NFL TNF Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans (Week 3)

NFL TNF Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans (Week 3)

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by | Sep 19, 2019 | Featured, NFL

Week 3 of the NFL starts off with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennesse Titans. This division rivalry is set to be a ground and pound fest. Both teams have a great run offense and have defenses that want to prove that they’re still at the top of the list in the NFL. The Titans come into this matchup 1-1 on the season and look to change that to 2-1 heading into Week 4. On the other side, we have the Jaguars who have already lost their $88 million dollar quarterback Nick Foles for an extended period of time. Foles injury has put Gardner Minshew in the driver seat trying to get the Jags to win number 1 on the season. Both teams want to set the tone defensively and ground and pound but with the Jalen Ramsey trade talks looming around this game it seems like Jacksonville needs this more than Tennesse. Last year this matchup was headlined by Derrick Henry’s 99-yard touchdown run where he brought back “Beast Mode” like Marshawn was out there on the field. Below you can check out the run and also read what to look for as we breakdown the matchup deeper.

 

 

 

QB Matchup – Gardner Minshew vs Marcus Mariota

 

The quarterback play in this game is simple because it comes down to who will manage the game better than the other one. Marcus Mariota has to prove to everyone that he can get the job done this season to separate himself from Jameis Winston and all the comparisons coming into the league. So far on the young season, Mariota has thrown for 403 yards in the air with 4 TDs and he will need to try to continue airing the ball out against this Jags defense that has struggled in the first two weeks. Jacksonville does need some credit because they’ve played the Chiefs & Texans which would be two tough matchups for any defense. Marcus Mariota will need to use his arm and his legs if he wants to get this win over the Jags. Marcus Mariota has shown a lot of pocket presence and has been very patient in his approach this season and that will need to continue with Campbell and that stout defense coming for him tonight.

Gardner Minshew has been filling some serious shoes in Jacksonville, especially as a rookie 6th rounder. The Jags didn’t expect to have Minshew in with the 1st squad but with the injury of Foles, he’s found his niche in the offense and has looked amazing. The Jags might be winless but Minshew has stepped up big time and almost made a heroic comeback in Houston against the Texans. Minshew has shown that he can throw the ball and that he has some legs on him to run for the yardage that he needs when the defense isn’t pressuring him. Minshew has thrown for 488 yards and 3 TDs on the season and will need to continue to sling the football to his favorite targets Chark & Westbrook. The Jags can squeeze a win out if Minshew manages the game and keeps things simple while trying to feed his running back Leonard Fournette.

 

RB Matchup – Derrick Henry vs Leonard Fournette

 

Derrick Henry has been a complete monster this season and has pounded opposing defenses that he’s played heading into Week 3. A lot of people want to see if he can sustain this for a whole season and Henry’s trying to make believers out of the haters. Henry has been setting the tone for the offense and has been able to use the ground game to help his QB in the play action big time. Henry has 166 yards on 34 carries with 2 TDs on the ground and 1 TD on a 75-yard reception. The growth in Henry’s game has kept Dion Lewis off the field and the way he’s been playing he looks like the clear cut 3 down back. Henry will need to be physical with this Jags defense and beat them up all quarters to help his team to victory. Henry has put the 99 yard TD run behind him from last year but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen again against this Jags defense if they’re caught sleeping.

One of the running backs that has been quiet on the season has been Leonard Fournette. He had the chance to propel his team to victory last week and got stopped on the 1-yard line for the two-point conversion against Houston. Look for Fournette to try to punish the Titans to make up for last week. Leonard Fournette is one of the most powerful runners in the NFL and he will try to set the tone for the game for his team because the offense goes the way he leads. On the season Fournette has rushed for 113 yards on 28 carries with no touchdowns. Looks for Fournette to get in the end zone to spark his team and help them get a win on the season. People don’t understand how much of an emotional leader that Leonard Fournette is for this team and the way that his energy’s shown is how the team moves. Look for LF27 to have a big game on the ground in this one to try to show he’s still an elite running back in the NFL.

 

WR Matchup – Titans Receivers vs Jaguars Receivers

 

The Titans receiving core has been all over the place just like the Jaguars core. Both teams don’t have a for sure number 1 target but both teams work great as a unit. Dede Westbrook & Corey Davis came into this season as the two go-to receivers in the offenses but haven’t had those breakout games. Davis has 3 catches for 38 yards on the season so far and Westbrook has 6 catches for 33 yards with 1 TD. Those two should get back on track but a couple of names that have been putting up the numbers in those offenses are DJ Chark and AJ Brown. Those two have been on a fast pace and have gained the trust of the quarterbacks that are about to go head to head in this Week 3 matchup. This could be one of those games where the big names show up or it could be the moment where we learn more about these rookies trying to make a name for themselves. The Titans have a lot of weapons and even use Dion Lewis in the passing game so it should be interesting to see how things shake out in this game. The Jags don’t really throw too much to Fournette out the backfield unless its a check-down play so we will see if this becomes a shootout.

