Matthews: Can S.U. Contain Lamar Jackson?

CAN SYRACUSE CONTAIN LAMAR JACKSON THIS TIME?

The Louisville Cardinals (6-4 record) are favored by 13 points over the visiting Syracuse Orange (4-6 record) Saturday, 3:30 p.m., at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

SU needs wins at Louisville and home against Boston College next week to clinch an invitation to one of the 39 bowl games.

The results against the four common opponents played so far this season by SU and Louisville suggests that it should be a competitive game:

vs. Clemson – SU won 27-24...Louisville lost 47-21

vs. Florida State – SU lost 27-24...Louisville won 31-28

vs. North Carolina State – SU lost 33-25...Louisville lost 39-25

vs. Wake Forest – SU lost 64-43...Louisville lost 42-32.

So why is Louisville favored by almost two touchdowns over SU? Quarterback Lamar Jackson.

On September 9, 2016, at Syracuse, Louisville crushed the Orange 62-28.  Jackson had 21 carries for 199 yards and 4 touchdowns, and was 20-of-39 passing for 411 yards and 1 TD.

That performance made Jackson the early frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy that he wound up winning.

Jasckson’s performance lines for 2016 and so far in 2017 are similar:

2016 (13 games; 9-4 record) – 230-of-409 passing (.562) for 3,543 yards and 30 TDs, with 9 INTs...260 carries for 1,571 yards (6.0-yard average) and 21 TDs.

2017 (10 games; 6-4 record) – 212-of-352 passing (.602) for 21 TDs, with 6 INTs...178 carries for 1,176 yards (6.6-yard average) and 15 TDs.

Jackson likely won’t repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner mainly because his team has a worse record this season, but he obviously hasn’t lost anything off his game.

It will be interesting to see how he fares in the 2018 NFL draft. The pros generally don’t like running quarterbacks, but Jackson’s playing style has been compared to former Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, runner-up to Jackson for the Heisman last year. Watson slipped to the No. 12 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft and was off to a spectacular start this season for the Houston Texans before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD “TOO MANY TEAMS”?

Rochester for a long time was a great community for professional sports.

We’re one of the largest metro areas without major-college football or basketball, but we were in the running for the most pro teams – most of them in the high-minor leagues and with a few major-league sports in the mix.

The Major League Lacrosse Rochester Rattlers moved to Frisco, Texas on Thursday. Their new home is the NFL Dallas Cowboys practice facility.

Frisco, a suburb of Dallas, is sort of like Rochester used to be.  It has teams in MLS (FC Dallas), Double-A baseball (Frisco Roughriders), Champions Indoor Football (Texas Revolution), NBA G-League (Texas Legends) and – now – the Rattlers. It also is the headquarters and practice rink for the NHL Dallas Stars.

No wonder MLL was so eager to ditch the Rattlers. They had a tough time drawing 1,500 fans. I don’t know if the team will draw vastly more fans in Frisco, but it will look better in the standings and when the league is talking to advertisers and TV networks.

The United Soccer League Rochester Rhinos are on thin ice, with a Nov. 30 deadline to collect $1.3 million in a “call to action” to preserve the franchise. The outlook is not bright.

The National Women’s Soccer League champion WNY Flash left Rochester is favor of Carey, N.C., after the 2016 season.  The indoor soccer Lancers called it quits a year earlier.

What’s the problem? We’ve discussed it many times before: Rochester’s economy isn’t what it used to be...Cable TV carrying so many major-league sports and top-notch international soccer...More boys and girls playing amateur sports year-round, resulting in less time and money for families to spend on the assorted pro teams...Increasing cost of tickets, concessions and parking...Less coverage of pro sports by the media.

I understood the “too many teams” argument but I didn’t like to play it. Every defunct team had a loyal following that was hurt when it went under. But so much competition for the sports entertainment dollar certainly hurt.

So now we have the Red Wings, Amerks, Knighthawks and RazorSharks. I’m thankful that there are wealthy owners of the indoor lacrosse and basketball teams that are willing to lose money on expensive toys that entertain so many people. The NHL Buffalo Sabres need an AHL affiliate and thus far are willing to take a financial hit for the sake of geographic convenience.

The only team I feel entirely confident that never will leave Rochester is the Red Wings. It is too difficult to imagine summer nights without baseball, hot dogs, cold beer or soda, and fireworks.

What do you think?

THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS, FOR THE RATTLERS

Now we know who was paying the bills and keeping the Major League Lacrosse Rochester Rattlers alive for last who-knows-how-many years. He could afford it.

