Skip to main content
Monthly Archives

October 2019

Dolphins go for first win over Steelers on Yahoo Sports app

By Sports app

Name the 1 to 15 teams in NFL history.

Well, there were the Dallas Cowboys in Troy Aikman’s rookie season. The Cleveland Browns did it a few years ago, but we only remember it because they followed that up with an 0-16 season. So… well, who knows.

All you have to do is win a game and you’re off the hook. The 1-15 teams throughout history are forgettable. Teams 0-16 will live forever. The 2008 Detroit Lions and 2017 Cleveland Browns did the trick, and we’ll include the 0-14 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They’re immortal, and not in a good way.

[Watch live NFL games on the Yahoo Sports app, here’s how]

The 2019 Miami Dolphins have a shot at that infamy. They are 0-6 and have looked historically awful at times. They’ll be looking for that all-important win again against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night, a game that can be streamed live on the Yahoo Sports app.

(By the way, if you’re a real trivia buff, those 1-15 teams are: 1980 Saints, 1989 Cowboys, 1990 Patriots, 1991 Colts, 1996 Jets, 2000 Chargers, 2001 Panthers, 2007 Dolphins, 2009 Rams, 2016 Browns. )

Dolphins off to historic bad start

The Dolphins have looked a bit better in the last two games.

The bar was not high. The first four games were as miserable as you’ll find in NFL history. Their minus 137 point differential was the worst of any Super Bowl-era team. They didn’t hold onto their first lead of the season until Week 4. They looked absolutely awful in every facet of the game.

The Dolphins’ team rating at Pro Football Focus is 51.6, and No. 31 Cincinnati is far ahead with 61.1. The 2017 Browns 0-16 had a PFF rating of 69.9. The 2008 Lions have the worst mark dating back to 2006, at 52.1. Only three teams during this period have finished under the 60 mark.

The Dolphins’ DVOA, the Football Outsiders’ per-game metric, is minus 72.9 percent. The second-worst in the NFL is Cincinnati’s minus-38.3 percent. Miami has the second-worst DVOA in six games dating back to 1986, and Miami is the worst since 1986 in defensive DVOA.

Not only are the Dolphins bad, they’re far worse than virtually every other team in history in every way.

That’s why a 1-point loss to the Washington Redskins 1-6 and a relatively competitive 10-point loss to the Buffalo Bills over the past two weeks seemed like real progress.

The Dolphins don’t give much to their fans. (Getty Images)

The dolphins showed a small improvement

The Dolphins scored late against the Redskins and went for a two-point conversion and the win. They called a strange running back display Kenyan Drake dropped. Drake would have been tackled anyway.

There are still plenty of games to go, but it’s reasonable to believe that this game against the Redskins will be the Dolphins’ best shot at a win all season. The Dolphins were trying to tank — or whatever more subtle term you want to use — and it worked too well. They are troublesome. One of the conversations at the start of this season was how the NFL can stop other teams from tanking. The Dolphins are so bad they could lead to rule changes.

All of that will be forgotten pretty quickly with just one victory. Just one. Nobody remembers anything about the 1990 Patriots or the 2000 Chargers or any of the other teams on this list. The Dolphins will have a Steelers team that is 2-4 and quarterback Mason Rudolph is coming back from one of the scariest concussions we’ve ever seen. The Dolphins have been looking a little better lately. A quarterback change to Ryan Fitzpatrick helped the offense.

This may be the week the Dolphins get their win. It’s not even Halloween, but it’s not too early to start wondering if and when it will happen.

– – – – – – –

Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Do you have any advice? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

49ers try to win against Browns again on Yahoo Sports app

By Sports app

This year, the Cleveland Browns were the NFL’s offseason darlings. Everyone fell in love with their story after a strong end to last season. Greatness was predicted for their young quarterback, Baker Mayfield.

The San Francisco 49ers know this.

Last year, the 49ers were the team everyone wanted to talk about. With young quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, acquired in a mid-season trade from the New England Patriots, San Francisco won five in a row to end the season. The NFL scheduled them for as many prime-time games as possible in 2018. The offseason hype machine turned Garoppolo into a mix of Joe Namath, John Elway and Superman. Then Garoppolo tore his ACL early in the season and the 49ers went 4-12.

After everyone focused on the Browns and forgot about the 49ers, San Francisco looks like the team we expected last season. The 49ers are 3-0 and face the Browns 2-2 on Monday night, a game that can be streamed live on the Yahoo Sports app.

[Watch live NFL games on the Yahoo Sports app, here’s how]

There’s still some skepticism about the 49ers, but that may start to change if they look good on the Monday night stage.

