Jared Verse will bring the same boisterous trash talk when Rams' pass rusher returns to Philadelphia By DAN GREENSPAN Associated Press The Associated Press LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jared Verse will talk.
The Los Angeles Rams’ second-year outside linebacker will talk to the media, to teammates, to opponents, to opposing fans and to pretty much anyone else associated with football.
Ahead of Sunday's return visit to Philadelphia, where Verse earned the ire and respect of Eagles fans for his trash talk ahead of January’s NFC divisional-round playoff game , he has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
“I’m pretty loud, I’m pretty vocal,” Verse said. “I’m pretty, like, aggressive, like I’m gonna get in your face. I’m (gonna) yell at you, I’m gonna talk crazy. After the game, it’s all love. But when we in between the white lines, those 60 minutes, like, you gonna really hate me.”
The boisterousness with which Verse expresses himself is equaled by the pass rush skill the 2024 first-round draft pick has displayed during his young NFL career. Verse’s impressive rookie season ended with him getting two sacks and three tackles for loss in a 28-22 postseason loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions, which — combined with his willingness to engage with the equally energetic Philadelphia public — seemingly left no ill will between the two sides.
Even with that mutual appreciation, Verse stands by his distaste for the Eagles , which formed while attending high school in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, about 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
“My feelings are roughly the same, but like it is with everyone, I respect people that not only respect me, but that stand on business,” Verse said. “They stood on business with the situation. They came with their energy. After the game, I tipped my hat off to them. They tipped it back.”
Teammate Byron Young said the energy Verse brought on a snowy January afternoon in Philadelphia has been a constant feature in the Rams’ locker room.
For Young, a third-year outside linebacker operating on the other side of the defensive front, the gregarious Verse was instrumental in helping him become more expressive on and off the field.
“Like, I’m typically a quiet guy,” Young said. “He came in talking trash every day, and got me on my (expletive). ... It made me better. Made me a better person. Made me more hungry and got me more, you know what I’m saying, talkative. I like it.”
Pairing Verse and Young, along with defensive tackles Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske, has helped the Rams recharge their pass rush following the retirement of Aaron Donald after the 2023 season.
Together, the defense has eight sacks through two games and ranks third in the league by getting to the quarterback on 13.3% of dropbacks. Even though Verse does not have a sack or tackle for loss early in his sophomore season, defensive coordinator Chris Shula noted how Verse’s presence is helping to create opportunities for his teammates to make disruptive plays.
Verse sees being the focus of blocking schemes as part of the challenge that comes with trying to get to the next level as a player.
“The greats get that attention. The greats break through,” Verse said. “So I just got (to get) past this, the next phase, this next wall, this next mountain. Once I’m past that, we’ll be cooking with oil again.”
And even if the stat sheet doesn’t necessarily reflect it, Verse has moved opponents backwards with his physical and verbal abilities. The latter helped create a false start in the Rams' season-opening win over Houston.
“It gets in their head and it gets them thinking,” Young said of Verse’s constant chatter. “The false starts, the guy false starts twice, I feel like Verse got in his head a little bit on the second one. That was pretty funny, though.”
NOTES: Fiske (oblique) and LG Steve Avila (ankle) both missed practice Thursday for the second straight day. WR Davante Adams and RT Rob Havenstein were full participants after sitting out Wednesday for rest.
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Brock Purdy practices again, calls toe injury 'day to day' ahead of 49ers' home opener By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press SANTA CLARA, Calif.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy practiced for a second straight day for the San Francisco 49ers, and the quarterback characterized the status of his toe injury as “day to day” leading up to the home opener against Arizona on Sunday .
Purdy hurt his toe in the season opener at Seattle and missed last week's win at New Orleans with the injury. He returned to practice this week on a limited basis and said he won't be sure whether he can play against the Cardinals until Sunday.
“Definitely just got to see come game time how I feel,” Purdy said Thursday. "Obviously, I want to play every game. I want to be out there. You only get 17 regular-season games and every game matters, especially a divisional (game) going against the Cardinals. So if you ask me, I’d love to, but I’m trying to be smart with my body here, but you never know. We’ll see when the game comes.”
