Aaron Rodgers on Bryce Young: ‘I like the kid a lot’

The Carolina Panthers hopefully found their franchise quarterback when they selected Bryce Young out of Alabama with the number one overall pick in this year’s draft.

Young, 22, is expected to lead Carolina this season and beyond. Since moving on from Cam Newton in 2019, the Panthers have been searching for that guy to lead the way, and anytime you pick a quarterback number one, you’re expecting him to lead the way for a long time.

This week, the Panthers and the Jets are having joint practices in Spartanburg, SC. In addition, the two teams will face off in a preseason game in Carolina on Saturday.

Aaron Rodgers, who shares the same agent as Young, gave his impressions on the first-year quarterback.

“I saw him in the last two-minute drive,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “I like the kid a lot; we share an agent. So, I’ve known about him for a long time. I loved watching him in college. I like his demeanor. I like his movement. I like the way he throws. I trust the guy that got him, him and I have been good buddies for a long time, and he just raves about him. So, I think Carolina is in good hands.

Rodgers also had a little advice for Young.

“Be gentle with yourself,” Rodgers said. “It’s a long journey. It feels like every little snap and practice is the end of the world if it doesn’t go right. It’s just not true. It’s a long, long journey. It’s about hold onto your confidence and enjoying the ride, enjoying the little things every day. But I think he’s got a great head on his shoulders, and he’ll be just fine.”

It’s hard to be a quarterback in the NFL, and it’s even harder to be a rookie quarterback, so any advice that you can get from an all-time great is gold!

Giants’ Jones on one-handed catch: ‘I just tried to pull it in’

Injuries and poor play on defense have hampered the New York Giants(2-5) this season. Due to injury, New York was without four of their top offensive weapons in Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, and Kadarius Toney against the Panthers on Sunday, but it was next man up for New York.

Wide receiver Dante Pettis stepped up and caught five passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. Running back Devontae Booker had 51 yards rushing and a touchdown, and the Giants’ defense kept the Panthers out of the end zone as New York snapped a two-game losing streak and defeated Carolina(3-4) 25-3 at MetLife Stadium.

Coming into this game against the Panthers, New York’s defense was ranked 26th, but on Sunday, they stepped up. Carolina finished with only 117 passing yards and 173 yards of total offense. The unit also forced a safety when they pressured Darnold in the second quarter. He threw a pass from the end zone that wasn’t near an eligible receiver, resulting in an intentional grounding penalty.

In addition, the Giants forced one turnover and sacked Darnold and P.J. Walker three times. Ultimately, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule benched Darnold in the fourth quarter. 

Giants corner James Bradberry, who spent four seasons with the Panthers and had an interception on Sunday, believed the New York’s defense frustrated Carolina’s offense.

“I think their whole offense was getting frustrated,” he said. “I know that our front seven did a great job of rushing the passer and getting after the quarterback. I think that affected him today. As far as seeing another quarterback come in, I’m not sure, he’s just another quarterback to me, and I’m trying to get an interception. That’s what I was thinking when he got in. I figured we still have to make some plays to keep our offense ahead.”

Giants DE Leonard Williams, who had 1.5 sacks on Sunday, felt the defense had to step up and carry the team.

“As a unit, we kind of talked about putting the team on our back more and how our team is—what we think our team is built around the defense,” he said. “We take pride in being a defensive team, and you know, so far this year, we haven’t really been stepping up to the plate, and I think this was a really big game for us. We didn’t allow any touchdowns, and we’re putting our offense in some good field position, and we closed the game out like we wanted to.”

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones made the play of the game. The third-year quarterback, who was 23/33 for 203 yards and touchdown, made a one-handed grab for 16 yards in the third quarter after a throw by Pettis was a little high. The play helped set up New York’s first touchdown.

“Yeah, it was a pretty unathletic route getting out there, so he put it out there for me, and I just tried to pull it in,” Jones said. “Good play, good design, something we’d worked on all week. Good throw by (Wide Receiver) Dante (Pettis).”

Outstanding all-around performance by New York, and now they get ready to head to Kansas City to battle the Chiefs on Monday Night Football.

