Tag Archives: Football

Pro Sports, Sports

Looking to the playoffs, an Eagles fan recaps the 2022 season

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In the 2022 off-season, I was very optimistic about the future of the Philadelphia Eagles. As a fan, this season has been fun to watch, and I still believe we’ll go very far in the playoffs. The Eagles finished the regular season 14-3 and have picked up some hugely important wins but have also struggled to beat teams like the Texans and the Colts this season which has me concerned. Some positives and negatives can’t be overlooked going into the playoffs.

THE POSITIVES

Jalen Hurts playing at an MVP level.

The one thing that has shocked me is how well Jalen Hurts has played this season. It helps that he has a top-five receiving core in the NFL, with AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith having 1,000-yard seasons going into Week 18. Hurts has thrown for over 3,000 yards and 22 touchdown passes, and only 5 picks. He is making many good decisions throwing the ball compared to last season. He’s going to have to go to that next level if the Eagles want to win the Super Bowl. 

The New Guys in town

This offseason was enjoyable for all Eagles fans, and it all started in the second week of March when Haason Reddick was signed to a three-year contract. That has worked out as Reddick currently has 16 sacks and has forced five fumbles this season, and he has recovered three of them. He is on his way to the Pro Bowl in Vegas. Later in March, Kyzir White was signed to a one-year contract, and he has been a significant impact player who the Eagles should keep around for the coming years.

On Night 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft in Vegas, the Eagles selected Jordan Davis with the 13th overall pick. He has been a run stuffer, and the run defense struggled while injured for four weeks. Almost 45 minutes after picking Davis, they traded the 18th and 101st pick to the Tennessee Titans for AJ Brown, who has exploded playing with Hurts this season. In May, he signed a 4 year $100m contract extension to commit his long-term future to Philly. On Night 2 of the draft, Howie Roseman could wait until the 83rd pick to draft Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean who was widely expected to be a first-round pick. Meanwhile, in August, Roseman acquired Chauncey Gardner-Johnson from the Saints in exchange for draft picks. So far this season, Gardner-Johnson has six interceptions.

AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith both getting over 1,000 yards.

One of the big difference makers this season was AJ Brown. After the Eagles acquired him from the Titans, Eagles fans had a high level of excitement because of the numbers he put up while he was with the Titans. This season, he hasn’t disappointed. He has hauled in 88 receptions for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns. Smith, meanwhile, has hauled in 95 receptions for 1,196 yards and 7 touchdowns. Both have had significant impacts on this season and are a huge reason the Eagles have the one seed in the NFC.

THE NEGATIVES

The run defense

There haven’t been a lot of negatives about this season, but one overwhelming negative is the run defense. This is a problem because in the loss to the Commanders in November, the defense gave up 152 yards on the ground and those yards allowed the Commanders to chew the clock and dominate the time of possession. In wins, too, our run defense hasn’t been great. Against the Texans, Dameon Pierce got 139 yards on the ground because Jonathan Gannon waited too long to make adjustments.

Jonathan Gannon refusing to blitz

In the last two years, I’ve seen this far too often. A straight-up refusal by Jonathan Gannon to blitz the quarterback, and then those quarterbacks torched us downfield. Last season, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady (twice), Dak Prescott, Derek Carr, and Justin Herbert were among the quarterbacks who threw the ball easily against our secondary. Prescott torched the Eagles this season in Week 16, including a 50-yard gain on a 3rd & 30. Gannon is considered a favorite for the Texans’ head coaching job, and some Eagles fans (me included) want him to take it.

If the Eagles can clean up their run defense and find a way to blitz opposing quarterbacks and keep them uncomfortable, the path to the Super Bowl seems very clear. However, a first-round exit looks very likely if the run defense continues to be a problem and Gannon continues to fall in love with the zone defense. We’ll see what happens on January 22.

Harry Kennedy is a senior member of the Multimedia Journalism class.

Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Opinion

The terrible ownership and management of the Washington Commanders

When managing a professional football team, it is widely agreed upon that it takes a high level of commitment and sacrifice to make the team as great as possible. While NFL team owners have had their fair share of suspicious activity, none compares to the resume that Commanders owner Dan Snyder has built with his team. With a stadium that is falling apart as we speak and numerous allegations of poor treatment of stadium workers, this is only the beginning. These problems have been around for years and are seemingly shoved under the rug by Snyder.

