Bo Nix unfazed by underdog status as Broncos, winners of 10 straight, prepare for Packers showdown By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer The Associated Press ENGLEWOOD, Colo.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Bo Nix doesn't view being a home underdog against Green Bay this weekend as any sign of disrespect.
He doesn't really read anything into it at all, even if the Denver Broncos have won 10 straight games and currently own the AFC's No. 1 seed.
“My mom thinks we'll win,” the second-year quarterback said after Wednesday's practice. “So that's all that matters.”
The red-hot Broncos (11-2) are looking at the game on Sunday as almost a playoff preview — intensity-wise, anyway — given the Packers (9-3-1) are one of the NFC's top teams.
“I know they're going to come in with a really good plan. I know it's going to be a really good football game,” said Nix, whose team is a 2 1/2-point underdog at Empower Field at Mile High despite winning 11 straight home games. “It’s pretty much going to be like playoff football, and that’s what you get in December. At the end of the season, that’s what you’re playing for.”
One thing Nix will do is constantly scan the field for Green Bay's No. 1 — pass-rush specialist Micah Parsons, who has 12 1/2 sacks this season. Parsons can line up just about anywhere on the defensive front and cause disruption.
“You definitely don’t want to make them bigger than the game,” Nix said of elite pass rushers. “But you definitely don’t want them to take over the football game. We’ll always be aware of where (Parsons) is at for certain calls, but you definitely have to play the game and you have to also allow our players to do their best against him.”
The teams have some familiarity with each other after holding a joint practice in August 2024. Packers coach Matt LaFleur reflected on that day in his news conference Wednesday, saying, “they kind of put it on us pretty good.”
Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II concurred.
“I believe we did,” Surtain said with a grin.
It was a spirited day, too, with tempers boiling over after Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto appeared to knock quarterback Jordan Love to the ground on a play. Love later acknowledged it was one of his own linemen who crashed into him just as he was about to release the ball.
“Very competitive but I feel like we brought more energy and juice," Surtain said.
That practice really put the Broncos defense on the radar for LaFleur. The Broncos have a league-best 55 sacks this season, which is the most by a team through 13 games since the New Orleans Saints had 56 in 2000.
“I didn't know a ton about that defense at that time,” LaFleur said. “They were legit.”
Can the Broncos use anything from the joint practice going into Sunday?
“It feels like it was five years ago,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “We’ll look at (the film), but we’re really looking at this point in the season. We have such a volume of tape with their personnel that we’re currently seeing. I have a hard time remembering last week let alone the joint practice. I know we had good work, and the teams worked well together."
Notes: TE Nate Adkins (knee) and guard Ben Powers (biceps) were limited in practice Wednesday while receiver Pat Bryant didn't participate due to a hamstring ailment. ... Returner Marvin Mims Jr. was named the AFC special teams player of the week. He had a 48-yard punt return for a score in a 24-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Happy Rams WR Davante Adams repeats his mostly serious plan to retire whenever Matthew Stafford does By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer The Associated Press LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Davante Adams is so happy in his first season with Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams that the star receiver says he plans to retire whenever his quarterback does — and he hopes that isn't any time soon.
Adams on Wednesday repeated the stance he first expressed on a team podcast, emphasizing his happiness in Los Angeles after a tumultuous few seasons with the Raiders and Jets .
“That was kind of a joke, kind of serious,” Adams said with a smile. “I really don’t know how long I’m going to play. I just kind of mess around with (Stafford). I did make that comment to him, though. That was serious. At this point, I’m just grateful to be a part of something like this, and ride it out and see where we go.”
The 37-year-old Stafford hasn't given any concrete indication about how long he plans to play, but he has contemplated his future in every offseason since winning a Super Bowl ring with the Rams in February 2022. Stafford and Adams are both under contract for next season , and Adams has directly told Stafford that he doesn't want the fun to end.
“He just laughed,” Adams said. “He didn’t really take it too seriously, but I need him to know it’s kind of serious, though.”
The 32-year-old Adams has been one of the most accomplished receivers of his generation during a career that began with his eight-year Green Bay partnership with Aaron Rodgers, who threw passes to Adams during three of his four MVP seasons.
