All eyes will be on Sam Darnold when the New York Jets open their season against the Detroit Lions.But the five big guys lined up in front of him will play a major role in the success 鈥?or failure 鈥?of the rookie quarterback and his offense Monday night.
"It's super important developing that trust and chemistry with your teammates ," Darnold said. "That's mostly what football is. We're on that field together, we've got to communicate. We've all got to be in sync together, so that's really what it is, just communicating."
That has been a point of emphasis all offseason, but is particularly important this week as the 21-year-old quarterback continues to try to build a rapport with an offensive line that struggled with consistency last season.
It's still a work-in-progress, though. When left tackle Kelvin Beachum, left guard James Carpenter, center Spencer Long, right guard Brian Winters and right tackle Brandon Shell trot onto the field in noisy Ford Field, it'll mark the first time all five will be together for a snap in a game.
"I'm very optimistic," offensive line coach Rick Dennison said. "I think they've worked hard and done a good job. Obviously, it's the start of the regular season and there's a little bit of the unknown, but I feel good about the guys."
Beachum didn't play in the preseason because of a sprained right foot that kept him out of team drills for most of training camp. He has been a full participant in practice this week and appears to be a full go.
Same for Winters, who dealt with tightness in his back this summer and sat out the second preseason game against Washington.
"We've been around each other quite a bit during this whole process , so we can't get into this excuse-making that people on the outside are trying to bring into the locker room right now," Beachum said. "For us, we've got to go out and perform. We're professionals. Every one of us across the offensive line has played games in the National Football League. When our number is called upon, we know we've got to execute and perform."
The Jets are facing a tough task off the bat with Ezekiel Ansah roaming the Lions' defensive front. He had 12 sacks last season and has been lining up on the right side of new coach Matt Patricia's defense, but is athletic enough to move all around the line.
Beachum is fully expecting to face him quite a bit Monday night. The two last squared off in 2016 when Beachum was with Jacksonville. Ansah had four overall tackles in that game, but no sacks.
"He's a very disruptive pass rusher," Beachum said. "I would say one of the best in the league. The NFC North presents a number of different animals on the edge. He's one of those different animals in the NFC North. I'm excited to play him again. I know it's going to be a great test to start the year."
The game will also mark Long's debut with the Jets after he signed with New York as a free agent in the offseason. He replaces Wesley Johnson, who struggled last year in a full-time role as the center after the Jets released Nick Mangold.
Long, who spent his first four seasons with Washington, has impressed his new teammates with his cerebral approach to the game.
"He's been great, real good," Winters said. "He's a good communicator, a physical player. He's in the books a lot. He's a 'mind' guy and he kind of reminds me a little bit of Nick. Nick was real smart when it came to the breakdown of the game."
Added Shell: "He analyzes everything and it's like he knows what's going to happen, so he puts us in the right position with calls. I'm just grateful to have him on the line."
As the center , Long is responsible for calling the signals along the offensive line and making sure the guys on either side of him are seeing the same thing.
Since offseason workouts, he has been working closely with his linemates on the field and in the film room, trying to develop the type of chemistry that will be key on gameday.
"It goes as he goes," Winters said. "He makes the calls and we've got to abide by it and listen to it. Whatever he says, goes. He's got a lot of weight on his shoulders, but we all trust in him."
And, Darnold will need to have faith in all five linemen, who'll be trying to keep him upright while also giving him time to throw or busting open holes for the running backs to run through and get the offense moving consistently.
"He's done a great job of being able to communicate and understand what the defense is presenting him, and then putting us in a better position to either pick up a blitz or slide a different way," Beachum said of Darnold. "He's done things the right way to put us in a better position.
"At the end of the day, we have to make sure that we protect him." Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona thought the worst when Carlos Carrasco was struck on the right arm by a line drive.”From where I was standing I thought it might have hit him in the face so there was a little bit of a sense of relief, but it caught him right kind of on that funny bone,” Francona said after the Indians’ 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. ”He was hurting.”
Carrasco grabbed his arm after being hit by Joe Mauer’s leadoff liner in the second inning and went to his knees on the infield grass. Although the Indians announced Carrasco was diagnosed with a forearm contusion, Francona said the pitcher was struck on the elbow. During his postgame press conference , Francona said Carrasco was still being examined at a hospital. The team was expected to have an update Sunday.
The Twins got four hits from Eddie Rosario in their latest victory over the Indians. Rosario hit his 16th homer for the Twins, who have won five straight against the AL Central leaders to improve to 6-2 against Cleveland this season.
Rosario swung at the first pitch in all four of his hits. He also scored four times, drove in two runs and swiped a base. Rosario is batting .471 with six homers and 11 RBIs against Cleveland this season.
”Everything is going good,” he said. ”I like it. I feel more comfortable playing against the Indians.”
”Four pitches, four hits today,” Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. ”Right now, he feels like he can hit just about anything.”
