Daily Archives: May 14, 2020

Eleven quarterbacks were selected in the 2019 NFL draft. Eight of them started two or more games as rookies. All told, rookie quarterbacks accounted for a total of 57 starts, with two first-rounders (Kyler Murray and Daniel Jones) and one sixth-rounder (Gardner Minshew) each starting 12 or more contests.

Its tough to forecast whether that level of rookie-QB contribution will happen this coming season, but theres at least a clear path toward winning a starting job for a number of the 13 quarterbacks picked in the 2020 NFL draft.

Granted, four of those 13 QBs picked in April were seventh-rounders. But over the past four NFL seasons, at least one first-year quarterback drafted in Round 4 or later (or undrafted) has started one or more games.

Rookie passers play, now more than ever. We thought wed take a look at when some of this years draft picks and try to determine when their first start might come.

Round 1, 1st overall pick

Even before the Bengals released Andy Dalton, it felt as if Burrow was destined to take ownership of the starting QB job sooner rather than later. Even with the presence of 2019 fourth-rounder Ryan Finley (who started three games last season) on the roster, and even in this most unusual of offseasons, its a pretty fair bet that Burrow will be out there to start the year.

Dalton had been the first Bengals rookie quarterback to start in the opening game, back in 2011. Carson Palmer, picked No. 1 overall back in 2003, didnt even take a single snap as a rookie behind Jon Kitna.

Projected first start: Week 1 vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Round 1, 5th overall pick

The Dolphins were able to land Tagovailoa without moving up, which certainly was a terrific result. But there is little belief that the Dolphins are going to rush him into the lineup early on.

Even in a normal, uninterrupted offseason, the Dolphins theoretically could have taken their time with Tagovailoa, knowing that they have Ryan Fitzpatrick who had a 15-6 TD-INT ratio, ran for three scores and averaged nearly 300 pass yards a game over the final nine contests ready to go. Josh Rosen also remains on the roster. Both Fitzpatrick and Rosen believe theyll have a crack at earning the Week 1 starting job.

The Dolphins team doctors signed off on the team drafting Tagovailoa, and he has maintained since April that he could play a game now if needed. But those doctors will have their own views on Tagovailoas readiness once team facilities are opened and they can reexamine him.

Nothing is going to happen all at once, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores told NBCs Mike Tirico in April. I dont think you just jump in there and get ready to go.

This suggests a patient approach, which certainly is smart. We believe Tagovailoa will start in 2020. But its not happening in the opener.

Projected first start: You could make a case for Week 7 being a good spot to start the clock on Tagovailoa. The Dolphins have back-to-back home games that week and in Week 8, and it would allow him to get three starts in prior to Miamis Week 11 bye.

If the Dolphins wanted to be more passive or if, say, Fitzpatrick plays well and has them in contention in a reshuffled AFC East they could wait. Rolling out Tagovailoa in Week 12 against the New York Jets. That would give him a six-game trial, with one game each versus the other three division opponents down the stretch.

We think his first start could come sometime in that Week 7-12 range.

Round 1, 6th overall pick

The Chargers, like the Dolphins, appear to be a team willing to let its veteran QB take the job out of the chute and play it by ear thereafter. Tyrod Taylor backed up Philip Rivers last season for the Chargers, and they parted with Rivers knowing they could start Taylor and be fine with it. That sentiment appears bolstered by the fact that the Chargers never really seemed to show much interest in free agent Cam Newton.

But they did take Herbert sixth overall, and its fair to bet that hell be starting games at some point this season. After all, the BetMGM odds on Herbert winning the Chargers Week 1 job (+275) are stronger than that of Tagovailoa doing the same in Miami (+350).

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One reason is that Herbert has no current injury concern of note. Even in a shortened or altered camp or preseason, he theoretically is a quick enough study to beat out Taylor head to head given that Herbert comes in with a wealth ofcollege experience (42 career starts).

But right now, were betting on Taylor facing off against Burrow Week 1 in Cincinnati and Herbert getting his shot down the line.

Projected first start: Week 8 feels like a decent spot. The Chargers return home from a road game at Miami the week before and have two home games back to back vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders prior to the Week 10 bye. Getting Herbert some time in those two games would allow the team to recalibrate a bit during the bye prior to a tough finishing slate thereafter.

The Chargers close the season with four of their final seven on the road, but giving Herbert some time to acclimate prior to that might make that stretch a little easier to handle.

Round 1, 26th overall pick

If all goes well, Aaron Rodgers will start 16 games this season and Love will watch and learn. But what if 2017 plays out all over again? Rodgers got hurt in the sixth game of the season, and the Packers were forced to turn to Brett Hundley for nine starts that year.

