Bears see room to grow after already matching win total from last season By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press CHICAGO
CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears reached into their bag of tricks and dug deep in the end to pull out their wildest victory in years.
They matched their win total from last season and are in the thick of the NFC playoff race. Even so, they know they have room to grow.
“Yeah, we haven’t played our best football collectively as a team yet,” coach Ben Johnson said Monday, a day after the Bears outlasted Cincinnati 47-42 in a thriller that featured three touchdowns in the last two minutes.
“And yet," Johnson said, "we have found a way to win.”
The Bears (5-3) could at least exhale a day after their wild victory.
They're in a far better place in Johnson's first season than they were this time last year, when they were in a 10-game freefall that cost former coach Matt Eberflus his job.
It hasn't been the smoothest ride for Chicago. The Bears blew an 11-point lead in the opener against Minnesota and got blown out at Detroit the following week before winning four in a row and matching their best streak since 2018.
Williams' progress in his second season hasn't happened in a straight line. The former No. 1 draft pick still has a tendency to lock into targets and spend too much time scrambling, but he has also come up big late in close games. His 58-yard touchdown to Colston Loveland with 17 seconds remaining Sunday capped a performance like no other .
Williams not only threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns while running for 53 yards, he became the first quarterback in in nearly 82 years with multiple receptions in a game. He caught two passes for 22 yards and a TD.
“It just opens up the offense, just gives the defense another element that they have to account for as they game plan throughout the week," receiver Olamide Zaccheaus said. "You know, him being able to do that, extend drives, especially late in the game is huge for us and we’ve got to continue to build on that.”
What’s working
The Bears had three more takeaways against Cincinnati to bring their league-leading total to 19. Chicago had 15 in a four-game win streak before coming away with none in a loss at Baltimore in Week 8.
What needs help
If the Bears weren't already looking for help in the pass rush before Tuesday's deadline, they might be now.
Johnson said DE Dayo Odeyingbo suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury against Cincinnati, another blow for a team struggling to take down the quarterback. Signed last March to a three-year deal with $32 million guaranteed, he had one sack after recording 16 1/2 over his first four seasons with Indianapolis.
Odeyingbo's injury came on the same day DE Austin Booker made an impressive season debut. Booker had a strip sack against Joe Flacco when he bull-rushed his blocker, after missing the first seven games because of a knee injury.
The Bears are tied for 20th in the NFL with 17 sacks, and only three players have more than one, with Montez Sweat leading the team with four.
Stock up
WR Rome Odunze. Though the second-year pro went from matching a career high with seven receptions for 114 yards at Baltimore to failing to catch a pass for the first time in his career, he has emerged as Williams' favorite option. The former Washington star leads the team in yards receiving (473), touchdown catches (five) and targets (59). His 31 receptions are tied with Zaccheaus for first on the Bears.
Stock down
LT Braxton Jones. The 2022 fifth-round draft pick lost his starting job and then got placed on injured reserve. It has been a rough stretch. Jones has started 44 games in four seasons for Chicago, including the first four this year. He was lifted during a Week 4 win at Las Vegas and was placed on IR with a knee injury before the Baltimore game.
Injuries
TE Cole Kmet was in the concussion protocol after getting hurt in Sunday's game.
Key number
71 — Penalties have been a big issue, with the Bears third in the league with 71 for 576 yards. Left tackle Theo Benedet's four false starts are tied for the most by an NFL offensive lineman.
Next steps
The Bears host the New York Giants — losers of three straight and last in the NFC East — on Sunday before the schedule takes a tougher turn. They visit Minnesota in Week 11 and then play three straight against current division leaders, with a home game against Pittsburgh followed by trips to defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia and to Green Bay.
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Bengals' nightmare season hits the midway point at 3-6 after two devastating losses By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer The Associated Press CINCINNATI
CINCINNATI (AP) — It’s ironic that one of the roads in front of the Cincinnati Bengals’ stadium is named Elm Street.
Given the Bengals’ season, marked by Joe Burrow’s Week 2 toe injury and a struggling defense, it has been quite a nightmare for fans used to disappointment.
After a 33-31 win over the Steelers on Oct. 16, optimism remained for the Bengals. Their next two home games against the Jets and Bears seemed winnable, offering a chance to climb above .500 and rejoin the AFC North race.
However, that optimism quickly faded.
Zac Taylor’s squad heads into the bye week following two devastating losses and a 3-6 mark. After blowing a 15-point fourth-quarter lead and falling to the Jets 39-38, the Bengals’ two-touchdown comeback in the final two minutes against Chicago went for naught. Caleb Williams connected with Colston Loveland for a 58-yard touchdown with 17 seconds left, giving the Bears a 47-42 victory .