Purdy initially hurt the toe in the first half against the Seahawks, but was able to play through the injury on adrenaline. Purdy went 26 for 35 for 277 yards with two TDs and two interceptions and led a game-winning TD drive capped by a 4-yard pass to Jake Tonges .
The pain got worse after the game and Purdy underwent an MRI that showed he had an injury that has been described as similar to turf toe but does not require surgery like the injury that could sideline Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow for three months.
Purdy returned to practice on Wednesday and has a chance to play this week.
“It was nice that he was able to get out and do some stuff though,” coach Kyle Shanahan told flagship radio station KNBR. "Anytime you hear turf toe, you get so nervous about that stuff. You don’t know which kind it is. The fact that he’s been able to do some this week, I think, is a real good sign and gives him a chance to go on Sunday.”
Purdy missed two games last season with injuries, sitting out one game with a right shoulder injury and another with a right elbow injury. Those are the only games he has missed because of injuries since taking over as the starter late in the 2022 season. He did have a significant injury to his right elbow in the 2022 NFC championship game that required surgery but he made it back for the opener the following season.
Mac Jones fared well as Purdy’s replacement in his first action with San Francisco after being signed in the offseason as a free agent. He went 26 for 39 for 279 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the 26-21 win at New Orleans.
Jones would play again this week if Purdy can't go.
Injury report
Receiver Jauan Jennings (shoulder, ankle) and OL Spencer Burford (knee) sat out of practice for a second straight day.
Running back Christian McCaffrey was back as a full participant after sitting out Wednesday mostly for rest. Left tackle Trent Williams (knee), DL Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), FB Kyle Juszczyk (concussion), DB Siran Neal (concussion) and WR Jordan Watkins (calf) were all limited.
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With Khalil Mack out injured, Chargers defense counting on Derwin James to keep LA rolling By JILL PAINTER LOPEZ Associated Press The Associated Press EL SEGUNDO, Calif.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James is heading into this week’s game against the Denver Broncos with eye-popping praise from coach Jim Harbaugh.
“He’s the best safety I’ve ever seen,” Harbaugh said earlier this week.
James' impact on the defense will be even more crucial Sunday when the Denver Broncos (1-1) come to Sofi Stadium since linebacker Khalil Mack is on injured reserve and will miss the first of at least four games after suffering a dislocated elbow in the Chargers’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night.
Harbaugh’s lofty praise didn’t go unnoticed.
“I don’t take that lightly because I know Coach Harbaugh doesn’t just say stuff like that,” James said. “I know what type of guy he is. I know if he says it, he really believes it, so I don’t take that lightly. That’s a lot of respect coming from him. My peers and my teammates and my coaches, that’s who I do it for, and the fans and my family, as long as they respect me and they hold me in high regard, I’m happy. I just want to keep showing up every day and prove to him why he made that statement and do my part.”
The Chargers defense played well after Mack left the game in the first quarter of a 20-9 win, and James knows that must continue if the team can improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2002. That season, the Chargers finished 8-8 and failed to make the playoffs.
James is second on the team in tackles with 14, including eight solo tackles. Asked who the best safety is that he’s ever seen, the seventh-year pro said: “Sean Taylor, rest in peace. But physically, I probably have to go with Ed Reed. My favorite was Sean Taylor.”
Mack’s presence is still being felt in the building. He was at practice Thursday and in the locker room. He’s an unofficial coach, too.
“There’s no replacing Khalil Mack on or off the field,” safety Tony Jefferson said. “Collectively as a unit, some of the younger guys and other guys, it’s their time to step up. I think I’m a prime example of someone going down and you have to step in and there can’t be a drop-off. Collectively everyone has to come together and do a little more when you lose the heartbeat of the defense.”
Jefferson was signed off the practice squad Thursday and played in the game against the Raiders, too.
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter hopes for a similar effort that can match a defense that didn’t allow a touchdown last week. The Raiders kicked three field goals.
Mack didn’t play the final three quarters, so the Chargers have shown they can play well even without their star.