Watch below as Jones talks catch, and reacts to win over Panthers:

Newton, Belichick can prove a lot of people wrong in 2020(VIDEO)

It happened! Cam Newton finally has a job, and if things work out, it could be a good job. Newton agreed to a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the Patriots last week. If all goes well, the 31-year-old Newton has an opportunity to win in New England, and Bill Belichick has a chance to prove he can win without Tom Brady.

The Patriots have a defense that can help this team win now. Last season, the Patriots’ were number one in total defense and points allowed. When Newton had his MVP season and led the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2015, he had an outstanding defense.

In the last two seasons, Newton has played in only 16 games due to foot and shoulder injuries, but at this point, he is healthy and ready to prove the doubters wrong. If he beats out second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham in 2020 and plays well, he could put himself in a position to get a big contract. When healthy and at his best, Newton can be one of the better quarterbacks in football. However, there is also a possibility that he could be done. We will find the answer in 2020.

Regarding Belichick, he has to prove that he can win without Brady, who, after 20 years with the Patriots, took his talents to Tampa Bay. With Brady as the starting quarterback, Belichick is 219-64 in the regular season with Brady. Without Brady in the regular season, Belichick is 54-63. 

Therefore, Belichick, just like Newton, has a lot to prove. 

Listen below:

 

 

(WATCH) Torrey Smith: ‘Nick(Foles), Carson(Wentz) are two of the best leaders I’ve ever been around’

Carson Wentz and Nick Foles are two guys who had a lot of success in Philadelphia, especially during the 2017 NFL season. For Wentz, he led the Eagles through most of the 2017 season and put the team in position to have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, while Foles was able to finish the job after Wentz went down with an injury by leading the Eagles to a victory in Super Bowl 52. Foles would step in for Wentz last season after Wentz went down with a back injury and lead the Eagles to the playoffs in 2018.

Foles was rewarded for efforts when he signed a four-year, $88 million deal with the Jaguars this offseason, while Wentz will return to lead the Eagles in 2019.

Last season, some Eagles’ players reportedly had some issues with the leadership style of Wentz, and Wentz later acknowledged himself that he could have been a better teammate in 2018.

However, according to former Eagle and current Carolina Panthers WR Torrey Smith, both Wentz and Foles are great leaders.

“Nick(Foles), Carson(Wentz) are two of the best leaders I’ve ever been around, period. Coaches, players, classmates, whoever,” Smith said at his 8th annual charity basketball game in Baltimore on Saturday.  “They are like models for who you want your kid to be like, your daughter to date, your team to be led by, so there’s no surprise that we had success with both of them leading the team when I was there… Those are the two dudes that I love to death as players, as people.”

High praise from Smith, and you can’t argue with success both guys have had with the Eagles.

Ultimately, Smith is looking forward to seeing Wentz and Foles perform in 2019.

“I can’t wait to see what Nick does knowing what he’s been through in his journey, and I can’t wait to see what Carson does with a healthy year because he’s gets hurt one game later, he’s the MVP, right,(2017 season),” Smith said. “That’s just the way this business goes, and Foles obviously is a legend for helping to pick up the torch and lead the team to a Super Bowl victory. But, he’ll be down there in Jacksonville, and he’ll have an opportunity to be the guy and not have to worry about trying being second. So, I’m excited for him to have that opportunity and to shine.”

For more information about Torrey Smith’s Family Fund, please visit the website:

https://www.torreysmith.org/latest/news/

Listen to the complete interview below:

 

 

 

NFL announces matchups for the five international regular-season games in 2019

The National Football League today announced the matchups for its five 2019 international regular-season games – four in the UK and one in Mexico.

The quality of the 2019 international offering is apparent in three division games and five playoff participants, including the NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams.  Two of the four London Games will feature teams playing in the UK for the first time, while Mexico City will host a meeting of long-time AFC West division rivals.

​​The 2019 international games:

​Country Visiting Team Home Team
Mexico Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers
UK Carolina Panthers Tampa Bay Buccaneers
UK Chicago Bears Oakland Raiders
UK Cincinnati Bengals Los Angeles Rams
UK Houston Texans Jacksonville Jaguars​​

Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium will host a matchup between the AFC West rival Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers. Both teams, who finished the 2018 regular season with identical 12-4 records, will be playing in Mexico City for the first time.

