Can Dez Bryant make the Ravens scary good? Plus, Nick Foles’ job security, Obama in ‘The Shop,’ and more sports news.
After Foles' first loss as Chicago's starting QB, some are already looking to go back to Mitchell Trubisky. Plus, LeBron James is hosting former president Barack Obama on HBO's "The Shop."
After an awkward ending in Dallas and an Achilles injury before playing a game with the Saints, Dez Bryant finally has another opportunity. The Baltimore Ravens are signing the three-time Pro Bowler to their practice squad.
It’s a low-risk, high-reward move for Baltimore, and it’s Bryant’s chance to prove he’s still an impactful player.
The Ravens' ground attack is the major reason for their dominance over the last two seasons. While Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews are steady contributors in the passing game, the Ravens aren’t scaring many teams with their targets. Adding Bryant can increase that fear factor if he still possesses the game-breaking ability.
A lot is on the line for Bryant. The fact that he waited this long shows that interest in his ability is not what it once was. He posted a solid 69 catches, 838 yards and six touchdowns in his last full season in 2017. Those numbers would be the best by a Ravens receiver since 2016. If Bryant has that type of production in Baltimore, he can take the Ravens offense to a new level.
An Achilles injury is one of the toughest to overcome in sports. So much of Bryant’s game was going up over smaller defensive backs and high-pointing footballs, which is something an Achilles injury could limit. If Bryant’s explosion isn’t there, the Ravens may not get much out of the signing, but the potential far outweighs the minimal risks.
Fans concerned about Nick Foles' play
Nick Foles took the starting quarterback job from Mitchell Trubisky after leading a comeback against the Atlanta Falcons, but that may have been his best performance. Since then, the Chicago Bears' fierce defense and timely scoring drives have helped Foles keep the job despite his inconsistent play.
Those inconsistencies didn’t lead to a loss until the Bears were dominated by the Rams on Monday Night Football, 24-10.
Foles finished 28 for 40 with 261 yards passing and two interceptions. One of his turnovers occurred in the end zone and most of his passing yards came with the offense playing from behind.
Head coach Matt Nagy is in a tough position. It’s not as hard now to see why he chose Trubisky as the initial starter. Neither quarterback has separated, but both have shown flashes of great play.
Fans tend to react with more emotion than logic, but sometimes that emotion is justified. Now that Foles isn’t giving the same spark that he provided against the Falcons, some fans want Trubisky to get the job back.
It was Foles' first loss, and Nagy reiterated that he’s sticking with Foles.
Nagy isn’t free from criticism, either. Chicago is 27th in the NFL in scoring offense and struggled long before Foles arrived. The five teams ranked lower in scoring offense have won a combined seven games, an indication that Chicago is surviving on the back of its defense.
LeBron James hosting Barack Obama on The Shop
LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s HBO show The Shop: Uninterrupted has had several high-profiled guests, but it doesn’t get much bigger than a former president.
Barack Obama will be appearing on Friday’s show. Patrick Mahomes, Chadwick Boseman, Snoop Dogg, Drake and Candace Parker are some of the previous stars who have visited.
James and Obama have developed a strong relationship over their years, and it has grown even more lately. Obama and James have been advocates of getting out to vote.
The show will premier Friday night at 9 p.m. exclusively on HBO Max.