Auburn In The NFL Thread

[aujeff11 6,243]

 

[aujeff11 6,243]

 

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

 

Edited August 18, 2019 by Auburn Kev

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Stidham has looked really good in pre season. NE was a great team for him to be drafted to. I feel like he's going to be a better pro than college player; esp. with a HC like Bill B. He's a solid QB. He just has to have a solid OL to protect him.

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

 

[GwillMac6 20,661]

1 hour ago, WarEagle1983 said:

Stidham has looked really good in pre season. NE was a great team for him to be drafted to. I feel like he's going to be a better pro than college player; esp. with a HC like Bill B. He's a solid QB. He just has to have a solid OL to protect him.

People are going to look foolish the ones who put the blame on Stidham and not the OL. When he has ample time to stand in the pocket dude is a really good QB. We saw what he could do all the games the OL played well. NOW did he have issues with pocket presence and not stepping up when he needed to as well as bailing from the pocket to quickly? YES. Absolutely. I cannot deny that. But he will get the proper coaching when it comes to this in the NFL. He was never going to get that under this coaching staff. Gus and pure pocket passers continue to be a abusive relationship to us AU fans! lol. He just is lost to implement the proper system to compliment their skill set. Stidham can move some but he is not a true dual threat QB at all.

Edited August 18, 2019 by GwillMac6

[GwillMac6 20,661]

59 minutes ago, Auburn Kev said:

 

 

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

 

 

[AUBwins 10,071]

Better numbers in passing and rushing in week 2. And a comeback win. Awesome!

 

[AUBwins 10,071]

Patriots replay is on NFL network right now,  12 mins left, before the Stidham touchdown drive.  

[WFE12 9,191]

 

[AUBwins 10,071]

Didn't realize the 99 yard drive was the game winner.  Masterful drive by Stidham.  Majority of passes were over the middle.  Why in the world did we not utilize a strength of Stidham when at Auburn? I know coaching is better now but he could throw those passes at Baylor too.  

Anyways, very impressed with Stidham control over the offense.  He looks confident like a starter.  Patriots struck gold with their rookies this year. 

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

19 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

People are going to look foolish the ones who put the blame on Stidham and not the OL. When he has ample time to stand in the pocket dude is a really good QB. We saw what he could do all the games the OL played well. NOW did he have issues with pocket presence and not stepping up when he needed to as well as bailing from the pocket to quickly? YES. Absolutely. I cannot deny that. But he will get the proper coaching when it comes to this in the NFL. He was never going to get that under this coaching staff. Gus and pure pocket passers continue to be a abusive relationship to us AU fans! lol. He just is lost to implement the proper system to compliment their skill set. Stidham can move some but he is not a true dual threat QB at all.

Agree 100%. There was plenty blame to go around....Stidham, OL, and Gus. He certainly has to learn how to handle pressure but the kid can sling it. You can tell he’s gotten his confidence back.

[aujeff11 6,243]

3 minutes ago, WarEagle1983 said:

Agree 100%. There was plenty blame to go around....Stidham, OL, and Gus. He certainly has to learn how to handle pressure but the kid can sling it. You can tell he’s gotten his confidence back.

I put Stidham losing his wits on the OL early on. I’m happy for Stidham. He’s got an NFL future. As long as he stays protected fairly well ( like Brady) he will be a star.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

6 hours ago, WFE12 said:

 

Byron is on the bubble so he definitely needed that 

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

 

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

Quote

Auburn NFL roundup: Jarrett Stidham leads 99-yard winning drive

By Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com

The first snap that New England rookie quarterback Jarrett Stidham took in the Patriots' preseason game on Saturday night resulted in a safety for the Tennessee Titans when an offensive lineman was called for holding in the end zone on a completion.

The next time that Stidham had to pass from the end zone, the former Auburn standout led the Patriots on a 99-yard touchdown drive that lifted New England to a 22-17 victory at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Stidham completed all seven of his passes in the game-winning series for 89 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown pass to Damoun Patterson with 4:12 left in the game.

