Tag: NFL

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: How prepared are the 49ers?; Penalty provides big break in first win of season

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On the 49ers podcast with David Zizmor:

The San Francisco 49ers nearly threw away last Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions literally when 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo passed a ball that was intercepted by a Lions defender. With the turnover it nearly derailed a faltering lead that once was 17 points in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium.

The 49ers caught a break when a penalty flag was thrown against the Lions for a holding call on offensive back Quandre Diggs. That called back a return on Garoppolo’s pass from the Lions safety Tracy Walker who ran the interception for 37 yards and ironically was tackled by Garoppolo which would have spotted the ball on the seven yard line and the 49ers barely holding onto a three-point lead 30-27.

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

Raiders lose late to Broncos 20-19; fall to 0-2

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By Jeremy Kahn

Things were looking fantastic for the first 59:54, but it was the last six seconds of the game that cost the Oakland Raiders the game.

Brandon McManus kicked a 36-yard field goal with six seconds remaining in the game, as the Denver Broncos came back from a 12-point second half deficit to defeat the Raiders 20-19 at Broncos Stadium at Sports Authority Field on Sunday.

Case Keenum, who is in his first year with the Broncos already knows too well about miracle finishes, as he led the “Minnesota Miracle,” where the Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints in the waning seconds of the NFC Divisional Playoff Game.

Keenum and the Broncos got the ball on their 20-yard line with no timeouts remaining and 1:58 remaining in the game, and led down the field.

After a holding penalty pushed them back, Keenum got going on that final drive, as he found Emmanuel Sanders for 21 yards and then Jake Butt for an additional 14 yards.

Keenum then found out Jon Heuerman for four yards, and then the big play came when Keenum found Tim Patrick for 26 yards to get them down to the Raiders 18-yard line, setting up McManus for the eventual game-winning field goal.

Derek Carr got the ball back, and he completed a pass to Amari Cooper, but Cooper was unable to get away and stepped out of bounds; however, the clock ran out and the game was over.

Carr bounced back from an off night in the opener, as he went 29-for32 for 281 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon.

Amari Cooper, who was held to just four catches in the season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, caught 10 passes for 116 yards.

Marshawn Lynch was the leading ground gainer for the Raiders, as he carried the ball 18 times for 65 yards and a touchdown.

Lynch’s touchdown gave the Raiders an early 12-0 lead, but Mike Nugent’s extra point was blocked and that ended up being huge in the end of the game for the Raiders.

Nugent gave the Raiders on the board on their first series, as he kicked a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter He then kicked a 46-yard field goal in the second quarter, and then Lynch scored on a one-yard run.

The Broncos finally got on the board in the third quarter, as Royce Freeman scored on a one-yard run and after Carr found Seth Roberts for a 20-yard touchdown pass, the Broncos defense never allowed the Raiders to score again.

McManus got the Broncos within nine, as he kicked a 39-yard field goal and then Keenum narrowed the Raiders lead down to just two, when scored on a one-yard run with under six minutes remaining in the game.

Unfortunately, the Raiders were not able to run out the clock and the Broncos got the ball back and McManus kicked the game-winning field goal that sent the Raiders to an 0-2 record on the season.

NOTES: When the game began in Denver, the temperature was 92 degrees, the highest temperature at the start of a game since the Broncos were founded in 1960. It beat the old record by one degree from a game against the Seattle Seahawks on September 19, 2010.

Former Raiders offensive lineman Jared Veldheer was forced to leave the game for the Broncos in the second half after suffering a concussion.

UP NEXT: Still looking for their first win of the season, the Raiders stay on the road, as they will head to Miami to face the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on September 23 at 10:10 am PDT.

49ers Hang On in Home Opener vs. Lions for First Win of the Year 30-27

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By: Joe Lami

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It came down to the wire and with a little help from the officials, but the San Francisco 49ers have their first win of the 2018 season as they beat the Detroit Lions 30-27 in the home opener at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

After going into halftime with a 13-10 lead, San Francisco started the second half with a bang. D.J. Reed Jr. got the half started by bringing the kick back to the house, only to be penalized for grabbing a defender’s face mask along the way. Despite the penalty, the 49ers were set up with excellent field position at the Lions’ 25-yard line to start the third quarter.

“Everyone held their blocks. For me, it was easy, and anybody could have done what I did. My whole special teams unit did a good job blocking. [Special team’s] coach Hightower did a good job setting it up,” added Reed.