“It’s a tough loss because Khalil is so valuable, so important,” Minter said. “I think we have tried to preach the depth that we have and our confidence in a lot of players in the room. When something happens to somebody it’s an opportunity for somebody else. I feel great about that room. I think Kyle Kennard is going to get a great opportunity to show what he can do. We’ll let those guys get settled in.
“Like anything, when we have this type of room and type of guys, happening in the game, how would Khalil want us to play and what would he want our mindset to be? He wouldn’t want us to worry one ounce about him and just play the way we know we can play. We’ll try to honor him, honestly, while he’s out.”
Last season, the 34-year-old Mack had 39 tackles and six sacks. The Chargers are relieved Mack wasn’t lost for the season. His words and mentorship are valuable, too.
“Coach Mack? The coolest thing to me was Coach talked about the way he handled that right when it happened,” Minter said. “The biggest surprise to me is when you see something like that, I want to say within 30 minutes he’s back on the sideline coaching the guys up, sitting next to guys on the bench looking at the iPad. That is the ultimate team guy. He’ll continue to do that and he’s back at meetings. It’s great for our guys to see how important it is to him. He’ll do whatever he can to help out. Blessed to have a guy like that.”
Justin Herbert and the Chargers are rolling, averaging 23.5 points per game, tied for 11th in the league. The defense won’t need to pitch a shutout, just be good.
The Chargers have already taken down the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil and the Raiders on "Monday Night Football." They have a third consecutive game against an AFC West rival Sunday. And a 3-0 record would set up the Chargers nicely for a run at the division title.
“You only play six of them and this will be the third one,” James said. “You have to make them all count. Not like every game isn’t important but these division games mean a lot.”
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Jonah Laulu's rise: From seventh-round pick to Raiders defensive standout By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer The Associated Press HENDERSON, Nev.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Christian Wilkins' release early in training camp raised all sorts of questions about how the Raiders' interior defense would make up the difference.
Las Vegas' tackles have for the most part made those concerns moot.
That includes Jonah Laulu, who already has three sacks in two games. He had one in 17 games as a rookie last season.
“He has just blossomed," coach Pete Carroll said. "He had enough plays on film coming off of last year that he caught my eye like a potential guy that might really be a factor. So I was really excited about him in the offseason, and he did everything right.”
Carroll might not be all that shocked that Laulu is making a strong impact early this season, but outside of the Raiders facility, he wasn't on many radars.
Indianapolis drafted him in the seventh round in 2024 out of Oklahoma, and he made to the final cut before the Colts waived him on Aug. 27 of last year. Laulu's hometown Raiders picked him up the following day.
He showed enough promise to start seven games last season on a defense ravaged by injuries, and then he built on that experience in this summer's camp.
“He works hard,” star pass rusher Maxx Crosby said. “He's doing great. He's young. He's got a lot of good tools and he's just getting better. No one's surprised he's playing well. He's just got to keep building off what he started.”
For Laulu, the battle to become an impact player is as much mental as physical, and he has been open about his struggles with impostor syndrome. Though not considered a mental health disorder, many medical experts take the condition seriously that affects many people who doubt they are qualified for their work positions.
That includes Laulu and the NFL.
“I feel like it's really about coming every day to work to be that same person every day,” Laulu said. “You want to be consistent. You don't want to be an emotional person. Obviously, football is not an easy sport mentally or physically. I'm trying to be my best every day.”
His best has been pretty good this season.
Laulu sacked New England quarterback Drake Maye once in the 20-13 season-opening victory and then took down Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert twice in Monday night's 20-9 loss .
The Raiders as a team have six sacks this season, tied for eighth in the NFL.
They will face a mobile quarterback Sunday at Washington in either Jayden Daniels or former Las Vegas QB Marcus Mariota. Daniels will not practice until at least Friday because of a knee injury.
“We have a lot of background about Marcus on the staff, so we know what his capabilities are, we think," Carroll said. “So we’re planning for both guys, but primarily for Jayden.”
