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How Titans rookie QB Cam Ward is passing three-time Pro Bowler's trash-talking test
Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward hasn't backed down from defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons at mandatory minicamp.
On Wednesday, Titans right tackle JC Latham said Ward head-butted Simmons when he got in his face during practice. They were probably bantering.
In a Tuesday news conference, Simmons said he's been jawing with the No. 1 overall pick throughout minicamp to test the former Miami Hurricanes star.
"It's fun," the three-time Pro Bowler said. "We went back and forth talking to smack to each other and he was able to get back in the huddle and throw the ball down the field. That was the most impressive thing, not talking smack to me, but being able to get back in the huddle, get the plays to the guys, and still be able to operate the offense."
Ward's ability to run the offense while constantly trash-talking has also impressed Titans head coach Brian Callahan.
"I asked him after practice, 'Help me out here. Do you need me to wait until you're finished?' He goes, 'No, I'm listening,'" the coach told the media Wednesday. "It was pretty remarkable to see all the things going on, how much he's talking, but his brain is still with me."
Ward, 23, has been backing up his talk with his play in minicamp. During Tuesday's practice, he completed 20-of-21 passes, via Nick Suss of the Tennessean.
The Titans have yet to name a starting QB, but Ward should beat out third-year QB Will Levis. In his first two seasons with the Titans, Levis has a 5-16 starting record in the regular season.
Ward won the 2024 Davey O'Brien Trophy as college football's best QB after tossing 39 touchdown passes in 13 games with Miami.
It's still unclear if Ward can turn around the Titans after they went 3-14 last season, but at least his bravado has made teammates and coaches take notice.
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NFL Legend Terry Bradshaw Shares Big Personal News
There is no doubt about Terry Bradshaw being one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. The fact that he led the Pittsburgh Steelers to no less than four Super Bowl wins in the span of six years during the 1970s is an undeniable testament to this fact. Since his retirement in 1983, Bradshaw has been able to establish himself as a top NFL broadcaster. He’s been a staple for “Fox NFL Sunday,” providing his unique brand of commentary since 1994. Bradshaw has not limited himself to sportscasting in his post-NFL career. He’s starred in his own reality show, “The Bradshaw Bunch,” has gotten into horse racing and even has his own small-batch whisky brand, Bradshaw Bourbon. On Wednesday, the 77-year-old shared some big personal news. This comes in the form of his new cookbook, “The Bradshaw Family Cookbook,” which was released on Tuesday. Bradshaw announced it in collaboration with the official Instagram page of his reality show. “From our kitchen to yours The Bradshaw Family Cookbook is here, y’all! “Our new cookbook is packed with recipes full of heart, flavor, and a little Bradshaw fun. What are you most excited to try?” the post read. According to the publisher’s website, the cookbook aims to “celebrate the great American tradition of food, family, and football.” It is authored by Bradshaw himself, along with his wife, Tammy Bradshaw, their daughters, Lacey and Rachel Bradshaw, as well as his son-in-law, chef Noah Hester. The book contains nearly 100 recipes, which range from game-day classics to Southern-style dishes. This includes Terry “Bradshaw Beans,” spicy pork canoes with cilantro sour cream and buttermilk pecan pie, to name a few. As it turns out, Bradshaw is not only a legend on the field and a revered sportscaster. He’s also a whiz in the kitchen, and he’s now sharing his personal recipes with the rest of the world.
Fantasy Football Week 3 Start ‘Em and Sit ‘Em – Bench Hill?
