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Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Ex-Eagles Pro Bowler Shares Truth On Jalen Hurts' Latest Run
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A conversation surrounding Jalen Hurts and his ranking as a top athlete in the city of Philadelphia riled up the Philadelphia Eagles fan base this past week. As a local sports radio station, 94WIP, ranked the top 11 athletes in the market, one host shocked many when Hurts was left off the list. Despite the Pro Bowl quarterback leading his team to a Super Bowl victory and being named the game's MVP just a few months back, Hurts couldn't win over everybody. Not everybody at the station agreed that Hurts should've been left out of the mix. However, a further discussion about whether Hurts' 2024 NFL season was good or great took place on the airwaves earlier this week. When asked the simple question, former Eagles defensive lineman Hugh Douglas took the latter stance. "Jalen didn't start out the season the way we wanted him to. He probably didn't start out the season the way he wanted to, but as the season progressed, Jalen evolved," said the former first-round pick. LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 22: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up prior to the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 22: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up prior to the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. "Jalen did what was necessary. It didn't always look pretty, but he got the job done. He was the right man for the job, and he got the job done. So, when you ask me that question in its entirety, 'How was Jalen's season?' I would say it was great. The reason why I would say it was great is because he won the ultimate prize. He won the Super Bowl. He got his team to the Super Bowl, and he was able to win it." Did Jalen Hurts have a good or great 2024 season? — SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) June 17, 2025 Looking at the simple numbers, Hurts had his least-productive passing year outside of his rookie season. The veteran quarterback threw for 2,903 yards. He tossed 18 touchdowns and just five interceptions. In the three years leading up to the 2024 NFL season, Hurts averaged 477 passes per season. Last year, he threw just 361 times. Some might use that as an argument to say the Eagles threw less because Hurts couldn't be relied on as much in the passing game. However, it was his most accurate passing year, completing 69 percent of his passes. While key members of the Eagles' offense admitted that the passing game could use some work throughout the year, it was also not utilized as much due to the presence of the MVP-caliber running back, Saquon Barkley. With Barkley putting together a record-breaking season, the Eagles took advantage of his presence. Sometimes, it came at the expense of Hurts' passing. Douglas, a former Pro Bowler, views Hurts' 2024 campaign as a great one. It's not a take that everybody agrees with, but he makes a valid point. For more Philadelphia Eagles and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'DJ taking us to the playoffs': Indianapolis Colts' QB Daniel Jones will be trained by Jalen Hurts' offensive head coach
(Image via Getty: Daniel Jones) Jalen Hurts became an unstoppable force in his pursuit of the Super Bowl LIX title. Imagine the same kind of energy entering a different NFL player? Now add to that an open quarterback competition(with Anthony Richardson) - wouldn't it all be too good a story to tell? Too good a player to be? Oh, wait. Add Jalen Hurts' creative offensive head coach, Shane Steichen, to it. And it becomes, 'DJ taking us to the playoffs!' as rightly written by one fan. 28-year-old Indianapolis Colts' newest quarterback, Daniel Jones, is going to take the late Jim Asray's team to the playoffs. But some fans don't believe Daniel Jones can take the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs - they say Jones shines in the offseason but crumbles during the regular season. Everybody looks like a superstar before real games are played, commented one fan for Indianapolis Colts' newest quarterback Daniel Jones An X account shared a video of Daniel Jones' classic QB throw with the caption: 'Daniel Jones leaves and instantly starts throwing nice deep balls I'm done.' Fans commented on that X post with in-chorus reactions: Yeah bro its practice hero season for him. He'll be trash or on a stretcher before September. He aint throwing Darts though Never had an issue with him throwing balls in SPRING PRACTICE like MOST QBs. Its when football actually turns into football thats his bugaboo He does this every offseason. Why we had false hope every year He always looked alright in practice but game time with pass rush he crumbled under the pressure He does this ts every year in camp The problem was never when he was in shorts He always looks solid in practice lol He always did in the off-season program and practice. Games came and he hid in his shell Everybody looks like a superstar before real games are played ! He fooled us 6 seasons in a row think I'm gonna fall for that now lmao He did this with the Giants too. The second it matters he crumbles My dude. Its practice. Danny Jones is the best minicamp qb ever That's cuz it's practice. He did that sh*t for us. Watch if he gets into actual live game action He threw nice deep balls during practice. Also, prior years before the injuries he also threw good deep balls Always threw a nice ball, in practice. his problem is processing under real game speed Always a good 'in shorts' QB Daniel Jones may shine in Indianapolis because their offensive line is better than the one he got in New York On June 19, Jeffri Chadiha of boldly predicted that Daniel Jones would win the Comeback Player of the Year. His reasons? A chance to compete for the starting quarterback position with a third-year veteran, Anthony Richardson. Richardson has been inconsistent ever since he was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts. Jones played with quarterback Sam Darnold in the Minnesota Vikings. Creative offensive head coach Shane Steichen, who turned the raw talent of Jalen Hurts into an MVP-caliber quarterback in Philadelphia, would coach Jones in Indianapolis. Steichen could maximize Jones' talent in Indianapolis because he has a better offensive line there as compared to the one he had in New York. Also Read: 16 former NFL players who came out as gay and bisexual in the past 61 years | NFL News - Times of India Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