The 49ers are the last undefeated team in the NFC

It’s not like the 49ers have played their toughest slate yet. They beat the interception-prone Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. In Week 2, they beat the Cincinnati Bengals 0-4. In Week 3, they drew Mason Rudolph making his first career start for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and needed a late touchdown to escape with a home win. The Steelers are 1-3 and their only win is against the Bengals.

So this 3-0 start comes with qualifying. It was another much-needed quick start for the 49ers and coach Kyle Shanahan, who was 10-22 in his first two seasons.

Garoppolo looks good, but not exactly great as he is coming back from ACL surgery. The 49ers handled the ball very well, ranking second in the NFL in rushing yards. The defense stepped forward and allowed the third-fewest yards per game in the NFL.

It’s only three games, but the 49ers find themselves in first place in the NFC West. This is the last undefeated team in the NFC. Questions or not, that’s a good start.

Jimmy Garoppolo helped lead the 49ers to a 3-0 start. (Getty Pictures)

The Browns bounced back in Week 4

Like the 49ers last season, the Browns entered the season with high expectations and stumbled. They were eliminated at home by the Tennessee Titans to start the season. After a victory against a terrible New York Jets team, the Browns fell on a Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams. Ahead of their third prime-time appearance in five weeks, the Browns got back on track with a 40-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

This week feels like a turning point in Cleveland’s season. Mayfield struggled for three weeks but bounced back in Week 4. Can he keep this momentum going? Are the Browns’ play-calling issues resolved? Can Cleveland continue to play as the AFC North favorite?

It’s an interesting test against the 3-0 49ers. San Francisco can legitimize their debut against a talented Browns team. The Browns’ slow start this season would be a distant memory if they went 3-2 after a road win against the NFC’s last undefeated team.

Whoever wins is likely to be in a familiar place, attracting lots of attention and hype.

– – – – – – –

Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Do you have any advice? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

More from Yahoo Sports:

Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes plays Colts on Yahoo Sports app

By Sports app

From 1920 to 2017, only one quarterback in NFL history had a season of 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. Peyton Manning did it in 2013.

Patrick Mahomes tied it last season and he has a chance to do it again this year, in his second year as a Kansas City Chiefs starter. It’s incredible.

[Watch live NFL games on the Yahoo Sports app, here’s how]

If Mahomes keeps up that pace, we have to start wondering if we’re looking at the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Mahomes fell off the pace for 50 touchdowns last week when he didn’t throw one in a win over the Detroit Lions. But he’s on pace for 6,040 yards. And he still leads the NFL with 10 touchdown passes, with no interceptions. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Mahomes picked up the pace for another 50 touchdown season. Other than perhaps Dan Marino, whose iconic 1984 performance came in his second season in the NFL, no quarterback in NFL history has had a better start to his career.

The 4-0 Chiefs have become the NFL’s go-to team due to their reigning MVP quarterback. They will face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night, a game that can be streamed live on the Yahoo Sports app. Kansas City’s precocious young quarterback will be the main attraction.

Patrick Mahomes could repeat as NFL MVP

It’s hard to put a current young player into historical perspective. We see it a bit with Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels in baseball. Since we don’t yet know how the last 10-12 years of Trout’s career will pan out, it’s easier to lean on Willie Mays or Babe Ruth when discussing the greatest player of all time. That’s despite Trout having two MVPs, two second MVPs and a fourth place finish in seven full seasons. And he will finish first or second this season. No one has ever had so much effort to start a career.

Considering Mahomes has few reasonable comparisons in NFL history, Trout might be the best for him. What we see of Mahomes is virtually inconceivable. Playing quarterback in the NFL is supposed to be tough, and Mahomes had no problem. Through 20 starts over the past two seasons, he has 6,607 yards and 60 touchdowns. The Chiefs are 16-4 in his starts. A regression was expected this season for Mahomes as no one came close to repeating the type of season he had in 2018, and a quarter of this season he is arguably better. If you choose a quarter-season MVP, Mahomes should win by unanimous decision. He dominated without his best receiver, Tyreek Hill, who missed most of the season with a shoulder injury.

It’s pretty easy to put Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana or Peyton Manning in historical perspective when we’re debating the greatest quarterbacks of all time. We don’t know what to make of Mahomes, even though what he does is the first of its kind.

Mahomes is the face of the NFL

It’s not just that Mahomes is incredibly efficient and posting unprecedented numbers. He’s funny.

