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Fox Sports
7 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Are 'High-Volatility' Bengals A Good Bet To Make AFC Title Game?
The Cincinnati Bengals were an NFL enigma in 2024. Star quarterback Joe Burrow played at an MVP level and the offense scored the fifth-most touchdowns in football, but a lousy defense and miserable record in one-score games kept Cincinnati out of the postseason at 9-8. Trouble greeted the Bengals right away with a Week 1 home loss to the four-win New England Patriots, and they proceeded to lose seven of their first eight one-score games. They also lost four times when scoring 30 points. That's almost an impossible feat. So now what? Well, Cincinnati is running it back on offense with Burrow, receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and running back Chase Brown. Burrow and Chase are the most lethal QB to WR combo in the league and that's a good place to start. Last year, Burrow threw for 4,918 yards with 49 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while Chase exploded for 1,708 yards and 17 scores. Assuming health, the offense will be fine. If the Bengals miss the playoffs for the third straight season, the brunt of the responsibility will undoubtedly fall on the shoulders of the defense. The true hope is that the new defensive coordinator, Al Golden, can solve some of the issues that betrayed the team last year. Golden was the architect of a Notre Dame defense that made it all the way to the National Championship Game of the College Football Playoff. I'm a little more "glass half full" on Cincy's D because I like the interior guys on the defensive line, and I'm optimistic the team reaches a contract compromise with top pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, at least for 2025. If rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart plays, that's a bonus. "They're such a high-volatility team," one professional bettor told me. "The quarterback and skill players give them a high ceiling. If they suffer a crucial injury or two on offense and the defense is worse, they can win five games. "The big issue is the way they start [under head coach Zac Taylor]. How do you go 0-2 almost every year in the first two games? It's alarming. "I've still got 'em favored in 11 games." A quick fact check confirms Cincinnati's early-season woes. Since Taylor took over in 2019, the Bengals are 1-11 in their first two games. The only win came back in 2021, a 27-24 overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings. 2019: 0-22020: 0-22021: 1-12022: 0-22023: 0-2 2024: 0-2 This year's schedule starts with Cleveland and Jacksonville. At the end of the day, I believe Cincinnati has too much offensive ammo to ignore and odds are good the defense regresses in the right direction. It's also highly improbable the Bengals are that "unlucky" in one-score games. I'm not crazy enough to pedestal them over the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs, but it's silly to think they can't make the playoffs and go on a run at the right time with Burrow à la 2021. My favorite move re: Cincinnati is to take them Over 9.5 wins and place a small wager on them to lose on Championship Weekend. It's a 10-1 bet that'll put you in a tremendous position if there's chaos in the AFC bracket. PICK: Bengals Over 9.5 wins (-140) PICK: Bengals lose in AFC title game (+1000) Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and the BetMGM Network. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
05-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
First look at several Indianapolis Colts' rookies in full home uniforms
Take a look at Tyler Warren, Justin Walley, and other Colts' rookies in their full home uniforms. Rookie season: 🔜 During mandatory minicamp, the Indianapolis Colts held their media day, which provided some of our first looks at several members of the incoming rookie class in full uniform. In the first round, the Colts landed their playmaking tight end, selecting Penn State's Tyler Warren. By all accounts, Warren has already been a favorite target in the passing game during OTA and minicamp practices. As Stephen Holder, who covers the Colts for ESPN, wrote recently, it was "practically impossible to watch an Indianapolis practice and not notice how often Warren touched the football." However, Warren's versatility and ability as a blocker will allow him to fill a variety of roles and impact the game in a number of different ways. On Day 2 of the NFL draft, the Colts pick Ohio State defensive end JT Tuimoloau and then Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley. Tuimoloau brings a well-rounded skill set to the defensive end room, making an impact on all three downs in college, while also bringing some flexibility to be moved inside. Walley, meanwhile, has already garnered a lot of praise this offseason for his play on the practice field. He adds speed to the secondary, is viewed as a versatile defender, a must in Lou Anarumo's disguise-heavy scheme, and he's had good ball production at the college level. Blue threads. 🧵 Two of the Colts' Day 3 picks were running back DJ Giddens and defensive tackle Tim Smith. Giddens was a very productive ball carrier, totaling over 2,500 yards on the ground over the last two seasons, which includes averaging a whopping 6.5 yards per rush in 2024. Giddens also had 72 targets in the passing game during that span. Smith provides the Colts with an added run-stuffing presence at defensive tackle behind Grover Stewart on the depth chart. He also has the versatility to line up across multiple gaps, an important element of playing along the defensive line in Anarumo's defense. Media day reps. Lastly, quarterback Riley Leonard was taken in the sixth round by the Colts. He helped lead Notre Dame to the National Championship Game and is someone who was on the Colts' radar throughout the pre-draft process. One thing in particular about Riley that stood out to the Colts' evaluators was his play in Notre Dame's biggest games down the stretch. Rookie Riley.