Jim Davis, 74, founded New Balance. The company produces clothing and equipment for lacrosse and soccer, and running shoes. He lives in Newton, Mass.  He has a wife and two children. He was a co-founder of the Major Lacrosse League and presumably owned the Rattlers pretty much to make sure the league had enough teams to be operate.

As far as I know, Davis never attended a Rochester Rhinos home game and maybe no games at all.

The son of Greek immigrants is a self-made billionaire. According to Forbes, he is the 315th richest person in the world with a worth of $5.1 billion.

That makes him the wealthiest owner ever of a Rochester pro sports team. Terry Pegula, owner of the Rochester Amerks, is 427th on the Forbes list at $4.1 billion.

NFL WEEK 11 “BEST BET”: EAGLES (-4) OVER THE HOST COWBOYS

The Dallas Cowboys aren’t the same team minus suspended star running back Ezekiel Elliott.

The Philadelphia Eagles are for real and playing for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

The Cowpokes seldom spot visiting teams 4 points. In this spot, I believe it is justified. This week’s “Best Bet”: Philadelphia 28, DALLAS 20.

(home teams in CAPS)

Buffalo 27, LOS ANGELES RAMS (-4) 24 – The Chargers have a costly habit of losing close games (20 losses by 7 points or less since 2015) and the Bills have to be better than they looked in back-to-back lopsided losses to the Jets and Saints. The QB switch from Tyrod Taylor to Nathan Peterman could be a spark.

New England 30, OAKLAND (+7) 17 – The remarkable Tom Brady is as sharp as ever and New England’s defense has been much better lately.

Detroit 27, CHICAGO (+3) 13 – A big advantage at QB for the Lions: Matthew Stafford vs. Mitchell Trubisky.

Jacksonville 30, CLEVELAND (+7 ½) 10 – The Jaguars don’t have many weaknesses and the Browns don’t have many strengths. Looking for a reason to like the Browns? Marc Lawrence notes that Jacksonville is 1-19 outright and 4-15-1 against the point spread in the first of consecutive road games.

Baltimore 20, GREEN BAY (+2) 14 – Running back Alex Collins has improved Baltimore’s offense and the defense figures to stymie Packers back-up QB Brett Hundley.

MIAMI (-1) 23, Tampa Bay 17 – The Dolphins aren’t a good team but the Buccaneers with Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB for Jameis Winston could be worse. Warning: Miami is 1-8 ATS in this series.

Kansas City 30, NEW YORK GIANTS (+10 ½) 13 – I don’t know if the Giants have given up but I do know that they’re a damaged and very poor team. Kansas City coach Andy Reid is a master coming off byes (18-3 SU and 15-6 ATS).

Los Angeles Rams 27, MINNESOTA (-2) 20 – Do you know Rams QB Gurley leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage? And he’s far from a one-man offensive show.

NEW ORLEANS (-7 ½) 31, Washington 20 – The Saints looked like one of the NFL’s best teams in last week’s 47-10 road romp over the Bills.

Arizona 20, HOUSTON (+1) 13 – Arizona’s talented secondary vs. Houston’s feeble passing attack looks like a mismatch to me.

Cincinnati 24, DENVER (-2 ½) 15 – What has happened to the Broncos on defense?

Monday night’s game

Atlanta 27, SEATTLE (-3) 20 – The Falcons appear healthier and hungry after a 3-3 disappointing start.

RED WINGS RELIEF ACE TONKIN HEADED FOR JAPAN

The Minnesota Twins have sold relief pitcher Michael Tonkin to Japan’s Nippon Ham Fighters.

Tonkin, who’ll turn 28 on Sunday, was a mainstay in the bullpen of the Rochester Red Wings in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017. The 6-foot7, 220-pound right-hander pitched in 133 games for the Wings, all in relief. He had a 10-9 record with 43 saves and a 2.41 ERA. In 160 1/3 innings, he allowed 130 hits and 38 walks, with 189 strikeouts.

He wasn’t nearly as effective with Minnesota for portions of the last five seasons: 3-3 record, 0 saves, 4.43 ERA, 146 1/3 innings, 155 hits allowed, 54 walls, 149 strikeouts.

He signed a two-year, $2.1 million contract with the Ham Fighters and will be given a chance to be closer and earn bonus incentives.

NFL 2017 DRAFT CLASS QUARTERBACKS

Only 10 quarterbacks were chosen in the 2017 NFL college draft. Buffalo’s Nathan Peterman on Sunday will become the fifth of those QBs to start an NFL game.

