NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • Utah is home to six of the country’s top nine passing yards leaders

    Utah is home to six of the country’s top nine passing yards leaders

    Many of Utah’s high school football teams love putting the ball in the air, at least according to the national statistics. In fact, according to rivals, six of the top nine individual passing yardage leaders in the country are from Utah.

    It’s important to note that most teams in Utah have already played eight games, which is more than some other places. Still, these numbers are impressive.

    The national passing yards leader is Tadon Bessinger, from Davis High, with 3,036 yards. He also has 37 touchdowns against just two interceptions.

    Bessinger is committed to Boise State. 247 Sports has him listed as a 3-star player and the 24th rated quarterback in the 2026 class.

    Not far behind are Payson’s Trevyn Wall (third nationally at 2,645 yards), Mountain Ridge’s Jaxon Hunt (fourth at 2,583), Skyline’s Xavier Cocci (sixth, 2,377), Sky View’s Jack Clark (eighth, 2,363 yards) and West Field’s Easton Eilertson (ninth, 2,358).

    The other three players in the top nine are Lehman Catholic, Ohio’s Turner Lachey (second, 2,795), Hun, New Jersey’s Lukas Prock (fifth, 2,454) and West Jefferson, Ohio’s Austin Buescher (seventh, 2,377).

    Any way you slice it, six of the top nine passers from one state is impressive. Well done, Utah.

    ..

    [ad_2]

    Read More

  • With his next touchdown pass, Patrick Mahomes will pass Aaron Rodgers as fastest to 300

    With his next touchdown pass, Patrick Mahomes will pass Aaron Rodgers as fastest to 300

    Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is about to reach the 300 career touchdown pass mark faster than anyone in NFL history.

    Aaron Rodgers threw his 300th touchdown pass in his 147th career game, counting the postseason. Currently, that’s the fastest anyone has reached the 300 touchdown pass mark.

    Mahomes has 299 career touchdown passes in 138 career games. So he needs to throw one touchdown in his next eight games to get to 300 faster than Rodgers. It’s safe to say Mahomes will do it with time to spare.

    Mahomes will likely do it in Kansas City this weekend on Sunday Night Football, when the Chiefs host the Lions. As Mahomes has said, the Chiefs have already lost too many games this season. But a win over the Lions would turn the season around in a big way. And could feature a big accomplishment in Mahomes’ career.

    ..

    [ad_2]

    Read More

  • North Carolina assistant coach reportedly suspended as drama continues for Bill Belichick’s program

    North Carolina assistant coach reportedly suspended as drama continues for Bill Belichick’s program

    Getty Images

    North Carolina has suspended cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins amid allegations that the program awarded impermissible benefits to players, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. Among the alleged extra benefits were sideline passes given to a player’s family members in violation of NCAA rules. Hawkins’ suspension is the latest bit of turmoil inside the UNC program, which has been much maligned throughout a 2-3 start to the Bill Belichick era.

    Hawkins joined the Tar Heels staff ahead of the season by way of Washington, where he worked as a defensive analyst under UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, Bill’s son. He is in his first season as a position coach after holding recruiting positions and analyst roles at Washington, Arizona, Colorado and USC.

    The North Carolina defense is off to a rough start, particularly through the air. The Tar Heels are allowing 246.2 passing yards per game, which gives UNC the No. 102 pass defense in the country. In three games against opponents from power conferences, North Carolina has been outscored 120-33.

    Documentary centered around North Carolina football and Bill Belichick reportedly axed

    Jordan Dajani

    North Carolina under scrutiny on…

    ..

    [ad_2]

    Read More

  • Jaguars vs Chiefs overreactions: Lawrence back? Butker washed?

    Jaguars vs Chiefs overreactions: Lawrence back? Butker washed?