“I thought we did a good job bouncing back,” Stidham said. “I mean, obviously, we don’t want to put ourselves in that situation, getting a safety right there. But I thought our guys did a really good job of bouncing back and trying to really come out in the second half and play some good football.”

Stidham completed 14-of-19 passes for 193 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. In his two preseason outings, the fourth-round draft choice has completed 28-of-43 passes for 372 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Stidham said he's feeling more comfortable on the NFL field.

“Just the more I’m around these guys in the meeting room with (offensive coordinator) Josh (McDaniels), and (assistant quarterbacks coach) Mick (Lombardi) and (quarterbacks) Tom (Brady) and Brian (Hoyer), just learning as much as I can,” Stidham said. “You know, we have a bunch of really good players on this team, so that makes my job a lot easier. Just getting the ball to those guys, and those guys up front did a great job, so I’m just trying to learn as much as I can and just continue to grow.”

Stidham said he caught some breaks in the second half, when Tennessee defensive players got their hands on three passes, with two of the throws coming as the quarterback was hit by a pass-rusher. In the first two, the Titans couldn't hang on for the interception, and on the third, the defender came down out of bounds.

“I got pretty lucky there a couple times,” Stidham said. “You know, I trust my guys to go and make those plays, and sure enough they did. Don’t need to put the ball in too much danger, so I’ve got to work on that. But overall, I thought we did a good job.”

Stidham was among the 34 former Auburn players who got on the field during the second week of the 2019 NFL preseason.

Four other former Auburn players played during the Patriots-Titans game:

· Titans linebacker Daren Bates made four tackles during his 26 defensive snaps. Bates also was on the field for a team-leading 14 special-teams plays.

· Byron Cowart started at defensive tackle for the Patriots. His two tackles included a sack as he played 31 defensive snaps.

· Patriots wide receiver Ryan Davis played two offensive snaps.

· Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones did not play.

· Patriots linebacker Brandon King (Thompson) registered two tackles during his 10 defensive snaps. King also was on the field for 12 special-teams plays.

In other Week 2 games:

Baltimore Ravens 26, Green Bay Packers 13

· Montravius Adams started at defensive end for the Packers. He recorded one tackle and knocked down a pass while playing a team-leading 44 defensive snaps.

· Packers safety Tray Matthews made three tackles during his 24 defensive snaps. He also was on the field for 12 special-teams plays.

Buffalo Bills 27, Carolina Panthers 14

· Cameron Artis-Payne started at running back for the Panthers. During his seven snaps, Artis-Payne ran four times for 18 yards.

· Panthers quarterback Cam Newton did not play.

· Bills wide receiver Duke Williams caught three passes for 38 yards and one touchdown. Williams scored on a 9-yard reception with 26 seconds left in the first half as Buffalo took a 23-4 lead.

Cincinnati Bengals 23, Washington Redskins 13

· Bengals inside linebacker Deshaun Davis registered a sack while playing 16 defensive snaps and eight special-teams plays.

· Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson did not play as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered last season.

· Redskins outside linebacker Cassanova McKinzy (Woodlawn) made two tackles, recorded a quarterback hit and broke up a pass while playing 43 of Washington's 75 defensive snaps.

· Redskins linebacker Darrell Williams got on the field for 11 defensive snaps and four special-teams plays on Thursday night after signing with the team on Sunday.

· C.J. Uzomah started at tight end for the Bengals. He caught a 1-yard pass while playing 17 snaps.

Cleveland Browns 21, Indianapolis Colts 18

· Browns defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence played 19 defensive snaps on Saturday night after there were doubts about his status entering the game. He had sustained a knee injury during practice on Wednesday.

· Greg Robinson started at left offensive tackle for the Browns and played Cleveland's first two offensive series.

· Braden Smith started at right offensive tackle for the Colts and played Indianapolis' first three offensive series.

