Latest news with #TylerShough
Fox Sports
a day ago
- Business
- Fox Sports
2025 49ers game-by-game predictions: Pieces are in place for bounce-back season
Kyle Shanahan says that the 49ers' disappointing 6-11 campaign is already in the rearview mirror. Part of that process was avoiding last year's contract drama by re-signing quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner to new deals this offseason. Shanahan will lean on those three foundational players, along with veteran left tackle Trent Williams, defensive end Nick Bosa and running back Christian McCaffrey. They join a handful of young, untested players looking to take on larger roles — players such as receiver Ricky Pearsall and rookie edge rusher Mykel Williams — as San Francisco chases the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West. After having the toughest schedule in the league last season, the 49ers have the easiest this year, with an opponent winning percentage of .415 based on last year's records. That should certainly help Shanahan avoid his first back-to-back losing seasons since 2017-18, his first two years as head coach of the 49ers. Let's break down San Francisco's season week by week. Week 1: at Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 7 The 49ers have owned Seattle of late, winning six of the past seven matchups (including postseason). The last time these two teams played, however, Mike Macdonald figured out how to stymie San Francisco offensively, and Geno Smith manufactured a game-winning drive at Levi's Stadium. Smith, of course, is now a Raider, replaced by Sam Darnold, who faces his former team. The Seahawks, trying to restore their dominance at home and set the tone for the season, get the win over the 49ers. Result: Loss, 0-1 record Week 2: at Saints, Sunday, Sept. 14 It will take time for new head coach Kellen Moore to implement his offensive scheme, so the 49ers should benefit from facing the Saints early. And whether it's Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler under center for New Orleans, Bosa and Warner will get after the offense. Defensively, the Saints were one of the worst teams in the league against the run last season, so expect McCaffrey to have a big game in the Big Easy. Result: Win, 1-1 RELATED: Can Saints rookie QB Tyler Shough fill void left by Derek Carr's retirement? Week 3: vs. Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 21 Arizona usually plays the 49ers tough and swept the season series last year. But the 49ers should get the win here if they can contain Kyler Murray and the Cardinals' running game. Arizona's defense had four interceptions against San Francisco in 2024, so taking care of the football will also be critical for the 49ers, who finished with a minus-5 turnover differential in those two losses to the Cardinals last year. Result: Win, 2-1 Week 4: vs. Jaguars, Sunday, Sept. 28 New Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen has some familiarity with the 49ers from his time as Rams offensive coordinator. But Trevor Lawrence remains a work in progress and the Jaguars are hitting the reset button once again. The last time these two teams met, two years ago, the 49ers blew out the Jags 34-3. This game should be an opportunity for Purdy to put up some gaudy numbers and for San Francisco's defensive linemen to pin back their ears and get after Lawrence. Result: Win, 3-1 Week 5: at Rams, Thursday, Oct. 2 Here's the first of two heavyweight matchups in 2025 between two of the best offensive minds in the business in Sean McVay and Shanahan. It will be interesting to see how 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh game-plans for Davante Adams and Puka Nacua on the perimeter, along with figuring out how to bottle up running back Kyren Williams. Then there's savvy veteran QB Matthew Stafford, who usually plays well in prime time. Result: Loss, 3-2 Week 6: at Buccaneers, Sunday, Oct. 12 The 49ers escaped with a three-point victory over Tampa Bay last season, but the Bucs have improved and always play well at home. They're also one of the better running teams in the league, and San Francisco's defense had trouble against the run last season. Result: Loss, 3-3 Week 7: vs. Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 19 Every year, Atlanta is picked as one of the trendy teams to make the postseason, and ultimately the Falcons underperform. So, I feel like this game lines up as a bounce-back win for the 49ers after a tough road loss in Tampa Bay. Michael Penix Jr. is a talented quarterback, but he's still young and figuring things out. Result: Win, 4-3 Week 8: at Texans, Sunday, Oct. 26 Former 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans faces San Francisco for the first time since leaving in 2023 to coach the Texans. For Purdy's sake, left tackle Trent Williams had better be healthy and ready for this game, as Houston boasts one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. The Texans finished fourth in the NFL with 49 sacks in 2024. I like Houston at home here. Result: Loss, 4-4 