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
PFF grades for Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones and rest of Indianapolis Colts' QBs
What grades from PFF did the current group of Indianapolis Colts' quarterbacks receive for their performances last season? What grades from Pro Football Focus did the current group of Indianapolis Colts' quarterbacks receive for their performances last season? All eyes will be on the Colts' quarterback position this summer with Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones competing for the starting job. Ultimately, what head coach Shane Stiechen is looking for is consistency. Jones ended up taking most of the first-team reps during OTAs and then all of them during minicamp while Richardson was sidelined with a shoulder injury. The Colts aren't putting a timeline on Richardson's return, but several NFL insiders have reported that he should be ready for the start of training camp. However, a ramp-up period will be required, as Steichen mentioned, so even if Richardson is available on Day 1, we will have to see if he's a full-go on Day 1. Steichen was "very pleased" with what he saw from Jones this spring. Those additional reps may give Jones the upper hand heading into training camp, but what took place in late May and early June during offseason programs isn't going to determine who the starter is come Week 1. The Colts still very much want there to be a competition here. Now, as far as PFF's grading system goes, I always want to add the caveat that this metric is far from the be-all end-all when it comes to evaluating a player's performance. It is one tool out of many that are out there and should be treated as such. For some context around these metrics, here is a look at PFF's grading system to provide some context behind the numbers: Alright, now let's dive in. Along with each player's grade from PFF, in parentheses is their ranking among the position group. Anthony Richardson PFF grade: 62.2 (37th/44) We saw Richardson's ability to generate explosive plays through the air, but the overall consistency was missing, particularly on those short to intermediate throws that quarterbacks need to hit on to help keep the chains moving. One of the points of emphasis this offseason for Richardson was on his footwork, which for a quarterback, is where accuracy often begins. If that element is off, then it increases the likelihood that the throw will be off as well. Daniel Jones PFF grade: 72.0 (25th/44) The Giants would end up benching and then eventually releasing Jones last season. He then signed with the Vikings and joined their practice squad before taking over as the backup late in the season. Jones was still relatively efficient, completing 63% of his passes, but interceptions were up, along with him and the offense struggling to generate explosive plays. Riley Leonard PFF grade: 83.5* (24th) Leonard would help lead Notre Dame to the National Championship Game. One of the aspects of Leonard's game that drew the Colts to him was that he played some of his best football down the stretch in Notre Dame's biggest games. Overall, Leonard completed 66.4% of his passes, did a very good job of taking care of the ball, and he rushed for nearly 1,000 yards as well. Jason Bean PFF grade: N/A Bean spent his first NFL season on the Colts' practice squad.
