Latest news with #LamarJackson
USA Today
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Former ESPN analyst is still baffled by last season's MVP snub for Lamar Jackson
Months later, a former ESPN mainstay still hasn't gotten over an obvious Lamar Jackson MVP snub. Every so often, ESPN has its round of firings, and the network saunters on with its restructured cast of stars. Some men and women we know are safe before those cuts happen. Sometimes, the dismissals shock us. Now and then, once everything settles, we realize we miss some of the on-air talent more than we thought we would. Bomani Jones isn't every Baltimore Ravens fan's cup of tea. Neither was the man whose show he co-hosted. Highly Questionable wasn't one of those broadcasts that everyone would set the timer to watch. Dan Le Batard... He, too, was the owner of one of those personalities you'd understand someone loving or feeling they could do without. Jones eventually left the show in 2017 to develop his brand, High Noon. He was also a regular on ESPN's highly popular Around the Horn, but it's his recent creative effort, The Right Time with Bomani Jones, that captured our attention relatively recently. Bomani Jones is still aggravated by a perceived Lamar Jackson MVP snub Those of you who are hip-hop heads will appreciate this reference, but at its core, few things offer the same competitive component as the battle. Once upon a time, Nas went for blood, shifting music on its ear with his verbal onslaught on Jay-Z. Ether was what he titled it. Many moons later, Lamar Jackson would pass for 4,172 yards and toss 41 touchdown passes while only throwing four interceptions. He led the league in touchdown percentage (8.6), yards per attempt (8.8), QB rating (119.6), and QBR (77.3). He added another 915 yards and four rushing touchdowns with his legs. He was named First-Team All-Pro in the AFC. When the MVP votes were tallied, the award was given to Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen. Months later, Jones 'ethered' everyone responsible. We can't argue with any of that. He's right. Much love to Josh Allen. He's gifted and all and was probably the best MVP Pick not named Lamar Jackson, but Lamar Jackson should be the owner of three MVP trophies right now. Challenge flags can't be thrown when MVP trophies are handed out. That simply isn't how things work, but maybe it should be. Months later, this still feels like a snub. Sure, it's whatever under the bridge now, and training camp is already underway, but don't blame us for bringing this up. Blame Jones. We simply demand a recount.
CBS News
a day ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Baltimore Ravens WR Devontez Walker looks to make the most of his opportnunity
Baltimore Ravens second-year wide receiver Devontez Walker is looking forward to more opportunities this season. Walker had just one catch for three yards and a touchdown in nine games in 2024, but with an offseason to learn his role, the former North Carolina college football player hopes to take a giant leap. Walker spoke one-on-one with WJZ Sports Director Alex Glaze during training camp. "I'm fully aware of things this time," Walker said. "My rookie year, coming in, you don't know what you are getting into, every day was something different. This year, I am more aware of what we are doing and trying to accomplish." Walker talked about his mindset heading into year two, his relationship with Lamar Jackson, and what he has learned from veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who signed with the Ravens in the offseason. This season, there will be a lot of talent catching passes from Jackson, so Walker knows to make the most of his opportunities. "I feel like I'm a guy that can help this offense," Walker said. "I bring a lot of speed to this offense." The Ravens' pass-catchers also include Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Isaiah Likely, and Mark Andrews. Walker said he's learned to "make the most of every opportunity." "Just preparing like I am going out there first with Lamar and the starters, and when my name gets called, taking full advantage of that opportunity when I get out there," Walker said. The Baltimore Ravens begin the preseason at home against the Indianapolis Colts. They kick off the regular season on Sunday Night Football on Sept. 7 at the Buffalo Bills, where the Ravens' season ended in 2025 in the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs.