The losses made the Bengals the first team since the 1966 New York Giants to score at least 38 points in consecutive games and lose both.
For a fan base wanting changes, Taylor said defensive coordinator Al Golden and his staff will remain in place.
“We’ve been through this situation many years and come out the other side, playing for championships, winning divisions, by sticking with what we believe in and not doing what everybody wants you to do,” Taylor said when asked why the status quo should be acceptable. “I’m thankful that in 2020 that they didn’t kick me out of here, so we were able to go to the Super Bowl the next year.
“I believe in the people that we’ve hired. I sit in there and watch these guys coach. I know what they’re made of. I know where we can continue to grow. So when you believe in people, you don’t just make a gut reaction from what people want to see that aren’t necessarily a part of it. I understand the frustration. I get it. I’d be frustrated, too, if I was outside the building.”
Golden was hired to turn around the defense after the Bengals lost four games last season while scoring at least 30 points. Now, with two more such losses this year, it marks the most in a two-year span in league history, according to Sportradar.
The defense is among the league’s worst in most categories and is the first since the 2012 Titans to allow at least 300 points in the first nine games.
Cincinnati is also the eighth team to allow at least 27 points in eight straight games, one off the in-season futility mark shared by the 2020 Los Angeles Chargers and 1964 Denver Broncos.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Bengals lead the league with 109 missed tackles totaling 778 yards, including 15 for 133 yards — 35 of which came on Loveland’s winning score when Jordan Battle and Geno Stone missed the tackle — against Chicago.
“I look at the angles, I look at the space. Close quarters, space tackles," Golden said. “I look at what we’re teaching and at the individual. We just have to find a better way to teach it and keep moving forward with it and keep addressing it.”
While wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase said he would “stay in his lane” and not criticize the defense after Sunday's loss, running back Chase Brown took a different tact.
“We put the ball in the end zone and go up a point at the end? Finish the game,” Brown said, adding an expletive, while in front of his locker after the game. “Like, just end it. That’s it. That’s what we need to do."
Taylor on Monday said he talked to Brown and noted there were a couple plays, including a dropped pass, where Brown could have done a better job.
“I can tell Ja’Marr’s frustrated, but he didn’t want guys coming at him if he had a poor performance or something that he was disappointed in,” Taylor said. “I trust that (Brown's reaction is) a one-time thing, and we’ll learn from that. That’s not how we want to react.”
If the defense can’t get fixed, it doesn’t matter who lines up at quarterback or if Burrow can return by mid-December, since there might not be anything left to play for.
What’s working
Chase and Tee Higgins are excelling after signing big contract extensions. Chase leads the league with 76 receptions and ranks second with 831 yards. Higgins has 19 of his 32 catches and four touchdowns in the last four games.
What needs help
While the passing game is prolific, the run game remains inconsistent. The Bengals are last in rushing, averaging 78.8 yards per game, and are third-least in yards before contact.
Stock up
Joe Flacco is averaging a league-high 313.5 passing yards over his four Bengals starts. The 18-year veteran has won over teammates with his calm leadership and ability to play through a sprained throwing shoulder.
Stock down
LB Logan Wilson and CB Cam Taylor-Britt played themselves out of the starting lineup with early season struggles.
Injuries
RB Samaje Perine is expected to miss a couple of games with a high ankle sprain. ... DE Shemar Stewart (knee) will be re-evaluated after the bye.
Key numbers
1 — Charlie Jones became the only player with multiple kick returns for touchdowns since the dynamic kickoff rules were put in place last year. Jones went 98 yards up the left sideline to open Sunday’s game.
4 — Times in Taylor’s seven seasons the Bengals have been under .500 through nine games.
18 — The niumber of seasons since 1991 that Cincinnati has had three or fewer wins after nine games.
What’s next
Cincinnati will travel to AFC North-leading Pittsburgh on Nov. 16, when it returns from the bye week, and then host AFC East-leading New England the following week. The Bengals’ next five games, including a pair against Baltimore, feature teams with a combined record of 24-17.
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AP freelance reporter Charlie Goldsmith contributed to this story.
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Saints coach Kellen Moore acknowledges frustration with the club's worst 9-game start since 1980 By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Saints rookie coach Kellen Moore is less than a year removed from celebrating a Super Bowl triumph in the Superdome as offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles.
That same famous stadium has been home to a lot of losing for Moore's new team during the first half of this season — and going on the road has been even worse.
