 2005, where they lost at Seattle 34-14.  Many believe Seattle are peaking at the right time.

Dealing in the frigid conditions of Minnesota where the temperature was below-zero, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson completed 13 of 26 passes for 142, one touchdown and one interception.

Wide receiver Doug Baldwin caught five passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. Baldwin had a breakout season, finishing with 78 catches for 1,069 yards and 14 touchdowns. Seattle’s top receiver should see a lot of Norman, who can get under a wide receiver’s skin with his trash talking and suffocating-like cover skills.

Running back Marshawn Lynch is expected to play this week after not making the trip to Minnesota last week. Lynch should provide Seattle with a much needed running game to take a little of the pressure off of Wilson.

Seattle’s top-ranked run defense (81.5 yards per game)was on full display last week, holding NFL rushing champion Adrian Peterson to 45 yards on 23 carries.

One thing is for certain, there will be a streak that will come to an end Sunday, either Carolina’s 11 game home winning streak, or Seattle’s franchise record six game road playoff win streak – which includes last week’s victory in Minnesota.

Its a toss up, but Carolina looks like the time is now for them to take the next step.

Seahawks 17 – Panthers 20

Pittsburgh (10-6); 6th seed at Denver (12-4); 1st seed –  Sunday 4:40 p.m. ET/1:40 p.m. PT – CBS

With quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hampered by a shoulder injury and will be limited Sunday and wide receiver Antonio Brown out with a concussion, there is no way that Pittsburgh is going to travel to Denver and take out the Broncos Sunday to close out the divisional round.

Denver’s secondary is much healthier now than it was on Dec. 20 where Roethlisberger completed 40 of 55 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns, and Brown caught 16 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, all season-highs for any opponent against Denver’s tough defense.

Denver did record two interceptions and three sacks off of Roethlisberger in the Week 15 encounter.

Roethlisberger is the only quarterback to throw over 300 yards against Denver this season.

“We got lucky the first time,” said Roethlisberger via the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. “We made plays, they had guys injured, we were at home. It’s not going to be that easy (again).”

Pittsburgh slipped by AFC North rival Cincinnati 18-16 last Saturday in an AFC wild card match up. The Steelers were aided by back-to-back Cincinnati penalties in the fourth quarter that setup kicker Chris Boswell’s 35-yard game winning field goal in the closing seconds of the game.

Denver will start quarterback Peyton Manning in Sunday’s contest. Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler completed 21 of 44 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns, but this will be Manning’s show.

Wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders combined for 15 catches, 242 yards and three touchdowns on Dec. 20, gives Manning the necessary targets to exploit a Steelers’ defense that ranks 30th in the NFL in passing defense yielding 271.9 yards per game this season.

Denver has won eight of their last 11 meetings against Pittsburgh at Mile High, including a 29-23 overtime thriller in a AFC wild card game on Jan 8, 2012 behind a Tim Tebow 80-yard touchdown pass to Thomas.

Steelers 21 – Broncos 35

Stats provided by Elias Sports Bureau, NFL.com,  and STATS LLC.