Jimmy Garoppolo capped off the drive with his second touchdown pass of the day, finding Garrett Celek underneath. The 30-year-old tight end carried three defenders with him across the goal line to make the score 20-10.

The 49ers extended their lead in the third with a 66-yard Matt Breida rushing score to cap a three-play, 97-yard drive. The longest rush for the 49ers since 2014 made the score 27-13, but they then allowed the Lions to get back in it.

Breida had his coming out party for the 49ers, lighting up the Lions’ defense, carrying the ball 11 times for 138 yards and the score.

Led by Matthew Stafford, the Lions crawled their way back into the game bringing the score within three with 3:33 remaining, putting all the pressure on the 49ers offense to move the ball.

When the pressure came San Francisco’s way, Garoppolo made a mistake with 2:24 left and threw a pick that the Lions returned down to seven-yard-line. However, a crucial defensive holding call saved the day for San Francisco giving an automatic first down. The 49ers ended up punting with 1:08 remaining, but the defense stepped up and shut the door, not letting Lions get past midfield to secure the win.

In the win, Garoppolo improved from last week, throwing 18-of-26 for 206 yards and two touchdowns. However, Garoppolo was sacked five times in the process, with most of them being coverage sacks. The wide receivers didn’t do their job in man coverage as they struggled to get open, which allowed the pass rush to get to Garoppolo.

More importantly, three of the five sacks came within the red zone, which continues to be a pain point in the 49ers’ offense. San Francisco is reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring wide receiver, Josh Gordon to come in and help in the red zone after the Browns came out and said he would be available come Monday.

The 49ers once again leaned heavily on kicker, Robbie Gould, who was perfect in knocking down all three of his field goals from 45, 42, and 36-yards, respectively. In doing so, he set a new franchise record for consecutive field goals made, passing Phil Dawson with 29 straight.

San Francisco did escape Sunday with a win, but there was no reason for the game to be even close. The 49ers got comfortable with the lead and let the Lions back in the game. Let it be a lesson for a young team learning how to win and don’t let it happen again, or it will cost them against stronger opponents in the future.

“I feel like the energy kind of fell off a little bit, and we needed to build it back up that last defensive stand that we had. I feel like guys kind of woke up during that last drive on defense. We’ve got to keep the pedal down all four quarters,” said defensive lineman DeForest Buckner.

The 49ers will attempt to keep the pedal down all four quarters next week, as they travel to Kansas City to try and stop Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs next Sunday at 10:00 am PDT.

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Martavis Bryant is back once again after being waived for 11 days; Bryant very quick and difficult to cover says Derek Carr

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On the Oakland Raiders podcast with J Hawkes:

#1 Raiders receiver Martavis Bryant is back after being waived by the team 11 days ago. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Reggie McKenzie brought Bryant back on Tuesday.

#2 This move was made because Bryant had out-performed the other receivers and the Raiders had waived receiver Keon Hatcher, which was also a surprise move.

#3 Bryant’s return was based on some of the things that took place on offense receiving on Monday night and after weighing what they saw Bryant cut mustard and Gruden and McKenzie was glad that he was not signed by anybody else.

#4 On September 1st, Bryant was under consideration by the NFL to be suspended a third time by the league for substance abuse and he would have been banned for one year or the rest of this season. The league did not decide to discipline Bryant and allowed him to play and the Raiders got him back.

#5 Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said that other teams try to contain Bryant on defense, but have trouble covering him because he’s so quick off the line. Carr and Gruden are anxious to see what he can do in Denver this Sunday.

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

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Lami: 49ers hope to get first win in home opener on Sunday versus Lions

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On the 49ers podcast with Joe:

#1 With the first loss and first road trip of the year out of the way, the 49ers are looking to turn the page and try to get in the win column versus the Detroit Lions this Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.

#2 Linebacker Brock Coyle will be out this Sunday after suffering a concussion last Sunday in Minnesota, but also a T-4 compression fracture in his back. He certainly will be miss out of the 49ers’ lineup.

#3 Coyle is expected to be out six weeks and linebacker Malcolm Smith is also out and has not practiced Smith is suffering from a hamstring injury he received in the preseason.

#4  In addition to Smith, receiver Marquise Goodwin (quadriceps), guard Joshua Garnett (toe) and safety Adrian Colbert (hamstring) all have been listed as questionable by 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.