 

TE Matchup – James O’Shaughnessy vs Delanie Walker

 

James O’Shaughnessy has been the safety blanket in this offense the first two weeks and this will be someone that Minshew leans on if the Titans pass rush tries to get to him. O’Shaughnessy has 8 catches on the season for 60 yards and will be trying to add more if Minshew can get the ball to him. With O’Shaughnessy’s size, he’s a great mismatch in the secondary if he gets loose against the Titans. The thing that could hurt O’Shaughnessy is if the Jags get the running game going or if it’s a great defensive game he may not get in the end zone. He’s a nice target and I’m sure that Minshew will be looking for him inside that 20-yard line before they try to score.

Delanie Walker on the flip side has been the go-to man for Mariota since he entered the NFL. Walker has been someone that Mariota can depend on in any situation and I don’t see this going away anytime soon. Walker has been a pro bowler and a receiving stud at all times when healthy. Walker was out last season and came back with some serious energy and has vowed that he’s coming back for that top TE spot in the NFL. On the season Walker has 9 catches for 94 yards and 2 TDs on the season and it’s only Week 3 of the NFL. The chemistry that Walker and Mariota have is something special and they will continue to exploit defenses in the red zone for as long as they both can. The Jags will have their eyes on Walker and trying to slow him down but if Derrick Henry’s making plays it will be tough with a balanced attack from the Titans.

 

DEF Matchup – Jaguars Defense vs Titans Defense

 

The Jaguars have a great defense on paper but they haven’t been able to translate it to the game since their AFC Championship game against the Patriots 2 seasons ago. The Jags are going through a little turmoil right now with Jalen Ramsey requesting a trade but he will be suited up for the game tonight. Ramsey expressed he wants to win and he will be a huge part of winning in Jacksonville if he’s out there and not traded.

 

The Jags still have Calais Campbell and A.J. Bouye on the defensive side. The Jags will get their first win on the season if they can pressure Mariota and make them force throws inside the pocket with pressure. The Jags can’t let this game be a well-balanced attack from the Titans as they want to keep them one dimensional. This will be a defensive game and it will be a game that could be one of those 15-12 type games with both defenses.

The Tennesse Titans have Malcolm Butler and Kevin Byard in the secondary which has been very explosive for them so far in the season. The Titans defense has stepped up and they have made some big plays and want to build on that against the Jaguars. The Titans will try to pressure Minshew into some bad throws and will try to stack the box against Leonard Fournette to establish the line early in the game. The Titans have been ball-hawking and want to send a message to the rest of the league that their defense is for real and they have the playmakers to prove just that against the Jaguars on tonight with the NFL and fans watching.

 

Prediction: Titans vs Jaguars (Jacksonville 17 – Tennesse 13) 

 

 

Photo Credit: Gary McCullough/Associated Press, (AP Photo/James Kenney), Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports, Stephen B. Morton AP,

Sep 19, 2019 No Comments
Adidas Unveils Donovan Mitchell’s D.O.N. Issue 1 Signature Shoe

Adidas Unveils Donovan Mitchell’s D.O.N. Issue 1 Signature Shoe

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by | Jul 9, 2019 | Featured, Sneakers

Donovan Mitchell took the league by storm in his rookie season last year for the Utah Jazz. Mitchell was able to set himself apart from other rookies in the league early. He gained the respect of NBA All-Stars like LeBron James, Paul George, Russell Westbrook just to name a few early. When it was time for the bright lights Donovan Mitchell was able to impress people and gain comparisons to a young Dwyane Wade. Mitchell was able to shoot and slash his way to scoring 23.8 ppg as a rookie. In the playoffs, Donovan was able to put his name and game on notice for the whole league to see when his Jazz eliminated the OKC Thunder. The quick growth and maturity that Donovan Mitchell showed in his game propelled Adidas to make him one of the faces of their brand heading into the future. Adidas wanted to reward Mitchell on an excellent rookie campaign with a signature shoe.

 

Donovan Mitchell’s nickname is “Spida” so it only made sense that Adidas linked up with Marvel to do a SpiderMan themed shoe for the Utah star. The Adidas D.O.N. Issue 1 was debuted his signature shoe in December 2018. The D.O.N. Issue 1 has an amazing cushion around the ankle and has a light mesh that makes this shoe extremely comfortable. Adidas did an amazing job with Mitchell’s first shoe and made all of them based off of Marvel characters which were even better. Check out some of the official images below and check out some of the clips of Donovan Mitchell putting in some work with his Adidas D.O.N. Issue 1 on the court as well.

