NFL

Brown Walks Away from Bucs; Brady Rallies Team Past Jets

Published

3 years ago

January 3, 2022

FNN SPORTS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown (81) gestures to the crowd as he leaves the field while his team's offense is on the field against the New York Jets during the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. Brown left the game and did not return. (Andrew Mills/NJ Advance Media via AP)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Antonio Brown was apparently frustrated and angry. So he walked away.

From the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And possibly his NFL career.

The mercurial wide receiver was kicked off the Buccaneers after a bizarre, shirtless exit from the field before Tom Brady coolly led the Bucs on a 93-yard drive in the final minutes for a 28-24 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.

Coach Bruce Arians said after the game Brown was off the team.

“He is no longer a Buc,” Arians said. “All right? That’s the end of the story. Let’s talk about the guys who went out there and won the game.”

Brown’s mid-game meltdown came late in the third quarter with Tampa Bay trailing 24-10. He appeared animated while talking to Mike Evans, who tried to calm his teammate. But Brown stripped off his pads, jersey, gloves and T-shirt — tossing the gloves and T-shirt into the stands — and then walked bare-chested down the sideline and into the end zone. He then waved to fans as jogged through the end zone and into the tunnel at MetLife Stadium.

It appeared to be a show of frustration by Brown, who had three catches for 26 yards.

“I’m not talking about it,” Arians said. “He’s not part of the Bucs.”

Brown was suspended last month for three games for violating the league’s COVID-19 protocols. He also has a history of personal conduct issues and bizarre behavior.

“It’s a difficult situation,” Brady said. “Everybody should do what they can to help him in ways that he really needs it. We all love him. We care about him deeply. We want to see him be at his best. Unfortunately, it won’t be with our team. … I think everyone should be very compassionate and empathetic toward some very difficult things that are happening.”

Brady connected with Cameron Brate for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 4 shortly after Brown’s exit, and the QB finished the Bucs’ rally with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Cyril Grayson with 15 seconds left.

The Bucs stuffed Jets QB Zach Wilson on fourth-and-2 at the 7 for no gain with New York trying to seal the victory. New York coach Robert Saleh said the play should’ve been a reverse to wide receiver Braxton Berrios, but Wilson had the option to sneak it based on the look.

“We did a very poor job of communicating that,” Saleh said, adding that ”it just makes you sick” because a handoff to Berrios would’ve likely been a first down.

Instead, it gave Brady and the Bucs the ball back with 2:12 left.

And that was more than enough time.

Brady marched the Buccaneers (12-4) down the field on nine plays, zipping a pass to Grayson — who was elevated from the practice squad — for the go-ahead score. It was Brady’s third TD pass of the game and 40th of the season, joining him with Drew Brees as the only players to throw for 40 touchdowns in consecutive seasons.

He finished 34 of 50 for 410 yards, the three TDs and an interception for Tampa Bay, which had Arians back after he tested positive for the coronavirus earlier in the week.

Le’Veon Bell ran in the 2-point conversion against his former team, forcing New York to need a touchdown. But the Jets (4-12) ran out of time.

“We’ve been in some crazy situations before,” Arians said, “but this was a very special one to come back and win that game.”

The game featured the largest age gap between starting quarterbacks since at least 1950, with the 22-year-old Wilson facing the 44-year-old Brady.

The Jets took a two-touchdown lead on Ty Johnson’s 1-yard run that capped their opening drive of the second half.

After Brown’s exit and Brady’s TD to Brate, Ryan Succop kicked a 27-yard field goal to cut New York’s lead to 24-20 with 7:36 left.

“It’s unfortunate that we’re going to be talking about the last sequence of events there,” Saleh said, “but I thought our guys were outstanding today. They deserved better.”

JETS FLY EARLY

New York took a 7-0 lead on a razzle-dazzle play to cap an impressive opening drive. Running back Michael Carter lined up in the wildcat — with Wilson behind the right guard — took the direct snap and flipped it to Berrios, who went in untouched.

Carter had a 55-yard run early in the drive to get the Jets to the Buccaneers 12.

Brady and the Bucs marched right down the field on their opening possession with Evans — back after missing last week’s game with a hamstring issue and spending time on the COVID-19 list this week — catching a 4-yard touchdown pass to tie it at 7.

Wilson, who was 19 of 33 for 234 yards and a TD, answered right back with a 9-yard TD pass to Berrios for a 14-7 lead.

It was a costly 13-play, 74-yard drive for the Jets, though, as both Carter (concussion) and left tackle George Fant (left knee) were injured and didn’t return.

A 39-yarder by Succop made it 14-10.

Brandin Echols intercepted Brady on Tampa Bay’s last possession of the first half and returned it 30 yards to the Jets 48. New York turned it into points on Eddy Pineiro’s 51-yard field goal with 1 second left.

