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  • XFL’s three-point conversion creates new late-game strategies

    XFL’s three-point conversion creates new late-game strategies

    Whether either of the two minor football leagues playing this year will get fans to care remains to be seen. But with the latest edition of the XFL kicking off this weekend, some of the new rules make for some interesting strategic discussions.

    One such discussion took place on the Houston Roughnecks’ sideline on Saturday night, while they had a 30-12 lead in the fourth quarter. In the NFL, that would be a three-possession lead, but in the XFL it was only a two-possession lead: The XFL has three-point conversions, where the offense snaps the ball at the 10-yard line and gets three points for running or passing it into the end zone, so a team trailing by 18 could tie the game with two touchdowns and two three-point conversions.

    Roughnecks coach Wade Phillips was cognizant of that with his team in field goal range, and he decided to kick a field goal to make it a three-possession game.

    “We’re 18 points ahead. We go to 21, they’ve got to score three times,” said Phillips, on the XFL broadcast where coaches where microphones and their comments are aired live.

    Houston made the field goal and won 33-12.

    XFL’s three-point conversion creates new late-game strategies originally appeared on Pro Football Talk

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  • XFL 2023 schedule, scores: Dates, times and matchups for the entire regular season and playoffs

    XFL 2023 schedule, scores: Dates, times and matchups for the entire regular season and playoffs

    Getty Images

    The XFL is back. Three years after the 2020 version was forced to shut down after five games due to COVID-19, the league has returned with a 10-week regular season and two weeks of playoffs in 2023.

    It all started on Saturday, Feb. 18, and you can check out the entire 2023 schedule below, including playoffs, with two semifinals to be held on April 29 and 30 and the championship game on May 13. 

    We’ll keep you updated with results from each game as the season rolls along. You can check out all of our XFL coverage here, including everything to know about the rebooted league — which originated in 2001 — along with the XFL names to know, power rankings, picks, standings and more.

    Week 1

    Arlington Renegades 22, Vegas Vipers 20

    Houston Roughnecks 33, Orlando Guardians 12

    St. Louis Battlehawks 18, San Antonio Brahmas 15

    D.C. Defenders 22, Seattle Sea Dragons 18

    Week 2 

    St. Louis Battlehawks at Seattle Sea Dragons

    Thursday, Feb. 23, 9 p.m. ET

    FX

    D.C. Defenders at Vegas Vipers

    Saturday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. ET

    FX

    San Antonio Brahmas at Orlando Guardians

    Sunday, Feb. 26, 4 p.m. ET

    ESPN

    Arlington Renegades at Houston Roughnecks

    Sunday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. ET

    ESPN2

    Week 3

    Seattle Sea Dragons at Vegas Vipers

    Saturday, March 4, 7 p.m. ET

    FX

    St. Louis Battlehawks at D.C. Defenders

    Sunday, March 5, 1 p.m. ET

    FX

    Orlando Guardians at Arlington Renegades

    Sunday, March 5, 4 p.m. ET

    FX

    San Antonio Brahmas at Houston Roughnecks

    Sunday, March 5, 8 p.m. ET

    ESPN2

    Week 4

    Houston Roughnecks at Orlando Guardians

    Saturday, March 11, 7 p.m. ET

    FX

    San Antonio Brahmas at Seattle Sea Dragons

    Saturday, March 11, 10 p.m. ET

    FX

    Arlington Renegades at St. Louis Battlehawks

    Sunday, March 12, 4 p.m. ET

    ESPN2

    Vegas Vipers…

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  • Kyle Shanahan not to blame for 49ers’ Brock Purdy injury, Greg Cosell says

    Kyle Shanahan not to blame for 49ers’ Brock Purdy injury, Greg Cosell says

    Cosell explains why Shanahan not to blame for Purdy injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

    After Brock Purdy suffered a devastating injury during the NFC Championship Game, some pointed the finger at 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan for calling the play that got his rookie quarterback hurt.

    And while NFL Films producer Greg Cosell understands that’s an easy thing to do, he stopped by Super Bowl LVII’s Radio Row in Phoenix last week and shared why Shanahan’s choice wasn’t “stupid.”

