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Game Observations: Eight Takeaways From the Patriots Preseason Finale in Washington

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2 hours ago

August 26, 2024

Game Observations: Eight Takeaways From the Patriots Preseason Finale in Washington

By my live charting, Maye had five plus-plays to three minus throws. Those are the ups and downs of a 21-year-old rookie, but his talent is evident. Maye made decisive decisions, maneuvered the pocket well with good poise, and flashed his big play ability in and out of structure. If it wasn’t for the eighth penalty of the half on the O-Line, we would’ve seen the off-script playmaking Maye brings to the table on a 48-yard touchdown to KJ Osborn.

Maye’s physical tools are all over his film in the last two preseason games. The strides he’s making with his footwork and timing should get him on the field soon. At this point, it’s a matter of whether Maye can protect himself well enough by rearranging the chessboard before the snap. If he can, he should play because he’s injecting the difference-making energy into the offense.

3. Starting QB Jacoby Brissett Plays Eight Snaps, Takes a Big Hit to Right Shoulder on Sack

The Patriots current starter played one series and the offense moved the ball into Washington territory. However, a first-down sack derailed the drive and caused some damage to Brissett’s right shoulder. In his post-game press conference, Coach Mayo said Brissett could’ve returned to the game if it was the regular season.

As for his performance, Brissett took advantage of a busted coverage by the Commanders to convert on third down by finding RB Antonio Gibson in the flat. He also threw a catchable deep ball to KJ Osborn late in the down that should’ve been a big play on third-and-11. Brissett’s preseason stats remain pedestrian, but he also had significant offensive line issues. Brissett’s availability is a major storyline heading into the regular season.

4. Reconfigured Starting Five Doesn’t Solve Patriots O-Line Issues

The Patriots rolled with the starting five we’d project to play in Week 1 vs. the Bengals: LT Chuks Okorafor, LG Sidy Sow, C Nick Leverett, RG Layden Robinson, and RT Mike Onwenu. Obviously, captain David Andrews, who had the night off vs. the Commanders, will take Leverett’s place in the starting lineup when we do this for real in Cincy.

New England’s goal to find their “best five” along the offensive line in camp hit a turning point when fourth-rounder Layden Robinson was elevated to the starting five. Robinson had a strong summer, showing off excellent power and good initial burst out of his stance. Onwenu kicks outside to right tackle to accommodate Robinson, which is a question mark seeing that it’s not Onwenu’s best position, but big Mike has proven to be an above-average right tackle.

At left tackle, this feels like a position battle that’ll continue into the regular season between Okorafor and Vederian Lowe. Lowe is not healthy right now, so Chuks got the nod. The Pats need to survive the season at left tackle, which they’ll leave up to Lowe and Okorafor. Although that could get dicey, the other four-fifths of the line with one of their rookie draft picks emerging is the best-case scenario.

As for how they performed, frankly, the starting line was bad in the first half. It started with a sack, multiple QB pressures, and two bad snaps by Leverett, and then snowballed into eight (!) first-half penalties: false start, Okorafor lining up in the backfield at the snap three times, Onwenu committing the same penalty once, and three holds. To make matters worse, starting LG Sidy Sow (ankle) left the game due to injury.

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Washington Huskies edge rusher Zach Durfee is a Minnesotan to watch this season

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9 hours ago

August 25, 2024

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Washington Huskies edge rusher Zach Durfee is a Minnesotan to watch this season

“I’m super excited,” he said about Washington’s Saturday opener against Weber State. “I’m ready to take it to the next level. I just can’t wait to play again with my teammates.”

In a town of about 1,500 in southwest Minnesota, Durfee seemed destined for a future on the hardcourt even after his senior year at Dawson-Boyd started with an injury in a different sport.

A fibula fracture sidelined him for most of the football season. Still, Durfee got his explosiveness back and used a near-40-inch vertical to average 21 points and nine rebounds.

“Basketball was always my main focus in high school,” Durfee said. “That’s what I gravitated towards.”

Durfee committed to play college hoops at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, but uncertainty early in the COVID-19 pandemic ended that dream.

During the lockdown, Durfee took classes at North Dakota State, but that only lasted the fall semester. Returning home, he got into weightlifting and thought about playing football again. The problem was, there were mostly only basketball clips to send. He emailed several programs anyway about playing tight end or receiver.

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Washington Commanders will replace criticized Sean Taylor installation with statue

Published

17 hours ago

August 25, 2024

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Washington Commanders will replace criticized Sean Taylor installation with statue

After facing widespread criticism over an installation meant to honor the late two-time Pro Bowl safety Sean Taylor, the Washington Commanders have permanently removed it and announced plans to build a statue in its place.