The Saints (1-8) now have their worst nine-game record since 1980, when they lost their first 14 games before finishing 1-15.
“We haven't met our goals. We haven't met the standard. We're not playing winning football enough. And so, it's obviously frustrating,” Moore said on Monday.
“Can we grow? Can we get better? Is there plenty of football ahead of us? Certainly, you can look at it from that lens,” Moore added. “But we've got to go through some challenging times right now. We've got to push through them.”
Moore noted that there are “plenty of good examples” of rebuilding teams that have had miserable starts to a season, but ultimately turned a corner and began winning more regularly again.
“By no means is it fun right now,” Moore said. "But it shouldn’t be fun right now. We’re not winning football games. And so we’ve got to get through that and come out on the other side a better team, better individuals — and once we get there, we can head where we ultimately want to go.”
The Saints' lone victory came in Week 5 against the also-struggling New York Giants (2-7).
Since then, New Orleans has changed quarterbacks from second-year pro Spencer Rattler to rookie Tyler Shough , a second-round pick who made his debut as a starter in Sunday's 34-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams .
Shough, who finished his first start 15 of 24 for 176 yards, one touchdown and one interception, “made some big-time throws," Moore said, referencing specifically a 27-yard completion to Chris Olave after his QB had escaped pressure.
“I thought there were some trends going upward,” Moore continued. "I really like Tyler’s performance — something he can build on.”
Still, the loss in Los Angeles was the Saints' second straight by 20 or more points and third this season.
“We’re still building and growing," Moore said. "But we’ve got to have some urgency to get there.”
What’s working
One of the few officially measured statistics in which the Saints rank near the top of the league is in fumble recoveries. The Saints have recovered six, putting them in a five-way tie for third most in the NFL entering Monday, behind only Pittsburgh (8) and the Rams (7).
What needs help
While the Saints rank near the bottom of the NFL in most categories, their competitiveness seems to have been particularly hampered by their inability to run the ball, which would ease pressure on, and open opportunities for, a young, inexperienced QB.
The Saints, who had just 57 yards on the ground against the Rams, have not rushed for 100 yards in a game for five straight games. Their 89.6 yards per game rushing ranks 27th in the NFL.
“We've got to do a better job on first down runs so we can keep running," Moore said. "We've got to look at it from a schematic standpoint. ... We're not getting it done yet.”
Stock up
Receiver Chris Olave leads the Saints in catches (55), yards receiving (560) and TDs receiving (3) this season.
Meanwhile, after missing the first five games of this season with a calf injury, defensive end Chase Young has three sacks, a forced fumble, fumble recovery, six QB hurries and three batted passes in four games.
Stock down
Alvin Kamara's yards per game rushing (41.9) and receiving (16.7) have left the 30-year-old, ninth-year pro on a pace to finish with the lowest production of his career in either category. However, age might have less to do with his decline in production than playing in a new offense that is struggling generally.
Injuries
RT Taliese Fuaga and TE Jack Stoll both are rehabilitating a high ankle sprains from Sunday's game.
“Those will be week to week,” Moore said. “Probably going to be tough to play this week, but we'll see how those guys progress.”
Key number
26:38 — That's the Saints' average time of possession per game this season, which ranks last in the NFL.
Next steps
The Saints play this Sunday at NFC South foe Carolina before their bye arrives in Week 11.
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Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu suspended for game by NFL for repeated hip-drop tackles The Associated Press NEW YORK
NEW YORK (AP) — Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu was suspended without pay for one game by the NFL on Monday for repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.
The NFL said during the first quarter of Washington' 38-14 home loss to Seattle on Sunday night that Luvu made his third hip-drop tackle of the season. He was fined in Weeks 4 and 8.
The league cited Rule 12, Section 2, Article 18 (a)(b), which states: “It is a foul if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground: (a) grabs the runner with one or both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and (b) unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and/or trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.”
Luvu will miss the Commanders' home game against Detroit on Sunday. He may appeal the suspension under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
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Sam Darnold doing more than enough for surging Seahawks, off to best start since 2020 By ANDREW DSTIN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press SEATTLE
SEATTLE (AP) — Entering the season, coach Mike Macdonald didn’t have expectations for Sam Darnold so much as he had a vision.
Suffice to say, the quarterback’s latest performance was a full realization of what Darnold is capable of in Seattle. During the Seahawks’ 38-14 road victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night , Darnold threw four touchdown passes before his first incompletion.
Alongside first-year offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Darnold is second in the NFL in passer rating, tied for fifth in completion percentage and has guided Seattle to its first 6-2 start since 2020.