    “That was a shot play, and every team has tight ends block pass rushers. That’s not uncommon,” Cosell told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco and Jennifer Lee Chan for the latest episode of “49ers Talk.” “Now, because the result of that play was obviously not only negative in terms of a sack or whatever it was, but a potential loss of a season for Brock Purdy … That’s easy to rip.”

    Purdy sustained a torn right UCL when Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick tore past 49ers backup tight end Tyler Kroft to sack the quarterback. The 23-year-old dropped back and was in the process of firing a deep pass off play-action, but Reddick hit his elbow and stripped him of the ball before he could do so.

    Purdy will undergo surgery to repair his torn ligament on Feb. 22, and he was one of four San Francisco quarterbacks to exit a game with injury during the 2022 NFL regular season and playoffs.

    “Can you sit here and say, as an abstraction, that you don’t want Tyler Kroft blocking Haason Reddick?” Cosell said. “Yes, of course you can, and I get that and that’s fine.

    “But Shanahan’s not the only guy that’s done that. I’ve seen it on tape every week, and it works. And I’m being honest, I don’t know what else to say about it. It didn’t work [for the 49ers], so it looks really bad. But it’s not because Kyle Shanahan is stupid.”

    Purdy’s teammates also defended Shanahan in the week after the NFC title game, with George Kittle defending Kroft’s ability to block on the play.

    Story continues

    “If Coach…

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  • Notre Dame promotes Gerad Parker to offensive coordinator: Irish tight ends coach replaces Tommy Rees

    Notre Dame promotes Gerad Parker to offensive coordinator: Irish tight ends coach replaces Tommy Rees

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    Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman has promoted tight ends coach Gerard Parker to offensive coordinator, the school announced on Saturday, ending a lengthy search kickstarted by Tommy Rees’ departure for the same job at Alabama. The Fighting Irish previously had reported interest in Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein and Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, the latter of whom stayed with the Utes despite being a prime candidate for this job. 

    “I am excited to announce Gerad as our new offensive coordinator,” Freeman said in a statement. “I know firsthand the person, teacher, recruiter and innovative football mind he is. I look forward to watching our offense flourish under Gerad’s leadership and direction.” 

    Parker joined the Notre Dame staff as tight ends coach prior to 2022 after spending two seasons as West Virginia’s offensive coordinator, moving on after Neal Brown hired Graham Harrell to take over the offense. He had short stints at Penn State (2019) and Duke (2017-18), plus a four-year run as an assistant for Darrell Hazell at Purdue from 2013-16 that ended with Parker being named the team’s interim coach after Hazell was fired.  

    Freeman finalizing the offensive staff comes as the Fighting Irish are preparing for spring practice next month, which will wrap with a Blue-Gold spring game set for April 22. Promoting Parker was not the only piece of the puzzle, though. Notre Dame is also reportedly set to hire offensive assistant Gino Guidugli away from Wisconsin to serve…

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  • Michael Thomas tees off on NFL medical care in deleted tweets

    Michael Thomas tees off on NFL medical care in deleted tweets

    Saints receiver Michael Thomas followed a record-setting 2019 with a Week One ankle injury in 2020 that derailed his career. Based on a tweet he posted and deleted, he seems to think the medical he received contributed to his struggles.

    Retweeting the news that former Eagles safety Chris Maragos secured a $43.5 million malpractice verdict based on the treatment of a knee injury, Thomas said, “the nfl medical sucks, cheap, and uneducated their job requires barely any eduction or curriculum,” via USA Today.

    Thomas followed the first tweet with “well at least [at] some places I know,” before deleting both tweets.

    In 2020, Thomas appeared in only six more games. He missed all of 2021, and he played in only three games in 2022.

    Regardless of any specific complaints Thomas may or may not have regarding the treatment he received following his original ankle injury, one of the longstanding concerns regarding NFL medical care generally arises from the argument that medical practices potentially have been retained on past occasions by some teams based less on expertise and more on how much money those practices spend in sponsorships, signage, suites, etc.

    Michael Thomas tees off on NFL medical care in deleted tweets originally appeared on Pro Football Talk

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  • Commanders announce Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator

    Commanders announce Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator

    It’s official: Eric Bieniemy is the new offensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders.

    After much speculation that Bieniemy could leave Kansas City for Washington, Bieniemy signed his contract this morning and the Commanders announced the move.