 

 

D.O.N. Issue 1 – SpiderMan 

 

D.O.N. Issue 1 – Venom 

 

D.O.N. Issue 1 – Iron Spider

 

D.O.N. Issue 1 – Green Goblin

 

 

 

The D.O.N. Issue 1 released on July 5th for $100 so make sure to be on the lookout for the other colorways to follow the original SpiderMan colorway.

Jul 9, 2019 No Comments
Portland Takes Commanding Lead In The Series (3-1) After 111-98 Victory In OKC

Portland Takes Commanding Lead In The Series (3-1) After 111-98 Victory In OKC

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by | Apr 22, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The Thunder came into this Game 4 knowing they needed to win to tie the series. OKC came out firing on all cylinders trying to make sure they got everyone involved. Russell Westbrook was able to get his mid-range going in that first half and was getting to his spots with ease. The Trail Blazers were giving Westbrook open shots and he was taking advantage of it when the moment came. One thing that Westbrook was able to do was find his teammates in their spots and his energy never changed throughout the night. Russell Westbrook finished with 14 points, 7 assists, and 9 rebounds on the night. Westbrook and George were both in early foul trouble and were able to battle through the adversity in the first half as the game was still close. The Thunder as a whole was able to hold Damian Lillard to 7 points as he missed a lot of shots with a hand in his face. The two role players that were able to keep both teams in the mix while the stars weren’t able to get into a rhythm was Aminu for Portland (19 pts) and Schröder (17 pts) for Oklahoma City. Dennis was able to give the Thunder a lift in the scoring department while Westbrook and George were in foul trouble. Schröder has proved that he can score in the pick and roll when he gets the switch. Dennis was 50% from the field and was able to be a pest on defense as well because he was able to slow Hood and Turner when guarding them.

The second half CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard combined for 32 points. Both of them were able to hit some tough shots tonight and were able to push the pace of the game the way they wanted for Portland. It’s not a hidden secret that both Dame and Lillard are big-time shot makers but to do it on the road in a loud environment it was impressive. Lillard was able to take over in the game as he was getting to hit spots on switches and hit some big shots when given any space. Lillard finished the game with 24 points and most of the game the Trail Blazers had the lead while he was on the bench getting rest. Tonight it was all about CJ McCollum as he countered every Thunder run with a big 3 pointer or tough floater. CJ seemed unstoppable off the dribble as he was able to get to his spots and take his time waiting for the matchup he wanted on switches. Both Dame and CJ have shown a lot of maturity in this series as they have been able to play their type of game with fast pace and shooting. The NBA has caught up to their game as now it’s about the 3’s and the chip on both their shoulders are extremely big after being doubted and disrespected in the media.

 

The bright spot for this game was the fact that Paul George was able to get his offense going in the right direction. Paul finished the game with 32 points and added 10 rebounds with that as well. It’s obvious that Paul George can score on anyone on Portland and heading into Game 5 in Portland he will need to continue this to get some momentum to try to bring it back to OKC. Paul has been very impressive in the transition and also in the 3 point shooting. The Thunder need to get energy from Westbrook and feed off of George’s offensive game in Portland. George has to make it a mission to defend CJ or Damian a little bit more than the usual because they’re not backing down but they’re hitting some tough shots overall. The Thunder have been down 3-1 six times and have been able to come back and win one of the series back in 2014 against Memphis. The Thunder will need to take this one game at a time if they want to come back to OKC for Game 6. Anything is POSSIBLE especially in the NBA and when you have two MVP caliber players on the team like OKC have in Westbrook and George.

Apr 22, 2019 No Comments
OKC Thunder Storm Back Into Playoff Series Beating Portland (120-108) In Game 3

OKC Thunder Storm Back Into Playoff Series Beating Portland (120-108) In Game 3

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by | Apr 20, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The OKC Thunder were down 2-0 in the series and had the chance to come home for Game 3. The Thunder came out with the sense of urgency that any team that’s down 2-0 would. OKC was getting it going on both ends of the floor and were able to use Paul George differently tonight to guard CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard. With George defending Lillard and McCollum throughout the game, it gives the Thunder a chance to get some length on them. The first half of the game OKC was able to maintain and control the pace of the game. Both teams battled in that first half and were able to hold each other in check. It wasn’t until the 3rd quarter where OKC was able to get their offense going. The Thunder got a huge contribution from Jerami Grant who finished the game with 18 points on the night. Grant didn’t play well in Portland but made the best of the moment in OKC in front of the home crowd. Another player that was able to step up for the Thunder in that second half was Dennis Schröder who finished with 17 points off the bench. Schröder was able to get to his spots and finish at the rim with ease when the switch occurred with Enes Kanter guarding him. The role players for the Thunder showed up big time at home and made this a game that could boost their confidence moving forward.