2025 Baltimore Ravens Fantasy Preview: Is Zay Flowers a breakout candidate?
John Harbaugh's 17th year on the job was the first time the Ravens led the league in offensive yardage. They did so their way, melting every efficiency metric while leading in rushing and clocking a distant 30th in dropbacks. 2024 Stats (rank) Points per game: 30.5 (3rd) Total yards per game: 424.9 (1st) Plays per game: 62.1 (16th) Dropbacks per game: 34.1 (30th) Dropback EPA per play: 0.33 (1st) Rush attempts per game: 32.6 (2nd) Rush EPA per play: 0.05 (2nd) How do you top Lamar Jackson's MVP-caliber year and Derrick Henry rushing for the 11th most yards in NFL history? That's a rhetorical question, of course. There's nowhere to go but down after your offense averaged the second most yards per play in NFL history after the 2000 Greatest Show on Turf Rams. But if you are going to fall, it might as well be from those stratospheric heights. Narrow though this offense is for fantasy purposes, it could boast the No. 1 overall quarterback, the No. 1 overall running back, a top 24 receiver in Zay Flowers, and potentially a pair of top 15 tight ends in Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Harbaugh has said he wants Likely to have an All-Pro type season. That's not a statement a coach with Harbaugh's experience makes lightly. Passing Game QB: Lamar Jackson, Cooper Rush WR: Zay Flowers, Tez Walker WR: Rashod Bateman, Tylan Wallace WR: DeAndre Hopkins, LaJohntay Wester TE: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely Lamar Jackson's latest MVP-caliber campaign (second to Josh Allen) was just as profitable in fantasy football as real life. L-Jax finished as the QB1 both from an overall and points per game perspective. His 28.7 PPG were the most since Allen's 29.5 in 2022, and fourth most since 2020. With Henry's rushing threat terrifying opposing defenses, Jackson's 8.8 yards per attempt were a new career high by a whopping 0.8 yards. Somewhat surprisingly, Jackson's rushing efficiency remained largely unchanged, while Henry's goal-line dominance left L-Jax with only four rushing scores. His 915 yards on the ground were nevertheless his most since 2020. In terms of pure explosiveness, Jackson was the league's top dual-threat. That's despite a receiver corps that has improved but still leaves something to be desired. Zay Flowers' 1,000-yard campaign last season was just the second by a Ravens wide receiver since 2016. It is worth noting Flowers might not have gotten there without the benefit of the 17th game, as he averaged 'just' 62.3 yards per contest. Of course, Flowers actually cleared the mark in Week 16, achieving the accomplishment before injury slowed him the final two games of the year. Already battling a shoulder issue, Flowers suffered a Week 18 knee ailment that ended up sidelining him for the Ravens' postseason run. Although not a target dominator before going down, Flowers was a solid 21st in target share (26 percent). He was 16th in yards per route run at 2.25, a strong half-yard improvement from his rookie mark of 1.72. If it seemed like he too often disappeared — Flowers drew five or fewer looks in 12-of-17 appearances — the Ravens' coaching staff believed it was as much their fault as his. OC Todd Monken has said he wants to get Flowers more involved for 2025. In the right place at the right time in a concentrated offense, Flowers could tack on 15-20 more looks and produce as a more reliable WR2 this season after last year's WR32 finish by average PPR points. If Flowers' 2024 step forward was to be expected, Rashod Bateman's was more surprising. The oft-injured 2021 first-rounder finally appeared in all 17 games and more than doubled his previous career high for yardage with 756. Flukily, nine of Bateman's 45 grabs ended up in the end zone, helping him to a WR4 finish in PPR leagues despite his paltry receptions total. Understandably, summer best ball drafters aren't betting on a repeat, treating Bateman as a low-end WR5. I would like to argue that is too sharp of a fade for the WR2 in an elite offense, but we all know Bateman's touchdown luck will regress, while he is unlikely to level up as a compiler. For re-draft purposes, consider Bateman a volatile WR4/5 with matchup-flipping upside but all too prevalent 0.0 downside. Bateman is the WR2, but the No. 2 overall weapon is probably more likely to come from the tight end group. That's where Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely will battle for looks. After a frigid start to 2024, Andrews ended up finishing as the TE7 by average PPR points, though fantasy managers will probably only remember the beginning and the end. The latter was a pair of season-altering drops in the Ravens' Divisional Round loss. Although Andrews' overall production has remained remarkably steady, his yards per route run efficiency has quietly declined three straight years. For tight end purposes, it did remain a strong 1.88 last year. Going on 30, Andrews has a lengthening injury history while Likely continues to improve, but as long as he stays on the field, it's difficult to believe he will finish outside the top 10 at tight end. A 2022 