Tag Archives: NFL

The San Francisco 49ers Should Sign Derek Carr

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With most of the national media centered in New York, the majority of the teams Derek Carr should go to are in the east or the south. The Jets, Saints, Falcons, or the Bucs have been destinations repeated over and over on television. The team that can change the trajectory of his career and he can silence all his doubters is the San Francisco 49ers.

We have witnessed one of the NFL’s most complete roster over the last 5 years fail to win the Super Bowl due to a short circuit at the quarterback position. Even the last sojourn with 3rd stringer Brock Purdy was another set back. While yes he filled in admirably and played well enough to compete for the starting job, we saw the cracks in his play that led to him lasting until the 7th round in the playoffs.

Why is it a set back in The Chancellor’s eyes?

Its made the logjam worse with a soon to depart Jimmy G, an injured underwhelming Trey Lance, and a surgically repaired limited Brock Purdy.

Please keep in mind Purdy will undergo surgery Feb. 22 for the torn ligament in his elbow. Keep in mind a similar hit altered Bernie Kosar’s ability to throw when he suffered a similar hit and injury in the ’88 opener when he was hit by Lloyd Burruss. Pinning the upper arm right when each were beginning their throwing motion.

Kosar came back and had a successful career but his elbow was a source of problems the rest of his career. Torn ligaments in the elbow is also what knocked John Unitas from the 1968 season when he missed the season leading to Super Bowl III. Not only was he not the same after, the injury atrophied and he lost use of his right hand later in life. Even to the point he had to velcro his hand to his golf clubs just to play. *See HBO’s Unitas documentary -1999*

Sports Illustated cover featuring Johnny U.

Of course sports medicine has advanced since then but keep in mind Purdy was slight and physically limited to begin with. The 49ers can’t roll the dice he will come back and be better than the 7th round quarterback he is or try to run it back with a pedestrian passing game. They need to make a move.

Enter Derek Carr…

Do you realize in 9 years with the Raiders, Carr had to endure 7 Head Coaches? In a decade of stormy weather he was the one lighthouse this franchise could count on which included the move from Oakland to Las Vegas. He led the team to the playoffs with an interim coach, lost his receiver Henry Ruggs in a felony car accident that led to a fatality. Carr was the only constant as his offense changed five times since his 2016 season. Do you remember what happened in 2016?

Carr in 2016 was Taylor Blitz Times offensive player of the year as he led Oakland to a 12-4 record even though he broke his leg in the 15th game. At the time they were 12-3 and chasing New England, he had thrown for 3,937 yards 28 TDs with just 6 interceptions. The Raiders were 6-1 on the road and Carr had led 8 wins in the 4th quarter or overtime. Eight in one season! They were 6-1 on the road and a legitimate threat to the eventual Super Bowl champion Patriots.

It was one of the few times he had the same offense and offensive coordinator during his career and he was growing. We’ll get back to what his injury meant for the franchise in full but this illustrates what Carr can do with the right pieces around him. Well we watched the 49ers nearly reach Super Bowl champion status over the last 4 years but were deficient at quarterback. GM John Lynch can wait to see if Trey Lance or a Brock Purdy can come back from injury and hope they’re adequate enough.

Or he can put on his selling shoes and woo Carr to sign with the 49ers knowing a Super Bowl championship will validate this group of 49ers and Derek Carr’s career in full. Much like Matthew Staffford’s trajectory just 2 years ago.

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch your mission should you choose to accept it…

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Is it the Arizona or Apartheid Cardinals

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Tell The Truth Tuesday –

Cardinals

So let me ask you this Arizona Cardinals: Chief OC Eric Bienemy swallowed Eagle DC Gannon in the 2nd half of Super Bowl LVII and scored on every possession and that convinced you to hire Gannon? Check

You hired Patrick Mahomes college coach Kliff Kingsbury who couldnt produce a winning record in the Big XII. Check

Sooooo the OC that coached Patrick Mahomes to the 1st 50 TD season as a starter, most yards in a season 2 MVPs and 2 Super Bowl championships and should have been 4 Super Bowl appearances in the last 5 years isnt good enough or considered?