Mahomes has the cannon arm and no-look passes. He has a unique look and a more unique voice. He’s a likeable personality in a league that prefers its players to show no personality. Given that Patriots fatigue has turned everyone against Tom Brady, Mahomes is clearly the face of the NFL now. It will be so for a long time.

The NFL is also less predictable than Major League Baseball or the NBA. There is more uncertainty about what will happen next with Mahomes. A big injury could change everything. Sometimes the rest of the league catches up with the players. In 2012, did anyone think seven years later that Andrew Luck would be retired and Robert Griffin III would be on the road to career change?

But right now, Mahomes looks like a future Hall of Famer. He seems to have the chance to become one of the greatest players of all time. It sounds like hyperbole, but he’s already done things we’ve never seen before.

It’s impossible to say exactly where Mahomes’ career is headed. For now, sit back and enjoy the show.

Patrick Mahomes is the first favorite to win another NFL MVP award. (Getty Images)

– – – – – – –

Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Do you have any advice? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

Jared Goff, Rams face test against Seahawks on Yahoo Sports app

By Sports app

The Los Angeles Rams signed quarterback Jared Goff to a four-year, $134 million deal in early September. That’s exactly what NFL teams do. Unless a QB has proven himself incompetent, he’s going to land a huge contract. There’s not a lot of critical thinking when it comes to the quarterback. Teams just pay.

Even though that’s how the NFL operates mindlessly, you have to wonder if the Rams have any private regrets. Goff doesn’t look like a quarterback expected to take more than 15% of the Rams’ salary cap. Since last November it looks average or worse. But he’s paid like he’s one of the best in the NFL. In terms of annual average, Goff is tied with Aaron Rodgers as the third highest-paid player in NFL history.

[Watch live NFL games on the Yahoo Sports app, here’s how]

Goff leads the Rams in a Thursday night showdown against the Seattle Seahawks, a game that can be streamed live on the Yahoo Sports app. It’s a key fight in the NFC West race between two 3-1 teams watching the San Francisco 49ers 3-0.

The Rams are paying Goff $33.5 million a season on his overtime to dominate in games like this.

Jared Goff racked up plenty of yards and turnovers against the Bucs

Goff posted huge numbers last week. His 517 yards were tied for eighth most in NFL history. He had 45 completions. But it wasn’t a great game.

Goff missed shots early as the Rams fell to a 21-0 hole. Goff makes three interceptions and loses a fumble. The Rams fell 55-40 to the Buccaneers. With Todd Gurley seemingly no longer one of the NFL’s best running backs, the Rams need a lot more Goff.

Do you remember the Rams 54-51 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs last November? Goff was certainly excellent in this game. It looked like it was the night he entered an elite class of quarterbacks. Since then it has been mediocre at best. In 12 games, including the playoffs, Goff completed 276 of 459 passes for 3,107 yards, 13 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. That’s a passer rating of 77.1. Only two NFL starting quarterbacks last season posted a rating below 77: Josh Allen and Josh Rosen. Both were beginners.

Since last November, Goff has looked more like a rookie than a quarterback worth a nine-figure extension.

Rams quarterback Jared Goff had four turnovers against Tampa Bay. (Getty Images)

The Rams need Goff to play better

The Rams could have played Goff’s situation differently. They could have traded Goff for a pick bonus and let Sean McVay develop a new, young, cheap quarterback. It would have been radical and unlike anything any other team had ever done, but they could have noted that the NFL’s biggest advantage is a good quarterback on his rookie contract and acted on it. Then they could have used the $33.5 million per season they give Goff on the rest of the roster.

But NFL teams don’t work that way. Even teams that make otherwise sound decisions fear the unknown at quarterback. The Rams pay Goff twice as much a year as the Houston Texans pay JJ Watt. It doesn’t seem like a wise investment.

It’s also true that 12 games doesn’t define Goff’s career. He was good for most of last season and played well in an NFC Championship win. He’s just 24, plays on a talented attack under a good coach and wouldn’t be the first young player to have a meltdown. Maybe for the rest of this season, Goff will play as an MVP candidate and his contract will be worth it for the Rams.

But as the Rams head to Seattle for a huge early season game, they need to play better from their quarterback. They need him to play like one of the best in the NFL. That kind of pressure comes with those nine-figure deals.

– – – – – – –

Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Do you have any advice? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

Study: DAZN is the first income-generating sports app

By Sports app

The DAZN sports streaming subscription platform has been named the producer of the world’s best revenue-generating sports app, according to a Sensor Tower study.

The State of Sports Apps report from the mobile app marketing intelligence firm placed DAZN at the top of its rankings for the first half of 2019, up one spot from last year.

