HeadtoHeadFootball -
NFL

Dareus 'still in shock' after trade to Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In a span of seven minutes, Marcell Dareus used the words shocking, overwhelming and emotional to describe what he’s felt since he was traded to the Jaguars on Friday evening.

From the phone call from the Buffalo Bills informing him of the trade to his arrival in Jacksonville amid the annual Florida-Georgia game at EverBank Field to meeting the coaching staff to quiet moments in his hotel room, Dareus said he was still trying to adjust even as he participated in his first practice Monday morning.

“I still haven’t gotten over it yet,” Dareus said. “I’m still in shock. I’m shocked for a trade. I’m shocked that this defense, this team … I’m still just taking it all in. It’s three days, man. Three days.”

The Jaguars’ newest defensive tackle said he had an idea that something may have been in the works last week but he continued to prepare for the Bills’ home game against Oakland. When he was told he was headed to Jacksonville in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2018, things started to happen pretty quickly.

Friends and teammates stopped by his home on Friday night to say goodbye, and on Saturday morning he was headed to the airport with a one-way ticket.

“I still haven’t gotten over it yet. I’m still in shock. I’m shocked for a trade. I’m shocked that this defense, this team … I’m still just taking it all in. It’s three days, man. Three days.”

Marcell Dareus

“Little overwhelming,” Dareus said. “Kind of saw some things happening but at the same time I was getting prepared for the game and we had a game plan in and I was practicing all week and I’m just zoned in, trying to keep negativity out. And when I got the call and things happened the way it did, I can’t lie it did make me a little emotional because I know [Saturday] it is a one-way ticket [to Jacksonville].

“It was so swift that before I knew it I was already in Charlotte and by the time I got to Charlotte, a blink of the eye and I’m here in Jacksonville saying hey to the coaches, the biggest cocktail party in the world, and with all that going on it was just — the world is spinning. Traded, on the plane, cocktail party, going to the stadium, saying hello, getting out, going to the hotel room laying on the bed looking at the roof: What is going on?”

Dareus isn’t completely unfamiliar with the Jaguars. Doug Marrone was the head coach and Nathaniel Hackett the offensive coordinator in Buffalo in 2013-14. Jason Rebrovich is the Jaguars’ assistant defensive line coach and he was a quality control/assistant defensive line coach under Marrone in Buffalo, too.

That at least helped to somewhat lessen the shock, but he’s now caught up in learning the Jaguars’ defensive system and finding out where he fits in. The Jaguars are last in the NFL against the run (138.6 yards per game) and no team has allowed more than their 5.2 yards per rush. The 6-foot-3, 331-pound Dareus gets headlines because of his prowess as an interior pass-rusher (35 sacks in six-plus seasons) but he’s one of the league’s better run-stuffing tackles.

Dareus had his two best seasons under Marrone, racking up 17.5 sacks in 2013-14 and making the Pro Bowl in both seasons. The move does come with some risk. Dareus has had more than his share of off-field issues — he was benched for being late to a team meeting in 2013, was sent home from a preseason game this year for violating a team rule, was twice suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, and he’s had two offseason arrests — but the Jaguars believe the help the Alabama product can bring the run defense is worth the risk.

“We’re all at risk, myself, everybody,” Marrone said. “I think some people get themselves in situations [and] you hope that they learn from it. If they don’t then obviously there’s consequences.”

Dareus said he’s glad to be getting a fresh start.

“I thought that Buffalo was home and extremely happy for everything I’ve done there, everything they’ve done for me, the organization,” he said. “… “At the same time it’s a business and this is where I am and I am thoroughly happy just to be a Jag. It feels good to be wanted.”

NFL

Falcons might have saved their season with win over Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On a rainy day when Matt Ryan lost two fumbles, the Atlanta Falcons found a way to perhaps save their season.

It was far from a flawless effort at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets. But a team in the midst of a three-game losing streak just needed one break — any break — to go its way.

Such happened for the Falcons, who scratched and clawed their way to a 25-20 win with key plays from all three phases. Now at 4-3, the Falcons established a little momentum going into next week’s NFC South opener on the road at Carolina. Winning the division always is the emphasis for coach Dan Quinn, and now the Falcons have a chance to go make a statement despite a rocky start.

Ed Mulholland/Getty Images

What got better for the Falcons this week? Improvement in the red zone and third down was the emphasis leading into the game. The numbers might not reflect it — the Falcons went 5 for 14 on third down and 2 for 6 in the red zone — but they came up with a big third-down conversion when Ryan hit Mohamed Sanu for a 15-yard gain on third-and-5 late in the game. Ryan also hit Sanu with an 8-yard touchdown in the red zone fourth quarter that gave the Falcons their first lead; lead they didn’t relinquish.

