Arrowheadlines: Sammy Watkins feels he has nothing to prove against Chiefs

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Sammy Watkins: I Have Nothing to Prove vs. Chiefs | Baltimore Ravens.com

So although Watkins is on the other side of Sunday’s primetime Ravens-Chiefs matchup, he has no ill will toward his former team.

“I honestly think they already know what type of player I am. It’s not me proving anything to them,” Watkins said Thursday. “I love those guys over there. I had fun. I had my best time winning. I just thinking I’m on the other side now. I just want to go out there, have fun, make big plays and will a win.”

NFL picks against the spread: Chiefs still having trouble covering | Yahoo Sports

Since Nov. 1 of last year, the Chiefs have covered the spread once in 12 games. Their 1-10-1 record against the spread has cost bettors a lot of money.

Week 1 continued the trend of the Chiefs winning but not by much. The Cleveland Browns went out to a 14-0 lead. The Chiefs rallied to win, 33-29, but failed to cover the 5.5-point spread. It has been strange: The Chiefs have been great, going 17-2 in Mahomes’ last 19 starts, but almost never winning by more than a touchdown.

Whatever the reason for the Chiefs’ ATS slump, it has become more difficult to bet one of the NFL’s best teams. They are 3.5-point favorites vs. the Baltimore Ravens at BetMGM in the marquee Week 2 game.

Jackson ready for Mahomes and Chiefs ‘kryptonite’ | AFP

Jackson, however, maintains he does not see himself as being engaged in a personal rivalry with Mahomes.

“It’s not about me and Mahomes – not to me, probably to everyone else,” Jackson said. “It’s the Ravens vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. They did beat us three times but that’s in the past.

“We have a better opportunity this time to come around, and we’ll take the advantage and win at our home stadium. I’m not dwelling on the losses; come Sunday night, we’re going to play.”

- ‘Definite’ rivalry -

Whatever Jackson’s protestations, team-mate Sammy Watkins is less convinced. The Ravens receiver, who spent three seasons at the Chiefs before joining Baltimore this year, is in no doubt the two quarterbacks see themselves as rivals.

“Those guys definitely view it that way,” Watkins said. “You can say you’re not, but the world is watching two of the best, youngest MVPs in the league and very talented guys.”

Former Chiefs OL Yasir Durant is already earning playing time with Patriots | Arrowhead Addict

Yasir Durant could be in line to replace Trent Brown for Patriots.

Durant already earned some reps subbing in for Brown during last week’s season opener after the starter left due to a calf injury. He played in 23 snaps in Week 1, which was 31 percent of the offensive total snaps. Brown’s remained out of practice for each of the last two days with Durant taking over at right tackle on Thursday. Justin Herron is also in the mix there as the other sub during last week’s game.

Agent’s Take: 2021 ultimate 53-man roster features loaded defense headed by Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey | CBS Sports

QB: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs ($7,433,381)

Mahomes, the youngest player to ever win both NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP, has been the league’s best passer since becoming a starter in 2018. He is the only quarterback besides Peyton Manning to ever throw for at least 50 touchdowns and 5,000 or more yards in the same season, which he did in 2018. The Chiefs converting Mahomes’ $21,716,905 third day of the league year roster bonus to signing bonus, which created just under $17,375 million of cap room, solidified the choice.

Willie Gay Jr. thanks Kansas City for helping retrieve his stolen car

Ex-Chiefs coach Britt Reid’s felony DWI trial scheduled to begin on 18 April | The Guardian

The date was set Thursday morning at a virtual hearing. Reid and his attorney, JR Hobbs, participated by videoconference.

The charge stems from a 4 February incident. Reid is alleged to have been driving drunk when he hit two cars that were stopped on the side of an entrance ramp to Interstate 435. The wreck left a give-year-old girl with a traumatic brain injury, and injured another child.

If convicted of the Class D felony, Reid, 36, could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison. He is a son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who hired him to coach linebackers.

Around the NFL

Washington QB Taylor Heinicke rebounds from INT to lead comeback win | ESPN

The Washington Football Team quarterback fueled a comeback win over the New York Giants on Thursday night in the third start of his roller-coaster career. He led a two-minute drive, capped by Dustin Hopkins’ 43-yard field goal at the buzzer for a 30-29 victory. Hopkins had initially missed from 48 yards, but New York was penalized for being offside.

Washington evened its record at 1-1 in Heinicke’s first start subbing for the injured Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will miss six to eight weeks with a right hip subluxation.

After the game, Heinicke said he hugged his mom, who was at the game with his stepdad as well as an aunt and uncle.

“Pretty cool moment,” he said.

Indianapolis Colts to be featured on new in-season version of ‘Hard Knocks’ | NFL.com

In the last 20 years, Hard Knocks gave NFL fans a peek behind the curtain at the angst (player cuts) and hilarity (getting a G— damn snack with Rex Ryan at the Jets) that are hallmarks of every training camp. But anyone around football knows that there is a different feeling as soon as the games count, and, no matter how much access Hard Knocks had, it was never able to capture the mounting tension and wild mood swings that arrive as soon as the regular season begins and the games start to count.

Now it will.

On Thursday night, the NFL announced an in-season version of Hard Knocks that will feature the Indianapolis Colts, who do not lack for drama even without omnipresent cameras and microphones. The series will premiere Nov. 17 (10 p.m. ET) on HBO and streaming on HBO Max and figures to include plenty of behind-the-scenes focus on quarterback Carson Wentz, as he tries to resurrect his career after his trade from the Philadelphia Eagles to reunite with coach Frank Reich, and linebacker Darius Leonard, one of the game’s best defensive players. The Colts also have one of the most colorful and candid owners in sports in Jim Irsay.

Tom Brady on playing until 50: ‘I think I can, I think it’s a yes’ | NFL.com

“Wow, seems to be a really hot question lately,” Brady said in a response to teammate Rob Gronkowski’s question in the return ofTommy & Gronky. “Can Tom Brady play ‘til 50? Like, 50 years old? Fifty. I don’t find it so difficult. Plus, in Florida, it’s kind of a retiree state, so I feel like I can play and then just glide into retirement. I think I can. I think it’s a yes.”

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

What Steve Spagnuolo thought of Nick Bolton’s first game

He played slightly more than veteran linebacker Ben Niemann, indicating the coaching staff had a lot of trust in him. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo obviously thought highly enough of Bolton leading up to the game, and that didn’t change after reviewing the game.

“He did a really nice job,” Spagnuolo recalled during his press conference on Thursday. “In the preseason games, it didn’t appear to me that the game was too big for him — and I saw the same thing in this game. I watched him, (linebacker coach) Matt House, [Anthony Hitchens], and Ben all work while they’re sitting down on the bench. Not much phases him. He picks it right up. He’s one of those guys that when we made a little tweak, he went with it.”

Bolton didn’t really have splash plays. Starting at the SAM linebacker, Bolton’s primary responsibility was to be stout against a strong Cleveland rushing attack. He was close to the line of scrimmage a lot and constantly took on blocks. He won multiple engagements with a blocker, one leading to the tackle for loss.

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