The AFC South champion Houston Texans – who face the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars – and the Carolina Panthers – who face their NFC South foes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – will both make their London debuts. It will bring the total number of NFL teams to have played in the UK to 31 in 28 regular-season games by the end of the 2019 season. The Jaguars will be playing a home game in London for the seventh consecutive season.

The Rams, who will face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII, will host a London game for the fourth time when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals, while the Oakland Raiders will return to London for the second straight year, facing the NFC North division champion Chicago Bears.

The NFL will play two games at Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium, with two at Wembley Stadium.

Dates, kickoff times and venues for all international games will be announced in conjunction with the release of the full NFL schedule this spring.

Ex-Panther Avant believes Carolina can go to Super Bowl if Newton has big year(Video)

Panthers QB Cam Newton struggled at times in 2017, but he was able to help Carolina win four of their last five games, which helped the team make the playoffs. In the playoffs, Newton played well against the Saints in the Wild Card round, but Carolina fell short, losing 31-26.

Now, the Panthers have a new offensive coordinator in Norv Turner, so maybe Newton can get back to the guy he was in 2015. During that 2015 season, Newton was the league’s MVP, and the Panthers were able to get to the Super Bowl.

According to former Panthers WR Jason Avant, who played with Carolina in 2014, Newton has to put more work in the classroom.

“He’s a great player; he has to continue to progress in the classroom,” Avant recently told Paul Gant. “He’s a great athlete, great talent. Cam just has to put the time in.”

If Newton does make progress in the classroom, Avant believes the Panthers can go to the Super Bowl.

Listen below as Avant talks Cam Newton:

 

 

Sean Payton dancing after Saints’ victory(Watch)

The New Orleans Saints are moving on! The Saints beat the Panthers 31-26 on Sunday to advance to the Divisional Round of the playoffs to face the Vikings.

After the game, there was a party in the Saints’ locker room! All the players were dancing, including Saints coach Sean Payton.

Take a look:

Panthers’ Thomas Davis suspended two games by NFL

Here is the statement from the NFL on Thomas Davis’ suspension:

THOMAS DAVIS of the Carolina Panthers has been suspended without pay for two games for a violation of safety-related playing rules in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

NFL Vice President of Football Operations JON RUNYAN issued the suspension.

In his letter to Davis notifying him of the suspension, Runyan noted that Davis violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 7 (b) (1) which prohibits unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture by “forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm or shoulder, even if the initial contact is lower than the player’s neck.”

Runyan wrote:

“During an interception return, you took a path toward your opponent who was pursuing the play and delivered a violent and unnecessary blindside block to his head and neck area.  You have been previously fined for violations of safety-related rules.  Your actions yesterday warrant an escalation of discipline, not only because they were flagrant, but also because of your status as a repeat offender.”

Davis will be eligible to return to the Panthers’ active roster on Monday, January 1 following the team’s December 31 game against the Atlanta Falcons.  He will also miss the club’s December 24 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the suspension may be appealed within three business days. Appeals are heard and decided by either DERRICK BROOKSor JAMES THRASH, the officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA to decide appeals of on-field player discipline.

Cam Newton: ‘My sarcasm trying to give somebody kind of a compliment turned in ways I never would have even imagined’

It was a rough week for Panthers QB Cam Newton, but it ended just great as the Panthers defeated the Lions 27-24 on Sunday. Newton, who was roundly criticize for perceived sexist comments to Charlotte Observer writer Jourdan Rodrigue on Wednesday, threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns against the Lions.

Because of his comments, Newton lost a sponsorship deal with Dannon Oikos Yogurt, which according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, will go to Cowboys QB Dak Prescott.

Newton addressed the situation after the game:

“My sarcasm trying to give somebody kind of a compliment turned in ways I never would have even imagined,” Newton said.

Take a listen:

Cam Newton: ‘My word choice was extremely degrading’

Panthers QB Cam Newton apologized on Thursday night for his comments on Wednesday, which many have called sexist.

On Wednesday, Newton was asked a question about the route running style of WR Devin Funchess by Charlotte Observer beat reporter Jourdan Rodrigue. Newton had this to say: “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes.”

Because of his comments, Newton lost a sponsorship deal with Oikos Greek Yogurt

Here is Newton’s apology from Thursday night: