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| [ PHOTO: EAGLE-TRIBUNE ] |
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots set out on their latest quest for immortality on Thursday as the National Football League season kicks off with the Super Bowl champions once again the team to beat. Brady, who clinched a record fifth Super Bowl with February's miraculous comeback against Atlanta, would become the oldest quarterback in…
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| [ PHOTO: ESPN ] |
The National Football League on Tuesday called off this weekend's clash between the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as another major hurricane barreled towards the United States. The NFL said in a statement the approach of Hurricane Irma had forced the game at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday to be axed on safety…
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| [ PHOTO: MIAMI HERALD ] |
Hurricane Irma, which grew to a Category 5 storm on Tuesday, might force the NFL to postpone opening week for the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Dolphins are scheduled to host the Buccaneers on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. Workers at the stadium were reportedly informed Tuesday that a decision on when to play…
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| [ PHOTO: HERALD-WHIG ] |
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens rookie cornerback Marlon Humphrey played in just two preseason games because of a hamstring injury. However, the rookie first-round pick shined when given opportunities, which could earn him some reps against the Bengals in the opener. "I think he will rise to the challenge very well," Ravens head coach John…
As NFL teams labored to remove nearly 1,200 players from rosters by 4 p.m. ET Saturday, the trade route suddenly became an extremely popular vehicle for change. Call it a dealing frenzy. Consider this comparison to 2016: In the week of roster cutting to 75 and then 53 players, there were 11 trades involving 13 players.…
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| [ PHOTO: SB NATION ] |
KANSAS CITY -- Head coach Andy Reid's Kansas City Chiefs are on a mission following last season's playoff heartbreak at home. When the NFL schedule came out this spring with a season-opening trip to visit the defending champion New England Patriots, the entire organization had a target. "It doesn't matter how many games we won last…
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| [ PHOTO: USA TODAY ] |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- After two weeks of training camp --just prior to the first preseason game against New England -- the lone significant concern for the Jacksonville Jaguars was determining the starting left guard. Otherwise, most every other position seemed set, except, perhaps the constant discomfort at quarterback. OK, injuries to key players were in the…
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| [ PHOTO: DETROIT FREE PRESS ] |
ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- When quarterback Matthew Stafford signed his record-setting five-year, $135-million extension with the Detroit Lions this week, he said it was important to get it done before the start of the regular season so his contract wasn't a distraction to "an extremely talented team." "I expect great things from this team," Stafford said.…
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| [ PHOTO: PALM BEACH POST ] |
DAVIE, Fla. -- As the Miami Dolphins prepare for a Sept. 10 opener against Tampa Bay with Jay Cutler at quarterback, the team's concerns have nothing to do with their preseason 2-2 record. Miami is concerned about players such as wide receiver Jarvis Landry, middle linebacker Rey Maualuga, and the starting left cornerback battle between Byron…
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| [ PHOTO: SB NATION ] |
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- It would be tough to argue that the preseason went well for the Buffalo Bills, not after a summer that saw Buffalo lose three of the games, but more importantly, saw the front office make moves that are clearly earmarked to help the team in 2018 and beyond. The Bills traded wide…
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| [ PHOTO: THE WASHINGTON POST ] |
ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Redskins have become competitive again under head coach Jay Gruden, but that progress still feels tenuous. Back-to-back winning seasons have fueled optimism, but not necessarily confidence. Gruden earned a two-year contract extension after an 8-7-1 season. Gruden also lost his offensive coordinator (Sean McVay) and fired his defensive coordinator (Joe Barry),…
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| [ PHOTO: WEEI-BOSTON ] |
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It was far from an ideal preseason in New England, and it had nothing to do with the Patriots' 1-3 mark in August action. After kicking off the summer with players shooting down early chatter from fans and the media about a possible 19-0 season, Bill Belichick's squad saw three players from three…
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| [ PHOTO: THE DENVER POST ] |
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When Trevor Siemian was named the starting quarterback ahead of Paxton Lynch on Aug. 21, the simmering question that shrouded the Denver Broncos throughout the offseason finally dissipated. But that was replaced by other questions that loom heading into the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. From the top, will the Broncos'…
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| [ PHOTO: DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE ] |
GREEN BAY -- When Packer Nation is asked about its No. 1 rival, most answer Chicago or Minnesota. In the last few years, though, Seattle has entered the discussion. The Packers and Seahawks - who meet in a Week-1 showdown - have played five times since 2012. Seattle is 3-2 in those games, and on two…
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| [ PHOTO: NFL SPIN ZONE ] |
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- As the preseason wound down, Chicago Bears coach John Fox assessed his team in what figures to be a crucial season for the coaching staff. "We're deeper as a football team," Fox said. "I think I mentioned that even at our opening press conference at Bourbonnais (Ill.)." It's not much to go…
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| [ PHOTO: NEW YORK POST ] |
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Subpar seasons are nothing new for the New York Jets, who are 76 games under .500 all-time and lost at least 10 games in a season 18 times since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970. But the latest proof the Jets could bottom out this season in a fashion unfamiliar to even them…
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| [ PHOTO: ESPN ] |
BEREA, Ohio -- For the first time since September of 2008, a season after they finished 10-6, a feeling of optimism is bubbling around the Browns training facility in suburban Berea, Ohio. It might not be to the degree of playoff optimism, not yet, anyway, but a year after going 0-4 in the preseason as a…
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| [ PHOTO: NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ] |
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants starting left guard Justin Pugh is a pretty good offensive lineman. But if this thing called football doesn't work for him over the long haul, he just might have a future in advertising. "It's going to be grimy. It's going to be gritty. It's going to be tough," said…
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| [ PHOTO: THE FEDERALIST ] |
The Detroit Lions made Matthew Stafford the richest player in NFL history Monday night, signing him to a five-year contract worth $135 million. That, of course, sent the internet into a frenzy, since he’ll be paid more than the likes of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees heading into the 2017 NFL season. It's easy…
