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Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle DJ Reader was back in Houston for the Ultimate Dopest Charity Dodgeball Challenge, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, and commented on the offseason so far.

Reader said he feels the Bengals are looking good this offseason and he feels confident going into this year.

“We’re just working hard,” Reader said. “I feel like we have all the right pieces. It’s all about everyone putting it together. You have to go out there and execute every year, that’s how the game goes.”

While Reader said he does miss Houston since it’s where his roots are, he still believes he made a great decision signing with the Bengals.

The Bengals likely feel the same way since he has been able to help them along to back-to-back AFC Championship appearances.

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Story originally appeared on Bengals Wire

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It looks like the controversy involving the field conditions at Super Bowl LVII isn’t quite over yet. The NFL hasn’t had much to say about the slippery conditions at the game, but privately, the league has apparently been saying a lot. 

According to Pro Football Talk, owners have been asking the league why the playing surface was so slippery, and the NFL has responded by pinning the blame on players from the Chiefs and Eagles for not wearing the right cleats in the game.  

It’s an interesting stance for the league to take, especially since both teams felt that the field conditions were horrible. As a matter of fact, the field was so bad that Eagles pass-rusher Haason Reddick called it the “worst” surface that he’s ever played on. 

“I’m not going to lie, it was the worst field that I’ve ever played on,” Reddick said after the game. “It was very disappointing. It’s the NFL. You would think it would be better so we could get some better play, but it is what it is. I don’t know, maybe the league will look at it and tell Arizona they got to step their stuff up.”

In the video below, you can see multiple instances of players slipping on the field: 

The field conditions during the Chiefs’ 38-35 win also got a big thumbs down from George Toma. The man known as “The Sodfather,” who has worked all 57 Super Bowls as either a groundskeeper or consultant, pinned the blame on NFL field director Ed Mangan for overwatering the field and not sanding it enough. After seeing the final product, Toma noted that the field had a “rotten smell.”

After slipping and sliding all over the field in the first half, several Eagles players actually changed their cleats at halftime, but that didn’t seem to help much. If the new cleats were just as bad as the old cleats, that would seem to point to the field as being the primary reason for the slipping. 

Not to mention, the Eagles and Chiefs both played…

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Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is hoping to put the 2022 season far behind him as he looks to regain his superstar form in what could be a crucial campaign upcoming.

Currently in the final year of his rookie contract, Taylor has three consecutive seasons with over 1,000 scrimmage yards. However, the 2022 season was the first time he failed to reach 1,000 rushing yards, which was due mostly to a nagging ankle injury that forced him to miss essentially seven games (including the Vikings game).

But that wasn’t enough to boot Taylor from NFL.com’s Superstar Club, who enters his second season featured amongst the group. Here’s a snippet of what Dan Hanzus had to say about it:

As for Taylor, I thought long and hard about revoking his membership on the grounds of the one-year probationary period for all new superstars in the club. But, like a forgiving mob capo, I ultimately opted to give Taylor a pass. Playing on a dreadful Colts team that was in constant tumult, Taylor still managed over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 4.5 yards per carry on one good ankle. This is still the same guy who stacked nearly 2,200 total yards and 20 TDs in 2021. Treat him right, Shane Steichen.

Only three other running backs joined Taylor on this list. They are Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey.

This will be a crucial campaign for Taylor, who has yet to sign a contract extension. The hope is that the addition of a dual-threat quarterback like Anthony Richardson will open up the rushing lanes for Taylor, who can use his breakaway speed and excellent vision to provide chunk plays.

The 24-year-old is a massive part of the Colts offense, and they’ll need him to return to form if there’s any hope of exceeding expectations.

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Story originally appeared on Colts Wire

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Football is a team sport, but two roles in particular have a heavy sway on a team’s success: quarterback and head coach. If you possess an elite signal-caller or play-caller, odds are you’ll still need a solid supporting cast to contend for a title. But at least you’ll have a running start. Just ask the Chiefs and Patriots, who built — or still maintain — recent NFL dynasties thanks to impeccable QB-HC pairings.

There is little debate, going into 2023, which of the NFL’s QBs belong in the uppermost tier: Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen are among the bona fide studs under center. But what about the head coaches? Which chief of staff makes the biggest difference with his strategy, his experience, his leadership?

Here’s our pecking order of all 32 head coaches going into this season:

32. Matt Eberflus (Bears)

Season: 2nd with CHI, 2nd as HC
Career record: 3-14 | Playoffs: N/A

It’s not all Eberflus’ fault he debuted with a stripped-down roster, but if you’re gonna be a defensive HC in today’s NFL, you’d prefer not to shepherd one of the league’s worst units on that side of the ball. A big leap from QB Justin Fields would help.

31. Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals)

Season: 1st with ARI, 1st as HC
Career record: N/A | Playoffs: N/A

He’s a unique and energetic character, to be sure, and that may help Arizona weather its slow-burn rebuild. But his defensive approach is quite passive, as sore Eagles fans will be quick to note, and he could be working with a barren roster for years.

30. Josh McDaniels (Raiders)

Season: 2nd with LV, 4th as HC
Career record: 17-28 | Playoffs: N/A

Josh McDaniels
USATSI

We know he can run a Patriots offense, which is probably why he basically remade the old Patriots in Las Vegas this offseason. But adversity has tended…

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The days of the base defense with three linebackers on the field are most definitely over. Last season, defenses played nickel (five defensive backs) on 12,630 opponent passing attempts. Defenses played dime (six defensive backs) on 2,715 opponent dropbacks. With just 3,206 opponent dropbacks against four defensive backs last season, base defense is no longer base defense — nickel is the new base, and has been for some time.

With that in mind, it’s also clear that the requirements for NFL linebackers have changed. Running backs motioning out of the backfield, and the advent of the 3×1 formation, have altered team needs at the position. The old-school forward-motion run-stopper is of limited use at best, unless he can also cover from the flat to the seam, and blitz everywhere from the second level to various gaps at the line of scrimmage.

It’s a new day for linebackers, and as such, we’re seeing different types of players define the position. Now, you need to be built like a safety while still hitting like a 250-pound middle linebacker from the 1970s. It’s not an easy gig, and that’s one reason for the supposed “devaluation” of the position. Linebackers are rarely thought to be the personifications of their defenses as they were in previous eras. Now, it’s mostly about cornerbacks and edge-rushers. If you want to stand out in the public eye like Dick Butkus or Jack Lambert… well, good luck with that.

Still, it’s an important position, and as the goalposts have moved, players have redefined themselves to bend with the times. Thus, the 11 players you’ll see on this list.

The criteria to make the list of the 11 best linebackers in the game today represented a focus on a multi-faceted approach to the game.

Beating blocks and getting through run fits on a consistent basis is crucial. If you can’t stop the run well, it’s going to be tough to get anywhere near this listicle.

Pass coverage is also crucial. Can you be a true half-field defender at…

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