Damian Lillard was shut down that 1st half as he was held to 4 points. When the 3rd quarter arrived it became Dame Time as he was able to score anyway he wanted against the Thunder. Lillard had 25 points in the 3rd quarter alone and was able to hit tough shots and layups against the Thunder defense. This stretch from Lillard came after Westbrook apparently “Rocking The Baby” celebration. Lillard has shown that he can score whenever he needs too in tough moments. Damian Lillard and Westbrook were engaged in some trash talk that fueled both of them on the night. Lillard was able to finish the game with 32 points and didn’t have too much from his running mate CJ McCollum who was being guarded by Paul George all night. The Thunder made it tough on Lillard and McCollum all night defensively and forced them into tough shots.

Russell Westbrook was able to be the man of his word that everyone in Oklahoma City knew he would be. Westbrook had 33 points, 11 assists, and 5 rebounds on the night against Portlands defense. Westbrook was able to get to the paint whenever he wanted too and was able to dominate against Lillard on the block. You know it’s Westbrooks night when he’s “Rocking The Baby” multiple times as he was letting Damian Lillard know that he’s here and this is his city. When Westbrook takes over a game like he did tonight it opens up everything else for his teammates to get involved. The Thunder were able to get shots off turnovers and they made their 3 pointers something they didn’t do in Portland. The Thunder shot 51% as a team from behind the arc and were able to get behind the crowd energy in Chesapeake. Another reason why Russell Westbrook was able to flourish was that Paul George was able to defend and give him more opportunity on other ends. Paul finished with 22 points on the night and played an amazing game where he was defending at a high level and also George was able to get whatever he wanted from the field. Both Russ and PG didn’t get the calls they’re used to getting but made the best of the situation.

Both teams did some trash talking at the end of the game as Easter Sunday’s about to become a huge game for both of these franchises.

Apr 20, 2019 No Comments
Russell Westbrook Makes Hist0ry In OKC’s Victory Over The Detroit Pistons (123-110)

Russell Westbrook Makes Hist0ry In OKC’s Victory Over The Detroit Pistons (123-110)

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by | Apr 6, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder came into this game against the Detroit Pistons trying to climb up in the playoff race. Russell Westbrook’s 20-20-20 night on Tuesday has seemed to inspire the team to play on another level now. The Thunder came out tonight against the Detroit Pistons and attacked every moment they got the chance. Russell Westbrook was able to be a magician out there with some of the passes that he dished out getting his teammates open. Westbrook has been the ultimate leader and it’s been on full display this season for anyone that hasn’t noticed. Tonight the Pistons tried to put Reggie Jackson and Bruce Brown on Russell Westbrook as it didn’t work much at all. Westbrook was able to turn his defense into offense while creating for himself and others. Westbrook became the 1st player in NBA History to average a triple-double 3 seasons in a row. This is a huge accomplishment and Westbrook has used his individual accolades to bring the team together as one.

 

This Thunder team is extremely close and they have been able to grow a brotherhood on and off the court. Westbrook made it tough on his opponent and made the Pistons pay for every time they sagged on defense against him. One thing about Russell Westbrook that stands out is his willingness to let Paul George eat just as much and share the spotlight. Westbrook and George have been able to grow on and off the court which has worked wonders for the Thunder. Paul George was able to shine tonight as he finished with game with 30 points and was able to get great looks. The Pistons didn’t have a true small forward that could guard Paul George because they got rid of Tobias Harris in that trade. Paul George was able to get whatever looks he wanted and was able to attack the paint with ease as Drummond was in foul trouble. Paul George has been on a mission all year long and he’s been able to use the energy that Westbrook puts out to match that tit for tat. The Thunder are at their best when Paul and Russell are in the passing lanes trying to disrupt the other team on the offensive end. Paul George and Russell Westbrook have played at an all-time high and the team will go where they lead.

 

The Pistons didn’t have an answer for the Thunder on the defensive end but they had Blake Griffin. Tonight it seemed as though Blake Griffin couldn’t be stopped especially with Steven Adams in foul trouble. Blake has been able to improve his inside and outside game over time while it’s paid off. Griffin was giving the Thunder some problems in the paint and he was able to do some damage. Blake finished with 47 points on the night but it wasn’t enough to get the win. The Pistons were able to hang in there for a little bit but the Thunder had the mismatch with Paul and Russell and they used it to their advantage. The Thunder will try to get another win as they go on the road against the Timberwolves.

Apr 6, 2019 No Comments