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Packers tightens hold on MVP award with rampage over Titans

Published

3 years ago

December 28, 2020

Sahara Weekly

Packers tightens hold on MVP award with rampage over Titans- The race for this year’s NFL Most Valuable Player award officially ended on a chilly, snowy night in Green Bay. It concluded as Aaron Rodgers tossed touchdown pass after touchdown pass and the Packers torched the Tennessee Titans on Sunday Night Football. Before that point, Rodgers was running neck and neck with Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes for that honor. After this latest performance, it’s hard to see how Rodgers doesn’t deserve it just a little bit more.

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The Packers answered plenty of questions during their 40-14 win over Tennessee, the most obvious being whether they could sustain their steadily building momentum as the postseason approaches. They’ve got their clutches on the top seed in the NFC playoffs at the moment, and they seem determined not to let it slip away. That has plenty to do with how their future Hall of Fame quarterback has been playing. The longer this season goes on, the more we’re reminded of what has made Rodgers so special in the first place.

The Packers now stand at 12-3, with a season finale at Chicago left on their regular-season schedule. Their dreams of hoisting a Lombardi Trophy at some point in the near future have plenty to do with their quarterback’s excellence.

“It was a solid game,” said Rodgers after completing 21-of-24 passes for 231 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. “I felt good about the performance of our offense. I felt like I was in a pretty good rhythm all day. Similar to last week, I felt like we were running the ball so well that I just had to be patient.”

Rodgers is this year’s MVP for one simple reason: He’s done more with less. Mahomes has produced another monster season with the assistance of the best tight end in football, the best deep threat in football and an assortment of other speedy playmakers at his disposal. The Chiefs have so much talent that they’ve struggled to find touches for three-time Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell. That depth makes life much easier for Mahomes when he steps under center.

Rodgers, on the other hand, has elevated the play of those around him. He surely has his own Pro Bowlers — most notably running back Aaron Jones and wide receiver Davante Adama– and rookie A.J. Dillion made quite an impression against Tennessee (124 rushing yards and two touchdowns). However, few people had heard of targets like Robert Tonyan, Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling until Rodgers started dropping dimes on them. There’s a reason why so many people were lamenting the Packers’ decision to not add more weapons to this roster during the offseason.

It turns out Green Bay’s front office had it right. They thought they could bet on the future (by using a first-round pick on quarterback Jordan Love) and rely on Rodgers to lead them in the present. Now that Rodgers has thrown 44 touchdown passes and only five interceptions this season, he’s made it even harder for his bosses to see an optimal window for getting Love onto the field. At 37, he’s put together a season just one year after many skeptics were openly wondering about his impending decline.

That type of brilliance can’t be dismissed.

“Being around him the past seven years has definitely allowed me to really know what being a true competitor really is,” Adams said. “Everybody knows that I hold myself to a crazy high standard and it’s been like that for a long time. But to be in a situation where I come in and see a guy who’s been balling out as long as he has and not be satisfied with the success he has … being with that guy has allowed me to know what true greatness is.”

The Titans saw firsthand what Adams was referencing. Rodgers threw three of his touchdown passes in the first half. He connected with Adams (11 receptions, 142 yards and three touchdowns) early and often. When the Titans started to rally — they closed the deficit to 19-14 after falling behind 19-0 — Rodgers calmly kept Tennessee at arm’s length by engineering timely scoring drives.

It helps that the Packers defense has improved noticeably over the past month. It did a tremendous job of controlling Titans Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry and allowing only 260 total yards to a team that was tied for the league lead in points scored coming into this contest. This is another factor in Rodgers’ favor. The Packers needed him to play at a high level when that defense was struggling so mightily that it surrendered at least 28 points in five of Green Bay’s first 10 games.

That defense now is coming around at exactly the right time for Rodgers, who has posted insane numbers regardless of the play on the other side of the ball. He’s thrown at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions on nine separate occasions. He’s tossed four touchdown passes and no picks five times this season. When Titans cornerback Malcolm Butler intercepted Rodgers in the fourth quarter of this latest game, that was the first time Rodgers had turned the ball over in five weeks.