MORE HISTORY

Brady, who improved to 31-8 against the Jets, also tied Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers as the only players with three seasons of 40 or more TD passes.

INJURIES

Buccaneers: RB Ronald Jones (ankle) and DB Rashard Robinson (groin) didn’t come back after leaving in the second half.

Jets: In addition to Carter and Fant, TE Dan Brown left in the second quarter with a hip injury and didn’t return.

UP NEXT

Buccaneers: Finish the regular season by hosting the Carolina Panthers next Sunday.

Jets: Wrap up their season at Buffalo next Sunday against AFC East rival Bills.

Jacksonville

Jaguars Topple Titans in Final Home Game of the Season

Published

4 months ago

December 29, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Florida National News) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12) beat the Tennessee Titans (3-13) 20-13 on a rainy afternoon, as Jacksonville remained under a tornado watch for much of the game. Today’s game was the team’s annual “fan appreciation game,” celebrating the fans’ support of the Jaguars all season long, and for the past 30 years.

The Jaguars’ first drive ended with a 48 yard K Cam Little field goal. But neither team managed to score during the rest of the first quarter, as the score remained 3-0.

In the second quarter, Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd intercepted a QB Mason Rudolph pass intended for RB Julius Chestnut, which excited the hometown fans. The Jags capitalized on that opportunity, as QB Mac Jones threw a 2 yard touchdown pass to WR Parker Washington, followed by Cam Little’s extra point, to extend their lead to 10-0. Little later added a 44 yard field goal, but the Titans scored their first points of the game at the end of the second quarter on K Matthew Wright’s 39 yard field goal. The Jaguars were ahead 13-3 at the half.

QB Mac Jones and QB Mason Rudolph (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Midway through the third quarter, Mason Rudolph completed a 8 yard touchdown pass to TE Nick Vannett, followed by Matthew Wright’s extra point, narrowing the Jags’ lead to 13-10, which remained the score heading into the fourth.

Midway through the fourth, Mac Jones found WR Brian Thomas Jr. in the end zone for an 11 yard touchdown, followed by Little’s XP, to put them ahead 20-10. Matthew Wright’s 28 yard field goal moved the Titans within a touchdown at 20-13, just before the two-minute warning. The Titans had one final drive to score, but were stopped by the Jaguars defense.

DE Travon Walker’s sack today moved him into the top 10 in franchise history with 23.0, breaking his tie with Marcus Stroud and Bobby McCray. Brian Thomas Jr. also tied WR Randy Moss’ NFL rookie record of eight games with at least 60 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.

Mac Jones finished with 174 yards and two TDs. Travis Etienne Jr. led the Jaguars’ rushing with 49 yards. Brian Thomas Jr. was the leading receiver with 91 yards and 1 TD. Today’s attendance was 61,995.

The Jaguars head to Indianapolis to face the Colts on Sunday, 1/5. Kickoff time has not yet been announced for this final game of the season. Be sure to follow www.FloridaSportsChannel.com and www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

Jacksonville

Jaguars Fall to the Jets 32-25

Published

4 months ago

December 15, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Harry Castiblanco, Florida National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11) lost to the New York Jets (4-10) at EverBank Stadium, 32-25. This marked Mac Jones’ first loss to the Jets after winning his first five games in his career against the team.

The Jaguars scored on their first drive of the game, with a 3 yard touchdown pass from QB Mac Jones to WR Brian Thomas Jr., with K Cam Little adding the extra point. On that play, Thomas also broke the team rookie record of 865 receiving yards, previously held by WR Justin Blackmon in 2012, as well as the franchise rookie record for receiving touchdowns of six, previously held by WR Allen Hurns in 2014. The Jets responded with a scoring drive that ended with a 22 yard touchdown pass by QB Aaron Rodgers to WR Garrett Wilson, followed by K Anderson Carlson’s XP. The score remained 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

QB Mac Jones (Photo credit: Harry Castiblanco, Florida National News)

At the end of an eleven minute scoring drive, Cam Little kicked a 28 yard field goal late in the second quarter for the Jags. Little added another 23 yard field goal as the half ended, to put the team ahead 13-7 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Jaguars DT Jeremiah Ledbetter sacked Aaron Rodgers for a loss of 14 yards, and entertained fans with a celebratory backflip. While the play prevented a Jets touchdown, Anders Carlson did manage a 43 yard field goal on the next play. The Jaguars responded with Cam Little’s 43 yard field goal soon after. But Rodgers’ 1 yard touchdown pass to WR Davante Adams tied the game, and the XP by Carlson put the Jets ahead 17-16, which was the score at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth, Mac Jones found Brian Thomas Jr. in the end zone for a 19 yard touchdown pass. Their two point conversion attempt was incomplete, so the Jaguars pulled ahead 22-17. Anders Carlson missed a 48 yard field goal midway through the quarter. But Aaron Rodgers connected with Davante Adams for a 71 yard touchdown pass, and a two point conversion, to put the Jets ahead 25-22. But Cam Little’s 43 yard field goal tied the game at 25-25 with 1:51 remaining. But the Jets managed to score on a 1 yard touchdown run by RB Breece Hall, and the XP by Carlson. While the Jags had a chance to score, an interception ended their hopes. The final score was 32-25.