Fox Sports
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
The 10 Best Individual Championship Performances Since 2020
Everyone who plays sports dreams of stepping up on their sport's biggest stage as a kid, hoping to make history en route to a championship. Sam Reinhart got to fulfill that dream on Tuesday night. The Florida Panthers center scored four goals in his team's 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night, helping his team secure back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Reinhart's four goals matched the most ever scored in a Final game, with five other players scoring that many goals in one since it began in 1914. (It should be noted that Reinhart's last two goals came against an empty net, but both of those goals were outside the Oilers' attacking zone.) As Reinhart and the Panthers celebrate in South Florida, let's take a look at the 10 best individual championship performances since 2020. There are two caveats to this list. The performance had to have come in a series-clinching game (MLB, NBA, NHL) and the player had to have won the title. LSU QB Joe Burrow vs. Clemson (2020 National Championship Game) After an eight-touchdown performance in LSU's semifinal win, Burrow nearly matched that in the national championship game against Clemson. He completed 31 of 49 passes for 463 yards for five touchdowns to go with 58 rushing yards and a rushing score. Burrow actually had to help LSU climb out of an early 10-point deficit against the defending national champs, leading three straight touchdown drives in the second quarter. His 29-yard scamper before halftime highlighted a 95-yard drive that gave the Tigers a 28-17 lead. Burrow then sealed the win with a pair of TD passes in the second half, capping off the best passing season in college football history. Alabama WR DeVonta Smith vs. Ohio State (2021 National Championship Game) The Heisman winner set title game records for receptions (12) and receiving touchdowns (three) — and he did it all in one half. His final grab came in the second quarter, but it was a huge one. Smith ran right past an Ohio State defender while hauling in a 42-yard strike from Mac Jones to give Alabama a 35-17 lead going into halftime. The star wideout suffered a finger injury early in the second half that forced an early exit. But the damage was already done, as he put a bow on one of the best wide receiver seasons in college football history. He finished the game with 215 receiving yards as well, helping Alabama win, 52-24. Milwaukee Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Phoenix Suns (2021 NBA Finals, Game 6) In his first NBA Finals appearance, Antetokounmpo had already dropped multiple 40-point performances heading into Game 6 against the Suns. He also made two big plays in the clutch in the Bucks' Game 4 and 5 wins, getting a game-sealing block in the former and a game-sealing dunk in the latter. Still, the two-time MVP saved his best for last in the 2021 NBA Finals. Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in the Bucks' 105-98 win over the Suns, making 16 of 25 shots from the field and shooting an impressive 17 of 19 from the free-throw line. Thirty-three of those points came in the second half, with Antetokounmpo scoring 13 of the Bucks' final 21 points to help them pull away late. He also had 14 rebounds and five blocks in that game. A day later, Antetokounmpo celebrated the win by ordering 50 chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A. Atlanta Braves OF Jorge Soler vs. Houston Astros (2021 World Series, Game 6) Soler had already lived up to the billing as a worthy trade deadline acquisition for the Braves before Game 6. He hit 14 homers in 55 regular-season games for Atlanta, and while he was quiet at the plate in the NLDS and NLCS, Soler hit two major homers in Games 1 and 4 of the World Series. His Game 4 home run came as a pinch-hitter, and served as the game-winning run. The slugger had another homer in him for Game 6. With the game scoreless in the third inning, Soler crushed a three-run shot off Astros pitcher Luis Garcia that cleared the train tracks at Minute Maid Park and went 446 feet. Soler walked in his next at-bat and later scored thanks to Freddie Freeman's home run that made it a 5-0 game en route to a 7-0 win for the Braves. Soler went 6-for-20 at the plate in the 2021 World Series, with his homer helping him earn World Series MVP. Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Super Bowl LVI) Kupp arguably had one of the best seasons for a wide receiver in the 2021 regular season, becoming the first player in 16 years to win the receiving triple crown (lead the league in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns). But he arguably saved his best performance for last. The Rams' star receiver had eight receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns in their 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Kupp's first touchdown came in the second quarter, an 11-yard grab that gave the Rams a 13-3 lead at the time. However, Los Angeles found itself trailing for much of the second half. With Cincinnati holding a 20-16 lead late in the fourth quarter, Kupp rushed for a seven-yard gain on a fourth-and-1 play before grabbing four receptions for 39 yards on Los Angeles' penultimate drive. The final catch was a one-yard touchdown grab that gave the Rams the lead with less than 1:30 remaining. To no surprise, Kupp wound up winning MVP of Super Bowl LVI. Golden State Warriors PG Stephen Curry vs. Boston Celtics (2022 NBA Finals, Game 6) Curry's best performance of the 2022 NBA Finals came in Game 4. He scored 43 points in that game to help the Warriors get a comeback win and prevent them from going down 3-1 in the series against the Celtics. When the series returned to TD Garden two games later, Curry had another stellar performance in him. The Warriors' star went off for 34 points, adding seven rebounds and seven assists. Following one of his six made 3-pointers