Three years after leaving the Packers, Adams has landed with another quarterback performing at a level that's making him a top contender for his first MVP award. And like several accomplished NFL veterans before him, Adams is grateful to be part of the steady excellence produced by coach Sean McVay's NFC-leading Rams (10-3), who host Detroit (8-5) on Sunday.
“I think it takes some time to get to know people,” Adams said. “What you can see on the outside is that (Stafford) was a baller, he’s tough, but then you get around him and you see just how good of a leader he is, how poised he is. His ability to move onto the next play, good or bad. It’s a lot of different things within the poise realm.”
Adams leads the NFL this season with 14 touchdown receptions, and he has 56 catches for 718 yards. Despite getting no practice time with Stafford in training camp, the veterans have formed a connection while thriving with Puka Nacua in McVay's inventive passing schemes.
While Adams says his “body is getting tired" after 12 NFL seasons, he is loving the opportunity to play for a strong organization with a chance to play for his first Super Bowl. The Packers reached four NFC championship games during his tenure, but lost all four.
Adams signed with the Rams as the effective replacement for Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, and he has been thrilled by his decision from the start. Last summer, Adams expressed excitement about being with a team that doesn't have a “black cloud” hanging over it after his stops in Las Vegas and New York.
“It’s honestly been exactly what I hoped it’d be,” Adams said. “Come in and have a fast start playing with a young team that’s fired up and has a lot of energy, a lot of juice. It’s just been fun to piggyback off what’s already been happening around here for a long time. I don’t think I came in and did anything unbelievable. I didn’t turn this thing around. I was just another piece to the puzzle and it’s been fun being a part of a fun operation.”
NOTES: WR Tutu Atwell will be active for the Rams on Sunday, McVay said. Atwell has played in just one game since Oct. 2 after injuring his hamstring, but he is fully healthy. The Rams still declined to activate him for the past two weeks, and they would have lost the $10 million receiver for the season if they hadn't activated him from his 21-day practice window this week. ... CB Darious Williams (tibia) appears to be healthy after missing last Sunday's win. ... LB Byron Young (knee) was listed as limited in a theoretical practice, since the Rams only did a light workout.
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From the 0-26 "Yuccaneers" to 2-time champions, Buccaneers celebrate 50 years with new docuseries By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press TAMPA, Fla.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers shed the “Yuccaneers” label decades ago.
They went from 0-26 to two-time Super Bowl champions and currently are four-time defending NFC South champs. They’re tied for first place entering a game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night when they’ll be wearing their original creamsicle uniforms.
Long before Tom Brady turned the city into Tompa Bay and led the franchise to its second NFL title, the team traded Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Young, let eventual Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams walk away and was spurned by Bo Jackson and Bill Parcells twice.
Those moments are among many of the franchise-altering decisions that are detailed in “Raise The Flags,” a new 10-part series that chronicles 50 years of Buccaneers football. The docuseries, which debuts on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday, gives viewers a thorough, behind-the-scenes look at the organization’s journey from expansion afterthought to championship contender.
It celebrates the good times and digs into some of the biggest lows, highlighting the triumphs and the missteps over five decades and two ownership groups.
“Raise The Flags” was commissioned and produced by Buccaneers co-owner Ed Glazer and directed by eight-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Trent Cooper, who is a lifelong Bucs fan.
“We tried to be as honest as we could,” Glazer told the AP. “A lot of people don’t always hear my family speak, so I think that’s going to be a first for a lot of people. But I think we try to take a real honest look at things that we’ve done well and mistakes that we’ve made as owners. You’re going to hear us talk about doing this for the first time ourselves going back 25 years ago. So we’re learning along the way, and there are mistakes that we made that things that we wouldn’t do again today, some bold moves we made that may not have worked out well that we may not make today.
“You get a little cautious as you get older. And there’s some bold moves we made that maybe we would regret making along the away also, right? I think one of them is letting some players go over the years that we would never let go today. Thinking that we could easily replace Hall of Fame players, and you can’t.”
The series features footage of Hugh Culverhouse, who paid $16 million for the expansion team. After his death, the family sold the team to Malcolm Glazer for a then-record $192 million in 1995.
One episode spotlights the first draft under the Glazers — before the sale of the team was even official — when general manager Rich McKay selected future Hall of Famers Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks in the first two rounds.
Another episode is devoted to the hiring of Tony Dungy, a pivotal moment in 1996 that reshaped the franchise’s culture and future, and eventually the difficult decision to fire him after the 2001 season.