“He’s doing a great job,” Macdonald said. “But the things we thought he could do, he’s definitely doing that and probably then some. I mean, we brought him in to be our quarterback, be a leader, win games, be efficient. All those things he’s doing.”
Darnold has not just been a willing and capable distributor, but he has seemingly also made his teammates better. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the NFL’s leading receiver with 948 yards through eight games, and has a very real chance at making history. The NFL record — set during a 16-game season — is 1,964 by Calvin Johnson in 2012.
“He’s just playing and giving his heart up, putting it all out there on the field,” Smith-Njigba said. “We’re all going to follow him. He’s just been so great for us.”
Given the opponents looming on the Seahawks’ schedule — four teams with .500 records or worse, including the Tennessee Titans, who are tied with the New Orleans Saints for the worst record in the NFL of 1-8 — Darnold could keep racking up some eye-popping stats. Seattle could very well keep up with its roll, too, though a key road matchup with the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams looms near.
Regardless, Seattle’s decision to sign Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract this offseason has been a shrewd one.
“Sam’s execution right now,” Macdonald said, “he’s just ridiculous, just plain to sight.”
What’s working
One of the Seahawks’ greatest questions entering the season was how its offensive line would fare under Kubiak. Last season, quarterback Geno Smith was sacked 50 times, and the Seahawks allowed the third-most sacks of any team in the NFL.
Darnold has been sacked only nine times in eight games, and even rushed 10 times for 41 yards. Though the Seahawks have struggled to run the ball — Kenneth Walker III is Seattle’s only 100-yard rusher, which came in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers — pass protection has not been an issue.
“Our offensive line,” Macdonald said, “they deserve some love, man.”
What needs help
Linebacker Ernest Jones IV left the game Sunday early with a knee injury, and Macdonald did not have a further update on the Seahawks’ leading tackler Monday.
“They’re doing the medical right now,” Macdonald said. “Probably stick to the same story as last night—not season ending, but we’re going to be working through his knee.”
Macdonald said he expects to have more of an update by Wednesday. If Jones is sidelined for an extended period of time, third-year linebacker Drake Thomas would be expected to fill his void in the middle of the defense. Macdonald thought Thomas, who had eight tackles on Sunday, played a tremendous game.”
“I thought Drake’s communication was fantastic,” Macdonald said. “We didn’t skip a beat. That’s a tribute to him and staying prepared.”
Stock up
Wide receiver Tory Horton broke out in a big way Sunday after having any catches in the Seahawks’ previous two games. The rookie wide receiver caught a career-high two touchdown passes, as well as added a personal best 48 yards receiving. Horton leads the Seahawks with five touchdown catches.
Stock down
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp has the second-most yards of any Seahawks wideout, and has hauled in over 72% of passes Darnold has sent his way. However, Kupp is on track for one of his least productive seasons in the league.
In 2018, Kupp had a career-low 566 receiving yards in eight games. His season was cut short that year by a torn ACL.
Injuries
S Julian Love (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, as was TE Eric Saubert. G Christian Haynes (pectoral) and WR Dareke Young (quad) each continue to deal with injuries. CB Josh Jobe is in concussion protocol.
Key number
11 — Macdonald has won 11 of his first 12 road games as the Seahawks’ head coach. He is just the third coach in NFL history to win 11 of his first 12 road games, joining former 49ers coach George Seifert and current Rams coach Sean McVay.
Next steps
The Seahawks host the Cardinals on Nov. 9 before hitting the road back-to-back weeks, first against the Rams on Nov. 16 and the Titans on Nov. 23.
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Marvin Harrison Jr. converts long 3rd downs and scores TD for Cardinals in 27-17 win over Cowboys By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer The Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — All three catches Marvin Harrison Jr. had in the first quarter converted long third downs for the Arizona Cardinals, and that certainly helped set a tone against the Dallas Cowboys.
“Put the pads on. Showed up,” quarterback Jacoby Brissett said, drawing laughter after being asked how Harrison created opportunities early and often. “Once he got off the bus, I knew he was going to be open. We knew we were going to get our chances outside.”
Harrison went on to a career-high seven catches for 96 yards, including a 4-yarder from Brissett for the game’s first touchdown, and the Cardinals finished 7 of 9 on third-down conversions in the first half of a 27-17 win Monday night that ended their five-game losing streak.