Mitchell Trubisky (No. 2 overall pick by Detroit) – Five games; 2-3 record; 3 TD passes; 2 INTs; 16 times sacked); 75.6 passer rating.

Deshaun Watson (No. 12 overall oick by Houston) – 7 games; 3-3 record as starter; 19 TD passes; 8 INTs/sacked 19 times; 103.0 passer rating.

DeShone Kizer (No. 52 overall pick by Cleveland) – 8 games; 0-7 record as starter; 4 TD passes; 12 INTs; sacked 16 times; 54.4 passer rating.

C. J. Beathard (No, 104 overall pick by San Francisco) – 6 games; 1-4 record as starter; 4 TD passes; 5 INTs; sacked 16 times; 70.8 passer rating.

Nathan Peterman (No. 171 overall pick by Buffalo) – 1 game; 0-0 as starter; 1 TD pass; 0 INT; 0 times sacked; 126.7 passer rating.

Patrick Mahomes (No. 10 overall pick by Detroit), Davis Webb (No. 97 overall pick by the New York Giants), Joshua Dobbs (No. 135 overall pick by Pittsburgh), Brad Kaaya (No. 215 overall pick by Detroit) and Chad Kelly (No. 253 and last overall pick by Denver) have yet to appear in a game.

SHORT SHOTS

Bill Maxwell, a colorful and popular soccer referee in the North American Soccer League and college soccer, has passed away at age 87. Mr. Maxwell, a native of Scotland, settled in Geneseo. He worked many games involving the Rochester Lancers.  He was the referee for the final NASL game in 1984 and became a pioneer referee in Major Indoor Soccer League. In one game at Holleder Stadium in 1970, he made an unpopular offside call that erased a Lancers goal. After the match, Bill needed a police escort to the officials’ dressing room and some fans tried to smoke him out with burning newspapers.

The (Mesquite) Nevada Desert Dogs are the ninth team in the new North American Premier Basketball League, joining the Rochester RazorSharks, Albany Patroons, Kansas City Buzz, (Owensboro) Kentucky Thoroughbreds, (Akron) Ohio Cardinals, Vancouver Knights, Yakima SunKings and an unnamed team in Seattle.

Jockey star Jose Ortiz, 24, will have minor knee surgery December 5 and be sidelined for at least six weeks. He was leading North American riders in purse earnings ($26,094,436) entering this week.

Doug Mientkiewicz, formerly the rising star manager in the Minnesota Twins farm system, and expected by many to be a future skipper for the Rochester Red Wings, reportedly will manage the Toledo Mud Hens (International League) in 2018.

The next goal scored by a Buffalo Sabres defenseman will be the first goal scored by a Buffalo Sabres defenseman this season. Will the game be stopped to give him the puck?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Friday, November 17

Ryan Braun (34)...Nick Markakis (34)...Eric Winston (34)...Reggie Wayne (39)...Darnell McDonald (39)...Jeff Nelson (51)...Mitch Williams (53)...Elvin Hayes (72)...Tom Seaver (73). Ru Paul (57), Danny DeVito (73) and Martin Scorsese (75) are invited to the birthday party.

Saturday, November 18

Cal Clutterbuck (30)...Denny Hamlin (37)...David Ortiz (42)...Raghib “Rocket” Ishmail (48)...Sam Cassell (48)...Gary Sheffield (49)...Clay Bellinger (49)...Tom Gordon (50)...Seth Joyner (53)...Todd Bowles (54)...Dante Bichette (54)...Jamie Moyer (55)...Warren Moon (61)...Bill Hajt (66). Damon Wayans Jr. (35)...Chloe Sevigny (43), Megyn Kelly (47) and Owen Wilson (49) are invited to the birthday party.

Sunday, November 19

O.J. Howard (23)...Joey Gallo (24)...Marquise Goodwin (27)...Michael Tonkin (28)...Kenneth Faried (28)...Patrick Kane (29)...DeAngelo Hall (34)...Ryan Howard (38)...Larry Johnson (38)...Kerri Strug (40)...Petr Skora (41)...Gail Evers (51)...Mike Mularkey (56)...Grant Ledyard (56)...Michael Wilbon (59)...Otis Anderson (60)...Richard Todd (64)...Ahmad Rashad (68)...Dennis Hull (73)...Ted Turner (79). Jodie Foster (55), Meg Ryan (56), Calvin Klein (75) and Larry King (84) are invited to the birthday party.


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