“Tony was probably the most significant person ever in Buccaneer history,” Ed Glazer said. “When he came in ’95, obviously the first 20 years were not very successful. And Tony just brought stability to the team and it really almost carries to today. His leadership, his mentorship, the importance of the community, I mean all the things that he brought in that were so important to him still carry with us today. The players may be gone, but we’re still there and I think we learned a lot for Tony also of the importance of giving back and really mentoring young players. I think his legacy still carries on very strongly in Tampa.”
After Dungy’s dismissal, the Bucs pursued Parcells for a second time. A decade earlier, Culverhouse scheduled a press conference to announce Parcells was being hired only to say he changed his mind.
The Glazers had a contract with Parcells but he didn’t sign it. They considered Nick Saban but he wanted too much money. They had everyone thinking they were hiring Steve Mariucci while they worked out a megadeal to acquire Jon Gruden from the Raiders for two first-round picks, two second-rounders and $8 million.
Gruden led the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl title in his first season after replacing Dungy. They wouldn’t win another one until Brady arrived in 2020.
And, they’re still winning with Baker Mayfield, though they’re still seeking that third ring.
“This series is loaded with stories lifelong fans have never heard,” Cooper said. “The things Steve Young went through as our quarterback in the mid-80s made me laugh out loud. The Keyshawn (Johnson) vs. Gruden falling out made me a bit uncomfortable. Listening to both of them so unfiltered was fantastic. How the Bucs actually landed Tom Brady, just fascinating.”
Brady, Dungy, Gruden, Sapp, Brooks, McKay, Bruce Arians, Mike Alstott and Ronde Barber are among 100 current and former players, coaches, executives, staff, and media personalities interviewed for the docuseries.
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The 49ers host the Titans in search of their first 4-game winning streak since 2023 By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Tennessee (2-11) at San Francisco (9-4)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, Fox.
BetMGM NFL Odds: 49ers by 12 1/2.
Against the spread: Titans 6-7; 49ers 8-5.
Series record: 49ers lead 9-6.
Last meeting: Titans beat 49ers 20-17 Dec. 23, 2021, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Last week: Titans beat Browns 31-29; 49ers beat the Browns 26-8 before bye.
Titans offense: overall (32), rush (31), pass (31), scoring (31).
Titans defense: overall (26), rush (18), pass (23), scoring (29).
49ers offense: overall (12), rush (25), pass (6), scoring (16).
49ers defense: overall (20), rush (12), pass (25), scoring (8).
Turnover differential: Titans minus-5; 49ers minus-4.
Titans player to watch
RB Tony Pollard. The veteran is coming off the best game of his NFL career after rushing for 161 yards and also scoring two touchdowns. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry last week.
49ers player to watch
DL Clelin Ferrell. The Niners signed Ferrell off the street in October and he has provided a needed boost to the pass rush. He had two sacks in his last game and four in his last four games to tie Bryce Huff for the team lead in sacks. San Francisco is last in the league with 20 sacks, while the Titans have allowed the second most with 49.
Key matchup
Titans rookie QB Cam Ward against the 49ers' defense. He was sacked just once last week with the Titans finding ways to keep Myles Garrett out of his face. The No. 1 overall pick still isn't happy with how Tennessee played in a rare win, determined to keep improving.
Key injuries
Titans: C Lloyd Cushenberry (injured foot) and CB Jalyn Armour Davis (Achilles' tendon) both are practicing trying to return after missing two straight games. ... DT Shy Tuttle practiced fully Wednesday after missing the last two games in the concussion protocol.
49ers: LB Tatum Bethune and DE Sam Okuayinonu are expected to miss the game with ankle injuries. ... K Eddy Pineiro (hamstring) will return after missing two games. ... DE Yetur Gross-Matos could be back this week for the first time since injuring his hamstring in Week 5.
Series notes
The 49ers have split two games against the Titans under coach Kyle Shanahan, winning at home in 2017 and losing on the road in 2021. ... Tennessee's last road win in the series came in 2009. ... Titans interim coach Mike McCoy is 1-0 against San Francisco from his tenure coaching the Chargers.