“I knew we’d be aggressive in the first half, especially trying to get me the ball a little bit. So obviously that was music to my ears and I was excited about that,” Harrison said. “But that was a lot of credit to the O-line, man. They did a good job of giving Jacoby enough time to make some throws, and then after Jacoby did his part as well, putting the ball where it needs to be. I’ve just got to finish the play.”
Maybe this game was a bit easier to watch for Marvin Harrison Sr., the Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver and father of the second-year Cardinals receiver who was the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft.
The elder Harrison told ESPN.com in a story posted before the game Monday that it has been “very hard” for him to watch Arizona’s offense.
The eight-time Pro Bowl pick who had 1,102 catches and 128 TDs said he “just can’t relate” to watching the current style of offenses that are so different from his 13 NFL seasons with Indianapolis from 1996-2008. He won a Super Bowl with the Colts at the end of the 2006 season.
“Everybody has their own opinions ... he said that's how he feels, not how I feel,” the younger Harrison said. “I trust in all the guys. I know everyone works really hard throughout the week to be successful. ... I just try to do my part and be accountable on my end, do my best to help the team.”
Asked if he thought his father enjoyed watching his latest game, Harrison responded, “Yeah, I think so.”
Harrison has 31 catches for 492 yards and three TDs this season. The former Ohio State star's previous game high for receptions was six, once this year and twice during his rookie season.
On the opening drive for the Cardinals (3-5) against Dallas (3-5-1), he had a 13-yard catch on third-and-8, and gained 15 on a third-and-10. The first quarter ended with his 20-yard reception to convert third-and-14, on the same drive that ended with his TD catch that put Arizona ahead 10-0.
"How many did he have? It seemed like he converted a bunch," coach Jonathan Gannon said when talking about third-down conversions. “He was winning a bunch of one-on-ones out there, and Jacoby found him.”
Brissett started his third game in a row with Kyler Murray out again because of a foot injury. In the previous two games, Harrison caught four of the eight passes thrown his way for 90 yards.
“This has been building for him. It’s a step in the right direction,” Brissett said. “You saw it in his eyes when he got off the bus and we’re in the locker room. Coach told me what the first couple of plays were, and he was like, ‘We’re going to switch it up and we’re going to get hits to Marv.’ And I’m like, ‘All right.’”
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Brissett fills in for Murray again as Cardinals end 5-game skid with 27-17 victory over Cowboys By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jacoby Brissett had a stock answer ready for the question of whether the Arizona quarterback has done enough to be the replacement, not just the fill-in, for Kyler Murray.
Coach Jonathan Gannon barely had an answer at all.
The Cardinals will worry about what appears to be a full-blown controversy later. For now, they’ll enjoy ending a five-game losing streak.
Brissett threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score in another game with Murray sidelined by a foot injury, and the Cardinals beat the Dallas Cowboys 27-17 on Monday night.
Brissett made his third consecutive start after the week began with expectations of Murray returning coming off the team's open week.
Instead, the Cardinals pivoted to Brissett, with Gannon saying Murray wasn't quite ready. Arizona (3-5) won for just the second time in the past 18 games when Murray didn't take at least five snaps or sat out entirely.
“Nothing's changed,” Gannon said both times he was asked if Brissett had done enough to become the starter.
The Cowboys (3-5-1) couldn't build on the momentum of Sam Williams' blocked punt that was recovered in the end zone by Marshawn Kneeland, giving up long touchdown drives on Arizona's next two possessions on either side of halftime to fall behind 24-7.
Marvin Harrison had a career-high seven catches for 96 yards, including a 4-yarder for the game's first touchdown. Tight end Trey McBride had a 12-yard TD grab.
After their punt block and recovery for a score, the Cowboys gave up an average of 10.8 yards on the next 15 Arizona plays, including consecutive 16-yard passes right after the Dallas TD and Michael Wilson's 50-yard catch and run on the second play after halftime.
The Cowboys easily reached the Arizona 7 with a first down on the game's first possession, but came away with nothing when Dak Prescott was sacked on fourth down by Josh Sweat, who had two of the five sacks on the Dallas quarterback. Calais Campbell also had two in his 250th career regular-season game.
Dallas, which lost consecutive games for the first time under first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer, totaled just three points on its first three drives inside the Arizona 25, leading to the 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
The Cowboys could have closed to within 14 with a field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter, but Prescott threw incomplete to CeeDee Lamb on fourth-and-3. Dallas was 0 for 3 on fourth down.
“We were going to be aggressive all game,” Schottenheimer said. “That was part of the deal. If I like the call, I'm going to go. I trust our offense. But we didn't make the plays tonight.”