· Browns safety Jermaine Whitehead did not play.

Houston Texans 30, Detroit Lions 23

· Angelo Blackson started at defensive end for the Texans and played the first two defensive series.

· Kerryon Johnson (Madison Academy) started at running back for the Lions, playing for the first time since sustaining a knee injury during a regular-season game against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 18. After missing the final six games of 2018, Johnson ran for 16 yards on three carries while playing eight snaps against Houston.

Minnesota Vikings 25, Seattle Seahawks 19

· Seahawks cornerback Neiko Thorpe broke up a pass while playing 20 defensive snaps and eight special-teams plays.

New York Giants 32, Chicago Bears 13

· John Franklin III started at cornerback for the Bears and made two tackles and broke up a pass while playing 40 defensive snaps. He also was on the field for 13 special-teams plays.

· Bears cornerback Jonathon Mincy made four tackles and broke up a pass while playing 35 defensive snaps. He also was on the field for seven special-teams plays.

· Giants guard Chad Slade played 39 percent of the Giants' offensive snaps.

· Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton did not play. The rookie sustained a hamstring injury on his first day of training camp.

New York Jets 22, Atlanta Falcons 10

· Falcons long snapper Josh Harris made nine snaps.

Oakland Raiders 33, Arizona Cardinals 26

· Raiders place-kicker Daniel Carlson connected on a 25-yard field goal and made his four extra-points kicks.

· Cardinals safety Rudy Ford (New Hope) made one tackle during his 28 defensive snaps. Ford was on the field for 13 special-teams plays, too.

· Cardinals outside linebacker Jeff Holland made two tackles. He was on the field for 16 defensive snaps and one special-teams play on Thursday night after joining the team on Monday as a waiver-wire claim.

· Raiders cornerback Josh Holsey made one tackle and broke up a pass. He played 13 defensive snaps on Thursday night after signing with the team on Tuesday.

· Raiders defensive tackle Gabe Wright did not play.

Philadelphia Eagles 24, Jacksonville Jaguars 10

· Jaguars defensive tackle Dontavius Russell made one tackle while playing 34 defensive snaps.

· Jaguars defensive tackle Andrew Williams played 43 defensive snaps.

San Francisco 49ers 24, Denver Broncos 15

· Forty-Niners defensive end Dee Ford (St. Clair County) did not play.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16, Miami Dolphins 14

· Peyton Barber started at running back for the Buccaneers. He carried the football twice for 5 yards on Tampa Bay's opening series.

· Dolphins fullback Chandler Cox was on the field for 14 offensive snaps and 13 special-teams plays.

· Carlton Davis started at cornerback for the Buccaneers. He registered one tackle while playing 13 defensive snaps.

· Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean made two tackles, intercepted a pass and broke up another one. Dean played a team-leading 58 defensive snaps and 19 special-teams plays in his pro debut.

 

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

Quote

Darius Slayton Close To Returning

 

By: Dan Benton | 6 hours ago

New York Giants rookie wide receiver Darius Slayton has been sidelined for several weeks due to a hamstring injury, but has been slowly working his way back.

On Tuesday, Slayton was on the field for the Giants’ toned-down practice and put his speed back on display, hauling in a long pass off the arm of rookie quarterback Daniel Jones.

But when will Slayton get into a game?

The Giants play the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night in Week 3 of the preseason, and there’s an outside chance Slayton could finally make his NFL debut.

“We’ll see. He’s getting really, really close to being in there. We’ll just have to see if he makes it,” head coach Pat Shurmur told reporters on Tuesday.

After a rough start in rookie minicamp, Slayton turned things around in late spring and early summer, even drawing praise as a player who had improved the most. And given other injuries to the team’s wide receivers, Slayton could turn out to be an exceptionally important piece, especially given his speed.

 

 

[Zeek 16,640]

Part of me wishes this thread could chill in the AU Football thread where our former players could get more attention and discussion.

Anyways, happy to see Stidham carving out a spot and showing some potential. He really has a lot of similarities to Brady and should be living in Brady's back pocket.

Very proud of Peyton Barber.

Jamel Dean straight up balled out!

Very happy Daniel Carlson didn't go down the Codey Parkey spiral of kicker failing. He's really had a second wind at Oklahoma and has been lights out.

Lots of positive news especially for some lesser rated Linebackers.

[WFE12 9,191]

 

[McLoofus 35,182]

15 hours ago, Zeek said:

Part of me wishes this thread could chill in the AU Football thread where our former players could get more attention and discussion.

Join the resistance!

(Been fighting that fight, never really get much feedback or explanation. Unless I just forgot. )

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

Quote

Cassanova McKinzy relying on ‘work ethic, grit’ in pursuit of NFL roster spot

Posted Aug 22, 5:30 AM

 

By Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com

Entering the third of Washington’s four preseason games, the Redskins’ depth chart lists Cassanova McKinzy as the second-team weakside linebacker. For the first time in his football career, the former Auburnstandout is in position to enter the NFL regular season on an active roster.

McKinzy has tried and failed to accomplish that three times.

“I feel like what really helps me a lot is just the work ethic and grit that I have,” McKinzy told the Redskins’ official web site. “Being an underdog, I just have to keep going.”

As an undrafted rookie with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016, McKinzy sustained a hamstring injury that sidelined him for two preseason games and almost two weeks of training camp.

In 2017, McKinzy went through training camp and the preseason with the Los Angeles Rams. In 2018, the team changed to the Redskins, but the result was the same: When the team reduced its 90-player preseason roster to reach the regular-season limit of 53, McKinzy was waived.

McKinzy spent time on the Rams’ practice squad in 2016 and 2017, and he was a member of Washington’s practice squad last season when the Redskins brought him to the active roster on Oct. 29. The next day, though, he was on his way back to the practice squad to make room for former Alabama All-American Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who’d been acquired from the Green Bay Packers in a trade.

Washington brought McKinzy to the active roster again on Nov. 9, and this time he stuck -- until he suffered a season-ending injury.

McKinzy played 38 defensive snaps and 36 special-teams plays in three games before he tore a pectoral muscle during the Thanksgiving game against the Dallas Cowboys.

After finally getting his opportunity only to have it cut short by an injury, McKinzy didn’t start feeling sorry for himself. Instead, he used the time off the field "to become a professional and to be a professional. It gave me the opportunity to just study the game more and to work on my craft.”

McKinzy played inside linebacker at Auburn and had been trying to break into the NFL in that position. But the Redskins moved McKinzy to outside linebacker.

He's listed on the depth chart as the backup to Ryan Kerrigan, a four-time Pro Bowler who ranks second in franchise history with 84.5 career sacks.

McKinzy has given Washington confidence he can step into the rush linebacker spot when Kerrigan is off the field. In the Redskins' preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, McKinzy delivered two quarterback hits and recovered a fumble during his 29 defensive snaps on Aug. 8. Against the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 16, McKinzy played 43 snaps, made two tackles, registered another quarterback hit and broke up a pass.

McKinzy said what’s come together for him this preseason is "the mental part of the game, like how fast things change in the click of a second -- just understanding the defense, understanding my health and what my teammates are good at.”

McKinzy is listed ahead of Jordan Brailford, Andrew Ankrah and another Auburn alumnus, Darrell Williams, on the depth chart. Brailford is a seventh-round draft choice who’s been injured for most of the preseason. Ankrah is trying to transition from the Alliance of American Football to the NFL. Williams is an undrafted rookie who signed with Washington on Aug. 11.

On the other side of the linebacker corps, the Redskins lost Preston Smith in March to the Green Bay Packers via free agency. That’s left former Daphne High School and Alabama standout Ryan Anderson, a 2017 second-round draft choice, and 2019 first-round draft choice Montez Sweat from Mississippi State handling the strongside job. Five-year veteran Marcus Smith II also is available.