On top of all that, Rodgers still has plenty of opportunities to add to his list of accomplishments. That season-ending game with the Bears has considerable significance because Green Bay can lose their hold on that first-round bye with a loss and a Seattle win. The Packers know their best shot of reaching their second Super Bowl with Rodgers involves playing games in January in Lambeau Field.

As Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said, “It is a different deal when you come in here and play and there is snow. It’s almost what you envision as a kid… it’s snowy and cold and we wouldn’t want to have it any other way.”

The Titans looked ill-prepared to function in those conditions while Rodgers casually slung passes all over the field. He’ll certainly face a tougher defense in Chicago but he also threw four touchdown passes and no interceptions in a 41-25 win over the Bears on Nov. 29. Meanwhile, it’s quite likely that Mahomes will barely be playing at all. The Chiefs clinched the first-round bye in the AFC with their victory over Atlanta on Sunday, making their season finale against the Chargers meaningless.

Of course, Rodgers cares far more about his second shot at a Super Bowl win than an opportunity to win a third MVP. Rodgers also admitted the plan was for Green Bay to play its starters in Chicago regardless of playoff implications. “Now that that’s out of the question, we’ve got to win to get the one seed,” Rodgers said. “It feels like the playoffs started really last week.”

That’s pretty much the case for most teams still vying for spots and seeding. For Rodgers, he has to know there’s even more riding on this run. All he has to do is look around the NFL to see the number of older quarterbacks hoping to win one more title, a list that includes Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers. If Rodgers takes a peek inside his own locker room, he’ll see how quickly time is running out for him inside his own franchise.

There’s no doubt that Rodgers is playing as inspired as he ever has. That may have something to do with Love’s presence, it might be just the personal challenge Rodgers puts on himself or it could be a combination of both and other factors. The bottom line is that nobody in the league has put together a better season than he has so far. The way things are heading, it’s fair to assume that nobody else will.

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Sports

Daniel Amokachi Excited to Participate in the 7th Edition of Adron Games

Published

2 days ago

April 23, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Daniel Amokachi Excited to Participate in the 7th Edition of Adron Games

…Former Nigerian Football Star Endorses Adron Games as Platform for Sporting Talent

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Former Nigerian football icon, Daniel Amokachi, has voiced his enthusiasm for the upcoming 2024 edition of the Adron Games, marking his participation in the prestigious event. Amokachi praised the tournament as a miniature National Sports Festival, highlighting its ability to unite athletes from all corners of the country.

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Expressing his delight, Amokachi remarked, “It’s an honor to be part of the Adron Games 2024. The event serves as a showcase for the abundance of sporting talent within Nigeria. It’s like a mini National Sports Festival, where athletes of all ages come together to compete.”

Encouraging sports enthusiasts, Corporate bodies, and the general public to embrace the event’s festive atmosphere, Amokachi emphasized the importance of seizing the opportunity to enjoy and experience the Games fully. He also stressed the significance of supporting initiatives like the Adron Games in advancing sports development nationwide.

Scheduled to commence in June and extend through August 2024, with the National finals set for November in Ibadan, Oyo State, the Adron Games Championship promises to be bigger and better than ever. According to Oladapo Emmanuel, Director of Operations at the Adron Sports Foundation, the tournament will feature over 64 teams competing in the football championship, with the winners advancing to the prestigious National finals.

Emmanuel further highlighted the broader objectives of the Adron Games, emphasizing its role in fostering team spirit, facilitating networking opportunities, and promoting a sense of responsibility among participants. With the backing of Adron Sports Foundation, a subsidiary of the renowned Nigerian real estate giant, Adron Homes and Properties Limited, the event aims to create lasting memories and ensure everyone involved has a fulfilling experience.

