Jerry Rice Calls for 49ers to Change Play-Calling After Deebo Samuel's Ankle Injury
Dec 11, 2022
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 11: Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers is injured during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levi's Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel was carted off the field during Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after suffering a potentially devastating ankle injury. Hall of Famer and 49ers great Jerry Rice was not happy and expressed his displeasure on social media.
Rice took issue with San Francisco's play-calling, as he posted a photo of Samuel on Instagram with a caption that read, "Please stop running our skill player up the middle" and tagged Samuel and injured quarterbacks Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Samuel went down with the injury with just over five minutes left in the second quarter when he carried the ball up the middle and was bent awkwardly after being tackled, which caused him to fumble the ball. He was visibly upset after being placed on the cart, with teammates consoling him before he was taken to the locker room.
An emotional Deebo Samuel was carted off the field š
Samuel's injury is yet another blow to the 49ers offense. After losing Lance to a broken ankle in Week 2, Garoppolo went down with a broken foot last week and will likely be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season.
The versatile Samuel is used in a variety of ways within San Francisco's offense. Entering Sunday's game, he totaled 776 scrimmage yards with two receiving touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. He's not on the same pace that earned him first-team All-Pro honors in 2021, but he's still an integral part of the team's success.
Samuel's role played a factor in negotiations for his contract extension this offseason. After not receiving an offer he deemed suitable for a player of his caliber, he reportedly requested a trade. The 26-year-old eventually agreed to a three-year, $73.5 million extension with $58.1 million guaranteed.
The 49ers are in first place in the NFC West, but losing Samuel for any amount of time would be detrimental to the team's chances of maintaining its spot.
Deebo Samuel's Injury 'Most Likely' a High Ankle Sprain, 49ers' Kyle Shanahan Says
Dec 11, 2022
SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 23: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) runs with the ball during the NFL professional football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on October 23, 2022 at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel exited Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter and was ultimately ruled out with an ankle injury.
Samuel's leg got twisted awkwardly on a tackle and he was slow to get up before eventually being carted off the field.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed after the game that Samuel "most likely" suffered a high ankle sprain, per The Athletic's Matt Barrows.
Deebo Samuel is down and slow to get up after the last play after what appears to be a knee injury. pic.twitter.com/uVPZJQ1VV6
The only time Samuel has missed this season came in a Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams with a hamstring injury that he suffered in a Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Through San Francisco's first seven games, Samuel had been one of the team's best players. He caught 32 passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 138 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries.
He entered Sunday's game having caught 50 passes for 569 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games, in addition to rushing for 207 yards and two scores.
The 2019 second-round pick has been mostly durable through his four-year NFL career. However, he appeared in just seven games during the 2020 season because of two separate hamstring injuries and a foot ailment.
When fully healthy, Samuel is one of the most effective players on the field for San Francisco. His best season came in 2021 when he caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games, in addition to rushing for 365 yards and eight scores.
When the South Carolina product is sidelined, the 49ers have enough talent to make up for his loss, including Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey.
The 49ers entered Sunday's game with an 8-4 record. They'll need Samuel fully healthy for a push for the playoffs.
Jerry Jones Reiterates Cowboys Haven't Moved On from Odell Beckham Jr. Pursuit
Dec 11, 2022
Odell Beckham Jr. is seen on the sidelines before an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters after his team's 27-23 home win over the Houston Texans on Sunday that they have not moved on from free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
The 30-year-old Beckham recently visited the New York Giants, Buffalo Bills and Cowboys on a tour before deciding where to sign next.
However, a report emerged from ESPN's Ed Werder that the Cowboys had concerns about the recovery time for Beckham's torn left ACL, which the eight-year veteran suffered during last season's Super Bowl when he played for the Los Angeles Rams.
Source: The #Cowboys have concerns after Odell Beckham Jr.ās physical that his recovery from torn left ACL in Super Bowl has not progressed enough to ensure he would play before mid-January and possibility exists signing him would have no benefit until 2023 season.
Regardless, it appears the Cowboys are still interested, although Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that a deal for the three-time Pro Bowler isn't imminent at this time.
Jones was asked on 105.3 The Fan about how confident he was in signing Beckham despite not being able to work him out, and he was honest in his assessment (h/t NFL.com's Coral Smith):
Odell Beckham Jr. is visiting the #DallasCowboys again today! Cowboys owner & GM Jerry Jones joins the morning show to talk signing OBJ without seeing him work out. How confident is he?