The Cardinals lost Brissett's first two starts, but not because the 32-year-old veteran was ineffective. He was solid again, going 21 of 31 for 261 yards without an interception, giving him 860 yards, six touchdowns and one pick in three games without Murray.
Murray — the No. 1 overall pick in 2019 — is 9-0 at AT&T Stadium, with state championships as a high school quarterback, two Big 12 titles with Oklahoma and a pair of victories over the Cowboys.
Well, Brissett is now 1-0 as a starter against Dallas.
“I don’t get into that stuff, man,” Brissett said when asked if he had done enough to replace Murray. “I’m just trying to go out here and win games and be a good teammate. And do the best I can when I get my opportunities. That’s all I can ask for.”
The last hope for the Cowboys ended with their second lost fumble. Javonte Williams had the ball ripped out as he was going down on a short catch with less than five minutes to go.
Prescott had just one touchdown pass a week after having none as one of the league's best offenses was sluggish again. The scoring toss was a 5-yarder in the fourth quarter for Ryan Flournoy's first career TD.
“We've got to figure out how we need to improve in all phases of the game,” said Prescott, who was 24 of 39 for 250 yards with a late interception on a desperation fourth-and-28 throw. “Special teams did a hell of a job getting us a touchdown, and that was the only spark I think in the game, especially in the first half.”
The Cardinals started the season 2-0 before losing five in a row by a total of 13 points. Gannon's first win as a head coach was against the Cowboys two years ago — part of a 1-8 start.
“I’m looking at my watch, and I don’t remember the last time we won,” Gannon said. “It falls on me. At the bye, I was sitting in the shower, thinking about, ‘How did I let this happen?’ Everybody in there takes that attitude.”
Going for the tie
Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey had the distance but was wide left on a 68-yard field goal attempt to finish the first half. It would have tied the NFL record set a day earlier by Jacksonville's Cam Little, who beat Justin Tucker's mark from 2021 by 2 yards.
Injuries
Cardinals CB Max Melton exited with a concussion in the first and didn't return. ... Cowboys LB Jack Sanborn (groin) was placed on injured reserve before the game.
Up next
Cardinals: At Seattle on Sunday.
Cowboys: Off next week, at Las Vegas in another Monday night game Nov. 17.
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A version of this story was corrected to show Jacoby Brissett has 860 yards passing in three games, not 760.
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Costly mistakes leaving franchise QB Jayden Daniels & All-Pro returner Marvin Mims Jr. in blowouts By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press
With a surge in blowouts in the NFL, head coaches might want to take stock of two scenarios that backfired when star players were injured in the waning moments of games that were already way out of hand.
Washington coach Dan Quinn admitted it was a mistake to leave franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels in the game in the fourth quarter Sunday night. The Commanders were down 38-7 to Seattle in a game they’d eventually lose 38-14 . The second-year quarterback and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year dislocated his left elbow with 7:29 remaining when he was tackled and his non-throwing arm bent gruesomely after he put his hand on the ground to brace himself.
Quinn said that was going to be the last drive for a few key players, and the plan was to avoid having Daniels run the ball, but that wasn’t enough to keep him out of trouble. He took a shotgun snap near the goal line, faked a handoff and then moved to his right to avoid pressure before being brought down.
“That’s where I missed it,” Quinn said. “Of course he could scramble. It’s Jayden. It’s what he’s special at. That is 100 percent — that’s on me.”
This costly strategic blunder came one week after Denver Broncos All-Pro kick returner Marvin Mims Jr. suffered a concussion on a runback against Dallas with less than 5 minutes remaining in the Broncos' 44-24 rout of the Cowboys .
Asked about the wisdom of having Mims still in the game with a 20-point lead late in the game, Broncos coach Sean Payton acknowledged last week that it was a mistake.
Payton said special teams coordinator/assistant head coach Darren Rizzi meant to send in Tyler Badie for Mims but "somehow, the communication failed. Tyler went in for RJ (Harvey). But, fair question. Right at that stage of the game, you’re trying to be smart.”
Mims sustained a concussion on the play and missed Denver's 18-15 win at Houston over the weekend when his replacement, Michael Bandy, muffed a punt just before halftime that led to a Texans field goal.
That was one of a batch of blunders by Denver's suspect special teams Sunday that led to Payton getting peppered with questions for the second straight week about his middling kicking game.
Payton’s special teams were stellar in his first two seasons in Denver but he fired Ben Kotwica in January along with assistant Chris Banjo, who was hired by the Jets. Despite a stellar reputation, Rizzi’s units have been marred by mistakes on an almost weekly basis and even cost the Broncos (7-2) a win at Indianapolis.