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Stadium Problems

One headline associated with the Commanders is the problems with FedEx Field. While some of the issues are minor, like ridiculously high prices and sewage water falling on the stands, some issues bring into question the health and safety of the players and even the fans. In one incident, after a loss in the season finale to the Philadelphia Eagles, a group of Eagles fans saw Quarterback Jalen Hurts running and reached out their hands. In doing so, the railing that should’ve supported them collapsed, causing the fans to fall onto the field. The Commanders were sued by four of the fans for $300,000, and the situation was mostly forgotten about. The poor field construction has contributed to numerous player injuries over time. Most notably, the non-contact injury of star QB Robert Griffin III. On a bad snap, Griffin retreated backward to recover the ball, but in doing so, his leg awkwardly stretched, resulting in a torn ACL and LCL, an injury he would never quite recover from.

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Lack of Care

Dan Snyder’s ownership of the Commanders has displayed his lack of care for the team and its image. In the last season, rumors came out of a “toxic culture” endorsed by Dan Snyder. Between sexual harassment and verbal abuse of employees, Snyder was reported to have a role in the poor treatment of the employees. In another instance, Commanders were set to honor legendary Safety Sean Taylor, who tragically died early in his career in 2007. The “statue” used to honor Taylor was instead a mannequin with his jersey and a helmet on it. This underwhelming display caused outrage from social media as many agree that Taylor deserves better. Since Taylor’s passing, there has been a lack of recognition for Sean Taylor and his legacy.

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What’s Next?

There have been some rumors about the future of Snyder with the Commanders. Fans have pressured him to sell the team. In November, some high-profile names who may be interested in buying the commanders franchise, including Jeff Bezos and Jay-Z, surfaced. In another report earlier this past season, Snyder claimed that he had “dirt” on other NFL owners, trying to pose as a sort of blackmail to possibly save his image. This seems to be a defense tactic to try and take the light off what he has done wrong. Whether it is suing loyal season ticket holders in an economic recession in 2009 or throwing money left and right at mediocre players, fans have had enough for a while. It is safe to say that Dan Snyder has earned the title of the most hated man in Commanders’ history.

Stephen Avara, Junior

Steven Avara is a junior member of the Multimedia Journalism class.

Sports, Sports Opinion

How bad calls from NFL referees continue to decide the outcome of games

In a forever-changing game, there is one reoccurring problem that has NFL fans like myself shaking their heads in disappointment. That problem is that on almost a weekly basis, at least one game is plagued with terrible calls that, on some occasions, have even decided the winner of a game. While some may argue that this is a common problem that can’t be solved, there is no doubt that bad calls in important division games and playoff games have fans calling for a solution. In this piece, I will provide examples of the worst cases in which NFL referees’ bad calls have decided essential games.

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Roughing the Passer

Many would argue that the quarterback position is the most critical position on the field. Increasing the frequency of roughing-the-passer calls prevents the league’s star QBs from being injured and calling to the backup QBs. In the wake of this, these calls’ consistency is questioned. NFL fans have seen times when a seemingly legal hit is called roughing the passer, and an illegal hit is not called. The official rule is that any hit to the legs or around the head area warrants a roughing the passer call. Defenders are allowed “one step” toward the QB after the ball is thrown, and more than one step warrants a roughing the passer call. Defenders also cannot hit a QB with their full body weight. While these rules seem fair and straightforward, NFL referees have shown otherwise.

One example of a bad roughing the passer call was a week 5 matchup of the 2022 regular season between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons. While the Falcons were trying to make a comeback late in the 4th quarter down six, star Defensive Tackle Grady Jarrett made a huge play, sacking QB Tom Brady. Jarrett wrapped up Brady and spun him to the ground, a seemingly ordinary sack that would have forced a Buccaneers punt on 4th down. This was flagged for roughing the passer and gave the Buccaneers a first down, allowing them to chew the rest of the clock out and stall out a Falcons comeback.

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Pass Interference

Another penalty that causes controversy for NFL referees is the pass interference calls. Like the roughing the passer penalty, pass interference gets called on an inconsistent basis where sometimes it gets called when it shouldn’t, and other times it doesn’t get called when it should. Pass interference rules state that a defender cannot initiate illegal contact that causes an unfair chance for the WR to make a play on the football. Holding, pulling, pushing, tripping, grabbing the facemask, and tackling the WR are examples of what would be called pass interference.