Stats and stuff
Both of the Titans' wins have come on the road this season. Tennessee has not won consecutive games since Nov. 13 and 17, 2022. ... The Titans started five rookies for the third straight game last week and fourth overall this season. ... Ward leads all rookie quarterbacks with 2,468 yards passing and is second with nine TD passes. ... Rookie WR Chimere Dike had a TD catch last week and has a TD catch in two of his past three games. He also leads the NFL in all-purpose yards with 1,984. ... The Titans have 23 sacks since Week 7, fifth-most in the NFL in that span. ... DT Jeffery Simmons has a sack in three of his past four games and eight for the season. He needs one more sack for a career high. He had seven tackles, two for losses, 1 1/2 sacks and batted down a pass last week. ... LB Cedric Gray had a team-high 10 tackles last week and a fumble recovery. ... S Xavier Woods had an interception last week. ... Rookie CB Marcus Harris forced his first career fumble last week. ... San Francisco is seeking its first four-game winning streak since winning six straight in 2023. ... The 49ers are 5-3 after the bye under Shanahan with wins the last three seasons. ... San Francisco has won eight straight against rookie starting QBs since losing twice to Arizona's Josh Rosen in 2018. ... The 32.9 yard average starting field position for the 49ers is the best in the NFL. They have scored six of their 10 TDs the past three games on drives that started in opposing territory with four starting in the red zone. ... San Francisco has held back-to-back opponents to fewer than 10 points for the first time since doing it three straight games from Weeks 5 to 7 in 2019. ... Niners RB Christian McCaffrey has 838 yards rushing and 806 yards receiving. MarshallFaulk (1998) and Roger Craig (1985) are the only other players with at least 800 yards of each in a team’s first 13 games of a season. ... Pineiro is 22 for 22 on FGs this season and San Francisco has matched a franchise record with 12 straight games without a missed FG.
Fantasy tip
Niners WR Jauan Jennings has gotten healthy in recent weeks and has caught a TD pass in four of his last five games. He has at least four catches in seven straight games. He also grew up near Nashville.
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Falcons look to play spoiler against the reeling Buccaneers on Thursday night By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Atlanta (4-9) at Tampa Bay (7-6)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EST, Prime Video.
BetMGM NFL odds: Buccaneers by 4 1/2.
Against the spread: Falcons 5-7-1, Buccaneers 5-8.
Series record: Saints lead 32-32.
Last meeting: Buccaneers beat the Falcons 23-20 on Sept. 7, 2025, in Atlanta.
Last week: Buccaneers lost to the Dolphins 37-9; Buccaneers lost to the Saints 24-20.
Falcons offense: overall (16), rush (12), pass (18), scoring (27).
Falcons defense: overall (14), rush (24), pass (9), scoring (20).
Buccaneers offense: overall (22), rush (20), pass (20), scoring (17).
Buccaneers defense: overall (21), rush (8), pass (27), scoring (23).
Turnover differential: Falcons plus-2; Buccaneers plus-9.
Falcons player to watch
Tight end Kyle Pitts. While leading receiver Drake London deals with a knee injury, Pitts has become the go-to target. He led the Falcons with six catches for a season-best 90 yards against the Seahawks last week. It was his second straight outing leading the team in receiving yards. In Atlanta’s first meeting this season against Tampa Bay, Pitts caught seven passes for 59 yards.
Buccaneers player to watch
WR Emeka Egbuka. The rookie receiver has slowed after a spectacular start. He dropped a touchdown pass last week that could’ve tied the game. Egbuka took accountability and is due for a breakout performance.
Key matchup
Robinson vs. Tampa Bay’s front seven. The Bucs are ninth against the run, but Jahmyr Gibbs and Treveyon Henderson ran all over them. Robinson is a threat as a receiver and a mismatch against Tampa’s linebackers coming out of the backfield.
Key injuries
Falcons: WR Drake London (knee) is out. ... LB Jalon Walker (quad), DL David Onyemata (foot) and TE Kyle Pitts (knee) and DL Brandon Dorlus (groin) are questionable.
Buccaneers: WR Mike Evans (collarbone) are WR Jalen McMillan (neck) are questionable. ... TE Cade Otton (knee) and S Tykee Smith (neck) are doubtful. ... LB SirVocea Dennis (hip) is out.
Series notes
The Falcons have won two of the past three meetings, including both of Kirk Cousins’ starts last year.