fourth-rounder who has gotten a little better with each passing season, Likely has been the challenger to Andrews' champion for some time now. Right behind Andrews in yards per route run at 1.71, which was good for seventh overall amongst seam stretchers, Likely surprisingly trailed Andrews on a per-catch basis. Andrews averaged a robust 12.2 yards per grab to Likely's 11.4. Both are great numbers for a tight end, but it belies Likely's reputation as a better down-field threat. Likely did lap Andrews from an average yards after the catch perspective, with his 6.1 tying for sixth amongst tight ends. Andrews' 3.7 was tied for 41st. Harbaugh clearly loved what he saw, and must have come away even more intrigued from offseason practices, but it is still difficult to regard Likely as a true TE1 as long as Andrews is standing in his way. Andrews could begin to fade in earnest as Likely continues to ascend, but his summer best ball ADP of TE16 seems fair. Just know that, even in an unusually crowded tight end group, Likely offers legitimate TE1 upside. He will be a matchup-based streamer from the jump, warranting an end-of-bench spot in 12-team re-draft leagues. Beyond here lies … not a lot. DeAndre Hopkins is a fantasy name brand whose efficiency and raw production completely cratered last season. His 1.61 yards per route run were his worst since 2016, and good for 54th amongst wideouts. Jackson makes everyone more efficient, but Hopkins is at best the fourth or fifth passing-game weapon in an offense low on aerial volume. He is not worth a late-round flier. Running Game RB: Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell, Rasheen Ali OL (L-R): Ronnie Stanley, Andrew Vorhees, Tyler Linderbaum, Daniel Faalele, Roger Rosengarten The NFL's pre-eminent unstoppable force for nine years now, Derrick Henry has yet to meet an immovable object. His age-30 campaign in Baltimore resulted in the aforementioned 11th most yards rushing in league history, while his average rush yards over expected of 1.77 actually exceeded Saquon Barkley's mark. Henry, of course, led the league in that advanced metric. Henry is another year older with hands as stony as ever, but even were he to take a major efficiency hit, his raw volume keeps him safely locked into the top five at running back even in PPR formats. Behind Henry is holdover third-down back Justice Hill and change-of-pace option Keaton Mitchell. Hill's 42 2024 receptions quietly ranked 14th amongst running backs, but he had the benefit of Mitchell barely playing after returning from his 2023 knee injury. For his part, Mitchell now insists he feels better and faster than ever. Although Hill and Mitchell profile as a potentially dynamic change-of-pace/third-down duo for Baltimore, they are all but assured of cannibalizing each other's production in fantasy, rendering them tough sells as 'insurance' picks behind Henry. Were the unthinkable to occur and the Big Dog to go down with injury, an unpredictable committee would develop, with second-year fifth-rounder Rasheen Ali also in the mix. Baltimore Ravens 2025 Win Total Unsurprisingly, the Ravens boast one of 2025's highest team totals, with the over/under generally coming in at 11.5. That's a steep number for even the league's best teams to summit, but one Harbaugh's Ravens have cleared 3-of-4 times when Jackson has made at least 15 starts. The lone exception was an 11-5 2020 where they went 11-4 in Jackson's outings. Loaded on both sides of the ball and checking in with merely the league's 21st toughest schedule according to Warren Sharp, the over, as usual, feels like the stronger possibility in Baltimore. Kyle Dvorchak acknowledges that Rashod Bateman's extension is a "vote of confidence" by the Ravens, but he's pumping the brakes on Bateman in fantasy, skeptical he'll be more than just a big-play specialist this year.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Baltimore steals star corner Jaire Alexander from Green Bay to shake up AFC
Image Source: Getty The Baltimore Ravens opened up the news cycle with an absolute bombshell, signing former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million. Now, the Ravens not only add further depth to their secondary with this, but they send a message to the entire AFC as well. We are all in for a Super Bowl in 2025. Ravens' defense adds Jaire Alexander to elite secondary unit Adding Jaire Alexander makes for one of the more talented secondaries in all of football for the Ravens. They would pair him with fellow Pro Bowler Marlon Humphrey, top draft pick Nate Wiggins, and star safety Kyle Hamilton. Baltimore would now boast one of the most elite and versatile defensive backfields in the league. Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowler, boasts 70 pass breakups, 12 career interceptions, and one of the best reputations as a man-to-man cover corner in the league. — accnetwork (@accnetwork) Even with him dealing with some injuries lately, the sky still has always been the limit for Alexander. His coverage grades on PFF are consistently among the best in the league when healthy. The Ravens smartly laid out the contract in terms of performance-based bonuses, thereby putting minimal risk into betting on Alexander returning to form. Baltimore's improved defense may be just the thing that gets the Ravens over the hump in the playoffs in an AFC where they want to be more pass-heavy with the quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen prolific in the league. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo Lamar Jackson 's recruitment and Ravens culture influence the signing Alexander's decision to sign with Baltimore was heavily impacted by Lamar Jackson, his former teammate at Louisville. Jackson himself is said to have contacted Alexander and has reportedly even pushed the Ravens' front office to pick him up. And that familiarity, coupled with a winning culture and Super Bowl expectations, put Baltimore at the top of the market for Williams, even over other offers that included more lucrative dollar signs Also Read: Three men charged in shooting that paralyzed aspiring college football star in Brooklyn Park The Ravens keep reinforcing that this is a player-led, Super Bowl-or-bust organization. Jackson's leadership off the field is now catching up to his MVP-caliber performances on it. GM Eric DeCosta showed the Ravens can still make impactful moves by listening to his franchise quarterback and delivering what he wanted. Alexander's arrival is just the type of addition that takes a strong contender and transforms them into a legitimate favorite in the AFC. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
NFL Expert Labels Commanders' Trade Pickup a 'Guaranteed Riser'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A viral clip at mandatory minicamp didn't do Deebo Samuel any favors last week. As Samuel went through a route in practice, a single video clip of the scene surfaced online and led fans to believe that he was out of shape and missed a step. It didn't sit right with Samuel's former teammate, George Kittle, who stars for the San Francisco 49ers. The Washington Commanders dusted it off. Dan Quinn praised his wide receiver, indirectly responding to the narrative that has been built over the past few days. "Somewhere along the way, I'd forgotten until [he was] out here how fast he is," Quinn told reporters last week. "He was such a difficult person to tackle that you spent so much time, 'How are you going to tackle this person?' And so, sometimes when you're playing against the receiver, you say, 'Man, you better either get him at the line or you better be on top of him.' With him, so many times there were so many runs after catch plays that we had a tackling plan, and how would you go about it?" Despite the looks of everything on a single piece of evidence from a spring practice, there hasn't been much real smoke surrounding a narrative that would suggest Samuel's decline is going to reach new lows when he debuts in Washington for the first time this year. Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers runs during an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers runs during an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Santa Clara, fact, one NFL analyst believes that the veteran wide receiver will improve, listing Samuel among a handful of "guaranteed risers." "Despite his declining production over the last couple seasons in San Francisco, Samuel has been one of the most productive wide receivers since 2021," analyst Marc Ross writes. "Yet, for as good as he was with the 49ers, an argument could be made that the seventh-year veteran is entering the best situation of his career after being traded to Washington this offseason. The change of scenery puts Samuel in an offense that is led by an MVP-caliber quarterback in Jayden Daniels. Also, he'll pair with a true No. 1 receiver in Terry McLaurin to form a dangerous tandem in Kliff Kingsbury's passing attack." The Commanders are on the rise in the NFC. Just last season, they witnessed their rookie quarterback put up elite numbers while becoming one of two NFC East teams to make a playoff bid. Washington upset the third-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers before waltzing into Detroit and taking down the top-seeded Lions. The playoff run was stopped short in Philadelphia against the Eagles in the NFC Championship round. Adding Samuel was a priority move for the Commanders, who wanted to stack proven weapons for the young Daniels to keep him sharp. Last season, the young quarterback completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 3,568 yards. He tossed 25 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. As for Samuel, he's struggled to live up to his third season in the NFL, when he led the league in average yards per catch with 18.2. That year, he caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards. Since then, Samuel has averaged a little over 700 yards per season. The Commanders acquired the veteran after he produced 4,792 yards and 22 receiving touchdowns in San Francisco. He was also a threat on the ground, rushing for over 1,100 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns. For more Washington Commanders and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