And you have a broken quarterback to fix in Kyler Murray??

After bypassing Asst GM Adrian Wilson for a GM from the outside? Check… Check…Check…

When you had Steve Wilks as a coach, you fired him in one year and he had no chance to build? Check Yet you gave Kingsbury several to “grow into” his position? Check

Sounds like and definitely looks like some racism/placism to me. No black men in positions of authority no matter the relationship with the organization or resume…. Got it!!

Now it’s being “leaked” Brian Flores was offered the Head Coaching position. Really? Thats news sitting here listening to 98.7 FM on a daily basis and your flagship station where Cardinals Coach gives his obligatory press conference. Interesting…

May you lose 17 games a season until you sell the team! Henceforth we’re changing the name – The Apartheid Cardinals.

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The 2022 Taylor Blitz Times Defensive Player of the Year: Haason Reddick

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Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick ended the 49ers hopes knocking Purdy out of the game on the 2nd play.

When it comes to realizing your full potential in the NFL, the most important aspect is having coaches who can draw the best out of you. This year’s recipient is on his 3rd team in 3 years. It started with the dysfunctional coaching staff in Arizona trying without fail to have Reddick drop back into coverage. Only once the Cardinals realized he was a better player rushing the quarterback he flashed for 12.5 sacks yet he soured on his time out here and left for greener pastures.

After a season honing his skill in Carolina, Reddick was the terror down the stretch that turned a good Eagles defense into a great one. Not only was he tied for 2nd in QB sacks with 16 it was the force he brought when he arrived that was the difference.

Nick Bosa – 18.5 sacks 2 FF 48 pressures 1 pass defends

Reddick – 16 sacks 5FF 3 recoveries 26 pressures 3 pass defends

He was one of a lethal pack of Eagles who became the 1st in history with 4 players with more than 11 sacks and where he wasn’t making the play his teammates were and he was there to recover the fumbles. Where the Eagles were #2 to the 49ers in defensive ranking it was by less than a yard (300.59 -301.47) and registered 70 sacks. The most sacks since the 89 Vikings with 71 and 25 more than 2nd place Kansas City. Hasson was the catalyst.

Reddick came screaming down the stretch with 6 of his sacks in the final 4 games. Two of these were losses as the Eagles tried desperately to hold on to homefield advantage waiting for Jalen Hurts to get back from injury. He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month in December for his efforts and came when Philadelphia needed him most.

He started off this run terrorizing Bears QB Justin Fields, sacking him twice, forcing & recovering a fumble. He spent all afternoon making these plays in a 25-20 win. This was the difference between keeping homefield or dropping possibly to the 3 seed.

He has the athleticism to track down the most athletic of QBs like Fields or too much for TEs or Tackles who turn out on him. The NFC Championship when the nation was riding the “Rudy” story of Brock Purdy, came to a screeching halt two plays in. His sack and forced fumble ended the competitive phase of the game.

Then he took out 49er backup Josh Johnson and the Eagles knew they were headed to the desert to see The Chancellor of Football and play Super Bowl LVII. Two sacks and knocked out two quarterbacks in a championship game?? He completely wreaked havoc! That is how you put the exclamation mark on becoming 2022’s Taylor Blitz Defensive Player of the Year.

Congratulations and good luck in Super Bowl LVII

Sean Payton Brought In to Fix Russell Wilson

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Back in the 1970’s Bum Phillips was being interviewed when he was asked to describe Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula. Bum in that southern drawl he had looked up and said “Don Shula can take his’n and beat your’n and then take your’n and beat his’n.” Meaning he could formulate a game plan and tailor it to the strength of the players he has no matter the opponent. A trait also shared with Bronco new Head Coach Sean Payton.

His reputation turning around quarterbacks and building a winning culture is why he came at such a hefty sum. Denver giving up another 1st and 2nd round draft pick to New Orleans to trade for his services. Many pundits are looking at what he did to turn Drew Brees career around and using this as a barometer. The Chancellor of Football has another subject in mind, mirroring what he has to do with Russ.