“All these outside linebackers -- that’s another interesting position battle to watch,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. "Special teams will come down to it, but when you’re talking about game day, it’s going to be important to keep these guys fresh because we’ve got to get after the quarterback and stop the run, obviously.”

A 2011 All-State player at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham before becoming a three-year starter at Auburn, McKinzy will be playing in the closest NFL stadium to his hometown on Thursday when Washington continues its preseason schedule against the Atlanta Falcons at 6:30 p.m. CDT at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. WSFA in Montgomery, WDFX in Ozark, WBRC in Birmingham and WAFF in Huntsville will televise the game.

 

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

Quote

Jonathan Jones slotted for more defensive duty with Patriots

Posted Aug 21, 4:30 PM

 

By Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com

Like quarterback Tom Brady and New England’s other all-star players as well as most of the Patriots’ projected starters, cornerback Jonathan Jones hasn’t played in either of the NFL team’s two preseason games.

It’s quite a change in status for the former Auburn standout, who’s NFL career started as an undrafted rookie and includes 10 regular-season starts in three years.

New England seems set at cornerback with 2018 All-Pro Stephon Gilmore and 10-year veteran Jason McCourty, leaving Jones to handle the slot duties.

But even after the Patriots put a second-round tender on Jones in the offseason and will pay him $3.095 million for the 2019 campaign, the cornerback isn’t taking that spot in the lineup for granted. Seemingly by all accounts, Jones had an outstanding training camp.

“It’s one day at a time here,” Jones said. “You want to show up and compete and find consistency with the team and try to be the best player in training camp that you can be. My job right now is focusing on getting better play in and play out. The goal is to always improve.”

In the Patriots' deep secondary, Jones isn't the only option at slot corner. Last year's second-round draft choice, Duke Dawson, is back after spending 2018 on injured reserve. In Super Bowl LIII and several games late in the 2018 season, New England used rookie J.C. Jackson at outside corner and moved McCourty to the slot.

“I think we have a lot of guys who can step in and play,” Jones said. “Everybody comes in, competes and wants to get better. I think we feed off each other. I think it’s a good position room.”

Jackson's emergence didn't leave Jones out of the game plan last season, though. The Patriots put him at strong safety for the Super Bowl, and Jones responded with a team-leading eight tackles in New England's 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

In the AFC championship game, the Patriots deployed Jones as a high-speed shadow for Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill in their 37-31 overtime victory against the Kansas City Chiefs.

“He’s a good player,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said during training camp. “He does a really good job. Of course, he’s versatile. He does a lot of things. Smart, very competitive, tough. I’m glad we have him. He’s a good football player.”

Jones earned his spot on the Patriots in 2016 because of his special-teams prowess. In his rookie season, Jones was on the field for 64 defensive snaps and 307 special-teams plays. While Jones has retained his special-teams job, he's seen his defensive playing time jump to 439 snaps in 2017 and 515 in 2018 in regular-season games.

New England will play the third of its four preseason games at 6:30 p.m. CDT Thursday, when the Carolina Panthers visit Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots are 18 days away from their 2019 regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers during NBC's "Sunday Night Football" on Sept. 8, when they'll begin pursuit of their fourth Super Bowl berth and third NFL championship since Jones joined the team.

“It’s a new season, new start, whole new team compared to last year,”Jones said. “We’ve got to learn about ourselves, we’ve got to learn what we do well as a team this year and how we’re going to go out and win games.”

 

[ellitor 33,078]

17 hours ago, Zeek said:

Part of me wishes this thread could chill in the AU Football thread where our former players could get more attention and discussion.

The Mods & Admins talked about it & preferred the thread stayed here.

[ellitor 33,078]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

(Been fighting that fight, never really get much feedback or explanation. Unless I just forgot. )

Never saw that. I will say this though. If NFL related stuff on AU alum does get posted in the AU football forum it will get to stay there. I'll probably copy the posts so they will be in both places in that case.