An example of a missed call was the 2018 NFC championship game, late in the 4th quarter, a wheel route throw from QB Drew Brees to Wide Receiver Tommylee Lewis was disrupted early from a hit by Rams Cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman. Instead of a pass interference call that would have set up the Saints’ offense with first and goal, they faced a 4th and long and had to settle for a field goal. Brees would throw an interception in overtime and allow a game-winning field goal to send the Rams to the super bowl. Many fans believe the Saints got cheated out of a super bowl appearance based on this one play alone.

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Catches and Non-Catches

NFL referees seem to have different ideas on the criteria for what is a catch and what is not. While roughing the passer and even pass interference have been more recently arising problems, the catching criterion is a problem that has been ongoing for a long time. The NFL states that if a receiver maintains possession going to the ground and the ball comes out after, it is a catch, but if the receiver doesn’t maintain control and the ball hits the ground, it is not a catch. While it can usually be determined if a receiver has possession or not, there are some cases in which a ruling is disagreed upon.

One example was a 2014 NFC divisional game between the Packers and Cowboys. With time winding down and the Cowboys finding themselves at a 4th down, QB Tony Romo takes a deep shot to WR Dez Bryant, which is caught. Bryant took a few steps towards the end zone with the ball securely in his hands before going to the ground, where the ball popped up but back into his arms. This was initially called a catch but was overturned after a review. This was especially surprising because, in terms of reviews, NFL referees need a clear view that the initial call was wrong, which there appeared to be none. Under the “rules” set by the NFL for catches, this should have been a catch.

It is clear from these calls that NFL referees have made that something needs to change. Two of these instances were in the playoffs and were the deciding factor in both games. NFL fans agree that action needs to be taken to prevent this from happening again because bad calls happen more than they should.

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Stephen Avara, Junior

Stephen Avara is a junior member of the Multi-Media Journalism class.

Fall Sports, Sports

“Our goal is to be playing on Nov 18 at Navy-Marine Corp Stadium”

Mount Saint Joseph Football started their conference schedule with a dominant 40-0 win over Loyola Blakefield, a 35-14 win over Gilman, a 23-7 win over McDonogh, and a 33-22 win over defending champion, Calvert Hall. The Gaels have clinched home-field advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Junior Quarterback Winston Watkins has thrown for 10 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, helping push the Gaels to victory.

Photo of #51 Nick Paxton, #3 Bryce Cox, #6 Winston Watkins

In an interview with The Baltimore Banner, Head Coach Dominic Damico said, “We’ve had really good preparation (for the conference season),” he said about a team that lost a close game to St. Ignatius of Ohio before suffering a 52-14 setback to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference power Our Lady of Good Counsel. “We were ready to play.”

The Gaels’ defense gets the first-down stop.

Many believe the Gaels have already faced the best teams they will face all year. The loss to Good Counsel really helped motivate MSJ. With their wins against Loyola Blakefield, Gilman, McDonogh, and Calvert Hall they are currently the number #1 seed in the A Conference.

The Gaels prepare for battle.

The Gaels starting defense has been stellar, only allowing 29 points in A-Conference play. With these dominant performances, it’s hard to deny the excellent form of the Gaels’ defense, with a combined 128 tackles and 20 sacks this season by Sahir West, Deshaun Merrick, and Nick Paxton.

Through 4 games, the Gaels have dominated their opponents. The Gaels this year have a mission in mind and are focused on reaching their ultimate goal – a championship. Coach Damico says the reason for this start is that “We have a great group of seniors who have bought into the culture, they practice hard and play hard in the game.” He also added, “The focus of this group is getting better every week.”

The Gaels led on the field by #11 Sahir West.

With this new focus and constant improvement, Coach Damico said, “we have set the bar very high for this group; our goal is to be playing on Nov 18 at Navy-Marine Corp Stadium.” Also, with the added motivation of a first-round exit last year, they have shown they want to take what’s theirs.

Nicholas Paxton is a Senior Member of the Multi-Media Journalism Class.