Would Matt LaFleur go to Love if Rodgers got hurt at a similar point of the season? The only other quarterback on the roster with NFL experience is Tim Boyle, who has all of four pass attempts in the league. And thats assuming the Packers opt to keep three quarterbacks on the roster.

Green Bay drafting Jordan Love has some folks wondering when he might take over. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Still, Rodgers has played 16 regular-season games four of the past five seasons, and injuries are impossible to predict, so well assume that Love is shelved this year with an eye on the future. If the Packers are in contention with something to play for late in the season and Rodgers remains healthy, its hard to imagine a scenario where Love sees the field outside of in late relief.

Projected first start: Sometime in 2021

Round 2, 53rd overall pick

The Eagles drafting Hurts sent shockwaves through the virtual draft, and it led to many questions about what the teams QB plans were exactly. After all, the Eagles had signed Carson Wentz to a long-term contract extension last year, brought back Nate Sudfeld and appeared to have more pressing issues.

But Hurts could end up being a fine insurance policy and provide value in other ways over the next few seasons. It will be fascinating to see how they employ him, either as a true backup QB or whether they implement a package of plays designed to take advantage of Hurts unique skills.

Projected first start: Theres a bit of a trick-question element to this one. What happens if the Eagles open in a two-QB look to throw off an opponent? It wouldnt be shocking. (Of course, if Hurts was lined up anywhere but behind the center, hed be credited with a start at another position, for you specifists out there.)

Even so, it would not be stunning to see Wentz get hurt, thus forcing Hurts into the lineup earlier than anyone hopes. Well just throw a dart here: How about Hurts getting his first start as an injury replacement Week 11 at Cleveland? That could pit the two former Oklahoma quarterbacks who both transferred into Norman and brought home a pair of Heisman Trophies.

Round 4, 122nd overall pick

The Colts signed Rivers to be their starter this season, and they still have Jacoby Brissett (and Chad Kelly!) on the roster. So Eason isnt at all in need of a crash course to get ready; the team can take its time grooming him if it wants.

But then again, GM Chris Ballard also warned the media to slow your roll when it comes to projecting Eason as the quote-unquote quarterback of the future. Drafting a player in Round 4 means there were questions about him, so by no means are the Colts wedded to him nor precluded from picking another QB in 2021 if they see one they like.

That said, the Colts might want to give Eason a shot in 2020 if they can, even if its just a brief one, to see what exactly they have in the talented but flawed passer.

Projected first start: Were fairly bullish on the Colts chances this season, so well say that they win a big game at Pittsburgh in Week 16 and enter their season finale at home against Jacksonville with their playoff fate sealed. (Yes, this is all highly hypothetical.)

And yes, the Jaguars would appear to be a good team to start a rookie QB against.

Round 4, 125th overall

Sam Darnold is the starter, and Morgan must pass (noted Adam Gase favorite) David Fales and Mike White on the depth chart to get on the field. Its not likely, although Darnold has had injuries and some weird ones the past few seasons. Last year alone, he suffered from mononucleosis and strep throat (concurrently), lost a toenail at New England and sprained his thumb. The Jets also have sniffed around some veteran QBs this offseason, so that also must be monitored. Their eventual backup might not even be on the roster right now.

Projected first start: Wouldnt it be completely Jetsian for Darnold to get hurt on a Monday night at Foxboro in Week 9 and have to turn around in a short week and give the ball to a rookie? So well say that, barring the Jets adding a veteran at the position, Morgan will be called on for the injury-replacement start Week 10 in Miami, where he played his college ball.

Round 6, 189th overall pick

We needed a late-round flier here, and Luton is our guy. Maybe Minshew Mania wears off, Mike Glennon is injured in a bizarre gardening accident and the Jaguars are fully into their tank-for-Trevor mode. It wouldnt shock a single person, of course, if thats how it goes.

Luton actually quietly played some solid ball last season for Oregon State, is experienced enough and has solid toughness and smarts for the position. Really, hes the perfect QB to throw out there to not embarrass your team, while doing so under the auspice of evaluating our young QB at the end of a season.

Projected first start: Were giving Luton the Week 17 start, which would mean in our finely tuned, scientific approach that hed be facing fellow rookie Eason in their respective debuts. Two Pac-12 guys facing off in the middle of Indiana. How about that?

When they faced off last season, it was a terrible game. Eason completed 16-of-32 passes for 175 yards, no TDs and two picks. And his team won! Luton had maybe his worst game of last season, completing 19-of-28 passes but for a mere 88 yards and with one interception of his own.

