Jets Name Sam Darnold Starter, Trade Bridgewater to Saints

The inevitable is now a reality. The New York Jets are now Sam Darnold's team.

According to NFL Networks' Ian Rapport, Darnold has been named the Week 1 starter for the Jets when New York heads to Detroit to face the Lions, September 10.

Darnold will become the youngest quarterback to start an opener since the 1970 league merger, and the second youngest quarterback to start a game, regardless of the week since Tommy Maddox started a game for the Denver Broncos in 1992 at 21 years old.

At the same time, the Jets agreed to trade Teddy Bridgewater to the New Orleans Saints for a third round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

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Yankees Closing In on Red Sox in East

Don't look now, but the Yankees are closing in on the Red Sox.

After Tuesdays thrilling 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox that was punctuated by Neil Walker's walk-off homer, the Yankees find  themselves at 84-48, and 6.5 games out of first place.

Taking advantage of an easy August schedule has really helped the Yankees forget their sweep at the hands of the Red Sox earlier in the month. In their last 11 games, the Yankees are 9-2, even as the team struggles to keep guys healthy.

The Yankees recent surge has been buoyed by the fact the Red Sox are not playing well right now. The Red Sox had to erase a 6-4 deficit and 7-all tie against the Marlins just to win 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth on Tuesday. Before that Boston was swept by Tampa Bay over the weekend. Boston is 3-6 in its last night and 5-7 over its previous 12 games. They have not enjoyed a long winning streak since August 10 to 14, when they swept the Orioles and beat the Phillies.

On August 14, the Sox were 86-35, well on their way to a 110 win season. They may still get there but it will not be easy.

The Yankees are getting Aaron Judge back sooner than expected. Didi Gregorious and Gary Sanchez are not too far behind. The additions of Lance Lynn and JA Happ have settled a once rocky rotation. Happ has been unbelievable since joining the Bombers. He is 5-0 with a 2.37 ERA. Talk about being motivated to play for a winner.

When the Red Sox swept the Yankees four weeks ago, they did hoping that New York would slink away into the corner. It has not happened. The Yankees have done everything in their power to pull themselves back into the race. Even if the Yankees do not catch the Red Sox, they have every intention to make Boston sweat it out over the final month of the season.

Let the real games begin.

Peter Alonso will Not Get Called Up by Mets

While the Mets can’t figure out how to score any runs for ace Jacob deGrom in Chicago on Tuesday night, a guy that could have solved that problem will not play in the majors at all this season.

Peter Alonso is enjoying an incredible season down on the farm.   Between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas, Alonso is killing the baseball, batting .277 with 33 homers, 111 RBI and an on base percentage of .393.He even stole the show at the Futures Game during All Star week last month.

Hell, the guy has even homered in three of his last six games for the 51s.

Yet, the Mets have no intention of calling up Alonso when rosters expand to 40 on Saturday.

The reason? Playing time according to Acting General Manager John Ricco.

“We didn’t contemplate enough playing time to warrant the call-up at this time,” Ricco said. “We are going to have Dom Smith, Jay Bruce, and we’ll have Wilmer Flores all playing some first base and to have Pete come up and just sit when we looked at it didn’t make a lot of sense.”

Ricco’s statements came well before Bruce botched a grounder at first that cost the Mets a 1-0 lead in Chicago Tuesday, and perhaps a chance to win the game. What exactly do the Mets need to see from Bruce, Smith and Flores that they haven’t already seen?

To be fair, Bruce just came off the disabled list, but he is best suited in the outfield, not first base. Flores is a very good utility guy, not an everyday first baseman.

Dominic Smith, on the other hand, is a total quagmire. He is a natural first baseman, but the Mets have tried to shoehorn him into the outfield to mixed results. He isn’t getting a lot of playing time at his natural position either, losing out to both Bruce and Flores. It feels like they have given up on Smith at this point.

In short, first base is a mess.

Alonso, himself, wasn’t too pleased with the Mets decision, saying that he felt he “deserved” an opportunity to play in the big leagues this season.