Minnesota scored four runs in the first off Carrasco (8-5). Eduardo Escobar and Max Kepler each hit a two-run double in the inning. Logan Morrison had three RBIs, including a two-run double in the sixth.
Matt Magill (2-1) got the win with three scoreless innings in relief of Fernando Romero.
Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez homered in the first for Cleveland, which has lost four of five.
Carrasco’s injury forced the Indians to use six relievers, including Adam Plutko, who was scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale. Plutko pitched the seventh and eighth.
Outfielder Brandon Guyer, making his first professional pitching appearance, retired the side in order in the ninth on eight pitches.
Carrasco was coming off one of his best starts of the season. He struck out 11 in seven shutout innings against the White Sox on Monday, but he struggled against the Twins. Carrasco threw 37 pitches in the first when he allowed four hits , walked a batter and hit another.
Mauer lined the second pitch of the second to the mound, striking Carrasco directly on the arm. He hopped off the mound and went to the ground before being visited by Francona and a team trainer. Carrasco then walked to the dugout with the trainer and was replaced by Oliver Perez.
”You don’t want to see anybody get hit with a line drive like that,” Molitor said. ”It kind of shakes everyone for a moment, even though you try not to let it.”
The ball that struck Carrasco rolled to first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who stepped on the bag for the out.
Carrasco was hit in the face by a line drive in 2015, but made his next turn in the rotation. The right-hander broke his right hand after being hit by a line drive late in the 2016 season and missed the playoffs.
Mauer led off the game with a single, his first hit since being activated from the disabled list Friday. Rosario walked and both runners scored on Escobar’s double. Morrison was hit by a pitch. Robbie Grossman’s one-out single loaded the bases and Kepler doubled high off the wall in right, scoring two more runs.
Rosario hit an RBI single in the sixth and a solo homer in the eighth.
YOUR TURN
Guyer was told late in the game that he’d be pitching the ninth. He retired Taylor Motter on a groundout and Ryan LaMarre and Kepler on fly balls.
”I was a pretty good pitcher back in the day,” Guyer said. ”I had elbow surgery when I was 12 that ended the pitching days.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: OF Byron Buxton (toe fracture) will begin a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday.
Indians: LHP Andrew Miller (right knee inflammation) has thrown several bullpen sessions, but it hasn’t been decided when he’ll face hitters as part of his rehab process.
UP NEXT
Twins RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 4.19 ERA) will start the series finale. RHP Shane Bieber (0-0, 6.35) will be called up from Triple-A Columbus to start for the Indians.
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"It's super important developing that trust and chemistry with your teammates ," Darnold said. "That's mostly what football is. We're on that field together, we've got to communicate. We've all got to be in sync together, so that's really what it is, just communicating."
That has been a point of emphasis all offseason, but is particularly important this week as the 21-year-old quarterback continues to try to build a rapport with an offensive line that struggled with consistency last season.
It's still a work-in-progress, though. When left tackle Kelvin Beachum, left guard James Carpenter, center Spencer Long, right guard Brian Winters and right tackle Brandon Shell trot onto the field in noisy Ford Field, it'll mark the first time all five will be together for a snap in a game.
"I'm very optimistic," offensive line coach Rick Dennison said. "I think they've worked hard and done a good job. Obviously, it's the start of the regular season and there's a little bit of the unknown, but I feel good about the guys."
Beachum didn't play in the preseason because of a sprained right foot that kept him out of team drills for most of training camp. He has been a full participant in practice this week and appears to be a full go.
Same for Winters, who dealt with tightness in his back this summer and sat out the second preseason game against Washington.
"We've been around each other quite a bit during this whole process , so we can't get into this excuse-making that people on the outside are trying to bring into the locker room right now," Beachum said. "For us, we've got to go out and perform. We're professionals. Every one of us across the offensive line has played games in the National Football League. When our number is called upon, we know we've got to execute and perform."
The Jets are facing a tough task off the bat with Ezekiel Ansah roaming the Lions' defensive front. He had 12 sacks last season and has been lining up on the right side of new coach Matt Patricia's defense, but is athletic enough to move all around the line.
Beachum is fully expecting to face him quite a bit Monday night. The two last squared off in 2016 when Beachum was with Jacksonville. Ansah had four overall tackles in that game, but no sacks.
"He's a very disruptive pass rusher," Beachum said. "I would say one of the best in the league. The NFC North presents a number of different animals on the edge. He's one of those different animals in the NFC North. I'm excited to play him again. I know it's going to be a great test to start the year."
The game will also mark Long's debut with the Jets after he signed with New York as a free agent in the offseason. He replaces Wesley Johnson, who struggled last year in a full-time role as the center after the Jets released Nick Mangold.
Long, who spent his first four seasons with Washington, has impressed his new teammates with his cerebral approach to the game.