As anticipation builds for the 2024 edition of the Adron Games, the endorsement of Daniel Amokachi underscores the event’s significance within the Nigerian sporting landscape. Stay tuned for updates and coverage as the tournament unfolds, promising thrills, excitement, and a celebration of sporting excellence.

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society

48 Cultists Surrender Firearms, Renounce Membership in Ogun

Published

4 weeks ago

March 26, 2024

Sahara Weekly

48 Cultists Surrender Firearms, Renounce Membership in Ogun

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In a bid to quell the alarming surge of violence in Ogun State, particularly in Sagamu, forty-eight youths have taken the bold step of renouncing their membership in cult groups.

This significant development comes alongside the surrender of firearms by those who possessed them illegally, marking a pivotal moment in the state’s efforts to combat crime and restore peace.

The arms submitted includes onepump action, four double barrels, seven single barrels, two english pistol, four locally made pistol and thirty-five cartridges

Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Abiodun Alamutu, affirmed the progress, stating, “Aside from those licensed to bear firearms, no other person is permitted to possess them. Anyone found in possession of firearms after this will be treated as a criminal.”

He emphasized the importance of ongoing profiling and the forthcoming stage of the program, which will involve the public parading of those who have renounced their involvement in cult activities.

“After adequately profile them, they’ll be paraded. What we will encourage members of the community so that they don’t treat them as outcast because we know from experience that some of them found themselves in this fold , it was after they have been entrapped in it, they now understand what cultism is and it’s never easy to opt out because of fear of attack. Now that they’re bold enough to surrender what we should do is to reintegrate them as legitimate and law abiding members of the community .”

Acknowledging the complexities surrounding cultism, the Akarigbo of Remo Land Oba Babatunde Ajayi emphasized the need for community engagement and support in facilitating the reintegration of former cult members.

He highlighted the collaborative efforts between the community, law enforcement, and armed forces in addressing the security challenges and expressed optimism in the willingness of surrendered individuals to contribute positively to society.

Special Adviser to the Ogun State Government on Security Matters, Olusola Zubair, commended the collective endeavour that led to the surrender of arms, attributing it to the perseverance and resilience of all stakeholders involved.

He underscored the potential for replicating such initiatives in other areas grappling with similar issues, emphasizing the paramount importance of peace for sustainable development.

“We know that development can only strive where there’s an atmosphere of peace and that’s what we’re clamouring for here. I want to use this opportunity to appeal to all other sectors of this state that what we are doing in sagamu today, is doable in other places also . I want to thank the Governor of Ogun State for giving us that support .

“I want to say this is not all the arms that they have been using but just as the Akarigbo said , it’s a continuous process , we are still in that process of recovering these firearms and am sure that most of them will know now that crime doesn’t pay so it is better to live in peace . All of us should live in unity and that’s what will bring development to our state.”

The Director of Department State Services (DSS) Folashade Adekayajo represented by Deputy Director of Operations and Intelligence, Sikiru Kolawole, echoed the call for individuals involved in cult activities to embrace peace and renounce violence.

He emphasized the crucial role of community members in providing information to aid law enforcement efforts in curbing criminal activities.

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celebrity radar - gossips

Osimhen, Boniface Beat Ronaldo As World’s Best Strikers

Published

2 months ago

February 21, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Osimhen, Boniface Beat Ronaldo As World’s Best Strikers

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Nigeria’s Super Eagles strikers Victor Osimhen and Victor Boniface have been ranked above Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski in the world’s latest top 10 best strikers. Norwegian and Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland leads the list, followed by England skipper Harry Kane. The third slot went to Kylian Mbappe. Are there other great African football players that were not ranked but deserve recognition?

1. Erling Halaand
2. Harry Kane
3. Kylian Mbappe
4. Victor Osimhen(NIGERIAN)
5. Lauaro Martinez
6. Heung Ming Song
7. Victor Boniface(NIGERIAN)
8. Julian Alvarez
9. Cristiano Ronaldo
10. Robert Lewandoski.

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