ESPN, a Disney-owned sports media company, saw its app jump five spots to second on the list. Last year’s number one, Major League Baseball (MLB) At Bat app fell to third place. The official National Basketball Association (NBA) app was fourth, while onX Hunt, the GPS hunting app, was fifth. The two lost one position each in 2018.

Other notable official apps in the top ten included the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Eurosport Player, and the National Hockley League (NHL).

DAZN’s position at the top of the list follows a previous study released in June by Sensor Tower that showed its app achieved 950% year-over-year revenue growth, making it the app. most profitable sports car in the world in May. For that month, the app generated nearly $ 11.5 million in revenue, more than nine times its May 2018 revenue.

DAZN got a boost by setting new streaming records, including for its Italian service in the Milan derby between Serie rival Inter and AC, and securing high-profile events including the boxing match between the stars of YouTube KSI and Logan Paul.

The Sensor Tower report, which studied global revenue trends in the industry from Q1 2016 to Q2 2019, also found that net revenue growth accelerated in 2017 and 2018 and growth remained strong. in 2019. Overall, sports applications are expected to exceed US $ 100 million in 2019. Q3 2019 net revenue.

He also found that Google Play Sports app revenue grew faster than Apple’s App Store. Sports apps revenue on Google Play nearly doubled year-over-year to $ 23.7 million in the second quarter of 2019.

Despite this, the App Store still accounted for 74% of sports app revenue between the two stores in the quarter. In addition, App Store sports apps revenue grew 70% between 2017 and 2018. According to Sensor Tower, this rate is expected to slow to 23% of the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next five years, with net revenues reaching US $ 520. million by 2023. Net revenue is expected to exceed $ 250 million in 2019, with sports apps bringing in nearly $ 125 million in the first half of the year.

Sports apps revenue on Google Play is expected to have a similar CAGR to the App Store at 22% to reach $ 151 million by 2023. However, according to the report, this reflects lower growth in revenue per download. given the expected higher download growth for Google Play than the App Store.

Overall, Google Play’s sports app revenue is expected to grow 45% year-over-year in 2019. That’s less than the 78% year-over-year growth seen in 2018. .

The OTT mobile platform beats ESPN as the top-grossing app in the first half of 2019.

The DAZN sports streaming subscription platform has been named the producer of the world’s best revenue-generating sports app, according to a Sensor Tower study.

The State of Sports Apps report from the mobile app marketing intelligence firm placed DAZN at the top of its rankings for the first half of 2019, up one spot from last year.

ESPN, a Disney-owned sports media company, saw its app jump five spots to second on the list. Last year’s number one, Major League Baseball (MLB) At Bat app fell to third place. The official National Basketball Association (NBA) app was fourth, while onX Hunt, the GPS hunting app, was fifth. The two lost one position each in 2018.

Other notable official apps in the top ten included the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Eurosport Player, and the National Hockley League (NHL).

DAZN’s position at the top of the list follows a previous study released in June by Sensor Tower that showed its app achieved 950% year-over-year revenue growth, making it the app. most profitable sports car in the world in May. For that month, the app generated nearly $ 11.5 million in revenue, more than nine times its May 2018 revenue.

DAZN got a boost by setting new streaming records, including for its Italian service in the Milan derby between Serie rival Inter and AC, and securing high-profile events including the boxing match between the stars of YouTube KSI and Logan Paul.

The Sensor Tower report, which studied global revenue trends in the industry from Q1 2016 to Q2 2019, also found that net revenue growth accelerated in 2017 and 2018 and growth remained strong. in 2019. Overall, sports applications are expected to exceed US $ 100 million in 2019. Q3 2019 net revenue.

He also found that Google Play Sports app revenue grew faster than Apple’s App Store. Sports apps revenue on Google Play nearly doubled year-over-year to $ 23.7 million in the second quarter of 2019.

Despite this, the App Store still accounted for 74% of sports app revenue between the two stores in the quarter. In addition, App Store sports apps revenue grew 70% between 2017 and 2018. According to Sensor Tower, this rate is expected to slow to 23% of the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next five years, with net revenues reaching US $ 520. million by 2023. Net revenue is expected to exceed $ 250 million in 2019, with sports apps bringing in nearly $ 125 million in the first half of the year.

Sports apps revenue on Google Play is expected to have a similar CAGR to the App Store at 22% to reach $ 151 million by 2023. However, according to the report, this reflects lower growth in revenue per download. given the expected higher download growth for Google Play than the App Store.

Overall, Google Play’s sports app revenue is expected to grow 45% year-over-year in 2019. That’s less than the 78% year-over-year growth seen in 2018. .