"I'm not going to lie, it's really disheartening and disappointing, because one of the things that people tell you is as long as you are successful, you're going to be in the big leagues," Alonso told MLB.com. "It's just one of those things where I understand it's an organizational decision, and at the end of the day, I have to respect that. But it's really disheartening because I feel like I've performed, and am deserving of a reward."

Alonso later took on his critics who have brought issue with his defensive skills at first base.

"I know people say I stink at defense. I'm going to let all those people know that I figured a lot of things out. Yes, there's always room to improve, but one day I'm going to win a Gold Glove (Award]) … in my heart, I know that's going to happen,” Alonso said.

Alonso’s agent James Wagner also chimed in delivering a slight jab at the Mets front office for not promoting his client.

“It is disheartening for Peter after producing an historically great season and exceeding every request from the Mets player development staff," Wagner added. "I'm sure it is equally disheartening for Mets fans who would enjoy watching and getting to know one of the most talented and entertaining players they've developed in years."

With statements like this, one has to wonder if the Mets made any concessions to Alonso, or if he and his agent are using this to draw more attention. It’s working.

Even with his struggles at first base, Alonso has earned the right to play in the major leagues this September. There is no future with Bruce, Flores or Smith at the position. Alonso might be that guy; it would have made sense to see what kind of talent the Mets have here.

At the same time, New York knows that Alonso is not required to be on the 40-man roster this year in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. There is no rush in their mind if it means protecting the player and keeping him in the fold longer.

Regardless, the Peter Alonso story will be on of the biggest headlines heading into the off-season and next Spring Training.

Odell Bechkam Becomes Highest Paid Wide Receiver in NFL

Odell Beckham Jr. cashed in big time Monday when he finalized a five-year $95 million contract with the New York Giants that will pay him roughly $65 million guaranteed and $19 million per year. The contract makes Beckham by far and away the highest paid receiver in the NFL.

Last year Beckham's contract status was a big question mark. As one of the games most polarizing and popular stars, there was a fair question whether the Giants should invest the kind of money that Beckham was looking for. However things changed once Beckham went down for the season with a fractured ankle, as the Giants watched the offense sputter out of control without their star receiver in the lineup.

To his credit, Beckham has kept a low profile about his contract status in training camp. He reported without any indication that he would hold out, and participated fulling in practice. While he didn't play in any games, coaches decision, he never made the lack of preseason playing time about his contract.

With less than two weeks before the season begins against the Jaguars, the Giants awarded him handsomely. Beckham's $19 million salary per year makes him the highest paid receiver in the NFL ever, and easily resets the market. The next closet receiver as far as annual salary is Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown who is making $17 million annually.

The $65 million guaranteed blows everyone out of the water. Only Mike Evans of Tampa Bay comes close at $55 million guaranteed. Atlanta's Julio Jones makes only $47 million guaranteed, and already   voiced displeasure with his contract. Look for Jones to be the next one to reset the market come 2019.

Beckham's deal not only blows up the wide receiver market, but will give cause to other non-quarterbacks seeking top dollar. Oakland outside linebacker Khalil Mack is in an intense contract standoff with Oakland. L.A. Rams star defensive end Aaron Donald is also going to be looking to become of the highest paid players in the league as well.

Everyone is paying attention to this historic moment in contract negotiation.

As for the Giants they have made their top star happy and head into the regular season without any contract concerns.

Darnold Looks Like the Starter in Jets Loss to Giants.

If the Jets can take anything positive from their 22-16 preseason loss to the Giants, it is that quarterback Sam Darnold made his best, and likely, final case for the starting quarterback job when the season begins in 17 days.

The numbers showed that Darnold was 8-of-16 for 82 yards and a touchdown, but he never turned the ball over, was a difference maker on the field, and carried his team when it needed him.  Traits a coaching staff looks for in its starter.

Jets offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates has been harping on how quickly Darnold has progressed this summer, and one thing is for sure, the moment doesn’t look too big for him. 

Behind a leaky offensive line, Darnold engineered an impressive 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the game.

His first pass of the evening was low, but a 12-yard completion nonetheless to Quincy Enunwa, who was making his return to the field after missing all of last year from neck surgery. Three plays later, Darnold converted a huge third and eight on a 13-yard completion to Nate Sterling.