Laulu will be an integral part of that plan, which he began to earn in offseason and preseason practices, showing he could perform alongside fellow tackles Adam Butler and Thomas Butler IV. It's one thing to play well in practice, but transferring that to the season is the real test.
So far, so good.
But Laulu isn't one to think he's arrived. Each week is a proving ground, a chance to show himself that he belongs.
“I still feel like I haven't really done much,” Laulu said. “I made some plays here and there, but I'm still shooting for the sky and trying to make plays in the game and get better every day. I'm the type of person, I made plays, but I could've made more after watching the (Chargers) game a couple of times, seeing all the missed opportunities and what I can do.”
Geno Smith tries to bounce back
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith tied a career high with three interceptions in the loss to the Chargers. That came a week after he passed for 362 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots.
Smith said the video from the LA loss "was tough to watch.”
“You can never just flush that,” Smith said. “You got to learn from it, and that’s what I did. I watched it over 10 times and just tried to figure out what did I need to do to be better, which was a lot of things that were obvious — being more accurate, taking what they give me, not being so aggressive.”
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Bo Nix and Sean Payton downplay viral sideline exchange during Broncos' loss to Colts By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer The Associated Press ENGLEWOOD, Colo.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Bo Nix and Sean Payton downplayed their most recent sideline exchange as each presented his version of events.
The Denver Broncos quarterback maintained that what appeared to be a heated conversation Sunday at Indianapolis wasn't so much volatile as volume-related. His coach said it was simply a matter trying to get an explanation following a play.
“For whatever reason, we’re allowing conversations to become bigger than what they are,” Nix said Wednesday, three days after the moment between him and Payton went viral as the Broncos lost 29-28 to the Colts on a field goal as time expired.
Nix added the moment had more to do with not being able to hear over the noise.
“We oftentimes forget that it’s a big stadium and a lot of people are talking at same time," said Nix, the 12th overall pick out of Oregon in the 2024 NFL draft. “So you've got to be a little bit louder and more vocal.”
The kerfuffle happened late in the third quarter as Nix came off the field following an incomplete pass to Evan Engram to force a punt. Payton appeared to ask Nix something as his QB walked past him toward the bench. Payton then took a few steps in the direction of Nix, who turned around and uttered something to his coach while gesturing with his hands. Nix then walked away.
“That was just something as simple as he asked me what happened on a play,” Nix said. “I told him, I turned, he couldn’t quite hear, turned back and told him again. There were no issues. It’s just a quick conversation with the head coach. Nothing pressing.”
Payton minimized the situation, too.
“I saw what you guys saw. That wasn’t what it appeared, though,” Payton said. “It was an affirmation of, ‘This is what we’re wanting to do.’ ... I think it was more about excitement, but I saw it.
“I guess what I’m saying is I don’t think it was what it appeared. In fact, I know it wasn’t.”
Nix and Payton had a confrontation last October after the QB went off-script against the Los Vegas Raiders.
Payton was hot and Nix hollered back. After that particular dust-up, Payton said of his then rookie QB: “There is still a little bit of Ferris Bueller in him we are trying to get rid of. I love him to death. And sometimes (what you saw) is my love language.”
One thing Nix won't be toning down is his aggressive nature on the football field. He had two interceptions and a fumble in a season-opening win over Tennessee. He threw three TD passes against the Colts but also a costly interception in the fourth quarter with the team in field-goal range.
“For me, I’m always going to be aggressive, especially with our defense, knowing that they can go out there and get a stop,” Nix said. “You can’t play the game, you can’t play the position, soft. You have to go out there and be aggressive.
"If you’re scared to make a bad play, it’s usually when the bad plays happen.”
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McVay won't need surgery on injured foot while he prepares Rams to face Eagles By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer The Associated Press LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean McVay had to smile when he was asked how he managed to tear the plantar fascia in his left foot while running to call a timeout.
“I’m telling you it was because of the pure twitch that I still have,” McVay said with a laugh Wednesday.. “It just snapped. ... I did have to hop down there. I got the damn timeout, even on one leg.”
