🏈 The Touchdown Collective: Just win, baby
Michael Penix Jr, Zay Flowers and Tahj Brooks all feature to keep you ahead of the game, one play at a time
In today’s Touchdown Collective there’s the latest on Michael Penix Jr in Press Coverage, the countdown is on in Get to the Post, while Inside Zone has the scoop on a Manning brother bother. And go to Stats more like it for the answer to Wednesday’s teaser quiz question.
📰 Press Coverage
Baltimore Ravens
WR Rashod Bateman says stats and facts are one thing, but winning is the only thing on Baltimore’s mind this season.
After coming so close in 2024, Flowers says the target remains a team one - and individual issues remain well and truly on the back burner.
Bateman’s fellow receiver Zay Flowers had a great year and Bateman says he could up his numbers to break records, but it’s not how the Ravens do business.
“What he’s doing in the league is beyond special to me because of how we play football, of how the Ravens play football,” Bateman said of Flowers on The Lounge podcast. “It's not like we’re just targeting, targeting Zay, put him on this. We do what’s best for the team and how we play.
“Zay could have 1,300 yards, easily, if that was the goal. Derrick Henry can rush for 2,000 easy if that was the goal.
“It’s just never the goal. I wish people understood that.”
Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix Jr has one solid goal for 2025. “Postseason. Got to get into the postseason,” Penix told former Falcons No.1 overall Draft pick Michael Vick.
“Seeing the Dirty Bird Nest and all the little highlights and fans. Man, they get rocking whenever we winning. So, I definitely want to get back to that. Winning football games so we can have the city turnt,” Penix Jr added.
Penix Jr is the named starter after Kirk Cousins’ slide and while not a rookie any longer, the new QB is itching to get going properly.
“Being the guy, it’s something that you dream about,” Penix said. “You’ve got dreams of playing in the NFL. You’ve got dreams of being drafted. Actually being on the field out there, knowing that you’re the guy now, it's different.”
Cincinnati Bengals
Rookie running back Tahj Brooks is looking to find his niche in 2025 as the Bengals aim to get back on track.
After a year of struggles, Joe Burrow & Co are aiming high again, and Brooks sees no reason why they can’t achieve something great.
“We got two or three guys on offense that are going to touch the ball a lot, and I just want to find a role and get in where I fit in,” Brooks said. “Help the team win. That’s my goal. Put the team first, do whatever it takes to win.
“I’m a guy that wants to win. I can't wait.”
Dallas and Houston
I reported on the relief efforts following the devastating floods in Texas in Monday and Wednesday’s editions and I’m happy to add now that the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs owners have joined the others to help.
At least 120 people have died in the flash floods, including 36 children in Kerr County.
The Vikings and the Wilf family committed $500,000 in support of relief and recovery efforts. Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, who also owns MLS side FC Dallas, joined Austin FC and Houston Dynamo FC in a $500,000 donation.
Hunt lost a nine-year-old cousin in the floods.
He said: “Our family is devastated by the tragedy in Central Texas. Our hearts go out to those grieving – in particular, to the parents who lost children, those who lost family members, and the far-too-many who have lost friends, neighbours, and loved ones.
“This has shaken our community to its core. Today, along with our MLS partners, my brother and I are humbled to support those directly assisting the victims of this unimaginable tragedy.”
NFLPA
A “senior union source” has told EPSN that the NFLPA have decided to appeal arbitrator Christopher Droney’s decision regarding alleged collusion by team owners and the league to suppress fully guaranteed player contracts.
I talked about this a couple of weeks ago, which you can read by clicking below, but essentially while Droney believes it likely happened, the evidence to prove collusion just isn’t there, so he dismissed the case.
Now a source has told ESPN: “The appeal is a reflection of our obligation to enforce the CBA and our commitment to protecting our players’ interests. We’ll do what’s best for players, and we’ll exhaust our options in doing so.”
🏈 The Touchdown Collective: Talk is cheap
In today’s Touchdown Collective there’s the latest on the NFLPA independent arbitration decision in Press Coverage, lords of the dance in Get to the Post, while Inside Zone has the scoop on a double signing in Kansas City.
Cleveland Browns
Mayor Justin Bibb says he hopes Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam “will be good corporate citizens” and help pay for the demolition of the current stadium if the team goes forward with plans to leave the city for a new indoor home, according to Cleveland.com.
Asked how the city would pay for any demolition, Bibb added that he would like the Browns to “make sure there is a smooth transition for them leaving our city and going to Brook Park”.
Arizona Cardinals
Defensive back Garrett Williams says 2025 will be a breakout year for the Cards defense.
PFF graded Williams in the top 25 cornerbacks for the whole league and that is set to rise this season if he continues his form from last year.
And Williams believes that will be the case for an underrated unit. He said, as reported by Bob McManaman on azcentral.com: “Going into this season, I think it’s just going to continue to be another coming-out party. A lot more people are going to figure out not only just the secondary, but just the Cardinals in general.
“I feel like this is going to be a big year for us to take that step and continue to get into the national spotlight where guys start really paying attention to us.”
↗ Get to the Post
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Minnesota Vikings LB Dallas Turner fell foul of a fraud scheme, costing him $240,000 according to an investigation by Twin Cities police.
🤫 Inside Zone
New Orleans have unveiled a new alternate helmet design for the 2025 season and they look awesome. Or, as my son would say, fresh, bro.
Eli Manning backed away from buying a minority stake in the New York Giants and admitted to CNBC that the astronomical cost was the reason.
📈 Stats more like it
On Wednesday, I asked you…which NFL QB lost the most yards via sack for his team in 2024? And I gave you the hint that, unsurprisingly, he was also sacked the most times in the league last season.
The answer is, of course, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Williams was dropped 68 times for a total loss of 466 yards in 2024, 58 yards more than Houston QB CJ Stroud.
The Bears lost 6.85 yards per play on every Williams sack, while Stroud cost the Texans a whopping 7.84 yards every time he was tackled behind the line (52).
Geno Smith (50) was the only other QB sacked 50 times or more in the league last season.
📩 Who am I? I’m Michael Ham, the Daily Star Sunday and Sunday Express Sports Editor – and an avid NFL fan. I have almost 20 years of experience in sports news journalism and I’m the writer behind The Touchdown Collective.
🙌 Thanks for reading The Touchdown Collective! I will continue breaking down the NFL next week. In the meantime you can share this great find with your friends and family, simply click on the link below and follow the instructions so they can join too. Thanks, it means a lot. And if you have any thoughts you’d like to share about the NFL in general or this newsletter, please get in touch here.
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