"Well I'm not confident, at all. And so that's the issue. We all realize that issue of health, that issue of availability. You've got to take a good look at everything, not only the obvious, and that's his performance, but also any issues regarding health. So all of this we've got to come in with our eyes wide open and it has to be addressed, and that's when you can see if you can make a deal or not."
The Cowboys don't necessarily have a need at wideout right now with CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Noah Brown forming a solid trio for the 10-3 squad. But Beckham is an exciting talent who helped ignite the Rams' Super Bowl run last year.
It remains to be seen how he would recover from his latest torn ACL, which marks his second since 2019. But OBJ was still productive for the Rams and notably had 21 catches for 288 yards and two scores in the playoffs.
For now, he is reviewing his options as the regular season's stretch run continues.
Kirk Cousins, Vikings Called Out as Super Bowl Pretenders in Loss to Goff, Lions
Dec 11, 2022
Minnesota Vikings' Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson watch a replay during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Minnesota Vikings have been in second place in the NFC for nearly the entire season, but there are still questions as to whether the team is truly a Super Bowl contender this year.
Those questions only grew louder Sunday after Minnesota's 34-23 loss to the Detroit Lions. The Vikings fell to 10-3 but maintain a firm grip on the NFC North, as the second-place Lions improved to 6-7.
Minnesota wasted a strong performance from quarterback Kirk Cousins, who threw for 425 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers. Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson recorded 11 catches for 223 yards.
However, the Vikings defense allowed over 400 yards for a franchise-record fifth straight game. That clearly isn't a winning formula, especially when the playoffs begin.
NFL Twitter ripped Minnesota for its disappointing loss Sunday, with many calling out the team as fraudulent contenders:
Philadelphia Eagles only have one more win than the Vikings, but man the difference in these two teams couldnāt be greater!
Vikings defense is horrendous. This ābend donāt breakā philosophy on defense allowing the most yards in the NFL is hilarious. Wonāt work in the playoffs unless the offense score 40+ a game.
The Vikings were once the hottest team in the league with a seven-game win streak. However, cracks have started to show over the last few weeks, as Minnesota is 2-2 in its last four games.
As the playoffs approach, the Vikings are surely hoping to find some quick fixes to their recent problems. Minnesota will look for a better effort when it returns to action Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts (4-8-1).
Robert Saleh Predicts Jets Will Face Bills in Playoffs: 'We'll See These Guys Again'
Dec 11, 2022
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 11: Mike White #5 of the New York Jets fist bumps head coach Robert Saleh of the New York Jets in the second quarter of a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images)
The New York Jets fell to the Buffalo Bills 20-12 on Sunday afternoon in what was their final meeting of the 2022 regular season, but Robert Saleh believes the two AFC East rivals will meet again in the playoffs.
"We'll see these guys again," a confident Saleh told reporters following Sunday's loss.
That is quite the prediction from Saleh, especially considering the Jets dropped to 7-6 on the season with Sunday's loss and have lost three of their last four games.
Additionally, the AFC playoff race is beginning to heat up. The New England Patriots are 6-6 and could boot the Jets out of the No. 7 playoff spot with a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night FootballāBill Belichick's squad owns the tiebreaker with two wins over the Jets this season.
The Los Angeles Chargers also enter Sunday night's game against the Miami Dolphins with a 6-6 record, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are surprisingly still in the hunt at 5-8.
The Jets have somewhat of a difficult schedule to close out the season with matchups against the Detroit Lions, Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and Dolphins. They beat the Dolphins 40-17 in October, but that was when Tua Tagovailoa was sidelined with a concussion.
Beyond the matchups, a lot has changed for the Jets since they began the season 5-2. The most significant difference is that quarterback Zach Wilson has been benched in favor of Mike White since a Week 11 loss to the Patriots.
In seven games this season, Wilson has completed 55.6 percent of his passes for 1,279 yards and four touchdowns against five interceptions. His struggles were clear throughout the season, but after completing just nine of 22 passes in Week 11 and telling reporters that he felt he didn't let down a defense that gave up only 10 points, Saleh opted to bench him.
Entering Sunday's game against the Bills, White had completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 684 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions in two starts. The Jets went 1-1 in those games.
Beyond the quarterback carousel, the Jets lost star rookie running back Breece Hall to a torn ACL in a Week 7 win over the Denver Broncos. He had rushed for 463 yards and four scores in seven games and looked like a prime candidate to take home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award before being sidelined.
At this point, it's not looking like the Jets will meet the Bills in the postseason, but anything could happen.
The Jets have not made the playoffs since the 2010 season.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 11: Miles Sanders #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after a touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on December 11, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Eagles became the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff berth.