"He's been great, real good," Winters said. "He's a good communicator, a physical player. He's in the books a lot. He's a 'mind' guy and he kind of reminds me a little bit of Nick. Nick was real smart when it came to the breakdown of the game."
Added Shell: "He analyzes everything and it's like he knows what's going to happen, so he puts us in the right position with calls. I'm just grateful to have him on the line."
As the center , Long is responsible for calling the signals along the offensive line and making sure the guys on either side of him are seeing the same thing.
Since offseason workouts, he has been working closely with his linemates on the field and in the film room, trying to develop the type of chemistry that will be key on gameday.
"It goes as he goes," Winters said. "He makes the calls and we've got to abide by it and listen to it. Whatever he says, goes. He's got a lot of weight on his shoulders, but we all trust in him."
And, Darnold will need to have faith in all five linemen, who'll be trying to keep him upright while also giving him time to throw or busting open holes for the running backs to run through and get the offense moving consistently.
"He's done a great job of being able to communicate and understand what the defense is presenting him, and then putting us in a better position to either pick up a blitz or slide a different way," Beachum said of Darnold. "He's done things the right way to put us in a better position.
"At the end of the day, we have to make sure that we protect him." Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona thought the worst when Carlos Carrasco was struck on the right arm by a line drive.”From where I was standing I thought it might have hit him in the face so there was a little bit of a sense of relief, but it caught him right kind of on that funny bone,” Francona said after the Indians’ 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. ”He was hurting.”
Carrasco grabbed his arm after being hit by Joe Mauer’s leadoff liner in the second inning and went to his knees on the infield grass. Although the Indians announced Carrasco was diagnosed with a forearm contusion, Francona said the pitcher was struck on the elbow. During his postgame press conference , Francona said Carrasco was still being examined at a hospital. The team was expected to have an update Sunday.
The Twins got four hits from Eddie Rosario in their latest victory over the Indians. Rosario hit his 16th homer for the Twins, who have won five straight against the AL Central leaders to improve to 6-2 against Cleveland this season.
Rosario swung at the first pitch in all four of his hits. He also scored four times, drove in two runs and swiped a base. Rosario is batting .471 with six homers and 11 RBIs against Cleveland this season.
”Everything is going good,” he said. ”I like it. I feel more comfortable playing against the Indians.”
”Four pitches, four hits today,” Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. ”Right now, he feels like he can hit just about anything.”
Minnesota scored four runs in the first off Carrasco (8-5). Eduardo Escobar and Max Kepler each hit a two-run double in the inning. Logan Morrison had three RBIs, including a two-run double in the sixth.
Matt Magill (2-1) got the win with three scoreless innings in relief of Fernando Romero.
Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez homered in the first for Cleveland, which has lost four of five.
Carrasco’s injury forced the Indians to use six relievers, including Adam Plutko, who was scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale. Plutko pitched the seventh and eighth.
Outfielder Brandon Guyer, making his first professional pitching appearance, retired the side in order in the ninth on eight pitches.
Carrasco was coming off one of his best starts of the season. He struck out 11 in seven shutout innings against the White Sox on Monday, but he struggled against the Twins. Carrasco threw 37 pitches in the first when he allowed four hits , walked a batter and hit another.
Mauer lined the second pitch of the second to the mound, striking Carrasco directly on the arm. He hopped off the mound and went to the ground before being visited by Francona and a team trainer. Carrasco then walked to the dugout with the trainer and was replaced by Oliver Perez.
”You don’t want to see anybody get hit with a line drive like that,” Molitor said. ”It kind of shakes everyone for a moment, even though you try not to let it.”
The ball that struck Carrasco rolled to first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who stepped on the bag for the out.
Carrasco was hit in the face by a line drive in 2015, but made his next turn in the rotation. The right-hander broke his right hand after being hit by a line drive late in the 2016 season and missed the playoffs.
Mauer led off the game with a single, his first hit since being activated from the disabled list Friday. Rosario walked and both runners scored on Escobar’s double. Morrison was hit by a pitch. Robbie Grossman’s one-out single loaded the bases and Kepler doubled high off the wall in right, scoring two more runs.
Rosario hit an RBI single in the sixth and a solo homer in the eighth.
YOUR TURN
Guyer was told late in the game that he’d be pitching the ninth. He retired Taylor Motter on a groundout and Ryan LaMarre and Kepler on fly balls.
”I was a pretty good pitcher back in the day,” Guyer said. ”I had elbow surgery when I was 12 that ended the pitching days.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: OF Byron Buxton (toe fracture) will begin a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday.
Indians: LHP Andrew Miller (right knee inflammation) has thrown several bullpen sessions, but it hasn’t been decided when he’ll face hitters as part of his rehab process.
UP NEXT
Twins RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 4.19 ERA) will start the series finale. RHP Shane Bieber (0-0, 6.35) will be called up from Triple-A Columbus to start for the Indians.
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