    Perhaps the Jacksonville Jaguars beating the Kansas City Chiefs isn’t the biggest upset in the grand scheme of things, yet it signals the Jaguars have arrived as a player in the AFC. The Jaguars made a statement in what was their biggest game of the season to date, improving to 4-1 and dropping the Chiefs to 2-3.

    Jacksonville has certainly changed the culture under head coach Liam Coen, matching its win total from last year and emerging as the Indianapolis Colts’ biggest challenger in the AFC South. The Jaguars are just the fourth team with a go-ahead touchdown drive starting in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter against the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback — and the first to pull off the feat in four years. 

    In a game where the Jaguars proved they are a contender, there was plenty to take away from the Monday thriller. The overreactions are heating up, too, based on how the game ended. Which are overreactions, and which are warranted realities?

    Jaguars are a playoff team

    Overreaction or reality: Reality 

    Heading into this Monday night showdown with the Chiefs, it was fair to ask if the Jaguars were ready for prime time. Turns out, this group under Coen is more than ready.

    Jacksonville went pound for pound with Kansas City, exchanging the lead five times in the second half after erasing an early 14-0 deficit. The Jaguars scored 21 unanswered points, then took the Chiefs’ best shot from Mahomes to steal a victory. Jacksonville didn’t roll over, as Trevor Lawrence led a seven-play, 60-yard drive in the final minute — capped with a rushing touchdown in which he fell to start the play — with 23 seconds remaining.

    The Jaguars are a tenacious team with an opportunistic defense and a quarterback who’s starting to regain his confidence. That’s a dangerous combination, especially for a team that now has back-to-back wins against good opponents in San Francisco and Kansas…

    ..

    [ad_2]

    Read More

  • Young linebackers are set to get more work this week

    Young linebackers are set to get more work this week

    Penn State football coach James Franklin and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles have discussed the lack of depth at linebacker from the start of training camp.

    They’ve bemoaned that some of the younger linebackers behind Amare Campbell, Tony Rojas and Dominic DeLuca haven’t stepped up.

    The Nittany Lions’ depth now is even thinner with Rojas out for a significant period of time with an injury he suffered last week in practice.

    “Whenever you lose one of your better players at a position where we were already lacking depth, that’s going to create some challenges,” Franklin said Monday during his weekly press conference. “That’s going to be a point of attention all week long with our coaching staff and the players.”

    Campbell, a transfer from North Carolina, played every defensive snap in Penn State’s shocking 42-37 loss to previously winless UCLA at the Rose Bowl and made 10 tackles, including 2.5 in the backfield.

    DeLuca played every snap but one when he had to leave the field after being shaken up. He finished with 12 tackles, including one in the backfield, and had a quarterback hurry, but he also missed a few tackles.

    “If we want to play better, we’ve got to be on the same page,” DeLuca said Saturday. “We’ve all got to do our jobs at a high level.”

    Cam Smith, a freshman from St. Joseph’s Prep, replaced DeLuca for one snap. He and redshirt Anthony Speca are expected to receive more work this week at practice.

    “We’re going to have to play those guys and develop them,” Franklin said. “Cam is part of that discussion. Speca is part of that discussion. We’re going to have to rotate those guys in there.”

    UCLA ran for 269 yards against Penn State, which has allowed 149.4 rushing yards per game (77th nationally). On several scrambles, quarterback Nico Iamaleava had plenty of…

    ..

    [ad_2]

    Read More

  • Saquon Barkley listed as non-participant on Monday injury report

    Saquon Barkley listed as non-participant on Monday injury report

    The Eagles have an injury concern with one of their top players as they begin a short week.

    Running back Saquon Barkley is listed as a non-participant on Philadelphia’s Monday injury report estimate due to a knee injury.

    Barkley took just six carries for 30 yards and caught three passes for 58 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos, with no injury announced during the contest. He was on the field for 72 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. That’s lower than his average of 85 percent through the first four weeks of the season.