#5 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw for three interceptions last Sunday. Was this a matter of a lack of protection from the offensive line or was he just not focused and threw into coverage?

49ers podcasts can be heard with Joe Lami each Friday and with David Zizmor each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland Raiders podcast with Tony Renteria: Rams spoiled Raiders’ home opener; Raiders made some roster moves

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On the Raiders podcast with Tony:

1. A strong defensive first half wasn’t enough for the Raiders, who lost to the LA Rams 33-13 during ESPN’s Monday Night Football to wrap up Week 1.

2. Jared Cook’s 180 receiving yards in Raiders vs. Rams were the most by a tight end in franchise history.

3. The Raiders signed wide receiver Johnny Holton to their practice squad. In a corresponding move, they terminated the contract of defensive back Terrell Sinkfield.

4. Raiders coach Jon Gruden provided an update on the injury of long snapper Andrew DePaola. This isn’t the way the Raiders wanted to start the season, but tight end Lee Smith stepped in as the emergency long snapper.

5. The Raiders signed free agent wide receiver Martavis Bryant and long snapper Trent Sieg. In corresponding moves, they placed long snapper Andrew DePaola on the Reserve/Injured List and have waived wide receiver Keon Hatcher.

Tony does the Raiders podcasts each Thursday for SportsRadioService.com

49ers look to bounce back in home opener vs. Lions

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By Jeremy Harness

The 49ers will get their season on track on Sunday, as they will host the Detroit Lions in their first home game of the year.

However, as was the case most of last season, the team is dealing with a multitude of injuries at key positions, following an opening-week 24-16 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, a game that saw Jimmy Garoppolo throw three interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown.

The 49ers got a little thinner at the linebacker position this week, as they placed Brock Coyle on the injured reserve/eligible to return list. According to head coach Kyle Shanahan, he had not only a concussion in the team’s opening week loss to Minnesota, but he also suffered a T-4 compression fracture in his back.

Coyle will be out at least six weeks, and at that point, he is expected to be able to resume football activities. Beyond that, his timetable for return is uncertain.

Meanwhile, fellow linebacker Malcolm Smith did not practice Wednesday due to a hamstring injury he suffered during the preseason. Among the others who did not practice were receiver Marquise Goodwin (quadriceps), guard Joshua Garnett (toe) and safety Adrian Colbert (hamstring).

All of them are listed as questionable to play Sunday against the Lions, whose injury report is not nearly as long as that of the 49ers. Guard T.J Lang (back) and tackle Andrew Donnal (knee) were both held out of practice on Wednesday.

Just like the 49ers, the Lions are still licking their wounds after a tough loss in Week 1. However, the Lions were more decisively beaten at home Monday night against the New York Jets. Just like Garoppolo, Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford had his bouts with interceptions. The veteran threw four to the other team, including one that was returned for a touchdown in a 48-17 rout.

Raiders travel to Denver looking to bounce back after home loss

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

OAKLAND — After a very poor showing at home against the Los Angeles Rams, the Raiders travel to Denver to take on the Broncos in an AFC West matchup Sunday at 1:25 p.m. PT. The two teams will meet each other later this year on ESPN’s Monday Night Football on Christmas Eve in Oakland.

Last season, the two teams split their two-game series winning on their home turf.

The Raiders (0-1) fell flat on their faces to the Rams 33-13 in front of a sold out Raider Nation crowd of 53,857 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on ESPN’s Monday Night Football to closeout Week 1. Oakland held a 13-10 lead at halftime in head coach Jon Gruden’s return to the sidelines after a nine-year hiatus, before the wheels fell off for the Silver and Black in the second half as the Rams scored 23 unanswered points to claim the victory.

In the battle of franchise quarterbacks, Rams signal-caller Jared Goff clearly outplayed Derek Carr in front of a nationally televised audience. Both quarterbacks played a handful of snaps in the preseason and there was bound to be some rust in the first game.

For Goff, he completed 18 of 33 passes for 233 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions picking up right where he left off engineering the NFL’s top scoring offense from a season ago. The Rams averaged 29.9 points per game last year.

Oakland’s defense couldn’t generate a consistent pass rush against Goff, only sacking him once in the game by Bruce Irvin.

Neither could they stop last year’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley. The Rams running back looked in midseason form, carrying the ball 20 times for 108 yards. Gurley also hauled in three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown.