The Jaguars wore their “Prowler Throwback” jerseys in celebration of the team’s 30th season. The team debuted the ‘90s-inspired alternate uniform in week 5, when they beat the Colts 37-34.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence is out for the remainder of the season, as he continues to recover from the concussion he suffered in week 13 by Texans’ LB Azeez Al-Shaair. Lawrence is also expected to undergo surgery on his non-throwing shoulder in the coming weeks.

Mac Jones finished with 294 yards and two TDs. Travis Etienne Jr. led the Jaguars’ rushing with 65 yards. Brian Thomas Jr. was the leading receiver with 105 yards and 2 TDs. Today’s attendance was 63,251.

The Jaguars head to Las Vegas to face the Raiders on Sunday, 12/22. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. The Jaguars’ final home game of the season will be against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, 12/29 at 1:00 p.m. Be sure to follow www.FloridaSportsChannel.com and www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

Jacksonville

Jaguars Eliminated From Playoffs By Texans

Published

5 months ago

December 1, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Jaguars vs. Texans (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Florida National News) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) lost to the Houston Texans (8-5) 23-20, eliminating the Jags from the playoffs. Today’s game marked the Jaguars’ return to the field after a week 12 bye. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence started the game after missing the last two with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder, but left the game late in the second quarter after suffering a concussion in a heated moment between the two AFC South rivals.

QB Trevor Lawrence (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The first quarter set the tone for today’s defensive battle, with no scoring by either team. Texans’ K Ka’imi Fairbairn was the first to put points on the scoreboard with a 53 yard field goal early in the second quarter. Fairbairn later added a 30 yard field goal to put the Texans ahead 6-0. A few plays later, QB Trevor Lawrence had to be taken off the field in a cart, after a rough helmet-to-helmet hit by Texans’ LB Azeez Al-Shaair. Al-Shaair and Jaguars’ CB Jarrian Jones were both ejected after the ensuing brawl between the teams. Lawrence was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion, so QB Mac Jones entered the game to take his place. On that same drive, K Cam Little kicked a 33 yard field goal, to leave the Jaguars trailing 6-3 at halftime.

QB Mac Jones (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Little added a 30 yard field goal early in the third quarter, to tie the game at 6-6, extending his streak to 15 consecutive field goals made, the longest by a rookie in Jaguars’ franchise history. The Texans’ next drive ended with a 7 yard touchdown run by RB Joe Mixon and extra point by Fairbairn, putting Houston up 13-6. Fairbairn kicked a 28 yard field goal late in the third quarter, extending their lead to 16-6.

Early in the fourth quarter, Little missed a 55 yard field goal attempt, ending his franchise rookie streak at 15 consecutive field goals made. The Texans scored on a 22 yard pass by QB C.J. Stroud to TE Dalton Schultz, followed by Fairbairn’s XP, extending their lead to 23-6. Jaguars TE Evan Engram joined Jeremy Shockey and George Kittle as the only three tight ends in NFL history to record at least 40 receptions in each of their first eight seasons. Soon after, the Jaguars added a 22 yard touchdown pass by Jones to WR Parker Washington. A failed two point conversion attempt left the Jags down 23-12. Jones later connected with WR Brian Thomas Jr. for a 6 yard touchdown pass, tying Thomas for first place in receiving touchdowns by a rookie in franchise history (six). A two point conversion narrowed the deficit to 23-20. But the Texans were able to run out the clock to seal their victory, and knock the Jags out of the postseason.

During today’s game, players, coaches, and staff wore customized cleats and sneakers in support of various charitable organizations that they support, as part of the NFL’s “My Clause My Cleats” campaign. In all, more than fifty charitable causes were represented, including youth health and wellness, cancer research, and social justice.

Mac Jones finished with 235 yards and two TDs. Travis Etienne Jr. led the Jaguars’ rushing with 46 yards. Parker Washington was the leading receiver with 103 yards and 1 TD. Today’s attendance was 62,588.

The Jaguars head to Tennessee to face their AFC South rival Titans on Sunday, 12/8. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The Jaguars’ next home game will be against the New York Jets on Sunday, 12/15 at 1:00 p.m. Be sure to follow www.FloridaSportsChannel.com and www.FloridaNationalNews.comfor more.