Luton completed one pass longer than 10 yards that game. His team lost 19-7. This matchup might carry similar excitement, even if the Jaguars 2021 draft fate could be on the line.

Other 2020 QB draft picks not projected to start a game as rookies: Jake Fromm, Buffalo Bills; Cole McDonald, Tennessee Titans; Ben DiNucci, Dallas Cowboys; Tommy Stevens, New Orleans Saints; Nate Stanley, Minnesota Vikings.

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When will rookie quarterbacks start their first NFL games? - Yahoo Sports

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Breakout Games "Virtual Escape Room" Part 1 | Happening Here - FOX10 News

VANCOUVER, BC - DECEMBER 13: An exterior view of Rogers Arena before a NHL game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers on December 13, 2013 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)

The Vancouver Canucks, along with the rest of the NHL and many other major sports leagues around the world, have had play suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vancouver last game took place on March 10, when they defeated the visiting New York Islanders in a shootout by a final score of 5-4.

Before the season went on pause, Vancouver sat ninth in the Western Conference with 78 points, tied with the Nashville Predators for the eighth and final playoff spot. Nashville holds the tiebreaker due to one extra regulation win.

With no hockey on, players are figuratively anxious to get back on the ice.

Commissioner Gary Bettman remains committed to continuing the season, adding that heisnt contemplating a cancellation.

If the season were to continue, Canuck games would be played without any fans in attendance. The NHL is looking at potential cities to become hubs to host games. Possible options include Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver.

B.C. Premier John Horgan has been in talks with Bettman for the last few days and will continue to do so in the next coming weeks.

The NHL has a good track record in Vancouver, Horgan explained, via Richard Zussman of Global News. The 50th year of the (Vancouver Canucks) franchise is this year. What a great way to celebrate that 50 years, to bring hockey back to Canada and North America, to bring hockey back to B.C.

Horgan has told Bettman that the province is well positioned to host games with B.C. slowly starting to flattening the curve.The Canucks home venue, Rogers Arena and other arenas across the province would be venues for potential games.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, says that is a good idea in theory. But the NHL coming to Vancouver would depend on where the province is in their phases, and theyd have to see a detailed plan first.

The skys really the limit, Horgan said, per CBC. I wanted tolet the commissioner know that British Columbia stands ready to assist in looking at a plan brought forward by the players and the NHL. If we can make it work, I think it would be great for B.C. and great for the NHL.

Horgan will likely discuss this matter with Bettman over the coming days and weeks. On Wednesday, it was reported that there were 16 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C.

As Sportsnets Elliotte Friedman pointed out in his 31 Thoughts columnlast week, players arent keen on doing months of quarantine without their families. This is one of the many issues with no easy solution. The league would have to implement the ideal measures to ensure that the players and teams are traveling safely to and back from games.

The health and safety of the players would be the most important and it could mean players (as well as team staff, arena staff and media) would have to be follow strict health guidelines.

The league also needs to figure out if they want to continue the regular season or go straight into the playoffs (and decide on which format.)

It isnt all set in stone yet. The premier will continue to speak to Bettman, but we could potentially have the Canucks and hockey back in the summer months. Bettman will also have discussions with the NHLPA as well. Until then, we continue to await more information.

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Canucks: NHL looking at Vancouver to host games - The Canuck Way

TORONTO, May 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX: EGLX) (OTCQB:ENGMF) (FSE: 2AV) (Enthusiast Gaming or the Company) announced its financial results for the three months ending March 31, 2020 (Q1 2020). All financial information is presented in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

We had an extremely strong first quarter coming off the tailwinds of a transformational 2019. I want to congratulate our media division for outperforming typical first quarter seasonal declines for media properties, and for more than doubling their Q1 performance year-over-year, said Adrian Montgomery, CEO of Enthusiast Gaming. As we navigate through the current market volatility caused by COVID-19, we continue to meet, and in many instances exceed our operational expectations. We are closely monitoring the recent dramatic changes that have affected the digital advertising landscape and remain diligent in managing our cost structure. Looking forward, it's important for us to continue focusing on our key growth drivers and high margin revenue streams, including executing on our global direct sales strategy, and increasing our subscription model.

Q1 2020 Financial Highlights

Other Q1 Highlights and Events Subsequent to the Quarter

Certain information provided in this news release is extracted from the unaudited condensed consolidated interim Financial Statements and Managements Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) of the Company for the three months ended March 31, 2020, and should be read in conjunction with them. It is only in the context of the fulsome information and disclosures contained in the unaudited condensed consolidated interim Financial Statements and MD&A that an investor can properly analyze this information. The Financial Statements and MD&A can be found under the Companys profile on http://www.sedar.com.