Stats and stuff
Cousins threw for 785 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception in two wins against the Bucs last season. ... RB Bijan Robinson ranks first with 1,683 scrimmage yards this season. He has 3,513 yards rushing, 1,520 yards receiving and 30 scrimmage TDs since 2023. ... Pitts aims for his third straight game with 80 yards receiving. ... RB Tyler Allgeier has scored a TD in two of his past three games on the road. ... Edge rusher James Pearce Jr. has a sack in five straight games, the first rookie to do that since Micah Parsons. He leads all rookies with six sacks. ... The Buccaneers ran for 179 yards last week. ... QB Baker Mayfield has completed less than 60% of his passes in three of the last four games. ... RB Bucky Irving had a team-high 81 yards from scrimmage and a TD catch last week. ... Egbuka ranks first among rookies in TD catches (six) and second in yards receiving (806) this season. ... Fellow rookie WR Tez Johnson has five TDs. ... RB Sean Tucker has five rushing TDs. ... LB Chris Braswell got his first sack of season last week. ... S Antoine Winfield Jr. needs two sacks to join Jamal Adams (21 1/2) as the only defensive backs since 1982 with 20 sacks in their first six seasons. ... K Chase McLaughlin is 9 for 9 from beyond 50 yards on field goals.
Fantasy tip
Robinson could have a monster game as a receiver against a defense that struggles against the pass and gives up too many big plays.
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Struggling Colts could turn to Rivers against Seahawks By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Indianapolis (8-5) at Seattle (10-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, Fox.
BetMGM NFL odds: Seahawks by 11 1/2.
Against the spread: Seahawks 10-3; Colts 7-5-1
Series record: Colts lead 7-6.
Last meeting: Seahawks beat Colts 28-16 on Sept. 12, 2021 ,in Indianapolis.
Last week: Seahawks beat the Falcons 37-9, Colts lost to the Jaguars 36-19
Colts offense: overall (6), rush (6), pass (8), scoring (5t).
Colts defense: overall (23), rush (6), pass (29), scoring (13).
Seahawks offense: overall (9), rush (18), pass (9), scoring (2).
Seahawks defense: overall (6), rush (4), pass (11), scoring (2).
Turnover differential: Colts plus-3; Seahawks minus-2.
Colts player to watch
QB Philip Rivers. With Daniel Jones suffering a season-ending injury last weekend and rookie backup Riley Leonard hobbled, the Colts brought the 44-year-old Hall of Fame semifinalist out of retirement in hopes of making the playoffs. It wasn’t clear whether he’ll start — or even play — Sunday, but he could be the Colts’ best option to make a playoff push.
Seahawks player to watch
TE AJ Barner. The second-year player only snagged three passes for 27 yards last Sunday. But considering the Seahawks are likely to be without fellow tight end Elijah Arroyo (knee) after he was injured in Sunday’s game against the Falcons, Barner should garner more targets from Sam Darnold against a Colts defense that struggles against the pass.
Key matchup
Colts offensive line vs. Seahawks defensive line. With right tackle Braden Smith in the concussion protocol and the Colts starting either Rivers, Leonard or recently promoted Brett Rypien against a strong defense in a loud, hostile environment, pass protections will be essential. And it’s a good bet the Seahawks will dial up some exotic defenses to confuse and harass whomever the Colts start.
Key injuries
Colts: Pro Bowl CB Charvarius Ward was placed on injured reserve with a concussion. ... It’s not yet clear whether two-time All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner will return from his strained calf. ... Two-time Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner (neck) is eligible to return from injured reserve this week and he practiced Wednesday, opening the window for a return.
Seahawks: DT Johnathan Hankins (back) won't return from the reserve/non-football injury list this season, coach Mike Macdonald said last month. ... WR Tory Horton (shin) was placed on injured reserve last month. ... Arroyo (knee) is not currently practicing and is doubtful to play Sunday. ... G Jalen Sundell and TE Eric Saubert both returned to practice Wednesday as limited participants. Both players have been on injured reserve, with Sundell for the past four games due to a knee injury, and Saubert for the last six games due to a calf injury. Macdonald is optimistic both will be available for Sunday’s game.
Series notes
The Seahawks have won the last two in this short series and have won three of the last five. Indianapolis is 0-2 all-time at Qwest/CenturyLink Field. These franchises both played in the AFC from Seattle’s inception in 1976 until realignment in 2002 when league officials moved the Seahawks from the AFC West to the NFC West and the Colts from the AFC East to the AFC South.