in that game, Curry sensed that the Warriors were close to capturing another title, pointing at his ring finger. Curry capped off Game 6 by scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter, holding off the Celtics' late rally to lift the Warriors to a 103-90 win. He won his first Finals MVP as a result, averaging 31.2 points per game in the series. Argentina striker Lionel Messi vs. France (2022 World Cup final) The 2022 World Cup final had two performances that could've met this list, but we're only picking winners here. Messi and Kylian Mbappe were arguably the two best players in the world when Argentina and France met in 2022. They certainly played like it, too. Messi opened up the scoring, netting a goal in the 23rd minute. After Argentina took a 2-0 lead late in the first half, Mbappe gave France two necessary goals to send the game to extra time. He scored a penalty kick in the 80th minute before netting a pass from Marcus Thuram. In extra time, it appeared Messi had notched the win for Argentina when he scored in the 108th minute. However, Mbappe scored on another penalty kick in the 118th minute after a handball was called on Argentina. In penalty kicks, Messi and Mbappe each scored in the opening round. But France missed on its next two shots, allowing Argentina to win the penalty kicks, 4-2. Messi won his first World Cup and received the Golden Ball for the tournament, while Mbappe became the second player to ever score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. Boston Celtics F Jayson Tatum vs. Dallas Mavericks (2024 NBA Finals, Game 5) Offensively, Tatum didn't have the best series in the 2024 NBA Finals when the Celtics took a 3-1 lead. But he stepped up in all facets in the Celtics' 106-88 win over the Mavericks in Game 5. He had 16 points and nine assists in the first half to help give his team a 21-point edge. He added to his scoring total in the second half, finishing the game with 31 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals to help the Celtics seal their 18th title. PSG midfielder Desire Doue vs. Inter Milan (2025 UEFA Champions League Final) Doue proved that he wasn't too young for the big stage in the 2025 UEFA Champions League Final. The then-19-year-old midfielder scored two goals in PSG's 5-0 win over Inter Milan in May, with the brace giving his side a 3-0 lead by the 63rd minute. As he won man of the match, Doue became the youngest player to ever score a brace in a UEFA Champions League Final. He also became the second player to ever score a goal and dish out an assist in a UEFA Champions League Final. Florida Panthers C Sam Reinhart vs. Edmonton Oilers (2025 Stanley Cup Final, Game 6) Reinhart joined a group of select few with his four-goal performance in Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. He became the sixth player to score four goals in a Stanley Cup Final game, the first to do so since 1957. He also became just the second player to score four goals in a series-clinching Stanley Cup Final game, and the first player to do so since 1922. The four goals Reinhart scored in Game 6 gave him seven in the series. Not only was that the most in the series, but it was also the most in a Stanley Cup Final since Wayne Gretzky scored seven goals in the Oilers' 1985 series win. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. recommended Get more from National Hockey League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Badgers star garnering interest from the defending NBA champions
When it comes to the Wisconsin Badgers over the last decade, the most memorable team is easily the 2014-15 group that went 36-4 and made it to the National Championship Game, ultimately falling short to the Duke Blue Devils. That team had quite a few talented players, with four making it to the NBA: Sam Dekker, Frank Kaminsky, Duje Dukan, and Nigel Hayes-Davis. Kaminsky was a lottery pick to the Charlotte Hornets, while Dekker went No. 18 overall to the Houston Rockets. Both Dukan and Hayes-Davis ended up going undrafted, but secured NBA contracts. Unfortunately, all four players are out of the NBA now, as the Badgers don't have much of a presence in the league anymore. Johnny Davis was the latest to get drafted, going No. 10 overall to the Washington Wizards in the 2022 NBA Draft. But, he struggled in three seasons with the team, earning very limited minutes before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies this past season. Davis was later waived and signed with the New York Knicks G-League team in March. Currently, Micah Potter is the lone former Badger in the NBA. After going undrafted in 2021 and spending time in the G-League with the Detroit Pistons and the Utah Jazz, he had his best season yet for the latter squad, playing in 38 games in 2024. However, Potter could be joined soon by another former Badger as Nigel Hayes-Davis has been picking up some traction from his time at Fenerbahce. Davis had a stellar season, averaging a career-high 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, while leading his team to their second EuroLeague Championship last month. Hayes-Davis caught the eyes of Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzula, who, according to EuroHoops, made the trek out to see him play in the playoffs last month. At 30 years old, Hayes-Davis could be a low-cost option for the Celtics off the bench, as the forward has developed his shooting (41 percent from three this season), while stacking together several strong seasons overseas. If he's given the opportunity, Hayes-Davis could be the second Badger to join the NBA ranks this summer, as star wing John Tonje is also currently projected to be drafted later this month. More from NCAA Tournament predictions for Wisconsin Wisconsin falls to Michigan State in Big Ten Tournament semifinal Wisconsin Pro Day results Wisconsin squeaks out 66-62 win over Nebraska in Big Ten Tournament Bucky's 5th Podcast, Ep. 62: 2019 Wisconsin spring position previews (RBs and CBs)
