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The latest
Sources: Le’Veon Bell’s $8M injury guarantee key a reason New York Jets released RB | ESPN
One significant reason behind the New York Jets’ decision to release Le’Veon Bell this past week was the $8 million injury guarantee in the running back’s contract for 2021, league sources told ESPN.
Had Bell suffered a long-term injury, the Jets likely would have been on the hook for an additional $8 million in 2021, when they wanted to cut their already pricey losses.
So rather than keeping Bell on their roster up until the Nov. 3 trade deadline, when the Jets might have been able to recoup a late-round draft pick for the disgruntled former Pro Bowler, they opted to release him this past Tuesday.
Le’Veon Bell will wear No. 26 with Chiefs | Clutch Points
Le’Veon Bell is now officially a member of the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of Monday’s game against the Buffalo Bills after signing with the team just recently. However, Bell will not be able to play on Monday due to extensive COVID-19 testing.
Bell will wear No.26, which is also Damien Williams’ number. Since Williams decided to opt out this season to help his ailing mother who is fighting cancer, Bell will be allowed to wear the same number.
It’s even in Mahomes’ answer to a question this week about whether he feels the leadership style evolution that’s apparent to others, of going from pure encouragement to more of a mix with challenging teammates.
“Not necessarily,” he said. “I think the biggest thing is I’ve always been someone that loves to challenge the guys in our locker room but always with a positive mentality. And I think whenever you’re putting in the work along with the other guys int he locker room that we can talk to each other and really challenge each other every single day and still be best friends in the locker room and everything like that.
“We have a lot of great young veteran guys in this locker room. We’ve been together a couple years now and we want to be great every single time we hit the field. When we’re not executing at the level that we expect obviously we’re going to try to challenge each other to be better the next time we’re out there.”
Why the Chiefs can cover
Despite giving up 40 points to the Raiders in Week 5, the Chiefs’ defense has been markedly improved in 2020. The Bills allow pressure on 30 percent of dropbacks, and the Chiefs have the fourth-best pressure rate of any team in the NFL. Chris Jones has been one of the most disruptive interior defensive linemen in the NFL this season with 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ offense continues to be one of the most efficient in the NFL. Kansas City ranks third in total offense, fifth in points per drive (2.8) and fifth in percentage of offensive drives ending in a score (50.0). They’ve done all that while turning the ball over just three times. Kansas City rarely takes negative plays (six sacks allowed) and get the ball to playmakers in space with ease.
Around the NFL
Injury/Covid bug shredded the Pat’s offensive line.
Coming into the game today New England was dealing with the loss of Shaq Mason to the Covid list. They were already dealing with injuries at the center position. Belichick’s response was shuffling their line. Losing Jermaine Eluemunor meant they were down both tackles and it forced rookie Michael Onwenu out to the edge.
It didn’t go well.
With a 1-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Hockenson in the third quarter during the Detroit Lions’ 34-16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the 32-year-old quarterback completed the journey of throwing a touchdown pass against every team he’s played against in the NFL.
Browns replace banged-up Baker Mayfield with Case Keenum during loss to Steelers | NFL.com
Mayfield’s first throw was intercepted by Minkah Fitzpatrick and returned for a touchdown. Cleveland punted on its next three possessions before Mayfield threw another pick, this time to Cameron Sutton. That led to another score for Pittsburgh, which led by 17 at the half and 24 by the time Browns coach Kevin Stefanski replaced Mayfield with Case Keenum.
Mayfield finished 10 of 18 for 119 yards and a touchdown with two INTs, while taking four sacks and several other hits. Stefanski insisted afterward the QB switch shouldn’t be confused with a benching.
Joe Judge gets first win as New York Giants sneak by Washington | ESPN
Both Joe Judge and the Giants got their first win of the season, thanks to a two-point conversion stop of the Washington Football Team with 36 seconds remaining in a crazy, sloppy game at MetLife Stadium. It allowed the Giants to escape with a 20-19 victory.
It was Judge’s first ever victory as a head coach. He was hired earlier this year after spending the previous eight seasons in New England.
Riverboat Ron [Rivera] returned for Washington just in time to give them a realistic chance of making it happen in regulation. Rivera, known for his sometimes risky gambles, went for the win instead of an extra point to tie, but quarterback Kyle Allen’s pass fluttered to the ground harmlessly after he scrambled and was hit as he threw.
Sudden opportunity to start positions Cowboys’ Andy Dalton for big payday | NFL.com
The one-year, $3 million contract Dalton signed in May also includes $4 million in incentives, all of them theoretically attainable now that Dak Prescott is out for the season — though Dalton, 32, would need to lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl win to earn the full amount.
Here’s how Dalton’s incentives break down, all contingent on playing a percentage of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps, according to people with knowledge of the contract:
50% regular-season playtime and the Cowboys make the playoffs: $1 million.
35% regular-season playtime and 50% playtime in a wild-card playoff win: $500,000.
35% regular-season playtime and 50% playtime in a divisional playoff win: $500,000.
35% regular-season playtime and 50% playtime in a conference championship win: $750,000.
35% regular-season playtime and 50% playtime in a Super Bowl win: $1.25 million.
No new positive COVID-19 cases from latest round of testing ahead of Week 6 | NFL.com
The news comes after a week that saw multiple positive tests and several players land on the reserve/COVID-19 list. There were new protocols enacted this week where anyone with high-risk, close-contact exposure must isolate themselves for at least five days, and those new protocols were put in effect in the lead-up to Week 6.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs-Bills: Five questions with the enemy
2) What’s the main difference in Josh Allen’s play from last year to next?
Accuracy and decision making. In regard to the first, Allen had some major accuracy issues his first two years in the league but now he has improved that to the high 60s. Last season, he was among the worst in the league on throws that traveled more than 15 yards in the air, but this year, he is among the best in the league. Allen is also going through his reads more effectively and is shying away from the hero ball that would sometimes come into play last season. He trusts his receivers to get open and make plays on the football instead of immediately taking off to run when his first option is not open on a play. Allen is turning into a true pocket quarterback that can occasionally scramble instead of a run first-then-throw type of player.
A tweet to make you think
We're throwing it back today on the latest Kingdom Short!
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) October 18, 2020
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