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Madden 99 Club: Josh Allen first ever Bills player to receive top rating
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has officially reached the top of the video game rankings. The reigning NFL MVP is one of seven players in the league who have been given a 99 rating from the EA Sports Madden NFL video game in this year's edition, Madden NFL 26. An elite distinction, Allen is also the first Bills player in franchise history to receive the digital honor. Over almost four decades of the Madden video game's existence, no Buffalo player has ranked in the top category. With that, here is the breakdown of the game's categories for him that help determine the ranking: Josh Allen, QB EA Sports' long-running video game franchise, more Madden Ultimate Team news, and player ratings news will be coming throughout the week for their '26 version, and got things started on Monday. This year, Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson was the only other player chosen as a 99 at the position. Jackson came close to potentially tying the Bills in the final minute and a half of their divisional round contest last postseason. His double-clutch throw during a two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter caused Ravens tight end Mark Andrews to turn back to try and make a play in motion, but he wasn't able to hold onto the catch. The full list of the '99 club' can be found below: QB Josh Allen QB Lamar Jackson RB Saquon Barkley WR Ja'Marr Chase WR Justin Jefferson OL Lane Johnson DE Myles Garrett
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025-26 NFL MVP odds: Three value bets in a competitive field
The NFL MVP award is one of the most prestigious honors in professional sports — and one of the most predictable. Since Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson ran away with the trophy in 2012, 12 straight quarterbacks have claimed MVP honors, including the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen last season in a close vote over Lamar Jackson. In fact, since its inception in 1957, 48 have gone to QBs. It's a quarterback's world — everyone else is just trying to get votes. While the MVP still belongs to signal-callers, non-QBs have crept into the conversation more and more in recent years. In fact, 10 non-quarterbacks have finished in the top 10 of MVP voting over the last few seasons: A.J. Brown Christian McCaffrey Derrick Henry Ja'Marr Chase Justin Jefferson Micah Parsons Myles Garrett Nick Bosa Saquon Barkley Tyreek Hill (twice) That's a wide range of elite playmakers, and it proves voters are willing to consider positional value outside of the quarterback spot — at least for a seat at the table. But can one of them actually win it? Probably not, unless something truly historic happens. Remember that Barkley had an unbelievable season rushing for 2,005 yards and still didn't win MVP. If you're scanning MVP odds, one thing is impossible to ignore: MVPs don't come from bad teams. Period. The last 37 MVPs all played on teams that entered the season with 30-1 or shorter odds to win the Super Bowl. That's not just a fluke — it's a clear indicator that to win MVP, your team must be thought to be in contention before the season even starts. Using current futures, that gives us a field of just 17 teams. We know the three big names close to the top of the odds board: Lamar Jackson (+550), Josh Allen (+600) and Patrick Mahomes (+650) are the consensus front-runners — and for good reason. But let's look beyond that big three and spotlight some players who not only have MVP-caliber talent, but also fit the all-important team profile. Here are three QBs I believe provide some betting value in the 2025-26 NFL MVP market: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (+600) Burrow's MVP case is built on performance and polish. He returned to form last year, playing all 17 games, leading the NFL in passing yards, tying for the league lead in total TDs and earning Comeback Player of the Year. The only issue? The Bengals missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record. With the defense often struggling, Burrow found himself forcing shootouts in an effort to give his team a chance to win, an effort that produced a fourth-place vote in the MVP race but was No. 1 in Win Shares. The Bengals revamped their defense by hiring Al Golden and added help across the board in free agency. This is an 'all in' roster — and if the Bengals contend, Burrow's numbers will speak for themselves. A season win total of 9.5 juiced to the over shows oddsmakers believe double-digit wins are possible for Cincinnati. There is one twist: WR Ja'Marr Chase may become Burrow's competition if he posts a historic season. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (20-1) In 2024, Herbert threw just three interceptions, had the highest deep-ball TD rate and finished with a 9:2 TD-to-INT ratio, second only to Jackson. The problem? His receivers dropped a league-high 6.6% of his passes. Drafting a WR like Ole Miss standout Tre Harris feels like a quality step toward to fixing the wideout woes of last season. With the issues Herbert's supporting crew ran into last season, it still was not enough to stop him from posting the third-highest WAR of all starting QBs, as well as posting many of the highest single-game passer ratings of his career. Enter Jim Harbaugh. The head coach is rebuilding the Chargers' identity with a power run game, headlined by Najee Harris and rookie Omarion Hampton. The expectation? Open up the field for Herbert to thrive. If the Chargers put together a double-digit win season, Herbert's clean play and explosive ceiling could make him a live MVP threat — especially at this number. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (25-1) After two years as a starter, it's time for Love to prove he's worth the $220 million contract the Packers handed him. Luckily, he's got some help. The Packers used premium picks on WRs Matthew Golden and Savion Williams in the 2025 NFL Draft, and added veteran guard Aaron Banks to shore up the offensive line. Love already finished 2024 ranked top 10 in nearly every advanced QB metric, but inconsistency and injuries held him back. If the young receivers make a leap and Love leads the Packers to double-digit wins, he'll have a real case — especially if he continues to stretch the field like he did in the second half of last season.
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The NFL's best players wear black and gold in 'Madden NFL 26' 99 Club
When will the Saints' best join them? What do Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley and Ja'Marr Chase have in common? They were some of the players to receive 99 overall ratings in Madden NFL 26, this year's edition of EA Sports' long-running video game franchise. Along with Justin Jefferson, Lane Johnson, and Myles Garrett, they make up the latest class of Madden's exclusive 99 Club. And a slick graphic from Bleacher Report Gridiron gave each of these players the gold-medal treatment they deserved, swapping their teams' colors for black and gold. We probably won't see Allen or Jackson throwing to Chase and Jefferson for the New Orleans Saints, but it's a good vision. You can see it for yourself right here. But how long has it been since the Saints were represented on the 99 Club? Pro Football Hall of Fame left tackle Willie Roaf made the cut on Madden NFL 99, and quarterback Drew Brees was recognized for Madden NFL 11 (not just on the 99 Club; he was also that year's cover player). Fresh off of setting NFL records for catches and yards in a 16-game season, wide receiver Michael Thomas was highlighted on Madden NFL 21. So it's been five years since a Saints player earned a 99 overall rating. Hopefully the Saints can get one of their own in the 99 Club before too long. Five-time All-Pro linebacker Demario Davis is the highest-rated Saints player in this year's game, with a 90 overall rating, followed up by Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy (89). But they're the only players representing New Orleans in the game's top 100 highest ratings. Let's see if guys like young wide receiver Chris Olave, and offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga can elevate their game this season to stand among the best in the league.