Philadelphia earned that distinction with its sixth double-digit victory of the 2022 NFL season after a 48-22 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday.
The Eagles gained a game at the top of the NFC standings thanks to the Detroit Lions, who beat the Minnesota Vikings at home.
Detroit also got some help from the Eagles, as it moved closer to the Giants in the NFC wild-card race.
The Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals kept the status quo for the most part in the AFC in the early window of games.
The only surprise was the Tennessee Titans' loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. That result did not affect the playoff standings because the Titans are stuck with the No. 4 seed.
The AFC wild-card race produced the most important moments in the playoff standings on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Chargers beat the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night to leapfrog the New York Jets for the final playoff position.
NFC
Division Leaders
1. Philadelphia (12-1)
2. Minnesota (10-3)
3. San Francisco (9-4)
4. Tampa Bay (6-7)
Wild-Card Race
5. Dallas (10-3)
6. Washington (7-5-1)
7. New York Giants (7-5-1)
8. Seattle (7-6)
9. Detroit (6-7)
10. Green Bay (5-8)
11. Carolina (5-8)
12. Atlanta (5-8)
The Eagles have a two-game lead over the Vikings as well as the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Minnesota is not in trouble yet for the No. 2 seed and the NFC North title.
San Francisco was the most dominant victor on Sunday, as it stomped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-7 in Brock Purdy's first start in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo.
Tampa Bay is still in first place in the NFC South, but that is not much of an achievement since all four members of that division are under .500
The Seattle Seahawks were the biggest loser in terms of the playoff race. They are now 7-6 following a home loss against the Carolina Panthers.
The loss dropped the Seahawks beneath the Washington Commanders and New York Giants. Washington and New York have a half-game edge from their Week 13 tie.
Seattle now has to be concerned about the Lions, who are suddenly one game back of the final wild-card spot in the NFC.
The Seahawks missed an opportunity to gain any ground with the Giants loss and the Commanders bye. Sunday has to go down as a lost chance for Seattle and could hurt it in the final standings.
Green Bay, Carolina and Atlanta will remain two games behind seventh. However, the latter two still have a shot at the NFC South crown and sit just one game behind the Bucs.
AFC
Division Leaders
1. Buffalo (10-3)
2. Kansas City (10-3)
3. Baltimore (9-4)
4. Tennessee (7-6)
Wild-Card Race
5. Cincinnati (9-4)
6. Miami (8-4)
7. Los Angeles Chargers (7-6)
8. New York Jets (7-6)
9. New England (6-6)
10. Jacksonville (5-8)
11. Las Vegas (5-8)
12. Cleveland (5-8)
13. Pittsburgh (5-8)
The top of the AFC remained the same on Sunday.
Buffalo held on to the No. 1 seed with its home win over the New York Jets.
Kansas City stayed ahead of Baltimore with a close win over the Denver Broncos. The Chiefs can clinch the AFC West title with a Chargers loss on Sunday night.
Baltimore is in a worse spot than it was entering Sunday after backup quarterback Tyler Huntley exited the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers with an injury.
The Ravens are still ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Tennessee's loss to Jacksonville does not mean much in the big picture because the No. 4 seed is still multiple games ahead of the Jaguars.
The Jets' loss in Buffalo opened up the door for the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots to move level on record with them.
The Chargers held on to beat the Dolphins on Sunday night. They moved ahead of the Jets with a better conference record than New York.
Miami's loss did not affect its playoff standing this week. The Dolphins head to Buffalo on Saturday and that game could drag them back into the wild-card bubble.
The New England Patriots could make the wild-card race even more interesting if they beat the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night.
Every team with five wins needs a lot of help to be considered in the playoff conversation over the next four weeks.
Jets' Mike White Transported to Hospital as Precaution After Injuries vs. Bills
Dec 11, 2022
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 11: Mike White #5 of the New York Jets is looked at by the medical staff during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
New York Jets quarterback Mike White left Highmark Stadium in an ambulance after Sunday's 20-12 loss to the Buffalo Bills, per Heather Prusak of News 4 Buffalo.
The move is considered a precautionary measure to "make sure he is fine internally," per Mike Giardi of NFL Network.
#Jets coach Robert Saleh told reporters that QB Mike White is headed to the hospital as a precaution. They announced two rib injuries and tests are for potential internal injuries.
White took several hard hits during the game, including three sacks and a big shot from Bills linebacker Matt Milano. He was initially ruled as questionable to return with a rib injury before coming back in the game two drives later.