Stats and stuff
The Colts are in their worst stretch of the season, losing three straight and four of five. They’ve surrendered the division lead to Jacksonville and are tied with Houston for second, one game back. The Colts also are seeded eighth in a seven-team playoff field entering Week 15. ... Indianapolis has scored 20 or fewer points in all five of its losses this season. ... Rivers has not taken a snap since announcing his retirement in January 2021 and has spent the last five seasons coaching a high school team in Alabama. ... RB Jonathan Taylor continues to lead the league in rushing (1,356 yards) despite rushing for 217 yards and one TD during the losing streak. Taylor needs one TD run to pass Hall of Famer Lenny Moore (16) for the second-highest single-season total in franchise history. ... WR Michael Pittman Jr. needs one catch to surpass his total from last season (69). ... Tyler Warren needs 28 yards receiving to break John Mackey’s franchise record for most yards receiving by a rookie tight end. Mackey had 726 yards in 1963. ... The Colts have a takeaway in a league-best 13 games this season and also are tied for the league lead with five takeaways in the red zone. ... Nick Cross is tied for second in the NFL among safeties with 2 1/2 sacks. ... K Blake Grupe made both of his field goal attempts and his only extra-point attempt last week in his Colts debut. ... The Seahawks have 10 wins in their first 13 games for the first time since 2019. Seattle went 10-7 last season and hasn’t had a losing season since 2021 under Pete Carroll. ... The Seahawks are 4-0 against AFC foes this season, including a 27-19 win against the Texans on Oct. 20. ... Seattle has beaten its last two opponents, the Vikings and Falcons, by a combined score of 63-9. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who leads the NFL in receiving yards this season, tied a season high with two TD catches last Sunday. His 1,428 yards receiving are 242 more than Puka Nacua, the NFL’s second-leading receiver. ... CB Devon Witherspoon had his first interception of the season last week. It was the second of his career and first since his rookie season on Oct. 2, 2023, against the New York Giants. ... The Seahawks have 41 sacks, good for fourth in the NFL, while the offense has allowed just 17. ... K Jason Myers has made 18 of his last 19 attempts, with the lone miss from 61 yards during a Nov. 16 loss to the Rams. He is 31 for 36 overall this season.
Fantasy tip
The Seahawks’ defense has been among the league’s best all season, and there is little reason to believe that will change against the reeling Colts. Indianapolis very well may turn to Rivers to get off the schneid, an enticing matchup for Seattle’s pass rush.
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Cowboys cling to playoff hopes as Vikings visit with focus on McCarthy's growth By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Minnesota (5-8) at Dallas (6-6-1)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC
BetMGM NFL odds: Cowboys by 6.
Against the spread: Vikings 5-7; Cowboys 7-6.
Series record: Cowboys lead 19-15.
Last meeting: Cowboys beat Vikings 40-3 on Nov. 20, 2022, in Minneapolis.
Last week: Vikings beat Commanders 31-0; Cowboys lost to Lions 44-30.
Vikings offense: overall (28), rush (24), pass (30), scoring (26).
Vikings defense: overall (8), rush (22), pass (4), scoring (124).
Cowboys offense: overall (1), rush (16), pass (1), scoring (3).
Cowboys defense: overall (29), rush (20), pass (32), scoring (31).
Turnover differential: Vikings minus-12, Cowboys minus-8.
Vikings player to watch
RB Jordan Mason. With a career-high six touchdown runs and a team-leading 630 yards rushing, Mason has been well worth the late draft pick the Vikings sent to San Francisco to acquire the 26-year-old last spring. Mason is averaging more than 6 yards per attempt over the last five games and should continue to be a prominent part of the game plan down the stretch.
Cowboys player to watch
WR George Pickens. He faced questions about his effort in the loss to the Lions after what appeared to be several instances of half-hearted route-running. If CeeDee Lamb can't play after suffering a concussion against Detroit, there will be even more focus on Pickens. Pickens did average 120 yards while scoring four touchdowns in the three games Lamb missed with an ankle injury this season. Pickens is third in the NFL with 1,179 yards receiving despite the Lions limiting him to 37 yards.