    Barkley’s numbers are considerably down through Philadelphia’s first five weeks in comparison to the 2024 season. He’s rushed for 267 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 3.2 yards per carry, and caught 17 passes for 128 yards with a TD.

    Offensive lineman Landon Dickerson (ankle) and tight end Grant Calcaterra (oblique) also would not have practiced on Monday.

    Linebacker Jihaad Campbell (biceps) and defensive tackle Byron Young (triceps) would have been limited.

    Linebacker Nakobe Dean, who is returning from the physically unable to perform list, would have been a full participant.

    ..

    [ad_2]

    Read More

  • College football preseason darlings Texas, Clemson, Penn State flop

    College football preseason darlings Texas, Clemson, Penn State flop

    US LBM Coaches Poll: Penn State and Texas plummet

    USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg breaks down the latest US LBM Coaches poll and where Penn State and Texas land after brutal loses.

    Sports Pulse

    Texas and Penn State auditioned for the starring roles in college football’s flop fest.Don’t forget about Clemson in flop fest, but at least Tigers beat North Carolina.Bill Belichick’s buyout, you ask? More than $20 million.

    Texas and Penn State auditioned in Week 6 for the starring roles in college football’s fraud fest.

    No more can we say UCLA is the worst Power Four team, not after its stunning takedown of Penn State. Who’s here for the Nico Iamaleava redemption story? Texas coach Steve Sarkisian needs to evaluate his starting quarterback situation after another bad showing from Arch Manning.

    Oh, the drama!

    No. 1 Ohio State avoids drama, at least. The most intrigue in a Buckeyes game is whether the opponent will cross the goal line.

    Here are some questions left on my mind after an eventful Week 6:

    Which team is college football’s biggest flop?

    ∎ Top flop: Clemson. When Clemson’s shining moment is a decisive win against hapless North Carolina, that’s a sign of how bad it got for the Tigers in September. Billed as a national championship contender in August, Clemson faceplanted in three losses that now have it earmarked for an also-ran bowl. Preseason rank: No. 6. Current rank: Unranked.

    ∎ Runner-up: Texas. It’s not just that Arch Manning was grossly overhyped. This whole team got blown out of proportion in the preseason. Manning’s a bust, but he’s also received little support. The offensive line is flimsy, the run game is insufficient and the defense isn’t nearly as fierce as its billing. Preseason rank: No. 1. Current rank: No. 19.

    ∎ Third: Penn State. Those thinking in August that James Franklin would produce a…

    ..

    [ad_2]

    Read More

  • Bills’ record streak comes to an end in stunning ‘Sunday Night Football’ loss to Patriots

    Bills’ record streak comes to an end in stunning ‘Sunday Night Football’ loss to Patriots

    Getty Images

    The Bills not only lost their undefeated season in their 23-20 loss to the Patriots on “Sunday Night Football,” but they lost a historic streak, too. The Bills committed three turnovers and only forced one, ending their 26-game streak (including playoffs) of not losing the turnover battle. That was the longest streak in NFL history on record, dating to 1940.

    It’s the first time Buffalo has lost the turnover battle since Week 7, 2023 — coincidentally also a loss to the Patriots.

    The miscues began at the very start: On Buffalo’s first drive of the night, Josh Allen and Dawson Knox bungled what looked like a sweep play for the tight end, and New England’s Joshua Farmer recovered.

    The Patriots defense got a second takeaway before the quarter was over, with Robert Spillane punching a ball out of Keon Coleman’s hands and Jaylinn Hawkins recovering.

    Marcus Jones got New England’s third takeaway of the night, jumping in front of an Allen pass intended for Khalil Shakir.

    Taking the ball away, of course, is only one half of the turnover battle. The Patriots’ ability to avoid turnovers helped, though they certainly played with fire in that aspect. Rhamondre Stevenson lost a fumble shortly after the Bills’ first turnover, and Antonio Gibson fumbled a kickoff return, though New England ended up recovering.

    ..

    [ad_2]

    Read More