Pro Sports, Sports

A new look – How the Ravens’ offseason made them potential contenders

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The people of Baltimore have much to look forward to in the future with their professional football team. Coming off a losing streak at the end of the 2021 season, the Ravens’ team morale was low. They were decimated by injuries and some would agree they lacked talent on some parts of the defense. Heading into the offseason, they knew what they needed to improve and responded accordingly.

Free Agency
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The Ravens started the offseason by deciding what players they wanted to resign and what players they wanted to let go. Even last year, they had under the radar talent that they would’ve liked to keep but didn’t have the money. They lost proven role players like Safety Deshon Elliot and Guard/Center Bradley Bozeman. They decided to give the money they had to players like Pro Bowl Fullback Patrick Ricard, Defensive Tackle Calais Campbell, and Inside Linebacker Josh Bynes. These moves have effectively saved money that they could possibly use to resign star Quarterback Lamar Jackson. 

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Eventually, the Ravens had moves to make for free agents. They had some issues in the secondary and some weak pass-rushing last season. Without the Ravens paying their long-time DT Brandon Williams, even their incredible run defense needed some support. Their first move was S Marcus Williams. Williams made a name for himself on the New Orleans Saints being one the lockdown safeties of that playoff-level team. The Ravens were eyeing the opportunity to snag a younger safety for cheaper and were able to get Marcus Williams for a 5-year, $70 million deal. They also brought back a familiar face in DT Michael Pierce who played for the Ravens only a few seasons ago. They also helped out Lamar Jackson by signing veteran tackle Morgan Moses and improving a position that was a struggle for the Ravens last year.

NFL Draft
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Soon enough, it was time for the NFL draft. The Ravens knew what they needed to improve coming in. They had limited money to spend in the offseason and still had some positions they would like to improve. They started by drafting S Kyle Hamilton out of Notre Dame. This was a massive upgrade at the safety position as Kyle Hamilton allowed 1 TD in 819 career college football snaps. They later traded Wide Receiver Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals for their first-round pick. The Ravens used this pick on Iowa product, Center Tyler Linderbaum. The Ravens have had problems with this position in the past but they feel they might have found a guy who can consistently play this position at a top-tier level. Later-round picks, like Michigan’s star LB David Ojabo, is a high-risk high reward draft selection as Ojabo was a projected first-round pick before his unfortunate injury in his last season at Michigan.

Injuries and an unfortunate sequence of events led the Ravens to a disappointing 2021 season where they saw their first losing record since 2015. With all of the offseason moves, the Ravens look to put last year behind them and find success this upcoming season.

Stephen Avara, Junior

Stephen Avara is a Junior member of the Multimedia Journalism Class

Fall Sports, Sports

Could this be a championship season for MSJ Football?

The Varsity Football team is primed for a stellar MIAA season this year. Photo Credit: Andrew Foster

The Varsity Gaels Football Team looks primed to compete for the MIAA championship. The Gaels have arguably the best defense in the MIAA (with an average of 12 points given per game last year). With an explosive offense led by Junior Quarterback Winston Watkins, with many talented wide receivers, running backs, and offensive lineman. 

The Student Section always shows up for game time. Photo Credit: Andrew Foster

With being the #29 team in the nation in 2019 (Pre-Covid), and being the #2 team in the A conference in 2021, they knew that this season would be a dominant one with most of last year’s starters returning. With multiple schools losing their best players due to transferring, MSJ has managed to keep its core players. Thanks to this, Saint Joe has a fantastic opportunity to reclaim their title as best in the MIAA. They have a team full of hungry players who remember the sting of their Semi-Final exit last year. 

The plan for the season is complete domination, with the team’s focus continuing to dominate through all 4 quarters. With the addition of 6 new coaches, this year’s team looks more like they will reach the ultimate goal.

Varsity Football is led on the field by Joe Gael. Photo Credit: Andrew Foster
Photo Credit: Andrew Foster

The team is looking forward to having games against great teams to prepare them for the championship. They played St. Ignatius in a match many thought would be a blowout and MSJ held its own. Even though they came up short, they opened a lot of eyes. The team also has a game against the #35 team in the nation, Good Counsel. 

The Gaels will come into league play starting off hot on September 24, against Loyola Blakefield. Then for the rest of the season, all of the other games are league games. These games will determine if they will reach their ultimate goal. MSJ looks to claim the #1 seed to ensure home-field advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

Nicholas Paxton is a senior member of the multimedia journalism Class.