Week 9: at Giants, Sunday, Nov. 2 Rookie QB Jaxson Dart could be taking snaps in place of Russell Wilson at quarterback by this point of the season, as Giants coach Brian Daboll scrambles to save his job. This should be another bounce-back opportunity for the 49ers. Result: Win, 5-4 Week 10: vs. Rams, Sunday, Nov. 9 When the two coaches arrived in the NFC West in 2017, Shanahan at first dominated the series with McVay. Things have changed of late, however, with the Rams winning the past three matchups. I believe that trend will continue this season, with L.A. sweeping the season series for a second straight year. The keys for the Rams will be to control the line of scrimmage on defense, with Jared Verse and Kobie Turner rushing the passer, and on offense, to protect Stafford, allowing one of the best closers in the NFL to do his thing. Result: Loss, 5-5 Week 11: at Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 16 The frisky Cardinals surprise the 49ers at State Farm Stadium, handing San Francisco a two-game losing streak. Kyler Murray does Kyler Murray things, running all over the field and also making plays with his arm. And Arizona's improved defense gets the best of Purdy. Result: Loss, 5-6 Week 12: vs. Panthers, Monday, Nov. 24 Yes, Carolina and Bryce Young should improve in the second season under head coach Dave Canales. But that doesn't mean the Panthers will be ready to win late in the year after taking a cross-country flight to face a 49ers team in need of a win. San Francisco rights the ship here with a methodic win over a less-talented team. Result: Win, 6-6 Week 13: at Browns, Sunday, Nov. 30 The 49ers are playing on a short week, but this game should have their full attention after losing at Cleveland two years ago on a last-second missed field goal by Jake Moody. Weather could be a factor for Purdy, who has had his share of struggles in inclement conditions. Result: Win, 7-6 Week 14: Bye Week 15: vs. Titans, Sunday, Dec. 14 The 49ers get two weeks to prepare for No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and a Tennessee squad coming off a road game at Cleveland. That could mean trouble for the Titans. Result: Win, 8-6 Week 16: at Colts, Monday, Dec. 22 Will it be Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones leading the offense for the Colts? It won't matter, as San Francisco looks to get a win in prime time on the road to continue its playoff push. Result: Win, 9-6 Week 17: vs. Bears, Sunday, Dec. 28 As Detroit's offensive coordinator, new Bears head coach Ben Johnson had success against San Francisco's defense, averaging 36 points per game. On a short week for the 49ers, Johnson and Caleb Williams stun San Francisco. Result: Loss, 9-7 RELATED: Why ending up on the Bears was a blessing in disguise for Caleb Williams Week 18: vs. Seahawks, Flex Game With a playoff spot potentially on the line, I like the 49ers' chances at home playing a team they've had a lot of success against recently. The key will be how healthy San Francisco is at the end of the year, including Purdy finishing the season upright and McCaffrey playing a full slate after missing 13 games in 2024. Result: Win Final record prediction: 10-7 Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 Bills game-by-game predictions: Is a perfect season in play?
The Buffalo Bills are favored in all 17 of their regular-season games for 2025. This comes after Josh Allen won the MVP in 2024 and the Bills made it to the AFC Championship Game — where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. But for now, we're talking regular season, which is when the Bills own the Chiefs and when Allen owns Patrick Mahomes. And so it's easy to see Buffalo finishing at the top — and certainly near the top — of the AFC standings. Let's work our way through every game of Buffalo's 2025 season to predict and analyze what's on the horizon for Sean McDermott, Allen and the Bills. Week 1: vs. Ravens, Sunday, Sept. 7 Well, the dream of an undefeated season didn't last long. This year is sure to be a great one for the Bills — I picked them to win the Super Bowl — but they're going to get punched in the mouth to start the season. Buffalo beat the Ravens in the divisional round of last season's playoffs and this will be Baltimore's revenge. We won't see any sort of mistake like Mark Andrews' late-game drop on a two-point conversion. To the contrary, we'll see a devastatingly sharp and brutal performance from the Ravens. Result: Loss, 0-1 record Week 2: at Jets, Sunday, Sept. 14 QB Justin Fields is new. Coach Aaron Glenn is new. GM Darren Mougey is new. It's going to take some time for the Jets to pull things together, and they're not going to surprise everyone in 2025. Allen is going to come out firing to ensure that the Bills don't drop into an 0-2 hole. Result: Win, 1-1 Week 3: vs. Dolphins, Thursday, Sept. 18 The Dolphins might be the NFL's biggest disappointment this year. Their secondary is likely to be one of the worst in the NFL. Their offensive system seems to be flagging. Their quarterback can't stay healthy. Their star receiver doesn't seem to want to be there. So, yeah, I see the Bills winning comfortably here. Result: Win, 2-1 Week 4: vs. Saints, Sunday, Sept. 28 The Saints don't have a quarterback. They drafted Tyler Shough, who is supposedly pro-ready at age 25. But if he is so ready for the NFL, why did he go in the second round? McDermott is going to be ready for Shough and coach Kellen Moore's Saints. This is another easy win for the Bills. Result: Win, 3-1 RELATED: Can Saints rookie QB Tyler Shough fill void left by Derek Carr's retirement? Week 5: vs. Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 5 Like the Jets and Saints, the Patriots have a new head coach. Mike Vrabel is beloved around the league, but he inherited an untalented roster. One offseason — even one with frivolous spending and high draft picks — isn't going to convert New England into the type of team that can handle the Bills right away. This one goes to Buffalo. Result: Win, 4-1 Week 6: at Falcons, Monday, Oct. 13 The Falcons sharpened their teeth at the end of the 2024 season and nearly found their way into the postseason. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. got his feet wet and looked … like a rookie. And while I expect Atlanta to have a good season, I also expect the Bills to handle the NFL's middle class. And that's where the Falcons stand: in the (upper) middle class. Result: Win, 5-1 Week 7: Bye Week 8: at Panthers, Sunday, Oct. 26 The Panthers are one of the teams I'm expecting to have a surprisingly good season — even making their way to the playoffs. Few will believe what they're capable of until they see the Panthers log a big win or two. Well, here's one of them. Carolina will have to work hard on defense to bottle up the Bills, but the Panthers will show their leaps-and-bounds improvement from last season. The Bills will be stunned. Result: Loss, 5-2 McKenna: 2025 NFL playoff predictions, from wild-card round to the Super Bowl Week 9: vs. Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 2 This game is always a classic. And it's almost always a Bills win — when we're talking about the regular season. So I'm not overthinking this one. It'll be a tight contest, but the Bills are going to be the better team in 2025. I'll take Buffalo at Highmark Stadium. Result: Win, 6-2 Week 10: at Dolphins, Sunday, Nov. 9 By this point, Miami's season will likely have gone from bad to worse. The Bills will capitalize, throwing the ball all over the place and putting up a lopsided score. Result: Win, 7-2 Week 11: vs. Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 16 The Bucs have a real shot at taking down Buffalo, but if the Bills drop a loss to a team like the Panthers, then they won't overlook anyone for the rest of the season. So here's a quality win for the Bills against an unfamiliar NFC opponent. It might end up being a shootout, given how good these two offenses could be. But this will be another incredible year for Allen, who will outduel Baker Mayfield. Result: Win, 8-2 Week 12: at Texans, Thursday, Nov. 20 After a fairly calamitous 2024 season, the Texans fired OC Bobby Slowik, who as recently as 2023 was considered a hot head coaching candidate. That paints a picture of how high and low Houston's offense has been over the past two years. The Texans have been too inconsistent to see them upsetting the Bills in this game. I'm taking Buffalo and offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who will probably be a head coach in 2026. Result: Win, 9-2 Week 13: at Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 30 The Steelers might have Aaron Rodgers. They might have Kirk Cousins. They might not have either. I'm not sure if it matters all that much. Pittsburgh, long one of the league's calmest and coolest organizations, has shown signs of desperation this offseason. And it's an ugly look for the Steelers. They're in for a topsy-turvy season. The Bills will win this one. Result: Win, 10-2 Week 14: vs. Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 7 If this were the beginning of the season, you could make a case that maybe Cincinnati would start slow, like it always seems to. But in this case, the Bengals are sure to be fully operational. This will be a shootout, with Cincy's defense unlikely to be impressive. But I think the Bengals can score enough points here to upset the Bills. Result: Loss, 10-3 Week 15: at Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 14 There's always one divisional game that sneaks up. The Bills will have already beaten the Patriots at this point. It'll be an away game for Buffalo. It'll be five weeks since the Bills' bye. This matchup will be a real chance for the Patriots to rally behind Vrabel and Drake Maye to get a quality win. It would be an upset, one that both teams will think about during the 2026 offseason. Might the Patriots again turn into real challengers in the division? Result: Loss, 10-4 Week 16: at Browns, Sunday, Dec. 21 It's impossible to say which quarterback will start this game for Cleveland. Deshaun Watson is trying to make a comeback. Joe Flacco might be the best QB in the room. Shedeur Sanders is … Shedeur Sanders. None of that really matters. The Bills will absolutely flatten the Browns. Result: Win, 11-4 Week 17: vs. Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 28 The Eagles are going to have a tough time getting wins in their division. The Commanders are set to have a big year, and I'm higher than most on the Cowboys, who have a real shot at the playoffs. So when the Eagles play outside their division, they'll come with desperation. And we're talking about the Super Bowl winners here. So yes, a desperate and talented Eagles team will beat the Bills in Buffalo. Result: Loss, 11-5 Week 18: vs. Jets, Flex Game The Bills will probably be jockeying for playoff seeding at this point — and because they lost to the Ravens, who will be a contender for the AFC's No. 1 seed, they'll need every win they can get. So Buffalo can steamroll the Jets to finish the season and make their way into the postseason on a high note. Result: Win Final Record: 12-5 Before joining FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Oregon QB Turning Heads During NFL OTAs
Former Oregon QB Turning Heads During NFL OTAs originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Fans of the Oregon Ducks are likely clamoring for more after enjoying one of the best seasons in the history of the football program. They navigated the regular season, going undefeated through their first year in the Big Ten Conference after moving from the Pac-12. Advertisement The Ducks continued to impress after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Big Ten Championship game. Their dominance landed them the No. 1 overall pick in the College Football Playoff. However, the extra time off may have been detrimental, as they went from December 7, until New Year's Day without a game after four months playing essentially every week and fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes, who were coming off a win over Tennessee. Former Oregon QB turning heads in NFL OTAs Dillon Gabriel was the leader of the high-flying Oregon offense and was eventually selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. However, a different former Ducks quarterback has been turning heads in NFL OTAs. Advertisement According to FOX 8 New Orleans' Sean Fazende, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough has made an impression. "Shough looks very comfortable with vertical routes & out-breaking patterns," Fazende said on "His best throw may have been an incompletion where he rolled to his left and threw off platform to the sideline. Right now, not quite as comfortable in intermediate middle of field." Shough spent three seasons with the Ducks. In his first two, he was backing up Justin Herbert before being handed the reins. He eventually transferred to Texas Tech and then Louisville before the Saints took him in the second round. After Derek Carr's sudden retirement, Shough is now a candidate to win the starting job with Spencer Rattler. Advertisement It remains to be seen what kind of chance Shough truly has to win the starting job, but after watching Rattler in parts of last season, the Saints could decide to give him a chance. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Aaron Rodgers brutally shuts down NFL fan after plea to help make their team 'great again'
Free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers has brutally shut down a request from a New Orleans Saints fan hoping he would make their team 'great again' by saying he will never play for them. The 41-year-old attended a concert with rapper Mike Stud performing, with the duo taking audience questions. A fan wearing red stepped up to the mic and asked her question to Rodgers about her beloved Saints. 'Would you ever consider playing for the Saints and making us great again?' she said. 'No! No, I've played there a couple times,' Rodgers said. 'But no, the answer is no. I'm too old. I don't want to live in Louisiana.' Incumbent Saints starter Derek Carr shockingly retired from football this month, citing a shoulder injury, leaving a vacancy for an experienced quarterback in New Orleans. 🚨BREAKING: 4x #NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers says that he will never play for the New Orleans #Saints. Q: 'Would you ever consider playing for the Saints?' Aaron: 'NO…. NO.' DAMN. (Via Mike Stud) — MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 24, 2025 New Orleans now does not have a quarterback on its roster with an NFL victory. Rookie Tyler Shough was drafted by the team last month, while Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler are a combined 0-7 in the league. Should the Saints go after the 41-year-old free agent, who is also a four-time NFL MVP, they would now have 156 NFL wins in their quarterback room. Rodgers was not swept up in the free-agency frenzy that began in March, with the Pittsburgh Steelers looking to be his best option left, with the team yet to commit to him. There will be talk of elevating Shough and giving him a chance from day one to be the starter. Shough would be in a unique position, as New Orleans are thought to be good enough to win the NFC South, which is not typical for a rookie quarterback to be entering such a plum situation.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Saints brushing off concerns about unproven QBs in Kellen Moore's first year in charge