Flacco fumbled on his first play after replacing White in the third quarter before leading a three-and-out on his only full possession. The veteran had also entered the game for two plays in the first half, throwing one incomplete pass before the starter returned.
White was more productive, leading one touchdown drive in the third quarter and a late field-goal drive to keep it a one-possession game. The quarterback finished 27-of-44 for 268 passing yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
The toughness White showed to keep coming back into the game despite the hard hits also seemed to endear himself to fans and the coaching staff.
Head coach Robert Saleh said after the game White would "for sure" be the starter next week if he is healthy.
The 27-year-old had just four NFL appearances before this season, but he has impressed in three starts with 952 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Former starter Zach Wilson, who has been inactive the last three games after being benched, could return to the lineup if White is unable to play.
Dak Prescott's 'Nightmare' Game Blasted by Fans During Cowboys' Near Loss to Texans
Dec 11, 2022
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 11: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to a game against the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Houston Texans 27-23 on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium, but it was anything but an easy game for the franchise.
Dallas trailed Houston all game until running back Ezekiel Elliott scored a touchdown with 41 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Dak Prescott had an abysmal afternoon, completing just 24 of 39 passes for 284 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions. His second interception came with 5:45 remaining in the fourth quarter and Dallas trailing 23-20.
The defense bailed out Prescott and forced the Texans to turn the ball over on downs at the Dallas 2-yard line before the Cowboys offense drove down the field for the game-winning score.
While Prescott managed to put together the game-winning drive, he was still heavily criticized by NFL Twitter for his "nightmare" performance that nearly cost Dallas the victory.
Despite Prescott's struggles, the Cowboys still got the victory, moving to 10-3 on the season.
That said, if Dallas wants to win the Super Bowl, Prescott is going to need to clean up the issues that plagued him Sunday against the 1-11-1 Texans, who have been the worst team in the NFL this year.
'Tough as Nails' Mike White Applauded for Playing Through Injuries in Loss to Bills
Dec 11, 2022
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 11: Mike White #5 of the New York Jets looks to pass in the first quarter of a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images)
The New York Jets couldn't pull off a second upset against the Buffalo Bills, but quarterback Mike White still impressed with his toughness.
White tallied 268 passing yards in a 20-12 loss, failing in his final drive attempt that could have tied the game. The 27-year-old was also forced to leave multiple times because of injury after taking hard hits, but he somehow kept coming back into the game.
Mike White has -- again, somehow, some way, inexplicably, in a manner that makes no sense whatsoever, after piling up more injuries than Humpty Dumpty -- been put back together and returned to the game.
It also didn't help that backup Joe Flacco struggled mightily in his limited time on the field. The veteran fumbled on his first play after coming in during the third quarter and then led a three-and-out drive before White returned.
White at least gave his team a better chance to win against an elite opponent.
Zach Wilson might have more pedigree as the 2021 No. 2 overall draft pick, but the fanbase appears to be rallying around White as the Jets try to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
If Mike White is healthy he's the QB for the rest of the season. Also Bam Knight is starting for rest of season, with MC and TY Johnson spilting 3rd down reps
After falling to 7-6, New York will look to turn things around against the Detroit Lions in Week 15.
Ravens' Tyler Huntley Out vs. Steelers with Concussion; Started for Lamar Jackson
Dec 11, 2022
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 11: Tyler Huntley #2 of the Baltimore Ravens lines up to throw the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
The Baltimore Ravens were already without star quarterback Lamar Jackson for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and now they're down another signal-caller.
The Ravens announced that Tyler Huntley, who started under center in place of Jackson, has been ruled out with a concussion. He was replaced by rookie quarterback Anthony Brown.
Huntley was injured midway through the third quarter on a designed quarterback run after a huge hit from Steelers star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. He had completed eight of 12 passes for 88 yards and added 31 rushing yards.
An undrafted free agent out of Oregon, Brown hadn't seen the field prior to being thrust into action Sunday. He threw for just 16 yards, but the Ravens managed to hold on for a 16-14 victory to improve to 9-4. Baltimore totaled 215 yards on the ground with a rushing attack led by J.K. Dobbins, who ran for 120 yards and a touchdown in his first game back from injured reserve after knee surgery in October.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the Ravens are expected to be without Jackson for at least next week's game against the Cleveland Browns. The 25-year-old is reportedly dealing with a sprained PCL that typically requires 1-3 weeks of recovery time.
If Jackson were to miss another week, his next chance to return to the field would come on Christmas Eve against the Atlanta Falcons. The 2019 NFL MVP is set to test free agency this offseason, so he undoubtedly hopes to be at full strength going forward.