The Los Angeles Rams' longtime boss got injured last Sunday during his team's 33-19 win at Tennessee , but he won't need surgery or a walking boot before he leads the Rams across the country to face defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia this weekend.
The 39-year-old McVay works out regularly, but his career as a receiver at Miami (Ohio) ended in 2007. He says he had felt previous pain in the band of tissue that runs along the sole of the foot from heel to toes.
“It had been bothering me for a little bit where I was a little bit restricted, and then I went to just explode down the sidelines for a timeout, and that thing popped in my heel,” McVay said. “It was temporarily painful, but it actually feels a lot better now. It’s a positive that I tore my plantar fascia. That’s a good thing, because it accelerates the healing. There’s no issues for me.”
The Rams (2-0) know they have more than enough issues to address as they prepare to face the Eagles (2-0), who beat Los Angeles twice last season on the way to the title. McVay hesitates to label the matchup as a measuring-stick game because it's only Week 3, but he knows the importance of the moment.
“I think it’s a fun narrative,” McVay said. “Every week when you get out there and you go play in this competitive league, every opportunity you have is a measuring stick. Is this a great challenge? You’re damn right it is. I have tremendous respect for their coaches and their players. They’ve gotten after us. They’ve gotten the results that they wanted. You can see it’s a combination of a lot of great things that they have going there.”
NOTES: DT Braden Fiske (oblique) and OG Steve Avila (ankle) didn't practice, while TE Colby Parkinson (shoulder) was limited. None of the three has been ruled out for Sunday, McVay said.
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Jackson Arnold returning to Oklahoma as Auburn's QB following a rocky stint with the Sooners By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer The Associated Press NORMAN, Okla.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jackson Arnold was expected to be the next big thing at Oklahoma, another great quarterback at a school that produced Heisman winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray and featured stars Jalen Hurts, Spencer Rattler, Caleb Williams and Dillon Gabriel at the position during the past decade.
Arnold, a five-star recruit, had as much hype as any of them. And when Gabriel decided to transfer to Oregon ahead of the 2024 season, Arnold seemingly had the chance to turn his immense talent into results.
It simply didn't work. Arnold struggled as injuries besieged the Sooners. He lost his starting job early in the season, then won it back. He ran for more than 100 yards in a shocking win over Alabama , but that wasn't enough to keep him from transferring to Auburn.
The new scenery has treated Arnold well. Now refreshed, he has led the Tigers to a 3-0 start. He'll return to Oklahoma as the opposing quarterback when No. 22 Auburn visits the 11th-ranked Sooners (3-0) on Saturday.
Arnold said he'll be focused. He said blocking outside noise won’t be a problem because he’s not on social media.
“(I'll be) Watching tape, watching OU, locking in and doing my job throughout the week," he said. "It’s nothing more than that. It’s the job for us, and I attack it and make every day my best day.”
Auburn coach Hugh Freeze knows about tough homecomings. He returned to Ole Miss with Liberty in 2021 and lost 27-14 . He said Arnold needs to find a way to block out the distractions and focus on the task at hand.
“We all understand that people might cheer for him, boo him, whatever it is, but I think he’s mentally strong and is more about preparing," Freeze said. “My advice to him is just keep the focus on our team. That was my advice to myself.”
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables holds no ill will toward Arnold.
“Obviously, things worked out well for him and us both,” Venables said. "Those are things that are never easy, but it’s just the environment that we’re in, and I’m really happy for him that he’s having great success.”
This season, Arnold has completed 69% of his passes with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He's also rushed for 192 yards and four scores. He most recently accounted for three touchdowns in the Tigers' 31-15 win over South Alabama .
“I think he’s the same guy," Venables said. “I think he’s got a healthy football team around him, and he’s having great success running, throwing, being really efficient. He’s taking care of the ball and the people around him are really good."
Oklahoma counters with one of the nation's best defenses. The Sooners rank second nationally in fewest yards passing allowed per game (84.7), fourth in total defense (181.0) and fourth in points allowed per game (6.3).
Still, Venables said his Sooners have a challenge ahead.