    Bieniemy also has the title of assistant head coach, he has the ability to truly run an offense while working for a head coach who primarily coaches the defense, and he has a multi-year contract — all things he didn’t have in Kansas City.

    The Chiefs have had an excellent offense in Bieniemy’s five seasons as offensive coordinator, but some questioned how much of the credit he should get while coaching Patrick Mahomes and working for Andy Reid. If he can run a great offense in Washington, he may finally get the head-coaching offer that has eluded him for so long.

    Commanders announce Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator originally appeared on Pro Football Talk

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  • XFL schedule 2023: Times, dates and matchups for the entire regular season and playoffs

    XFL schedule 2023: Times, dates and matchups for the entire regular season and playoffs

    Getty Images

    The XFL has returned. Three years after the 2020 version was forced to shut down after five games due to COVID-19, the league returns with a 10-week regular season and two weeks of playoffs in 2023.

    It all starts on Saturday, Feb. 18, and you can check out the entire 2023 schedule below, including playoffs, with two semifinals to be held on April 29 and 30 and the championship game on May 13. 

    We’ll keep you updated with results from each game as the season rolls along. You can check out all of our XFL coverage here, including everything to know about the rebooted league — which originated in 2001 — along with the XFL names to know, power rankings, picks, standings and more.

    Week 1

    Arlington Renegades 22, Vegas Vipers 20

    Orlando Guardians at Houston Roughnecks

    Saturday, Feb. 18, 8:30 p.m. ET

    ESPN/FX

    St. Louis Battlehawks at San Antonio Brahmas

    Sunday, Feb. 19, 3 p.m. ET

    ABC

    Seattle Sea Dragons at D.C. Defenders

    Sunday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m. ET

    ESPN

    Week 2 

    St. Louis Battlehawks at Seattle Sea Dragons

    Thursday, Feb. 23, 9 p.m. ET

    FX

    D.C. Defenders at Vegas Vipers

    Saturday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. ET

    FX

    San Antonio Brahmas at Orlando Guardians

    Sunday, Feb. 26, 4 p.m. ET

    ESPN

    Arlington Renegades at Houston Roughnecks

    Sunday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. ET

    ESPN2

    Week 3

    Seattle Sea Dragons at Vegas Vipers

    Saturday, March 4, 7 p.m. ET

    FX

    St. Louis Battlehawks at D.C. Defenders

    Sunday, March 5, 1 p.m. ET

    FX

    Orlando Guardians at Arlington Renegades

    Sunday, March 5, 4 p.m. ET

    FX

    San Antonio Brahmas at Houston Roughnecks

    Sunday, March 5, 8 p.m. ET

    ESPN2

    Week 4

    Houston Roughnecks at Orlando Guardians

    Saturday, March 11, 7 p.m. ET

    FX

    San Antonio Brahmas at Seattle Sea Dragons

    Saturday, March 11, 10 p.m….

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  • Michael Irvin is racking up early wins in his lawsuit against Marriott

    Michael Irvin is racking up early wins in his lawsuit against Marriott

    Early in Super Bowl week, representatives of an Arizona hotel owned by Marriott informed NFL Network of a misconduct complaint made by an unnamed employee about Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin. It resulted in Irvin being removed from the Super Bowl coverage both at NFL Network and ESPN.

    Irvin reacted swiftly, filing a $100 million lawsuit against Marriott and the accuser. And the court in Arizona is moving as swiftly as any court ever moves in a civil lawsuit.

    Via TMZ.com, the presiding judge already has ordered that Marriott must identify the name of the employee — and that Marriott must produce video evidence regarding the alleged interaction. Marriott also must disclose the NFL Network employee(s) to whom the report was made.

    The specific allegations against Irvin never has been disclosed. Although he did himself no favors by talking publicly about the situation in the aftermath of being pulled off the air by NFL Network, his legal strategy has been effective, to say the least.

    Irvin aggressively is attempting to prove his innocence. So far, he seems to be winning.

    Making the situation even more compelling — and awkward for the league — is that Marriott is a long-time sponsor of the NFL.

    Michael Irvin is racking up early wins in his lawsuit against Marriott originally appeared on Pro Football Talk

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