What bothered Payton most on Sunday were late substitutions. And when Payton said after the game, “we’ll get that cleaned up or we’ll find someone else that can do it,” he was referring to personnel changes on special teams, not coaching changes.
“I’m referring to players that aren’t on the field that need to be,” Payton said Monday. “Coaching is outstanding. We’ll get that cleaned up. My point is, if there are 10 (players) on the field and there are supposed to be 11, then that player that’s supposed to be out there, I’ll find someone else to do his job.”
Marvin's absence was every bit as impactful as the loss of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II (pectoral strain), around whom defensive coordinator Vance Joseph builds his defensive scheme. Mims returns punts and kicks and lines up at both wide receiver and in the backfield on offense, so it took several players to replace him.
Rizzi demurred last week when asked how Mims was accidentally left in the game.
“Listen, I’m not avoiding the question, but I’m not going to get into substitutions and how we do it and injury stuff, I’m going to leave that to Sean,” he said. “I appreciate the question. I know where you’re going with that. I’m just going to let him handle that. With the substitution stuff, it’s a competitive advantage thing and I just don’t want to get into that sort of stuff."
While Mims was mistakenly kept in the game two weeks ago, Daniels was deliberately left in the game when he sustained his injury, which could derail Washington's season that began with such high hopes after Daniels fueled the Commanders' run to the NFC championship game as a rookie.
“I'm bummed,” Quinn said after the game, and so was his team and its fanbase after watching Daniels leave the field with his left elbow in an air cast.
It marked the third consecutive game that Daniels got hurt. He's also dealt with a sprained knee and a pulled hamstring.
Although Quinn stopped short of ruling Daniels out for the season, the Commanders (3-6) almost certainly need to go on a significant run without him for his return later on to make much sense.
“Haven’t even gone there,” Quinn said. “That’s a way-down-the-line space to get into.”
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AP Sports Writer Noah Trister contributed.
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Behind the Call analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL during the season.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
How the NFL is aiming to broaden its appeal to women By ALYCE BROWN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press
At this year’s NFL draft, some of the league’s top prospects were asked a few questions they weren’t used to.
“What is a skort?” an interviewer asked. Travis Hunter made his best guess.
“What is primer?” she continued. Shemar Stewart wasn’t totally sure.
The questions were part of a social media video asking players about women’s products. It was created by Betches, a media company that caters to a young female audience, and garnered 1.5 million views on Instagram. While it might not be traditional NFL content, it's resonating and building on the league's push to attract young women through partnerships with women-centered media outlets.
The league partnered with Betches last December, and finalized a partnership with The Gist, a female-fan focused sports site and newsletter, in August. The NFL has long seen women as key to their efforts to broaden the league's appeal, a push that gained extra momentum after Taylor Swift began her highly-publicized relationship with now-fiance Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.
“As we want to connect with this audience, authentic, real storytelling is absolutely key,” said Marissa Solis, the senior vice president of global brand and consumer marketing at the NFL. “So rather than doing targeted ads that really don’t connect ... you give access to (Betches and The Gist) but they tell the story in their own point of view, being there, front and center. And I think that connection is something paid advertising can’t do.”
Both outlets receive access to NFL tentpole events — the Super Bowl, the draft and the combine, to name a few — to create articles and content for their platforms, alongside additional league content. Betches, for example, kicked off a tailgate tour series as part of its partnership, and The Gist debuted a free game for predicting each week’s winners.
The partnerships are all in pursuit of growing and engaging the league’s large female fanbase, a demographic that has often been underestimated or overlooked. A September poll by Ipsos found that 41% of American women were NFL fans.
That translates into the potential for big business, leading the NFL to turn to outlets that already have deep connections with women.
“We center women in everything that we do. It’s not an afterthought, it’s not like you are adding the W to the end of ESPN,” said Jacie deHoop, who co-founded The Gist with Ellen Hyslop and Roslyn McLarty in 2017. “More data and research on women is showing what an underserved and huge audience and fan base this is.”
In addition to traditional game reports and on-the-field breakdowns, a large part of the strategy around appealing to women — and to a new generation of NFL fans more broadly — is human-centric content. Through an approach aptly dubbed “helmets off” by the NFL, the league and their partners are focusing on content about the players themselves, looking to forge stronger connections by using more personal storytelling.
According to Solis, that approach has “really opened up the aperture of emotional and human-centric storytelling that really attracts our female fans” – and it’s an area where Betches and The Gist can help fill in.
“There’s a clear white space, and we know how to speak to the casual fan. They care about culture, they care about the person behind these players, and we speak that relatable, authentic tone,” said Randi Windt, the senior vice president for revenue partnerships at Betches.
“Relating to someone will have them lean in, versus pushing a marketing narrative that you think perhaps would get someone to tune in on a Sunday,” Windt continued. The NFL “is not looking just for that tune in ... We’re really collaborating on building fandom over time.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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Matthew Stafford hits Davante Adams with 2 of his 4 TD passes while the Rams rout the Saints 34-10 By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer The Associated Press INGLEWOOD, Calif.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Jared Verse walked into a deserted room Saturday night and thought he had somehow missed the Los Angeles Rams' team meeting.
He soon figured out his teammates were elsewhere in the hotel watching the Los Angeles Dodgers' stirring rally to win Game 7 of the World Series and back-to-back titles.
A day after the Rams thrilled to their neighbors' championship poise, they put on a performance against the New Orleans Saints that had them thinking about adding to Los Angeles' trophy case.
“Watching them be able to dominate like that, get that win, bring that World Series back to LA, it gets us hyped up,” Verse said. “And now we know we’ve got to be next.”
Matthew Stafford threw for 281 yards and hit Davante Adams with two of his four touchdown passes in the Rams’ 34-10 victory Sunday.
Puka Nacua had seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown in his return from an ankle injury for the Rams (6-2). Tyler Higbee also had a TD catch and Kyren Williams rushed for 114 yards and another score as Los Angeles racked up 438 yards.
The Rams didn’t need extra innings to finish off their third straight impressive win: They also had another strong defensive effort, allowing only 224 yards. The Rams’ past three opponents have combined for only 20 points.
Baseball fever was high at SoFi Stadium. After Higbee scored on the opening drive, the veteran tight end swung a phantom bat and did the Dragon Ball-inspired celebration used all season by the Dodgers after big hits.
"Happy for them, and we'll see if we can continue to do some good stuff like they did," coach Sean McVay said of the Dodgers. “They inspire me, and I know they inspire our group."
Tyler Shough passed for 176 yards in his first NFL start for the Saints (1-8), who are on their second four-game skid of the season. The second-round pick out of Louisville went 15 of 24 with one late interception, and he threw his first career TD pass to Juwan Johnson 7 seconds before halftime.
Stafford added another prolific performance to his standout 17th NFL season in his 230th start, going 24 of 32 while throwing at least four TD passes for the 19th time in his career. He has passed for 1,408 yards and 16 TDs with no interceptions in the Rams' past five games.
Stafford played superbly after a wild Saturday night watching the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw, his childhood friend.
“We were in the room last night with everybody watching, and when (Miguel) Rojas hit the dinger, man, we were all going crazy,” Stafford said. “That was the shortest team meeting before a game.”
Saints coach Kellen Moore thought Shough played well, but the Rams controlled the ball for nearly 38 minutes and ran 75 plays to the Saints 51. New Orleans got only three offensive snaps in the first 17 minutes of the second half.
“We didn’t give ourselves a chance in this one,” Moore said. “It’s frustrating. ... They really controlled the game in so many ways, so we didn’t get enough shots at it.”
Nacua missed the Rams' blowout win over Jacksonville in London , but he returned with another series of big receptions — none prettier than his 39-yard TD grab in tight coverage on a spectacular throw by Stafford in the second quarter.
Adams caught a 3-yard slant for his seventh TD of the season on the Rams’ third drive, and he added another short scoring grab on the first drive after halftime. Adams' two TD catches gave him 111 in his career, pulling him even with Tony Gonzalez for eighth in league history.
Los Angeles led 20-3 when Joshua Karty badly missed a 39-yard field goal, his fifth miss or blocked kick of the season to go with three unsuccessful extra points. Shough finally got the Saints going after that, driving 71 yards in 47 seconds for Johnson's 11-yard TD catch on a drive that felt encouraging to Moore.
“We got a little bit of momentum going into halftime with that touchdown," Moore said. “Felt like, you know, we’re right back in it. We have a chance, and then they kind of control the entire (third) quarter.”
Williams had the Rams’ first 100-yard rushing performance of the season, and he dived in for a score with 12:40 to play.
Puka recovers
Nacua went to the locker room in the third quarter after injuring his ribs while getting tackled on a jet sweep, but the Rams believe he dodged another serious injury. He came back to the Rams’ sideline in the fourth quarter and said he could play, but it wasn’t necessary.
Up next
Saints: At Panthers on Sunday.
Rams: At 49ers on Sunday.
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