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — New Orleans Saints first-year coach Kellen Moore's own experience tells him that NFL teams can win without an accomplished quarterback. Moore was playing for Dallas when the Cowboys selected Dak Prescott in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Prescott won the starting job as a rookie and went 13-3, passing for 23 touchdowns while throwing just four interceptions. And Moore doesn't hesitate to mention that when asked about the fact that the four QBs on the Saints roster right now have a combined seven NFL starts — and no wins — among them. 'It's all about opportunities,' Moore said. Prescott 'hopped in there and played great and certainly there's a lot of other quarterbacks through the history of this game who've done it in a similar fashion,' Moore continued. 'So, we feel like we've got some young guys who are ready to roll.' Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough became the second draft choice of the Moore era when the Saints selected him early in the second round last month. That made Shough the highest QB picked by the Saints since they took Archie Manning second overall in 1971. 'A lot of things you can't control,' Shough said Thursday after the Saints wrapped up their third voluntary offseason practice. 'But you can control your preparation, your attitude, your effort — and that's one thing I'm going to do.' For now, Shough is a front-runner to be New Orleans' starter in Week 1, along with second-year pro Spencer Rattler, a 2024 fifth-rounder, who started six games — all losses — as a rookie last season while Derek Carr — who unexpectedly retired this month — was injured. Shough, who turns 26 on Sept. 28, spent seven seasons with three college programs before turning pro, and his relative maturity has been evident to Moore. 'He's a really, really prepared quarterback,' Moore said. 'He can handle NFL volume. He's handled the playbook tremendously.' Rattler said he didn't envision entering his second NFL season as the most experienced QB on New Orleans' roster, but was grateful for the opportunities he was given last season, even as the Saints struggled to a 5-12 record. 'It helps a lot just with the speed of everything, understanding what you're going to see week in and week out,' Rattler said. 'You can't put too much pressure on yourself,' Rattler added. 'It's Year 2 — a great opportunity ahead of me.' Jake Haener, a 2023 fourth-round pick out of Fresno State, made his lone start last season and aims to be in the mix after he returns from a recent oblique injury that could sideline him for several weeks. 'I'm not dumb. Everybody's probably counting me as the least likely factor to have any success,' Haener said. 'So I'm worried about what I can control at all times and nothing else. ... I've always been the underdog.' New Orleans also signed undrafted rookie Hunter Dekkers after offering the former Iowa State lefty a rookie camp tryout. 'He has some tremendous ability,' Moore said. While it's unusual for an NFL team to open a season without any QBs who've won an NFL game, it's not rare. That was the case when Green Bay went with rookies Jordan Love and Sean Clifford in 2023. Same with Cincinnati in 2020, Joe Burrow's rookie season. Both clubs were playoff bound within two seasons. On the flip side, the New York Jets have largely struggled since opening 2021 with Zach Wilson and Mike White as their active QBs. 'There's been lots of quarterback rooms around the league over the years where they've got a young group and they've got to develop them,' Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said. 'I wouldn't say it's ideal, but that's the hand we've been dealt.' Loomis and Moore wouldn't rule out adding a veteran QB under the right circumstances, but haven't listed that as a priority. Loomis also dismissed the notion that Saints veterans might question the club's urgency to win if they don't pick up a more proven QB. 'I haven't heard that,' Loomis said, but added he was confident that Moore, offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier and QBs coach Scott Tolzien — all former NFL QBs themselves — would have whoever wins the job well prepared. Moore 'understands the position,' Loomis emphasized. 'He understands what he needs to ask from these guys at this stage of their career.' Veteran tight end Foster Moreau said experienced players know better than to make too many assumptions about unproven teammates at any position. 'These are the cards that we were dealt,' Moreau said. 'We're going to see what our cards are really worth. So, I'm excited to figure it out.' ___ AP NFL:
