Giants quarterback Daniel Jones says knee surgery was limited to his ACL By TOM CANAVAN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones said his recent knee surgery was limited to his ACL and he hopes to return to practice for training camp next season.
Speaking for the first time since having the surgery on his right knee less than two weeks ago, the 26-year-old said he has started his rehabilitation.
“It’s a long road,” Jones said Wednesday. "I think it depends kind of how I do with each stage of it and how it progresses. I’m going to try to focus on what’s right in front of me during each stage and do as well as I can with each of those.”
Jones' surgery was not the same as star running back Saquon Barkley had in 2020. Barkley had to have his right ACL reconstructed and surgeons needed to repair his right meniscus. The No. 2 overall pick in 2018 returned for the 2021 season, but he struggled and did not look like himself until the following season.
"The surgery is easier and the recovery is a lot easier without the other injuries,” said Jones, who signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension last spring.
Jones, who was hurt against Las Vegas on Nov 5, said his goal is to be ready for the opening of training camp in July. That's almost eight months away and much will depend on his rehabilitation.
Jones spoke with reporters after presenting Eduardo Recinos of Putnam Valley High School in New York with the Heart of the Giant award in a ceremony in the Giants locker room at MetLife Stadium. The junior is the team manager for the football team. He was diagnosed with Spastic Cerebral Palsy at birth, and he was unable to walk under his own power. Following numerous surgeries and rehabilitations, he is now able to walk without any assistance.
“He’s overcome a lot of obstacles in his life since he was born,” Jones said. "And to go from where he was there to now he’s walking, (being) part of a team, is there every day, helping, bringing a lot of energy, positivity, enthusiasm that is truly infectious to the group and certainly makes a difference.”
The Giants (4-8) host the Packers (6-6) on Monday night. The Packers have won three in a row. New York has won two straight with undrafted rookie free agent Tommy DeVito at quarterback.
“He’s talented,” Jones said of DeVito. "He throws the ball well. He’s got a strong arm and throws the ball accurately. He played well during training camp, played well in practice leading up to this point. And he’s obviously won the games. So I’m not surprised.”
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Saints QB Carr at practice after concussion. Hill sidelined by foot and hand injuries By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer The Associated Press METAIRIE, La.
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday while working through the NFL's concussion protocol.
However, more than half a dozen Saints players, including Taysom Hill, the club's co-leader in total touchdowns, did not participate.
The Saints also placed safety Marcus Maye and defensive tackle Malcolm Roach on injured reserve.
Carr left Sunday's 33-28 loss to Detroit with concussion symptoms, as well as shoulder and rib injuries. The 10-year veteran was hurt when Detroit pass rusher Bruce Irvin slammed him to the turf as he released a pass. Irvin was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play.
It was the third time this season that the 32-year-old Carr had been knocked out of a game and the second time in 22 days that he'd been diagnosed with a concussion.
“He feels pretty good with all the other ills that he’s dealing with," Saints coach Dennis Allen said, referring to Carr's shoulder and rib injuries. His recovery from the concussion is “the primary thing” leaving Carr's status for Sunday's home game against Carolina in doubt, Allen said.
Allen declined to share whether physicians have discussed the extent to which Carr's prognosis could be complicated by having had more than one concussion in recent weeks.
“It’s really not something I can comment on,” Allen said.
If Carr cannot play, Jameis Winston likely would start against the Panthers.
Carr, who spent his first nine NFL seasons with the Raiders, is in the first year of a four-year, $150 million free-agent contract. His first season in New Orleans has been riddled with inconsistent play, and the offense has struggled to get in the end zone.
Fans in the Superdome booed Carr on Sunday during introductions and when he took the field during the game.
“Derek heard it. We all heard it. We knew what was going on. It’s not like we’re oblivious to it,” running back Alvin Kamara said. “I’ve never experienced anything like it. I don’t like it. I know Derek — that’s not something that he likes. We got to win. ... Winning puts a Band-Aid on a lot of that stuff.”
Kamara also sounded disinclined to pass judgment on injured receiver Michael Thomas' social media posts during the game, which appeared critical of Carr, but which also were vague enough to be open to interpretation.
Allen has said the club's reaction to Thomas' posts or any related discipline would remain “in-house.” Thomas, meanwhile, deactivated his X (formerly Twitter) account.
“I don’t know everything that he tweeted, but I’ve seen a couple and I wouldn’t say that I particularly have a problem with anything,” Kamara said. “That’s his personal opinion. Now, if he wants to broadcast it, that’s on him.”
It's not clear how or when Hill's injuries occurred. He played throughout Sunday's game, rushing 13 times for 59 yards and a touchdown from the quarterback position. He also lined up at tight end and caught two passes for 15 yards.
Hill spoke with reporters after the game and did not show any visible signs of injury.
Saints veterans such as right tackle Ryan Ramczyk and tight end Jimmy Graham regularly are given Wednesdays off from practice so they can have an extra day to recover between games. But Hill normally has not taken extra rest this season.
Hill has five total TDs this season — four rushing and one receiving, tying him for the team lead with Kamara, who also has four scores rushing and one receiving.
Maye, who has a shoulder injury, has played in seven games this season, starting in all of them. He has two interceptions, a sack and three tackles for loss.
Roach, who injured his right knee on Sunday, has played in all 12 of New Orleans' games this season as a reserve. He has three tackles for loss and a QB hit.
Also missing Wednesday's practice were receiver Rashid Shaheed (thigh), running back Kendre Miller (ankle), defensive end Cameron Jordan (ankle) and rookie defensive end Isaiah Foskey (quadriceps).
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Receiver Joshua Palmer returns to practice for Chargers By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer The Associated Press COSTA MESA, Calif.
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Joshua Palmer has returned to practice for the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday, giving the team's beleaguered receiving group a bit of good news.
Palmer has been sidelined for the past five games because of a knee injury. He remains on injured reserve, but Wednesday's practice opened the 21-day window to see if he can return to the active roster.
The third-year pro did not say if that return could come by Sunday, when the Chargers (5-7) host the Denver Broncos (6-6) in a key AFC West matchup.
“I’ll be ready to play soon. I've got 21 days to return. So within 21 days, I’ll be back on the field,” Palmer said after Wednesday's practice. “All I know now is that it’s healing correctly.”
Coach Brandon Staley also did not give a timeline on when he thought Palmer would return to the lineup.
Palmer was second on the Chargers in receptions (23) and receiving yards (377) when he was placed on injured reserve. He started four games after Mike Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury during the second half of the Sept. 24 game at Minnesota.
Without Palmer, Justin Herbert has not had a consistent second option. Keenan Allen has an NFL-leading 102 receptions and is third in receiving yards with 1,175.
Allen has 48 receptions in the past five games while running back Austin Ekeler has 15 and first-round pick Quentin Johnston 14.
The Chargers also have been plagued by drops over the past five games with 14.
“Josh is a special player. It’s tough dealing with adversity like that, but he’s doing everything that he can in the training room, in the film room. Whenever he’s called, I know he’ll be ready,” quarterback Justin Herbert said.
Palmer's return could also help buoy an offense that did not score a touchdown in last Sunday's 6-0 victory over New England. It was only the sixth time since 2010 that a team won despite not reaching the end zone and shut out an opponent.
The Chargers offense has only three touchdowns in the past 10 quarters.
“We ultimately couldn’t score in the red zone. I think that’s the biggest part of it. I thought we did a good job of protecting the ball, but there are plenty of things on film that we can clean up,” Herbert said about the Patriots' game.
NOTES: Staley said center Corey Linsley isn't expected to return this season. Linsley has been on the non-football illness list since Week 4 because of a heart issue. ... Safety JT Woods was activated off the non-football illness list after being out for nine games. Wide receiver Simi Fehoko was waived to make room for Woods.
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Wilson insists the Denver Broncos are still primed for a playoff push after their letdown in Houston By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press ENGLEWOOD, Colo.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos are aiming to go on another winning streak like the one that ended with a thud last week in Houston
At 6-6, the Broncos are still alive in the playoff picture but their margin for error is much slimmer after coming up short 22-17 to the Texans on Sunday, which snapped their AFC-best five-game winning streak.
Russell Wilson is coming off his worst game of the season, one in which he was picked off three times, underthrew receivers several times and bypassed a wide-open Jerry Jeudy for a walk-in touchdown and instead scrambled for the first down in a series that ended with a field goal.
Coach Sean Payton peppered his Monday comments with what many perceived as digs at his quarterback, including this nugget when addressing that play in which Jeudy was left wide open: “If you watch all of it, holy cow, there are about two or three of those plays."
Wilson took the opportunity at his weekly news conference Wednesday to remind everyone — maybe his coach, included — that the sky wasn't exactly falling on the Broncos (6-6).
“We've been 5-1 over the last six games,” Wilson offered. “We can't forget that, too. We've got five games to go. We went 5-1. We've got a lot of confidence in this locker room in who we are and what we're going to do and how we can go about it. And so, I believe that's who we are over the past six games, and I believe we can be even better and that's the best part about it.”
Maybe that was an inspirational message to his teammates or perhaps it was a veiled retort to his coach.
Either way, the Broncos' loss to the Texans narrowed their path to the playoffs, where they haven't been since winning the Super Bowl in Peyton Manning's farewell game in February 2016.
Although they're 2 1/2-point underdogs Sunday against the Chargers in Los Angeles, according to FanDuel Sportsbook , Denver should be favored in most of its remaining games.
Wilson said now is not the time to radically change anything on offense even though it's sputtered for stretches this season and again Sunday.
“I think we're closer than you guys may know, that's what I believe,” Wilson said. “I mean, there's some plays in there that we could have had, we almost had. The second play of the game Courtland (Sutton) almost makes a big play for us. I mean, that's a 50-yard big play for us.”
So, too, could have been Marvin Mims Jr.'s deep route if not for Wilson underthrowing him and the defender tackling him before the ball got there on a play that wasn't flagged.
“Maybe I put it out there another foot,” Wilson said. "Jerry had another one, Jerry had a deep one where I had to get it out of my hand quickly, unfortunately. But he was going to be open.
“There's three or four plays in there that the game's completely different," Wilson added. "That's why when you watch the film you understand that there's a lot of great opportunity, a lot of good stuff. And I think we've just go to stay the course and trust.”
TV cameras caught Jeudy demonstratively showing his frustration on the play where Wilson tucked the ball and scrambled.
“Unfortunately it took a while and (I told myself) OK, go get the first down," Wilson said. "But I think there's some great stuff in there. I think first of all with Jerry, he practices extremely well. I've got all the confidence in the world in him.
“We've got five games to go. That's what we're focused on as a team and he's going to help us win. He's a winner. He's a guy who's competitive. He's got unbelievable ability. I've got all the trust in the world in him and I'm excited for the next five games for not just him but for our football team and what we can do."
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Lions lose best interior defensive lineman, putting Alim McNeill (knee) on injured reserve The Associated Press ALLEN PARK, Mich.
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions put their best interior defensive lineman, Alim McNeill, on injured reserve with a knee injury and signed cornerback Kindle Vildor off the practice squad.
Detroit also added Tyson Alualu and Matt Farniok to the practice squad and released linebacker Raymond Johnson from it.
The NFC North-leading Lions (9-3) made the moves Tuesday, two days after McNeill was injured in a win at New Orleans. Detroit will play at Chicago (4-8) on Sunday.
McNeill made 31 tackles and six were for losses, including a career-high five sacks. He also a forced fumble and defended a pass. McNeill has started 35 games over three years with the Lions.
Vildor played in two games earlier this season with Tennessee. He started in 22 of 44 games the previous three years in Chicago, with 97 tackles and an interception.
The 36-year-old Alualu played in 17 games, including two starts, last season in Pittsburgh. He has started 113 of 191 games over three seasons with the Steelers and six in Jacksonville, with 416 career tackles and 25 sacks.
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Offensive struggles mount for the Patriots, Giants and Jets By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press
Inside the Numbers dives into NFL statistics, streaks and trends each week. For more Inside the Numbers, head here .
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It's been more than a decade since the NFL featured three offenses as challenged as the ones for the New England Patriots, New York Jets and New York Giants.
Blame it on quarterback injuries, bad rosters, poor coaching and downright bad play, those three teams rank at the bottom of the NFL in scoring.
The Jets rank 30th at 14.3 points per game, followed by the Giants at 13.3 and the Patriots at 12.3 — marking the first time since 2011 that three teams scored fewer than 15 points per game in the first 12 contests.
Coach Bill Belichick's Patriots are easily the worst of the three offenses as the lowest-scoring team through 12 games since the 2011 Rams were at 11.7.
New England has been shut out twice at home for the first time ever after losing 6-0 to the Chargers last week and is the first team since 1938 to lose three straight games while allowing 10 or fewer points in each of them.
The Patriots had lost 10-6 to the Colts and 10-7 to the Giants in the previous two games. The last team to do that was the Chicago Cardinals, who lost four in a row when allowing 10 or fewer points each game in 1938 when players still wore leather helmets and teams ran the ball more than twice as often as throwing it.
New England will try to break that streak on Thursday night against Pittsburgh in a game projected to have few points scored. With the Steelers set to start Mitch Trubisky at quarterback and the Patriots likely going to Bailey Zappe for a second straight game, the over-under for the game has been set at 30.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook .
Sportradar has tracked over-unders for the past 15 seasons and that would be the lowest total in that span, beating the 32.5 for a Saints-Browns game in Week 16 last season and a Browns-Steelers game in Week 14 of the 2009 season. Both those games finished under.
Making matters worse for the Jets and Patriots is the fact their defenses have been playing at a high level for much of the season. The Jets (4-8) are allowing 19.6 points per game — excluding defensive and special teams scores — and the Patriots (2-10) are even better at 18.6.
They are the only two teams since at least 2000 to have losing records after 12 games, while allowing less than 20 points per game to opposing offenses.
The Jets have scored only 10 offensive touchdowns, the fewest through 12 games since the 1993 Bengals also had 10.
The issues for the Giants revolve around a poor offensive line and quarterbacks who hold onto the ball too long. New York has taken 69 sacks so far this season for the second most through 12 games to the 73 taken by the Eagles in 1986.
STEPPING UP
The San Francisco 49ers have been at their best against the toughest competition.
San Francisco handed Philadelphia its second loss of the season with a 42-19 victory that featured six straight drives for the 49ers that ended in touchdowns.
The Niners now have four wins by at least 23 points against teams that are currently in playoff position, having also beaten Pittsburgh 30-7, Dallas 42-10 and Jacksonville 34-3.
Only two teams in NFL history have ever had three wins by at least 23 points against teams that made the playoffs with Kansas City doing it in 2021 and Green Bay in 1996.
San Francisco has outscored teams in playoff position by 102 points in six games — including losses to Cleveland and Minnesota. The plus-17 points per game differential against playoff teams would rank third best among the 1,290 teams that have had at least five games against playoff teams, trailing only the 2007 Patriots (+19.7 points per game) and the 2014 Patriots (+18.0).
HOME COOKING
The Cowboys head into Sunday's showdown against Philadelphia on a dominant run at home with their 14 straight wins in Dallas in the regular season and playoffs being the second-longest streak in the last 10 seasons to New England's 21-gamer from 2017-19.
The Cowboys have tied an NFL record by scoring at least 40 points in four straight home games, joining the Bengals (2013), Rams (2000), Chargers (1960-61) and Lions (1952). Dallas has also scored at least 30 points in seven straight home games, tied for the third longest ever.
The recent play from quarterback Dak Prescott is a big reason why. He has 20 TD passes and only two interceptions in his last six games. Prescott threw 16 TD passes in November, the 11th time a QB has thrown for that many TDs in a single month.
JAKE THE GREAT
Cincinnati's Jake Browning made the five-year wait between wins as a starting QB worthwhile.
Filling in for the injured Joe Burrow, Browning delivered an impressive performance, going 32 for 37 for 354 yards with one TD pass and one TD run in a 34-31 overtime win over Jacksonville in his second career NFL start. Browning's last win as a starter came in the 2018 Pac-12 title game for Washington against Utah.
Browning joined Vinny Testaverde (1992 vs. Green Bay) as the only players ever to throw for at least 350 yards, complete at least 85% of his passes and have a TD run and pass in the same game.
Browning also had the 11th game ever with at least 35 attempts and an 85% or better completion percentage with Drew Brees the only player to do it twice. The others who did it once each were Rich Gannon, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.
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Oddsmakers set historic low over/under totals in 2 NFL games this week By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press
The oddsmakers aren't expecting many points in a couple of NFL games this week.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook , the over/under for the Patriots-Steelers game on Thursday night and the Jaguars-Browns game on Sunday are both currently set at 30.5 points.
Sportradar has tracked over-unders for the past 15 seasons and that would be the lowest total in that span, beating the 32.5 for a Saints-Browns game in Week 16 last season and a Browns-Steelers game in Week 14 of the 2009 season. Both those games finished under.
There are good reasons for those low totals. The Patriots are last in the league in scoring at 12.3 points per game for the lowest average for any team at this point in the season since 2011.
The Steelers are set to start Mitch Trubisky at quarterback with starter Kenny Pickett hurt.
The Browns and Jaguars also could both be using backup quarterbacks with Joe Flacco expected to make his second start of the season for Cleveland after being signed off the street late last month and Trevor Lawrence's status in doubt for Jacksonville because of a sprained ankle. C.J. Beathard, who hasn't started a game since 2020, would likely start in Lawrence's place.
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Bills GM says edge rusher Von Miller to practice and play while facing domestic violence charge By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer The Associated Press ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Though shaken by Von Miller being charged with domestic violence , general manager Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills proceeded cautiously on Wednesday in awaiting the legal process to play out before rushing to judgement or discipline.
For now, the NFL’s active leader in sacks and two-time Super Bowl winner will continue practicing and is expected to suit up on Sunday, when Buffalo (6-6) travels to play at the Kansas City Chiefs (8-4). And that will remain the Bills’ approach until more information surfaces from either a Dallas police or NFL investigation into allegations of Miller assaulting the mother of his children, who is pregnant.
“No one wants their name associated with any accusation like that, so that’s a natural disappointment. I’m sure he’s disappointed,” Beane said. “But things happen sometimes, and again, we have to remember people, we have to give them their fair due process. That can happen to anyone in this room. And I would hope we would all wait and let that play out before we rush to judgement.”
Beane spoke for the team as the Bills returned from their bye week, and a week after Miller turned himself in to police in a Dallas suburb after being charged in a warrant with domestic violence. Miller faces a charge of third-degree felony assault of a pregnant woman, which is punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He is free after posting a $5,000 bond.
The woman and Miller have been in a relationship for seven years and have children together.
Beane said the Bills are following the NFL’s lead. In calling the allegations serious, he said they seemed “out of character” for a person he has come to know over the past year and a half since signing Miller in free agency.
In Dallas, the district attorney’s office informed The Associated Press that it had no updates on the investigation since Miller turned himself in, a day after the alleged assault occurred on Nov. 29. According to a police affidavit which officers wrote, Miller twice put his hands on the neck of the woman, pulled out a chunk of her hair and threw her onto a couch. The woman was treated for minor injuries, including bruising on her neck, police said.
The NFL issued a statement on Wednesday saying it continues gathering information and following all legal developments.
Miller, wearing a gray sweatsuit with its hoodie pulled over his head, did not address reporters as he walked off the practice field and headed into an off-limits area of the team’s facility.
Coach Sean McDermott said Miller did not practice because of a previously scheduled rest day for a player who is still being eased back since having surgery a year ago to repair a right knee injury. McDermott said the 34-year-old is set to practice fully on Thursday.
“It’s a very, very serious situation. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it,” McDermott said. “It’s a very, very serious situation, and something that we don’t take lightly.”
The woman told police she was six weeks pregnant and showed them a photograph of a positive pregnancy test and a screenshot of a text conversation with Miller in which they discussed the possible due date of the child and a doctor visit. She told police she recorded some of the attack and, when she threatened to call police, he left.
Bills center Mitch Morse was supportive of his teammate, but understood why the allegations would be troubling.
“It’s tough because I have a very personal relationship with Von that’s very nice. He’s been a very generous teammate, a great teammate to me and I got nothing but great things to say,” Morse said.
“I know some people might not feel that way. And that’s not for me to deter or to tell people how to feel, whether it’s in the building, outside the building,” he added. “I completely understand how everyone feels about this.”
Beane acknowledged how the Bills backing Miller left the team open to criticism.
“We’re just trying to to do the right thing, and you’re never going to make 100% of people happy,” Beane said. “If we went the other way and said he can’t play, there’d be people upset about that, too.”
Beane said he’s discussed what happened with Miller and his representatives and preferred keeping those conversations private. Beane said he has also been in contact with the NFL and doesn’t anticipate Commissioner Roger Goodell placing Miller on the exempt list.
In the past, players aren’t placed on the commissioner’s exempt list until formal charges are filed by a prosecutor or through the findings of a grand jury, or when the league’s own investigation concludes there was a potential violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
The Bills are Miller’s third team over his 13-year career that began with Denver. He won a Super Bowl with the Broncos to close the 2015 season, and his second title came during the 2021 season, months after being traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
He then signed with the Bills the following offseason. Miller leads active players in his 19th overall season with 123 1/2 career sacks. Miller is a popular and highly visible player, he has appeared in television commercials for brands including Old Spice and Progressive.
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Associated Press writer Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed to this report.
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Pro Picks: Steelers will top Patriots in a close, low-scoring game featuring two struggling offenses By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press
Pro Picks is a weekly column where AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi shares his picks for upcoming games. For all previous Pro Picks, head here .
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Mitch Trubisky gets another chance to prove he can be a starting quarterback, stepping in for the injured Kenny Pickett to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night.
He won't have to do much against the dreadful New England Patriots (2-10).
The Patriots have scored 13 points over the past three games and are averaging 9.4 points per game in five straight losses.
Bailey Zappe was no better than Mac Jones, producing even fewer points. New England might as well bring back Steve Grogan or Tony Eason.
The Steelers (7-5) are six-point favorites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Pro Picks expects a closer game with few points.
STEELERS, 13-8
DETROIT at CHICAGO
Line: Lions minus 3
Jared Goff and a high-octane offense has Detroit (9-3) winning despite a shaky defense that has given up an average of 28.8 points in the past six games. The return of Justin Fields and a much-improved defense keeps the Bears (4-8) competitive.
BEST BET: LIONS, 27-20
TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA
Line: Falcons minus 2 1/2
The NFC South is on the line and the Buccaneers (5-7) must win this game to have a shot at their third straight division title. The Falcons (6-6) are winning despite QB Desmond Ridder.
UPSET SPECIAL: BUCCANEERS, 20-17
LOS ANGELES RAMS at BALTIMORE
Line: Ravens minus 7 1/2
A three-game winning streak has the Rams (6-6) in the playoff race. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens (9-3) are chasing the AFC’s No.1 seed. Baltimore is 1-8 against the spread in the past nine games it’s been favored by seven points or more.
RAVENS, 24-17
CAROLINA at NEW ORLEANS
Line: Saints minus 5 1/2
A coaching change helped the Panthers (1-11) play more competitive. The Saints (5-7) have lost three straight and Derek Carr is back in concussion protocol.
SAINTS, 23-16
INDIANAPOLIS at CINCINNATI
Line: Colts minus 1 1/2
Rookie coach Shane Steichen has the Colts (7-5) in the playoff race with backup quarterback Gardner Minshew leading an offense averaging 25 points per game. They’ll face the league’s lowest-ranked defense. But the Bengals (6-6) are coming off a stunning upset in Jacksonville that put them back in the playoff chase.
COLTS, 27-23
JACKSONVILLE at CLEVELAND
Line: Browns minus 3
Trevor Lawrence has a sprained ankle that could force him to miss a game for the first time in his career and the Jaguars (8-4) lost wide receiver Christian Kirk to injury. They’re 6-0 away from home this season, but the Browns (7-5) are allowing just 10.2 points per game in Cleveland. Veteran QB Joe Flacco played well in his first game for the Browns, but the defense needs to step up with Myles Garrett slowed by a shoulder injury.
BROWNS, 20-19
HOUSTON at NEW YORK JETS
Line: Texans minus 5 1/2
Rookie QB C.J. Stroud and the Texans (7-5) are making a playoff run. The hapless Jets (4-8) have given Aaron Rodgers no reason to attempt an improbable comeback this season.
TEXANS, 20-10
SEATTLE at SAN FRANCISCO
Line: 49ers minus 10 1/2
Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers (9-3) are looking like the best team in the NFL. They have to keep winning to surpass Philadelphia for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Seahawks (6-6) have lost three in a row and were blown out by San Francisco at home on Thanksgiving.
49ERS, 31-22
MINNESOTA at LAS VEGAS
Line: Vikings minus 3
The Vikings (6-6) hope a week off gave them answers to fix a two-game losing streak. Same for the Raiders (5-7).
VIKINGS, 23-19
DENVER at LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Line: Chargers minus 2 1/2
The Chargers (5-7) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-0 win. They’ll need to score more against Russell Wilson and the Broncos (6-6).
CHARGERS, 23-22
BUFFALO at KANSAS CITY
Line: Chiefs minus 2 1/2
The Chiefs (8-4) are 18-3 after a loss with Patrick Mahomes. Josh Allen and the Bills (6-6) have no margin for error. This game shaped up to be a potential AFC championship preview when the schedule came out. Now Buffalo has to fight just to get a wild-card spot.
CHIEFS, 27-23
PHILADELPHIA at DALLAS
Line: Cowboys minus 3 1/2
The humbled Eagles (10-2) still own the best record in the NFL after getting whipped by the 49ers. The surging Cowboys (9-3) are closing in fast. The Eagles beat Dallas 28-23 in Philadelphia last month. The Cowboys had a chance at the end with a first down at the Eagles 6 in the final minute before self-destructing.
COWBOYS, 27-26
TENNESSEE at MIAMI
Line: Dolphins minus 13 1/2
Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and the Dolphins (9-3) seem unstoppable on offense. The good news for the Titans (4-8) in a lost season is rookie QB Will Levis has shown plenty of potential.
DOLPHINS, 31-20
GREEN BAY at NEW YORK GIANTS
Line: Packers minus 6 1/2
Fresh off an upset win over Mahomes and the Chiefs, Jordan Love and the Packers (6-6) are back in the playoff race. Tommy DeVito has led the Giants (4-8) to two straight wins, but they’re home underdogs.
PACKERS, 23-20
Last week: Straight up: 6-7. Against spread: 4-9
Overall: Straight up: 120-73. Against spread: 101-85-7.
Best Bet: Straight up: 9-4. Against spread: 6-6-1.
Upset Special: Straight up: 7-6. Against spread: 9-4.
Thursday: Straight up: 11-4. Against spread: 11-3-1.
Monday: Straight up: 8-7. Against spread: 10-4-1.
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Vikings will stick with Joshua Dobbs at QB, after bye week assessment By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press EAGAN, Minn.
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Joshua Dobbs and the Minnesota Vikings finally had an opportunity to catch their breath, after a whirlwind arrival, a storybook start and two buzz-killing losses before their bye week.
He's still the quarterback for now. Their job is to provide enough support to keep him in his starting role — while maintaining positioning for the playoffs that has taken a precarious turn.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell announced on Wednesday that Dobbs will remain the starter this week, after he threw four interceptions — three of them off a variety of deflections — during a damaging 12-10 defeat at home to Chicago on Nov. 27.
O’Connell acknowledged after that game he considered benching Dobbs to give the offense a spark.
“The conversation was smooth and open,” Dobbs said before practice. “I plan on making the most of this opportunity and bouncing back from the last time on the field.”
O'Connell decided Dobbs was the best option for the game at Las Vegas on Sunday and that he deserved another start, but the coach left wide open the possibility of a future switch.
“Our offense and our staff’s ability to evolve and help Josh thrive is our plan,” O'Connell said. “We’re very confident in him.”
When Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles tendon in the game at Green Bay on Oct. 29, the Vikings (6-6) have been scrambling ever since. Dobbs was a valuable find in a trade with Arizona, but the seventh-year veteran — trying to get up to speed on his third different playbook this season — has shown his limitations and vulnerabilities.
Off-the-mark throws are one thing. Six turnovers over the past two games — losses by a combined three points — are another. Over his first two games, both Vikings victories, Dobbs had no interceptions and two lost fumbles. He also totaled 110 rushing yards on 15 attempts in those games. In the past two outings, he took off 10 times and netted only 32 yards.
“Obviously it’s a process when you come in and you’re entrenched in a new offense very quickly and as they try to learn me and areas I’m able to thrive at, as well as me as I continue to learn the ins and outs of an offense,” Dobbs said.
Soon after the Chicago game, Dobbs sent a text message to O'Connell with a request to review the film together. Quarterbacks coach Chris O'Hara joined them.
“There was a lot of growth moments for him in those discussions and for me as well,” O'Connell said.
Nick Mullens will be the backup this week. He's still returning to full strength from a lower back injury that kept him sidelined for more than a month. Rookie Jaren Hall, who was the first post-Cousins starter before a concussion forced him out and sent Dobbs in at Atlanta, will be third string.
Dobbs will get a big boost from the return of wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who was activated last week from injured reserve. The 2022 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year has missed the past seven games with a strained hamstring.
“He happens to be an extremely friendly target with his catch radius and his ability to do pretty dynamic things with the ball after the catch," O'Connell said. “We’ll try to put together a plan that maximizes that.”
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