Kerry Collins was the 1st draft choice of the Carolina Panthers who never fulfilled his potential. The Panthers did make the NFC Championship his 2nd season in 1996, but that was a team fueled by NFL Defensive player of the year Kevin Greene, a suffocating defense and a balanced attack. Collins eventually flamed out throwing more interceptions (36) than touchdowns (23) the following 2 seasons.

After a drunk driving incident and the NFL sending him to rehab for alcohol abuse, he also had a racial incident with teammate Mushin Muhammad. Things internally went from bad to worse when he requested a trade and was released by Coach Dom Capers. Citing he had quit on the team. He was even let go after signing on and finishing the season with Mike Ditka’s Saints. These guys were desperate for a QB having traded their entire draft class for RB Ricky Williams.

This was the 1st ever draft choice of the Carolina Panther franchise who hit rock bottom. Five years after being selected he had two losing teams that didn’t want him and his reputation publicly and in NFL locker rooms couldn’t be worse.

Enter Sean Payton.

The Giants sign him in 99 to back up Kent Graham and he did see some action. He conquered his alcohol demons and began to play quarterback at a level greater than he had at any point in his career. He became the starter in 2000 and led the Giants to a 12-4 record and home field advantage for the best record in the conference. Collins was the NFL’s comeback player of the year. How much had he improved going into those playoffs?

  • Collins 1997: 200 of 381 (52.5%) 2,124 yds 11TDs 21 ints
  • Collins 2000: 311 of 529 (58.8%) 3,610 yds 22TDs 13 ints

All of this was happening under the watchful eye of a young Offensive Coordinator in Sean Payton. Through his tutelage Collins had grown from what many considered a game manager to one who could win shootouts if the Giants needed him to. He had never shown this type of promise at his prior stops. So this reclamation project at quarterback and young Offensive Coordinator headed into the 2000 playoffs. Experts were calling them the worst team to ever garner home field advantage. There were sexier choices like The Greatest Show on Turf Rams or the high flying Minnesota Vikings.

After a solid but unspectacular win in a playoff win against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sean Payton called his greatest game of his career in the next where he and Kerry Collins stunned the football world in the NFC Championship Game. A game where they were underdogs at home.

Collins went 23 of 34 for 338 yds and 4TDs in the 1st half alone. All of these were NFC/NFL championship records Joe Montana, Kurt Warner nor any could touch. His 4 1st half TDs broke the record of Sid Luckman. Yes, he broke a 57 year old record that had stood since 1943. He finished with 381 yards and didnt play from the midway point of the 3rd quarter up 41-0. His record of 381 yards stood until Matt Ryan broke it in the 2012 NFC Title Tilt.

Did I say the greatest game of Sean Payton’s career? In this historian’s eyes yes absolutely. Even with his Super Bowl XLIV win in tow because no one saw that type of performance coming. It put Sean Payton and Kerry Collins on the map for good. Payton through this experience where he led the Giants offense for 3 years making the postseason twice and his subsequent stop in Dallas primed him for his Saints tenure.

He then went on to directing Drew Brees to a Hall of Fame career, guiding Jameis Winston to a 5-2 record before injury and still winning with Tedy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill.

He has the pedigree and ability to formulate game plans and bring the best out of Russell Wilson. Especially coming from a position where Russ needs to rehab his reputation after an atrocious season. His lows aren’t to the degree that Kerry Collins were but now it should be football, X’s and O’s and all that fringe off the field nonsense takes a huge backseat. He’s got the quarterback whisperer now and the Denver Broncos should be off and running.

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2022 AFC Championship Preview: Cincinnati Bengals v Kansas City Chiefs

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Is it Arrowhead or Burrowhead? The battle lines have been drawn and the bulletin board material came out of the Queen City right after dusting off Buffalo. This has irked the Kansas City squad along with the national media reminding them Burrow’s Bengals are 3-0 against Mahomes and company. This includes the 2021 AFC Championship Game when they pulled off a shocker. What about this time??