After a hot start to the game where he completed 20 of 24 passes for 199 yards, Carr played pedestrian finishing 29 of 40 for 303 yards and three interceptions. Carr did have good chemistry with tight end Jared Cook, who caught a game-high nine balls or a league-high 180 yards.

Seven of Cook’s catches went for first downs, which tied for the most in Week 1.

Cook’s 45-yard catch-and-run down the middle of the field in the first quarter on the Raiders’ opening drive did set up Oakland’s first touchdown of the season, a 10-yard powerful run by running back Marshawn Lynch that gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead, but those were the only real highlights for the Raiders offensively as Oakland settled for two Mike Nugent field goals.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper, who Gruden said would be a “focal point” to the offense this season, was missing in action as he caught just one pass for nine yards.

Cooper looked out of place on opening night, matched up with cornerback and Oakland native Marcus Peters for most of the night. If you go back and look at the game film, Cooper appeared open down the field on occasions but for some strange reason, Carr couldn’t get him the ball.

Peters would take Carr’s third interception 50 yards for a touchdown that punctuated a night to forget for Carr.

Oakland could find it difficult to get back on track against Denver (1-0), who prevailed over the visiting Seattle Seahawks 27-24 last Sunday at Broncos Stadium at Mile High.

Broncos starting quarterback Case Keenum completed 25 of 39 passes for 329 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions in his first game with the team.

Keenum enjoyed a career-year last season in Minnesota, throwing for 3,547 yards with 22 touchdowns to just seven interceptions while leading the Vikings to a 13-3 regular season record, an NFC North title, and appearance in the NFC Championship Game before signing a two-year, $36 million (with $25 million guaranteed) with Denver in the offseason.

Wide receiver Emmauel Sanders led the Broncos with 10 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown (fellow wide out Demaryius Thomas chipped in with six catches for 63 yards and a touchdown), while Denver’s ground game anchored by rookie running backs Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay (15 carries for 71 each), found holes to run through in Seattle’s defense. Lindsay also caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Keenum.

Denver’s defense had a huge day against Seattle forcing three turnovers and sacking Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson six times, three by linebacker Von Miller, who finished with six tackles (one assisted).

Miller also forced two fumbles, one of which where he ripped the ball away from running back Chris Carson for a Broncos takeaway.

Linebacker Todd Davis led Denver with eight tackles.

Following Sunday’s game, both teams head east as the Broncos travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens, while Oakland invades Miami for a matchup with the Dolphins.

Headline Sports with London Marq: Raiders might quit Oakland due to city’s lawsuit; 49ers just ran up against very good team in loss; Chair umpires call for boycott of Serena matches

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On the Headline Sports with London:

#1 The City of Oakland plan to sue the Oakland Raiders for financial impact loss to the city. The Raiders have said if the city continues with the suit, the team will pull up stakes and find a temporary site to play until their new stadium is ready.

#2 There was a lot of expectation on the Raiders on Monday night and a lot of hype on the return of head coach Jon Gruden and the trade of star Khalil Mack going into the regular season, but Oakland took a convincing 33-13 loss to the LA Rams on Monday night.

#3 How badly was the loss to the Minnesota Vikings for the San Francisco 49ers 24-16? Did Jimmy Garoppolo show promise despite the loss?

#4 Tennis chair umpires are calling for a boycott for future matches with Serena Williams. Tennis officials are upset due to the lack of support for chair umpire Carlos Ramos that umpires said Williams labeled Ramos a sexist, a thief, and owing Williams an apology for violation calls. But tennis chair umpires point to her unsportsmanship-like conduct in her U.S. Open match.

#5 Wild card races have the Oakland A’s and the New York Yankees most likely heading to a one-game playoff at the end of the regular season. The A’s have won five straight, but looking ahead-how do you see this one-game match up possibly in New York between the A’s and Yankees?

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

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: How much of a let down will this loss be for Garoppolo going into Week 2?

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On the 49ers podcast with David:

#1 The perfect record of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo at seven straight NFL wins and five straight 49ers wins came to an end on Sunday with a 24-16. Talk about the pressure to win for Garoppolo and to keep that win streak going.

#2 Garoppolo was 15-33 for 261 yards, but three interceptions. What was the break down in Garoppolo’s game and how the interceptions play a role in being a monkey wrench in the 49ers’ offensive game?

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