The NFL’s Week 3 action begins with the Buffalo Bills taking on the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. Following Thursday Night Football, Sunday’s slate presents some fun matchups for fantasy football. Ending the Week 3 lineup will be an exciting matchup featuring the Detroit Lions vs the Baltimore Ravens. Who’s worth a start and who’s worth benching this week? Here are five players to start and sit entering Week 3. Five Players to Start 1. Rome Odunze vs. Dallas Cowboys – No. 30 vs WRs (NFL Fantasy) Considering the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants had a thrilling 40-37 showdown last week, definitely start Rome Odunze. Last week, in a 52-21 loss against the Lions, Odunze was targeted 11 times and caught seven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. In the Cowboys’ matchup against the Giants, New York’s receivers did very well. Malik Nabers scored 37.70 points. He caught nine passes on 13 targets for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Their secondary wide receiever, Wan’Dale Robinson, scored eight passes on 10 targets for 142 yards and a touchdown. The Bears feature two receivers in Odunze and D.J. Moore, but Odunze has been the alpha between the two early on this season. He can contribute mightily to fantasy teams in Week 3. 2. Drake Maye vs Pittsburgh Steelers – No. 28 vs QBs (NFL Fantasy) After allowing Justin Fields (29.52) and Sam Darnold (15.80) to some solid performances in the first two weeks, starting Drake Maye is a good idea. To start the season the Steelers have let up 200+ yards in the passing game and have struggled to guard the middle of the field. With weapons like Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas, Maye could have a big day and potentially throw for multiple touchdowns. Even with the Steelers having Ramsey in the secondary, their safety play has allowed big plays across the field. Until the Steelers fix their defensive miscues, starting the quarterback facing them makes sense. According to StatMuse the Patriots are 8-2 against the Steelers in their last 10 matchups. 3. Jonathan Taylor vs. Tennessee Titans – No. 22 vs RBs (NFL Fantasy) After a 165 yard performance vs the Denver Broncos, Jonathan Taylor will face the Tennessee Titans in a AFC South matchup. His 165 yard game netted him 29.5 points against a good Broncos defense. The Titans are currently giving up an average of 5.4 yards per carry. Seeing these numbers should give fantasy owners plenty of confidence to start Taylor against the Titans. Last time the Colts played the Titans on Dec. 22, 2024, Taylor rushed for 218 yards and three touchdowns. 4. James Cook vs Miami Dolphins – No. 27 vs RB’s (NFL Fantasy) James Cook is another running back on this list that’s coming off another 100+ yard performance. Not only did he score two touchdowns but he rushed for 132 yards vs the New York Jets. The Dolphins are coming off another bad game and are on a short week. With little time to truly fix their run game, Cook can take advantage of a good situation. Though he’s only averaged 37.3 rushing yards vs the Dolphins, there’s optimism he can have his first big game against Miami on Thursday night. 5. Kyle Pitts vs Carolina Panthers – No. 30 vs TEs (NFL Fantasy) With Michael Penix and Kyle Pitts’ chemistry continuing to grow, Pitts is finally inching towards becoming a trustworthy start. Though he hasn’t had a big game yet this season, Week 3 looks to be ideal against the Panthers. His four catches for 37 yards in a 22-6 win may seem disappointing, but there’s hope that he can bounce back. Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride averaged 13.0 yards per catch in Week 1 against the Panthers. Even Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange average 14.8 yards per catch against the Panthers defense. If Pitts gets big receptions in space he could be a threat in fantasy football this week. Five Players to Sit 1. Jacory Croskey-Merritt vs. Las Vegas Raiders – No. 5 vs RBs (NFL Fantasy) Even with his expectation to take more snaps in the absence of Austin Ekeler, sitting him this week may be the best option. The Raiders are only allowing an average of 13.20 points to running backs. Having to face Maxx Crosby should caution fantasy owners from starting Croskey-Merritt. Last week, Chargers backs Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton combine for 10.3 fantasy points. 2. Garrett Wilson vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers – N0. 5 vs WRs (NFL Fantasy) With Justin Fields missing Week 3 due to his concussion, there’s a reason to feel unsure about starting Garrett Wilson. After last weeks disappointing performance against the Bills, Wilson will face a well-rounded Buccaneers secondary. Facing a secondary of Antoine Winfield, Jamel Dean, Tykee Smith, Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish makes it a difficult decision to start Wilson. With Tyrod Taylor starting this week, his unstable chemistry with the receiving core as a whole may limit the production of Wilson. 3. Tyreek Hill vs Buffalo Bills – No. 6 vs WRs (NFL Fantasy) With Tua Tagovailoa‘s shaky performance to start the season, sitting Tyreek Hill vs. the Buffalo Bills is best. Despite Jaylen Waddle being questionable, the Bills defense could wreck the game for everyone on Miami. According to StatMuse, Hill has not had over 100 receiving yards against the Bills since starting his Dolphins tenure in 2022. The Bills defense has proven they can contain him and prevent him from having big time games. 4. Matthew Stafford vs Philadelphia Eagles – No. 11 vs QBs (NFL Fantasy) Matthew Stafford against the Philadelphia Eagles is a must avoid matchup. The Eagles have a fierce defense, including Jalen Carter and rookie safety Andrew Mukuba. Last week, Stafford struggled in the first half against the Titans before exploding in the second half in a 33-19 win. In the first two weeks, quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott have struggled against against the Eagles defense. In Week 2, Mahomes went 16-of-29 for 187 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He had to produce a lot with his legs, which Stafford cannot do. In Week 1, Prescott went 21-of-34 for 188 yards. 5. Ashton Jeanty vs Washington Commanders – No. 6 vs RBs (NFL Fantasy) Ashton Jeanty is worth the consideration of a sit this week. In his first two weeks, Jeanty has not cracked 50 rushing yards on 10+ carries. Since he is still adjusting to the NFL from Boise State, it’s okay to let him set on the bench this week or until he proves to be fantasy worthy.
