The Los Angeles Rams said on Friday that head coach Sean McVay would be continuing in his role and would be in charge for the 2023 NFL season.
Remarks regarding Sean McVay
“Sean McVay informed the team he is excited to return next season,” the team said in a brief statement on twitter.
After a disappointing 5-12 season concluded on Sunday, he had said he was going to take his time to make a decision over his future plans.
McVay, who led the Rams to a Super Bowl triumph last season, has a contract that runs until the end of the 2026 season.
The 36-year-old has been in charge of the Rams since 2017 having previously been offensive coordinator with Washington.
Speaking on Monday at his end of season press conference, McVay said that he needed time to process his thinking.
“I don’t get the sense in the least bit I’m done coaching,” McVay said. “It’s just a matter of what does that look like as it relates to the immediate future is more about what you’re really working through right now.”
He said that he felt “unconditional support” from the team’s owner Stan Kroenke and top executives.
“In some instances, it almost creates more challenges. But you are so grateful, and I couldn’t be more appreciative of the unconditional support that I feel from Mr. Kroenke and from those guys as it relates to how we move forward accordingly,” he said.
The Green Bay Packers kept their slim NFL playoff hopes alive on Monday with a 24-12 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers connected on 22 of 30 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown with one interception as Green Bay improved to 6-8.
AJ Dillon brought the heat at chilly Lambeau Field in Green Bay, running for two touchdowns for the home side.
That included barrelling through the line for a one-yard TD that gave the Packers a 17-6 lead in the third quarter.
Rodgers then connected with Aaron Jones on a seven-yard touchdown.
The Rams cut the deficit on Baker Mayfield’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Higbee, but the Packers defense clamped down with an interception and a fifth sack of Mayfield.
Mayfield, who was claimed off waivers this month after injuries to starter Matthew Stafford and backup John Wolford, completed 12 of 21 passes for 111 yards.
He had led the Rams to a shock win over Las Vegas last week in his first appearance for the team.
But the Rams, already off to the worst start by any reigning Super Bowl champion, fell to 4-10 and were eliminated from playoff contention.
With three games remaining, the Packers trail the Washington Commanders for the final NFC playoff spot.
Aaron Rodgers wants the Green Bay Packers to embrace their underdog status as the struggling team bids to snap a three-game losing streak against the in-form Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
After winning three of their first four games, the Packers’ season has gone off the rails in recent weeks with defeats to the New York Giants, New York Jets and Washington Commanders leaving the team at 3-4.
On paper, there couldn’t be a worse time for the Packers to be heading to Western New York to face Josh Allen and the Bills (5-1), who are well-rested after a bye week that followed a statement victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
But Rodgers believes the fact that the Packers are being written off — bookmakers make the Bills favorites to win by more than 10 points — can be turned into a positive.
“Embrace the fact that nobody is expecting you to win … I’ve always enjoyed that feeling,” the veteran Green Bay quarterback said this week ahead of Sunday’s nationally televised prime-time fixture.
“For these guys with a lot to prove, hopefully they embrace that as well. It’s time to make a name for yourself in this league. There’s a lot of guys that are going to get opportunities on Sunday on national TV with millions and millions of people watching.
“Great time for some of those guys to step into the limelight.”
Rodgers could head into Sunday’s game with an offense denuded by injuries.
Star receiver Randall Cobb has already been ruled out, while Allen Lazard is also doubtful with a shoulder injury.
It has left some wondering whether the Packers may even struggle to reach the playoffs this season.
However, Packers coach Matt LaFleur says his team can’t hide behind the injuries to explain recent difficulties.
“To me, that’s nothing more than an excuse,” LaFleur said of the Packers’ injury problems.
“You’ve got to find a way. We’ve got to do a better job of putting our guys in position. We’ve got to do a better job collectively.”
Rams eye 49ers revenge
Elsewhere on Sunday, the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams have the chance to get their season back on track in a divisional battle against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Rams have stumbled through the opening weeks of the campaign, struggling to find the offensive consistency that carried them to an NFL championship last season.
The Rams (3-3) were comprehensively outplayed by the 49ers earlier this month, losing 24-9.