Jeremiah Cobb has rushed for 314 yards and four touchdowns and averages 6.8 yards per carry. Eric Singleton, a quick receiver in space, leads the team with 13 catches and two touchdowns and has 174 yards from scrimmage. Cam Coleman, a 6-foot-3 target, has 149 yards and a score on 10 receptions.
They pace an Auburn offense that averages 37 points and 415.7 yards per game.
“You’ve got to play well in every area," Venables said. "They’re great at running the football and they’re good at throwing the ball down the field and the RPO (run-pass option) world and staying on schedule, being very efficient. So we’ve got to be a little more efficient. Got to protect the perimeter and do a great job up front of plugging gaps and getting off of blocks, having great leverage and playing great team defense.”
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AP Sports Writer Mark Long contributed to this report.
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No longer a dull formality, NFL kickoffs require a new set of skills for kickers and returners By NOAH TRISTER AP Sports Writer The Associated Press
The biggest gaffe of the NFL season so far may have occurred in Pittsburgh last weekend, when a Steelers rookie let a kickoff bounce into the end zone and left the ball sitting there, apparently unaware that Seattle could — and did — score a touchdown by falling on it.
That type of mistake is a coach's nightmare, but for the league it was probably a sign of progress. Kickoffs are no longer a dull formality. After more rule tweaking this season, it really does feel like anything can happen.
“Is this better than 12 touchbacks a game? Yes,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.
The NFL introduced the so-called dynamic kickoff last year, limiting how far the coverage team has to run and establishing a landing zone inside the 20-yard line. This year, touchbacks on kicks that reach the end zone on the fly put the ball on the 35 instead of the 30. Now there's a big incentive for kickers to land the ball between the 20 and the goal line, and that's altered the nature of the job.
“Essentially, what we used to do on kickoffs is almost obsolete for most kickers," Tennessee Titans kicker Joey Slye said. “I’m having honestly more of a trouble keeping it in play out of the end zone than really past the 20. So I think a lot of kickers are having that issue as well.”
Booming the ball into — or through — the end zone for a touchback used to be a perfectly good option. Even last season, that approach was common. With touchbacks putting the ball on the 35, however, it makes more sense to try to force a return with a shorter kick. If the ball doesn't make it to the 20, then the opposing team takes over on its own 40 — not that much worse for the kicking team than the 35 after a touchback.
And if the ball hits the ground before it reaches the return man, that brings even more uncertainty into play.
“It’s not a basketball, and you don’t know how it’s going to end up ricocheting off the ground doing a bunch of different things,” Miami Dolphins special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman said. “So the biggest thing that we tell our players is, hey, once it’s on the ground, it can roll anywhere. And that’s the best part about the kick.”
For kickers, there's been an adjustment.
“I think it takes away when you have a good kicker because good kickers, you separate yourself by being able to kick it higher and farther and placing it, and the hang time and all that,” Bills kicker Matt Prater said. “But now, hang time’s irrelevant and distance is irrelevant. So for young strong guys, I think it takes away their strengths.”
The touchback rate on kickoffs has plummeted from 65.5% last season to 16.7% in 2025. That's resulted in almost no change in post-kickoff field position, which has averaged right around the 30-yard line this season and last, but there's been an uptick this year in action, unpredictability and variety.
Kaleb Johnson was the poor Pittsburgh return man who let the ball go through his hands and into the end zone, allowing George Holani of the Seahawks to recover the live ball for a TD. Although distance isn't a priority anymore for kickers, they do have a chance to show off their creativity trying to create tricky bounces for returners.
“They’re trying to get it where it comes out like a knuckleball,” Titans special teams coordinator John Fassel said. “It’s a combination of a soccer corner kick and Phil Niekro throwing a knuckleball, and it’s coming at you with all kinds of curves and swerves.”
That puts more pressure on return men to catch the ball on the fly or limit the bounces — while knowing if the ball bounces into the end zone for a touchback, it goes to the 20, but if it rolls out of bounds before the goal line, it's put on the 40. That's a lot to think about in a short period of time.