“After careful consideration, we have decided as an organization to remove the Sean Taylor installation from Commanders Field,” a team spokesperson said Saturday in a statement. “We realize that the installation fell short in honoring one of our franchise’s most iconic players. Together with the Taylor family, we are working on a plan, which includes unveiling a statue that will rightfully celebrate the legacy and impact that Sean had on our organization, fanbase and community. The Washington Commanders are committed to honoring our legends in a first-class manner.”

The team also announced that Taylor’s daughter, Jackie, will have input in the design process of the statue. Jackie was 18 months old when her father was murdered at the age of 24 on Nov. 27, 2007, during an attempted home invasion.

The original installation was inaugurated in November 2022, during a game against the Atlanta Falcons. At the time, the team was under the ownership of Daniel Snyder, who became known for several blunders in team-fan relations against the backdrop of creating a toxic workplace culture that resulted in a $10 million fine by the NFL and allegations of sexual harassment.

In July 2023, however, the NFL owners approved the sale of the team to a group led by billionaire Josh Harris.

“I’m thankful to Josh Harris and the Commanders family for their continued commitment to keep my dad’s legacy alive,” Jackie Taylor said in the statement. “I look forward to sharing plans in the future and learning more about my dad through this process.”

The original installation that has since been removed was inaugurated on five day’s notice, and featured a mannequin-style structure that merely had a Washington jersey with Taylor’s No. 21 on it. The jersey, however, wasn’t even from the right era, as the NFL’s apparel partner at the time during Taylor’s playing days was Reebok, not Nike.

The statue that will replace the installation becomes the first statue in team history to honor a former player.

Taylor played in the NFL from 2004-07, all with Washington, earning Pro Bowl honors in his last two seasons. He finished with 305 tackles, 12 interceptions, eight forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one touchdown. The year after his death, Taylor was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor.

Taylor wore the jersey No. 36 during his rookie season, but changed it to No. 21 the following year. The Commanders retired Taylor’s jersey in 2021, making him the fourth player in the team’s history to receive the honor.

Taylor was the fifth overall selection in the 2004 NFL Draft, out of the University of Miami.

“I’m forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support from this special fan base,” Jackie Taylor said. “I’m filled with gratitude to know that my dad will forever be a part of the burgundy and gold family.”

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Watch: MEGADETH Performs 'Washington Is Next!' Live For First Time In 15 Years

Published

23 hours ago

August 25, 2024

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Watch: MEGADETH Performs 'Washington Is Next!' Live For First Time In 15 Years

MEGADETH performed the song “Washington Is Next!” live for the first time since 2009 during the band’s August 24 concert at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for the concert was as follows:

01. The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!
02. Dread And The Fugitive Mind
03. Angry Again
04. Hangar 18
05. She-Wolf
06. Washington Is Next! (first time since 2009)
07. Skin O’ My Teeth
08. Liar
09. Sweating Bullets
10. Countdown To Extinction
11. Trust
12. Tornado Of Souls
13. We’ll Be Back
14. Symphony Of Destruction
15. Mechanix
16. Peace Sells

Encore:

17. Holy Wars… The Punishment Due

“Washington Is Next!” originally appeared on MEGADETH‘s eleventh studio album, “United Abominations”, which was released in May 2007 via Roadrunner Records.

MEGADETH kicked off the “Destroy All Enemies” summer 2024 U.S. tour on August 2 at Walmart AMP, Rogers, Arkansas. Produced by Live Nation, the trek, which features MUDVAYNE and ALL THAT REMAINS as support, is hitting 33 cities, including Las Vegas, Boston and St. Louis, before wrapping up on September 28 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Finnish guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari joined MEGADETH last September after the band’s longtime axeman Kiko Loureiro, announced earlier that month that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH‘s “Crush The World” tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that Mäntysaari would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.

The 37-year-old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

MEGADETH played its first concert with Mäntysaari on September 6, 2023 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Loureiro officially joined MEGADETH in April 2015, about five months after Chris Broderick‘s exit from the group.

Since its inception in 1983, MEGADETH has ascended from its raw thrash metal roots to become an unstoppable force in the heavy metal world. With founder Dave Mustaine at the helm, MEGADETH‘s journey has been marked by a penchant for pushing the boundaries of speed, technicality, and complexity in their music. Their groundbreaking album “Rust In Peace”, released in 1990, is frequently cited as a seminal work in the thrash metal genre. Along with the critically acclaimed “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?”, it cemented MEGADETH‘s place in the annals of metal history.

Over four decades, the band’s discography has earned numerous certifications, including platinum and multi-platinum awards, with albums like “Countdown To Extinction” and “Youthanasia” achieving widespread critical acclaim. 2016’s “Dystopia” not only marked a high point with their first Grammy Award for “Best Metal Performance” after twelve nominations but also set the stage for their latest triumph, “The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!” in 2022. MEGADETH‘s status as part of the “Big Four” of thrash metal underscores their trailblazing role in the genre, laying the groundwork for countless bands and musicians who have followed in their wake.