Since then, the 49ers have strengthened their offense with the recruitment of running back Christian McCaffrey, giving Rams coach Sean McVay another defensive headache going into Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium.
“There’s no limitations in his game,” McVay said of McCaffrey.
“So we have to be able to play sound defense, do a great job. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”
A victory for the Rams could see them pull ahead of the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West divisional race.
The Seahawks (4-3) host the New York Giants (6-1) on Sunday in what is the only fixture between two teams with winning records.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll has spent the week devising a plan to nullify Giants running back Saquon Barkley, who is currently second in the league for overall rushing yards with 726.
“He has everything,” Carroll said.
“He’s got power, he’s got speed, he’s got tremendous elusiveness and his tackle-breaking ability is as good as anybody that plays the game.
“He poses the ultimate threat … This is as hard as it gets.”
The Philadelphia Eagles (6-0), meanwhile, will be expected to extend their perfect start to the season to seven games when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles signaled their determination to mount a championship campaign this week after trading for top pass rusher Robert Quinn from the Chicago Bears.
Quinn will make his debut against the Steelers (2-5) in what should be a straightforward assignment for Philadelphia.
Arian Foster, a former running back for the NFL, made headlines earlier this year by stating that the NFL is corrupt and that players are given scripts during training camp. Foster made claims on the “Macrodosing” podcast by PFT Commentator that caused the football world to react with laughter and skepticism.
Members of the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, pose for a photo with Patrick Mahomes, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs football team, at the Chief’s training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., Aug. 14, 2018. The Chiefs hosted a military appreciation day on their final day of training. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Michael Crane)
Several other NFL players swiftly rejected the notion, preserving the league’s integrity despite his bold claims, based on his experience with the Miami Dolphins and the Houston Texans between 2009 and 2016.
Strong support for Patrick Mahomes
“We were really dedicated to it,” Foster said. “So it was moreso like that’s what practice was about, it was about practicing the script. Like this is what goes on, this is what we have to do. WWF so we know what was gonna happen but you still have to put on a show.” an article from sportskeeda.com shared.
On Thursday, the NFL made a fun joke about Foster by releasing a video that welcomed viewers to the 104th season and included a predetermined twist. As others mocked Patrick Mahomes’ predetermined omission, others praised the NFL for their funny timing, and the comment section evolved into a comedy war zone. The league’s skill at fusing fun and sporting fervor in a single online instant was demonstrated by the variety of reactions.
In two weeks, on Thursday night, the 2023 NFL regular season begins.
As the 104th NFL season gets underway, all eyes are on the Kansas City Chiefs as they look to win another Super Bowl. The excitement starts when they play host to the Detroit Lions on opening night, then they go on a grueling road trip against AFC contenders like the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, as well as up-and-coming squads like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets, and Miami Dolphins. Get ready for an exciting season full of fierce rivalries.
Expect a thrilling campaign as the Philadelphia Eagles battle to defend their NFC title against tough NFC East opponents. Beware of teams with a chance to make the playoffs, like the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, and San Francisco 49ers, who are all expected to play their best. A season of outstanding football action is guaranteed as the race for NFC dominance heats up.
The Las Vegas Raiders have benched quarterback Derek Carr for the final two games of the NFL season with Jarrett Stidham given the starting role for Sunday’s game with the San Francisco 49ers.
Last week’s defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers leaves the Raiders with a 6-9 record and only the slimmest of outside chances of making the post-season.
Carr threw three interceptions in the 13-10 loss to the Steelers and his 14 interceptions this season ara a league high.
In his ninth season with the franchise, Carr’s pass completion rate of 60.8% is his worse since his first year.
Remarks by the Raiders’ coach
“None of us is happy with where we’re at, but we think it’s an opportunity to evaluate a younger player who hasn’t had much time to play,” Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said on Wednesday.
“Talking to Derek — who was great — he understands the scenario that we’re in and the situation,” he added.
Carr signed a three year $121.5 million contract extension in April but the deal is structured in a way which provides a relatively painless way out for the Raiders if they wish to move on from their quarterback.
Reports say that the Raiders would have to pay a relatively low $5.625 million if he is cut or traded within three days of February’s Super Bowl.