The season began pundits along with The Chancellor of Football swearing the Chiefs were coming back to the pack losing Tyreek Hill. It hasn’t had the affect we anticipated but may today with Travis Kelce banged up and Patrick Mahomes nursing a bum ankle. Hill was used as a deep burner but often would come in motion and catch a “sprint right option” 5 yarder for key 1st downs.

The game will turn with the Chiefs young CBs L’Jarius Sneed & rookie Jaylen Watson trying to take on the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. The trio has combined for 217 rec. 2,837 yards 21TDs and each are able to take over a game. Chase caught 7 for 97 in the last matchup and had 6 rec. for 54 yards and 1TD.

We have to see if Mahomes ankle is ready to go. If he still feels the affects of the high ankle sprain and we assume he will, has to rely on the physical running of Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon on sweeps and screens.

One of the issues is Patrick Mahomes does most of his damage when he is moving out of the pocket. Most of his playoff touchdowns have come when he has bought time and adlibbed beyond the designed play. Removing that from his game really brings the running game into focus.

Once we look at the running game the Bengals have shows of late and its hard to imagine Joe Mixon (1,205 yds / 13TDs) and Samaje Perine to be outdone in that department.

While Mahomes has had a great season in 2022 this seems a bit much and we have the Bengals making it 4 in a row tonight 34-21.

Thanks for reading and we’ll see you at the Super Bowl!

2022 NFC Championship Preview: Philadelphia Eagles v San Francisco 49ers

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We have entered the home stretch to find out who will represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVII. On one hand you have the 49ers riding an underdog wave of the next “Rudy” in 3rd string QB Brock Purdy. On the other, the final steps of validation for Jalen Hurts who leads a talented Eagle roster at home in this contest. However here at Taylor Blitz Times the excitement generates from the two best offensive lines and the NFL’s #1 & #2 ranked defenses taking the stage.

Did you know the difference between the NFL’s #1 and #2 ranked defense is less than a yard this season? San Francisco 300.59 ypg to Philadelphia 301.47?? Yet a tell tale sign is how those defenses fared coming down the stretch. In the last 7 games the edge goes to the Eagles (286.2 ypg) to (331 ypg).

The Eagles rushing attack led by Miles Sanders (1269 yds 11TD) and Hurts (760 yds rush/ 13TDs) is the 5th best in the NFL. With design runs whether they come from RPOs, sweeps or scrambles should be able to maintain their 147.5 yards per game average. The graphic below shows the 49ers are 1-3 when allowing just 100 yards.

Christian McCaffrey has to have a career game to keep the 49ers in it. Yes the Niners have other backs and Deebo Samuel but they will need their best play makers to win on bubble screens and jet sweeps. McCaffrey will need to make Eagle defenders miss and silence a raucous Philly crowd.

Otherwise this game lands in the hands of a 3rd string QB whose Cinderella story is coming to an end. Not only will the hostile crowd be at full throat but the Eagles vicious pass rush will be loose. The Eagles have a historic pass rush which has recorded 70 sacks. Just 2 shy of the record set by the 1984 Chicago Bears. We haven’t seen this many since the 1989 Minnesota Vikings (71) and its a sack by committee defense. Hassan Reddick (16 sacks) Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat and Jay Hargrave each finished with 11! Where are you sliding the line to?

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) and center Jason Kelce (62) during the NFL divisional round playoff football game against the New York Giants, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

The line of scrimmage is where this game will be won or lost and the edge has to go to Philadelphia. Once T Lane Johnson made it back last week and showed he can gut it out the Eagles looked like the team that was 14-1 with Jalen Hurts in the lineup. This game looks to be close for a quarter and a half with the Eagles pulling away 38-16.

As we clearly stated in our 2020 NFL draft preview, Jalen Hurts deserved to be the 2nd quarterback drafted after Joe Burrow. In the next 10 hours we will find out if they can rematch their 2019 college football playoff.

The Eagles are going to be headed to Super Bowl LVII.

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