“You can’t really simulate those in practice because I can’t have Joey kick those all day long. It’ll wear him out,” Fassel said. “We did it on the JUGS, but that was way too easy. So, honestly to handle those ‘dirty balls’ is just going to take experience. If I can’t get to it on the fly, about how far behind it do I have to be to one-hop it? A two-hop is a little bit dangerous.”
With all that to consider, it's no wonder Johnson and the Steelers were victimized by a fluke touchdown.
“We actually ended up showing one on Friday very similar to our returners,” Aukerman said. “Now, that exact experience that happened there at Pittsburgh wasn’t the one I showed, but it was like, ‘Hey guys, when the ball is in the end zone and we haven’t touched it, we have to go back there and kneel on the ball.’ ... That’s another teachable moment.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker and AP Sports Writers Alanis Thames and John Wawrow contributed to this report.
No. 6 Oregon hosts Oregon State By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Oregon State (0-3) at No. 6 Oregon (3-0), Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. EDT.
BetMGM College Football Odds Opening Line: Oregon by 35.5. Against the spread: Oregon 2-1, Oregon State 0-3.
How to watch: BTN
Key stats
Oregon Offense
Overall: 503.3 yards per game (18th in FBS)
Passing: 256.3 yards per game (46th)
Rushing: 247 yards per game (11th)
Scoring: 54 points per game (3rd)
Oregon Defense
Overall: 256 yards per game (24th in FBS)
Passing: 133.3 yards per game (19th)
Rushing: 122.7 yards per game (62nd)
Scoring: 10 points per game (14th)
Oregon State Offense
Overall: 376.7 yards per game (80th in FBS)
Passing: 305.7 yards per game (22nd)
Rushing: 71 yards per game (132nd)
Scoring: 18.7 points per game (115th)
Oregon State Defense
Overall: 424.3 yards per game (112th in FBS)
Passing: 277.7 yards per game (121st)
Rushing: 146.7 yards per game (88th)
Scoring: 38.3 points per game (129th)
Oregon ranks 17th in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert on 25.6% of third downs.
Oregon State ranks 113th in the FBS with a -3 turnover margin, compared to Oregon's 26th-ranked +3 margin.
Oregon is 3rd in the FBS averaging 21.3 penalty yards per game.
Oregon State is 98th in FBS in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on 91.7% of trips. Oregon's red zone offense ranks 1st, scoring on 100% of red zone opportunities.
Oregon is 92nd in the FBS with an average time of possession of 28:49, compared to Oregon State's 39th-ranked average of 32:07.
Team leaders
Oregon
Passing: Dante Moore, 657 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT, 78.1 completion percentage
Rushing: Dierre Hill Jr., 161 yards on 11 carries, 2 TDs
Receiving: Malik Benson, 161 yards on 11 catches, 2 TDs
Oregon State
Passing: Maalik Murphy, 896 yards, 6 TDs, 5 INTs, 61.6 completion percentage
Rushing: Anthony Hankerson, 190 yards on 51 carries, 1 TD
Receiving: Trent Walker, 302 yards on 23 catches, 0 TDs
Last game
Oregon defeated Northwestern 34-14 on Saturday, Sept. 13. Moore led Oregon with 178 yards on 16-of-20 passing (80.0%) for one touchdown and one interception. Hill had 94 rushing yards on five carries and one touchdown. Benson had four receptions for 62 yards.
Oregon State fell 45-14 to Texas Tech on Saturday, Sept. 13. Murphy led Oregon State with 281 yards on 25-of-44 passing (56.8%) for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Hankerson carried the ball 11 times for 12 yards. David Wells Jr. had six receptions for 103 yards.
Next game
Oregon plays at No. 2 Penn State on Sept. 27. Oregon State hosts Houston on Sept. 26.
Raiders and Commanders both have 1 win against a bad team and 1 loss to a good team By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Las Vegas (1-1) at Washington (1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Commanders by 3 1/2.
Against the spread: Raiders 1-1; Commanders 1-1.
Series record: Commanders lead, 8-7.
Last week: Raiders lost to Chargers 20-9; Commanders lost to Packers 27-18.