However Carr’s entire 2023 salary ($32.9 million) plus $7.5 million of his 2024 salary is fully guaranteed if he were to get injured in the remainder of this season, NFL.com reported.
McDaniels was wary of discussing what moves the Raiders might make over Carr’s future.
“We’ll see how this goes going forward. I’m not going to sit here and predict the future. There’s a lot that could happen and we’re gonna take those things one day at a time, and right now we’re going to get ready for the 49ers,” he said.
The 26-year-old Stidham, who played college football with Auburn, joined the Raiders in May after three years as a back-up with the New England Patriots and will be making his first start in the NFL.
Patrick Mahomes threw for two touchdowns and ran for another on Sunday as the Kansas City Chiefs clinched an eighth straight NFL playoff berth.
Jerick McKinnon’s 26-yard touchdown run in overtime gave the Chiefs a hard-fought 30-24 victory at league-doormat Houston, clinching Kansas City’s seventh straight AFC West division title.
Mahomes completed 36-of-41 passes, including 20 in a row to finish the game, for 336 yards without an interception and ran for 33 yards to spark a second-half comeback.
“We’ll enjoy it, then we will get right back to it,” Mahomes said. “We’ll go back and watch some film. We’ve got to get better and better as we try to work our way into the playoffs.”
Mahomes was concerned about two lost fumbles and 10 penalties for 102 yards against a Texans team that fell to 1-12 with one draw.
“Guys had to continue to battle,” Mahomes said. “We hurt ourselves a lot. We’ve got to cut out the penalties, cut out the turnovers and be cleaner or there are going to be a lot more battles for us.”
The Chiefs followed the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings into the post-season, and the Dallas Cowboys also advanced with a little help from the New York Giants.
Dallas missed a chance to clinch a playoff spot by losing 40-34 at Jacksonville on a 52-yard overtime interception return touchdown by the Jaguars’ Rayshawn Jenkins.
The Cowboys lost another chance to reach the playoffs when Detroit edged the host New York Jets 20-17 on Jared Goff’s 51-yard touchdown pass to Brock Wright with 1:49 to play.
But the Cowboys claimed a spot when the New York Giants beat the Washington Commanders 20-12 in an NFC East division battle that capped the day’s action.
The Eagles improved the NFL’s best record to 13-1 with a 25-20 triumph at Chicago.
Jalen Hurts ran 17 times for 61 yards and three touchdowns while also throwing for 315 yards as Philadelphia won despite three turnovers.
“There was so much that we overcame. We persevered,” Hurts said. “It was ugly at times but we found a way. Great teams find a way.
“We stuck together. There was adversity. We turned it over. We gave them some things. When it mattered most, we found a way.”
Bengals beat Bucs
In a showdown of division leaders, Joe Burrow threw for four touchdowns and the Cincinnati Bengals won 34-23 at Tampa Bay.
A sixth consecutive victory put the Bengals at 10-4, one game ahead of Baltimore atop the AFC North, while Tom Brady’s Buccaneers fell to 6-8, one game atop the rest of the NFC South.
Seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady fell to 89-1 in home games when his team led by 17 or more points.
Two Brady touchdown passes helped lift the Bucs ahead 17-0, but then Brady made four consecutive turnovers — twice on lost fumbles plus two interceptions — and Cincinnati scored the next 34 points.
Burrow answered with touchdown passes of three yards to Tyler Boyd, five yards to Tee Higgins, eight yards to Ja’Mar Chase and 12 yards to Mitchell Wilcox.
The wildest ending came in Las Vegas, where New England tried a rugby-style lateral on the last play of regulation in a deadlocked game.
An errant backward toss went to Raiders’ defender Chandler Jones and he ran 48 yards with the fumble recovery to give Vegas a 30-24 victory.
Cameron Dicker kicked a 43-yard field goal with four seconds remaining to give the Los Angeles Chargers a 17-14 victory over visiting Tennessee, trimming the Titans’ AFC South lead over Jacksonville to one game.
New Orleans edged visiting Atlanta 21-18 while Pittsburgh won 24-16 at Carolina and host Denver defeated Arizona 24-15 in matchups of clubs with losing records.