Later in the drive, with his pass protection breaking down around him, Darnold stepped up in the pocket and took off for a 14-yard run on 3^rd and 13 at the Giants’ 35. It was a smart heads up play by a rookie quarterback.

After hitting Robbie Anderson on an 11-yard pass to convert New York’s fifth first down of the drive, the Jets pitched the ball out to Bilal Powell, who gashed the Giants for a 10-yard touchdown run.

Darnold wasn’t done carving up the Giants.

 On the Jets third possession of the game, Darnold was 4-for-4 for 46 yards, with a touchdown to Terrell Pryor.

Two plays really stood out on the drive. Facing a third and six at the Giants 28, Darnold found Enunwa open in single coverage and hit him for 16 yards to the Giants 12. Two plays later, Darnold made the solid decision of checking down to Pryor on a screen pass, hitting him at the six, before the veteran wide-out did the rest.

The feeling when he left? Darnold give the Jets the best chance to win ... now. 

Teddy Bridgewater on the other hand did not help himself in the quarterback battle.

While he was 7-of-7 at one point on a 78-yard drive that ended in a field goal, he was madly inconsistent. He failed to move the offense at all on his first two possessions under center, and when asked to get the Jets into the end zone on that aforementioned 78-yard drive, he couldn’t finish the deal. Heck, Bridgewater was nearly picked off at the Giants two-yard line on third and goal.

Josh McCown didn’t play … again.

The ball is now Todd Bowels’ court. Will he actually trust a rookie quarterback when the games count? Is he willing to sit the supposed “franchise savior” no matter what criticism comes with it?

Certainly Darnold has made a solid case to become the Jets starting quarterback right out of training camp, but there is a very good chance that Jets fans will have to get used to seeing Josh McCown start the season.

The fact is Bowels is most comfortable with McCown. If you didn’t get that vibe when he didn’t play the 39-year old quarterback in weeks 2 and 3 of the preseason for the second straight year, I don’t what will convince you. There is a method to Bowles’ madness.

The Jets open the season with three games in 10 days, and will visit the league’s second ranked defense in the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 4.  That may be a lot for a rookie to handle, even for someone as smart as Darnold.

Not to mention, the Jets do not have a great team around Darnold right now. The offensive line is woeful right now. The Jets running attack is not going to scare people. The last thing Bowles and company need nor want is for Darnold to be running for his life right out of the gate.

Decision time is now upon us. Todd Bowles’ future as head coach depends on it. 

Jets Interested in Linebacker Khalil Mack of the Raiders

Count the New York Jets as one of many teams that are interested in Raiders All Pro Khalil Mack, should he become available of course. 

The news comes from Daily News reporter Manish Mehta that Gang Green has reached out to the Raiders about Mack's availability. Mehta says the Jets have not made an offer as of yet. 

Mack and the Raiders are stuck in an intense contract battle. Making $13.5 million this year, the final year of his rookie contract, Mack wants to be the highest paid defensive player in the league. The Raiders aren't bitting on his demands, leading to a bitter hold out that has lasted all of training camp. 

The Raiders are shopping him, one of the other interested teams in his services is the Green Bay Packers. 

Of course should Mack get dealt, whichever team acquires him would want to work out a sign and trade. With a Mack set to hit free agency next March, nobody wants to give up a ton of draft picks to the Raiders without knowing they'll have Mack for multiple seasons. 

The Jets have about $17 million in cap space this year, and have a friendly cap number in 2019 to make a sign and trade happen, should they want to. 

If the Jets go all in for Mack, and if the Raiders are indeed content with trading their best defensive player, the Jets will have to accept giving up multiple first and second round picks, maybe even a player for him. It will be costly for the Jets. 

The only way it would be worth it, is if the Jets can sign Mack to a contract, and he continues to produce Pro Bowl caliber seasons the way he did in Oakland. 

The Jets desperately need pass rush help. They have ignored the need the past two off-seasons. There is a train of thought that the Jets would target pass rusher, offensive line and running back next off-season in free agency and the draft, but there seems to be added pressure on this regime to win this season. 

Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan have produced back-to-back 5-11 seasons. They need to turn this around fast. Another season of 5-11 or worse and neither one will be here come January. Hence the mad rush to get rookie quarterback Sam Darnold under center for Week 1, when letting him watch the opening weeks of the season would be the wisest move. 

Adding Mack, who own 40-1/2 sacks in his career would be a boon to a franchise that has not had a legit edge rusher since John Abraham was in town in the early 2000's. 

The pressure is squarely on the Jets because they feel it is on them. They could wait  till Mack hits the market in March, but they apparently are not willing to wait for a better tomorrow, if they can have it now. 

2018 NFC East Preview Podcast

On this edition of the Open Mike Program, I dive right into the top headlines coming out of the NFC East this summer. The Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl victory, and hope to repeat this year. Meanwhile the Redskins, Cowboys and Giants are all trying to bounce back from mediocre campaigns last fall.

Click here for the preview!

Yankees and Mets 2019 Schedules Released

Yeah, yeah we still have more than a month left in 2018 season, and in the case of the Yankees they hope to be playing deep into October. But, Major League baseball released the 2019 schedule today.

If you are a Mets fan that is about the only left to get excited for. So let's throw a bone to the Mets fan.

The Metroplitans will open up the 2019 season on the road in Washington D.C., March 28, and will continue the road trip down to Miami. This will mark the second straight year that Major League Baseball will begin the season in March, an edict by Commissioner Rob Manfred to create more days off for players.

The Mets home opener is not until April 4 against the Nationals.

In interleague action, the Mets will face the AL Central, with battles at Citi Field against the Twins, Indians and Tigers slatted for next season. The Mets will visit the Twins, Royals and White Sox next year. The Mets and Yankees will play two sets of two-game series next season. One pair will take place June 10 and 11 at Yankee Stadium. The other series will take place July 2 and 3 from Citi Field.

As for the Yankees they will open up next year at home March 28 against the Orioles. Will this be Manny Machado's first game in Pinstripes? Will there be another March blizzard?

The Yankees get their first licks at the Red Sox April 16 and 17 at Yankee Stadium. Oddly their first visit to Boston next year doesn't come until July 25. The reason? They play two games as the "road team" against the Red Sox in London in June.

Regarding Interleague play, the Yankees will be matched up against the NL West. That includes trips to San Francisco, Arizona, and Dodgers Stadium. The Yankees will host the D-Backs, Rockies and Padres at Yankees Stadium next year.

Jets QB competition muddled after loss to Redskins

REDSKINS 15 - JETS 13

Sam Darnold did not have a great night in the Jets 15-13 loss to the Washington Redskins, Thursday night.  But it was not like he did any severe damage to his chances to assume the starting job.

If the Jets quarterback competition is still a competition by its definition, New York did not get a lot of clarity in that regard as to whom will start Week 1.

 Teddy Bridgewater, who played the entire second half, was solid as he led the Jets on two long scoring drives, but one couldn’t help but get the feeling that Bridgewater’s effort was more of an advertisement to a potential trade. Or is it?

 

Meanwhile, Josh McCown didn’t play, as Todd Bowles pulled out a familiar script from last preseason by sitting the 39-year old for the entire contest.

Last year Bowles sat McCown in all but one preseason game because he settled on him as the starter. Did Bowles send that same message Thursday? Or has Darnold’s closed the gap enough that the coaching staff believes the USC product is starting right off the bat?

Only Bowles knows the answer at this point. If Bowles has settled on McCown, and won't play him than he has quickly turned this competition into a complete farce. 

Looking at the tape, Darnold had his good moments and his bad moments on Thursday.  He hurried a couple of throws, including his pass that was tipped in the air and picked off by Skins safety Troy Apke in the second quarter. Darnold was also sacked twice; the most glaring coming on a key third down at Washington’s 18-yard line because he held onto the football too long.

Not all of his mistakes were Darnold’s fault. A banged up offensive line that is missing Brian Winters and Ben Ijalana is a major concern for Gang Green moving forward. There were moments on the Jets first couple of possessions where Darnold really struggled to handle the blitz from Washington. It is fair to say the O-Line issues played a major part in his struggles.