About Enthusiast Gaming

Enthusiast Gaming (TSX: EGLX)(OTCQB: ENGMF)(FSE: 2AV) is building the worlds largest platform of communities for gamers and esports fans. Already the largest gaming platform in North America and the United Kingdom, the Companys business is comprised of three main pillars: Media, Entertainment and Esports. Enthusiast Gamings digital media platform includes approximately 100 gaming related websites and 900 YouTube channels which collectively reach 160 million visitors monthly. The Media platform generates over 30 billion ad requests and approximately a billion views per month. Enthusiasts esports division, Luminosity Gaming, is a leading global esports franchise that consists of 7 professional esports teams under ownership and management, including the Vancouver Titans Overwatch team and the Seattle Surge Call of Duty team. Collectively, the integrated ecosystem reaches over 200 million gaming enthusiasts on a monthly basis. Enthusiast Gamings entertainment division, EG Entertainment owns and operates Canadas largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo, EGLX (eglx.com), and the largest mobile gaming event in Europe, Pocket Gamer Connects (www.pgconnects.com). For more information on the Company visit http://www.enthusiastgaming.com. For more information on Luminosity Gaming visit luminosity.gg.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Alex MacdonaldChief Financial Officer (416) 623-9360

Investor Relations: Julia BeckerHead of Investor Relations & Marketingjbecker@enthusiastgaming.com(604) 785-0850

This news release contains certain statements that may constitute forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than those of historical fact, which address activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to, comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" (or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management's current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth, results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

Neither the TSX Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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Enthusiast Gaming Reports Q1 Financial Results with Continued Momentum and Robust Growth Across Key Metrics - GlobeNewswire

I've been playing a lot of Torchlight 2 recently, which always has its dangers. For one thing, these ARPGs are so moreish that you can sort of chug through them forever while the rest of the world withers around you. But there's another danger, too. If I play any ARPG for too long in one go I start to think purely in terms of the trade-offs. It's sort of RPG thermodynamics, I guess. I cease to see health potions as little bottles of liquid that will help me out on my heroic journey. I start to think of them as a way of trading money and time for experience.

So I stock up and go, well, this will see me through a few floors, which means a level and a half if I kill absolutely everything. That's 2000 gold in potions, 10 minutes of grind, for two levels.

The game sort of falls apart at this stage. Worse still, this thermodynamic thinking, this heat-exchange approach to games, can transfer from ARPGs. The morning fossil walk in Animal Crossing becomes five minutes of wandering for 15k or so, because inevitably Blathers will have everything by now. I might start to ponder the value of helping Gulliver or Wisp. This way leads to misery.

Except it doesn't, of course. I say "The game sort of falls apart at this stage", but that's never actually happened with Torchlight 2. Torchlight 2, like a lot of ARPGs, has a secret weapon. The writing.

Not all the writing. I admit I rarely read the quest stuff, so I never really know why I'm going where I'm going, who I'm helping, and who the great threat is that casts a shadow over the land that I haven't really bothered to read about in the first place. Nope. The best writing in ARPGs is reserved - and rightly, I think - for the parades of creatures that you hit with your sword or mace or magic missiles from one moment to the next.

These names are brilliant. Just going through the images I've captured on my Switch, what have we got? Thiss (a dragon), Varkolyn Hunter, Tutara Hunter, Aruk's Retainer (an elite), Deadreaper - Deadreaper! Dune Burrower! Mana Spectre! Lost Crewman! Skeletal Marksman! Oathhammer! Bleak Spirit! Stormclaw!

Beautiful stuff. So evocative! Bleak Spirit! Lost Crewman! Suddenly we're off with the Bronte sisters, with Stevenson, with Lord Dunsany and all that lot. Names are where these games become expansive and romantic, where they become properly transporting. The right creature name can land you on the moors, can thrust you into the creepy curlicued woods of Sleepy Hollow, can take you to the Arabia of the 1001 nights.

I'm probably thinking of this more than unusual because I'm playing on the Switch and my eyes aren't brilliant. In terms of what I'm actually doing in Torchlight 2 at the moment, I'm basically using fireworks to attack a bunch of rim-lighting.

Or I would be if not for the names! I need to remember this stuff because it reminds me of the width and depth of writing, about all the forms that it takes, and all the skills that it requires, and all the jobs that it can do. I wonder if there was a room somewhere where a bunch of people and a coffee machine came up with the names for all the creatures in Torchlight 2. And I wonder if there's a room where people are doing the same for Torchlight 3. Time and coffee equals bestiary. That's an exchange I can get behind.

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Torchlight 2 still has the best names in all of video games - Eurogamer.net