Packers TE Tucker Kraft (knee) uncertain for Week 3
Green Bay tight end Tucker Kraft has not missed a game since the Packers drafted him in the third round in 2023, but a knee injury may sideline the team's leading receiver on Sunday against the host Cleveland Browns. Kraft, 24, was added to the injury report after Thursday's practice and was getting looked at to determine the extent of the injury, according to multiple media reports. Per the reports, the Packers believe that he will not miss significant time. Green Bay (2-0) already is without a pair of wide receivers, leaving quarterback Jordan Love without key pieces of the passing game. Jayden Reed could return this season after breaking his collarbone last week against Washington and also undergoing foot surgery for a preseason injury. Christian Watson remains out after ACL surgery in January and is on the physically unable to perform list. Kraft, who posted 50 receptions for 707 yards and seven touchdowns while playing all 17 regular-season games in 2024, leads Green Bay this season with eight grabs for 140 yards and a pair of scores. Last Thursday, he notched his first 100-yard game with six catches for 124 yards and a score in a 27-18 home win over the Commanders. In his third NFL season, the native of Timber Lake, S.D., has compiled 89 receptions for 1,202 yards and 11 touchdowns in 36 regular-season games. Kraft also has 10 catches for 50 yards and one TD in three playoff games (all starts).
Lakers Receive Unfortunate Update on Andrew Wiggins Trade Talks
The Los Angeles Lakers have been rumored to have an interest in Andrew Wiggins all summer long. They have been in search of a way to improve the wing spot, and Wiggins has been identified as someone who can do that. The Lakers like Wiggins' defensive ability more than anything. He has shown that he can be a versatile piece on that end of the court. His offense is somewhat inconsistent, though. Despite the Lakers showing some clear interest, it doesn't look like the Heat is interested in parting ways with him for the price that Los Angeles is asking. More news: Lakers News: ESPN Insider Provides New Update on LeBron James’ Retirement Plan NBA Insider Provides Updates on Lakers trade talks with Andrew Wiggins According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Lakers and the Heat don't seem very close when talking about getting a potential deal for Wiggins done anytime soon. "Right now, the Heat don't hold much of a desire to trade Wiggins and are operating under the mindset of waiting to see how things play out during the first few months of the regular season, sources said. Miami has held a high asking price for the former first-overall pick, one that the Lakers haven't been willing to meet." Miami believes that Wiggins is still going to be a key part of their future moving forward, so they don't want to ship him out of town for anything less than the price that they believe he is worth right now. More news: Lakers Roster Already Raising Major Red Flag Ahead of Season The Lakers Might Have To Go Elsewhere to Get an Upgrade at The Wing Position If the Lakers aren't happy with the wing spot, they might have to look elsewhere for a trade. They likely won't make a move until the trade deadline at this point, either. There's a chance that things fall apart in Miami, so the Heat could end up trading Wiggins anyway. Right now, it looks like they want to hold onto him for the next year or so, at least. After he was traded to the Heat last season, Wiggins averaged 19 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. He shot 45.8 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. Latest Lakers News For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
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