Last meeting: Commanders beat Raiders 17-15 at Last Vegas on Dec. 5, 2021.
Raiders offense: overall (22), rush (31), pass (11), scoring (31).
Raiders defense: overall (19), rush (4), pass (27), scoring (5).
Commanders offense: overall (14t), rush (8), pass (23t), scoring (23).
Commanders defense: overall (16), rush (14), pass (18), scoring (6t).
Turnover differential: Raiders -2; Commanders even.
Raiders player to watch
QB Geno Smith looked like an All-Pro in the victory at New England, but then threw three interceptions against the Chargers. Expect Smith to not force as many passes against the Commanders while still looking for opportunities to test the secondary deep. How he balances that will go a long way toward determining if the Raiders can pull off the road win.
Commanders player to watch
QB Jayden Daniels/Marcus Mariota. The most important position in football is up in the air for Washington this week, because Daniels hurt his knee against Green Bay and missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday. The AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is, by far, the best player on the Commanders, though Mariota has proven to be a capable backup if Daniels sits out Sunday.
Key matchup
Raiders TEs Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer vs. the Commanders LBs and DBs. Bowers, assuming he's healthy, is a bona fide star, even though he only is in his second year, and Washington had a rough time trying to cover tight ends in the loss to the Packers: Tucker Kraft 124 receiving yards were the most by a Green Bay tight end since 2015, and he also scored a TD.
Key injuries
Raiders: Bowers (knee) should be healthier than he was against the Chargers. S Jeremy Chinn (pectoral) and G Jackson Powers-Johnson (concussion) have been limited in practice.
Commanders: Aside from Daniels, Washington's starting lineup was depleted by injuries against Green Bay. RB Austin Ekeler and DE Deatrich Wise Jr. are out for the season, CB Jonathan Jones went on injured reserve, and WR Noah Brown (groin) and TE John Bates (groin) are both considered long shots to face Las Vegas.
Series notes
The Commanders have won four of the five most recent meetings. ... The AFC's Raiders and NFC's Commanders have just one postseason meeting: The Raiders won 38-9 in the Super Bowl in January 1984.
Stats and stuff
The two head coaches know each other well: Washington’s Dan Quinn was the defensive coordinator on the staff that current Raiders coach Pete Carroll ran when he took the Seattle Seahawks to two Super Bowls. ... The Raiders' Bowers can extend his streak to 20 games with at least two catches, which would be the second longest for a tight end to open a career. Detroit’s Sam LaPorta set the record with 21 games. … S Jeremy Chinn, who played for the Commanders last year, is looking for his sixth consecutive season with at least one sack. Only six other defensive backs, going back to 1982 when the statistic became official, have had at least one sack each of their first six seasons. … A victory would move Raiders coach Pete Carroll into a tie with Bill Parcells for 16th in NFL history with 172 wins. … The Raiders allow 70.5 yards rushing per game, fourth best in the league. It’s the fewest yards they have allowed on the ground through two games since 2019, when that team gave up a 63-yard average. … LB Devin White and New Orleans’ Demario Davis are the only players since 2019 with at least 600 tackles and 20 sacks. … RB Ashton Jeanty has run for only 81 yards through two games. He ran for at least 100 in every game last season at Boise State. ... The good: Washington has not turned the ball over through two games. The bad: The team also hasn't forced a turnover yet. ... Commanders WR Deebo Samuel is one of five players with at least seven catches each of the first two weeks this season. He has one TD catch and one TD run so far in his first season in Washington. ... TE Zach Ertz has a touchdown catch in four consecutive games, going back to last season. ... LB Von Miller leads active players with 130 sacks; he has nine sacks in 17 games against the Raiders. ... PK Matt Gay is just 1 for 3 on field-goal attempts this season, his first with the Commanders. ... Rookie RB Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt went from 82 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 to only 17 yards in Week 2. He is expected to get the start Sunday with Ekeler out.
Fantasy tip
Bowers is a good choice no matter who the opponent is, as last season's numbers attest: 112 catches, 1,194 yards, five touchdowns.
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