As with any rookie there were moments of brilliance. Darnold made a couple of nice throws to Tre McBride under duress on New York’s 12-play 42-yard drive that ended in three points. By the end of the first half, Darnold finished 8-of-11 for 62 yards and the interception. If anything, Darnold looked and felt like a rookie.

As for Bridgewater he had his ups and downs too. He failed to move the Jets on New York’s first three possessions of the second half, but engineered a long 71-yard touchdown drive, with his best throw coming on a back-shoulder fade to Charone Peake for a 16-yard touchdown to cut the Redskins lead to 12-10.

At times this summer, Bridgewater has been the Jets best quarterback. That usually is enough to win a starting job outright, but considering the circumstances, the Jets are more likely to deal Bridgewater for draft picks.

The Jets host the Giants next weekend. The Jets quarterback competition heads into another week with plenty of questions and little answers.

Darnold & Bridgewater Shine in Preseason Opener

JETS 17 – FALCONS 0

For the first time in a very long time, the Jets can’t complain about their quarterback situation.

While the assumption is that veteran incumbent Josh McCown will be Todd Bowles’ ultimate choice to start the season opener on September 10 in Detroit, both Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold closed the gap on Friday night in the Jets 17-0 win over the Falcons.

After McCown’s lone series went three-and-out on the Jets opening possession, Bridgewater came in and efficiently moved the offense on a long 10-play 47-yard drive that resulted in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Bridgewater to Isiah Crowell.

On the next Jets possession, Bridgewater continued to dazzle. He hit his old Vikings teammate Charles Johnson on a nice 23-yard go route to move the ball to the Jets 35. Two plays later, Bridgewater connected with Neal Sterling on a 21-yard pass completion to move into Falcons territory. From there Bridgewater navigated the Jets to the Falcons 27, before New York settled for a 45-yard Taylor Bertolet field goal to make it 10-0.

Overall, Bridgewater was 7-of-8 for 85 yards and a touchdown. He looked poised in the pocket and was in complete command of the offense. He looked like the guy the Vikings once drafted in the first round of the 2014 draft – and the Jets are very lucky to have him.

With 8:41 to go before the half, it was now Sam Darnold’s time. He entered the field to a rousing ovation, and did not disappoint. While he looked a little nervous as he quickly zipped his first NFL pass to Trenton Cannon for no gain, he soon settled in and showed both excellent mobility within the pocket, and a cannon of an arm once he released the football.

His eight-yard completion to Sterling to convert his first NFL third down lit a charge into the crowd. Then, after a brief timeout, Darnold wisely rolled out of trouble and escaped for a five-yard run, before sliding at the Jets 35.  At least he knows something about sliding another former USC quarterback never learned.

By his next series, Darnold was much more relaxed. He completed his first four passes of the drive to move the chains to the Atlanta 39, then unloaded a bomb down the sideline to a wide open Clive Walford for an 18-yard gain to spot the ball at the Falcons 15.

A few plays later, Darnold had his first touchdown in the corner of the end zone to Charles Johnson. But wait! Tony Correnti’s officiating crew called Johnson for pushing off nullifying the touchdown. It was no sweat for Darnold. He came right back after he foul and hit Johnson again, this time from 14-yards out in the same right corner for his first official NFL touchdown.

While Darnold would remain in the game for entire night, the Jets saw all the needed to see from the third overall pick in the first half.  He was 13-of-18 for 96 yards and a score. He looked poised, confident and relaxed. 

The Jets defiantly have a quarterback competition, and for once that is not a bad thing. The Jets have three guys they truly feel confident can go out there and win football games.

NOTES: Trenton Cannon meet the Dog House. Cannon had a rough night for the Jets. He muffed a punt return and misjudged a Darnold pass on a key third down in the third quarter. While he ran the ball ok, his mistakes were too noticeable.  Buster Skrine played in the nickel and made two tackles before exhiting with a shoulder injury, he did not return. The Jets 17-0 win over the Falcons was the first time the Jets ever shutout an opponent at home in the preseason. They have three shutouts on the road in the preseason. The Jets will head to the greater Washington D.C. area this week to scrimmage with the Redskins. The two clubs will play a preseason game next Thursday.