Finally, the Falcons were able to hit on some big plays. One was Ryan’s 53-yard throw to Julio Jones that set up a touchdown. The other was a 52-yard run by Tevin Coleman that set up Ryan’s 8-yard score to Sanu.


• Statistics
• Scoreboard
• 2017 schedule, results
• Standings

Matt Bosher’s late punt that pinned the Jets at their own 4-yard line and Kemal Ishmael’s fumble recovery were two special teams plays that helped the Falcons to victory as well.

But nothing probably meant more to the Falcons then the defensive effort. There were plenty of third-down stops, with players such as Grady Jarrett and Adrian Clayborn forcing the Jets off the field in key situations. The Falcons forced the Jets to go 5 of 15 on third down. And the Jets never made it into the red zone.

The win, of course, wiped away some of the negative, like the Ryan fumbles, a drop by tight end Austin Hooper in the end zone, and cornerback Desmond Trufant getting beat for a touchdown. But again, the Falcons have just a little momentum now, which could be all they need to begin their march toward a second consecutive division title.

NFL

Bucs coach: Winston reinjured shoulder in loss

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston did, in fact, reinjure his shoulder against the Buffalo Bills last week, coach Dirk Koetter said Friday night.

“[Jameis] was doing better, [and] he played very well, especially in the second half against Buffalo,” Koetter told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “We did have that one sack-fumble in the first half, and he kind of reinjured it, and so that’s what led to him not throwing on Wednesday or Thursday this week.”

The play came in the second quarter — a sack and forced fumble by Bills defensive end Ryan Davis.

Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston aggravated his shoulder injury in Sunday’s loss to the Bills, coach Dirk Koetter said Friday. Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports

On Thursday, Koetter was asked if Winston had suffered any setbacks against Buffalo and gave a different answer to the Tampa media.

“No setbacks,” Koetter said.

Winston took all reps during Friday’s practice after missing Wednesday and Thursday, with Koetter giving the impression that the team was doing this because it worked well last week, not because of injury.

Teams aren’t required to provide injury information beyond what is in the official reports. Winston will start this week against the Carolina Panthers.

NFL

Jenkins: McNair's comment won't stop progress

PHILADELPHIA — Houston Texans owner Bob McNair’s comment will not stop players from trying to work jointly with the NFL to bring about social change, Eagles safety and player coalition leader Malcolm Jenkins said Friday.

McNair issued a public apology Friday following an ESPN The Magazine report that quoted McNair as saying: “We can’t have the inmates running the prison” during last week’s owners meeting in reference to ongoing player demonstrations during the national anthem.

“From a player’s perspective, I think we’ve done a great job of trying to work in a collaborative manner with the league to really come up with solutions, to move forward and create some real change, and I don’t see that changing,” said Jenkins. “Obviously his comments will represent him, but from a player’s standpoint, we’re focused on our goals, we feel like we still have an opportunity to move forward with whoever is interested in doing that, and so hopefully we can get that same type of commitment from those in league leadership.

“That’s our goal. It’s not to appease one another, it’s not to change someone’s personal opinion, it’s just to get some actual work done and change done. That’s what our focus is going to be. Obviously you have quite a few different comments come from different owners, but I feel like players have been very, very diligent in making sure that our message has been one that we want to continue to push forward, that we want to continue to collaborate and move forward. So hopefully we can get to that point.”

Receiver DeAndre Hopkins’ absence from Texans practice Friday was directly related to McNair’s comment, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Other players considered staging a walkout, according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop.

Players around the league reacted strongly to McNair’s comment.

The ESPN The Magazine report shed light on the differing opinions within the ownership group. For example, Eagles chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie spoke in support the players’ right to kneel during the anthem, while Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones appeared to be “trying to build momentum for an anthem mandate resolution.” According to the report, McNair and Jones say they have been “fielding an avalanche of complaints from outraged fans” in Texas over the protests.

“You have the same issue with players. I mean, we’ve got players from all over with different opinions, but we’ve been able to keep that message the same on our end. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been reciprocated,” said Jenkins. “For us, we’ll stay the course. We understand that there’s a lot of personalities, a lot of different opinions in this, but that’s the nature of what we’re trying to get accomplished, is to try to work together and bring people together from different backgrounds and different mindsets to actually move forward to some change in our communities. Hopefully, all those who are interested in being involved get involved and move forward.”

NFL owners and players met in New York last week to discuss ways they might be able to work together on these issues. While no resolution came out of it, some left feeling optimistic that collaboration was possible. The players are hoping to hold another meeting with the owners next week.

“We’re waiting for some information from the league. We’re waiting for a couple things. But we’d like to have a meeting next week,” said Jenkins. “But that’s kind of depending on the league.”

Page 298 of 412« First...102030297298299300310320330...Last »