Key matchup
QB J.J. McCarthy vs. Dallas' pass defense. The best game of what is essentially McCarthy's first season came against the Commanders. The second-year pro who missed all of his rookie year with a knee injury had his most touchdown passes with three in his first game without a turnover. McCarthy had a 129.2 passer rating in his seventh start after averaging 51.3 in his previous five games. Now he faces the NFL's worst pass defense. The Cowboys have struggled in the secondary most of the season trying to implement first-year defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus' zone-heavy scheme.
Key injuries
Vikings: They fielded their expected starting lineup on both offense and defense last week for the first time this season and reported no significant injuries during the Washington game.
Cowboys: DE Jadeveon Clowney was a game-time decision in the loss to Detroit, so the extra time off should bode well for his return after missing just that game with a hamstring injury. ... LT Tyler Guyton is probably at least another week away from returning from a sprained ankle that has sidelined him two games.
Series notes
The Cowboys have won five of the past six meetings, but the only loss was at home, 28-24 in 2019. Dallas is 13-7 on the road against Minnesota, but just 6-8 in Texas. ... The Vikings have lost four consecutive Sunday night road games since that 2019 victory over the Cowboys. They also lost their last Sunday night meeting with Dallas, 20-16 at home in 2021 when Cooper Rush started in place of injured star quarterback Dak Prescott for the Cowboys.
Stats and stuff
The Vikings are 1-7 on the road and 5-10 overall in prime time under coach Kevin O’Connell. Over the last 20 seasons, the Vikings are 9-28 on the road and 24-42 overall in night games. ... The Cowboys trail NFC East-leading Philadelphia by 1 1/2 games with four to play after their three-game winning streak was stopped by Detroit. The Eagles have lost three in a row. ... McCarthy's completion percentage is 56%. The only lower percentage among quarterbacks with at least one start is Cleveland rookie Shedeur Sanders (52.4%). … WR Justin Jefferson has just four catches for 15 yards over the last two games. He needs 134 yards receiving to pass Randy Moss for the most by a player over his first six NFL seasons. ... The Vikings have at least two sacks in 24 of 31 games since the start of the 2024 season, second most in the league behind Denver (28). ... The Vikings have allowed 2.24 yards per play in the red zone this season, the second-fewest in the league. They rank third in red zone touchdown rate. ... Prescott can set a franchise record with a fourth consecutive 300-yard passing game. The NFL leader in yards passing is facing a defense that has held opponents to 250 yards or fewer through the air in 12 of 13 games, and allowed an average of just 112 yards over the past three games. ... RB Javonte Williams clinched his first 1,000-yard season last week. The fifth-year back is seventh in the NFL with 1,022 yards. ... Lamb has at least 100 yards receiving in five of his nine games, not counting a loss at Chicago when he injured an ankle the only time he touched the ball, on a designed running play out of the backfield. He didn't finish his fifth 100-yard effort. Lamb had seven catches for 110 yards when he suffered the concussion against the Lions. ... DE Donovan Ezeiruaku is second among rookies with nine tackles for loss. ... DE Sam Williams is the only player in the NFL with two blocked kicks and a blocked punt this season. ... K Brandon Aubrey is the first in league history with at least 100 field goals in his first three seasons.
Fantasy tip
All three of McCarthy’s touchdown passes last week went to tight ends — two to Josh Oliver and one to T.J. Hockenson. The Vikings are trying to simplify the offense through McCarthy's struggles and quick or underneath throws seem to be part of the plan. Hockenson could be poised for a strong finish in what has so far been a career-worst season and would be worth a pickup in a league where a frustrated owner sent him to the waiver wire.
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Patriots can clinch playoff berth and AFC East title with win over Bills By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Buffalo (9-4) at New England (11-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
BetMGM NFL odds: Bills by 1.
Against the spread: Bills 6-7; Patriots 8-4-1.
Series record: Patriots lead 80-51-1.
Last meeting: Patriots won 23-20 in Buffalo on Oct. 5, 2025.
Last week: Bills beat Bengals 39-34; Patriots beat Giants 33-15 on Dec. 1.
Bills offense: overall (2), rush (1), pass (11), scoring (5t).
Bills defense: overall (10), rush (28), pass (2), scoring (14).
Patriots offense: overall (8), rush (21), pass (2), scoring (7)
Patriots defense: overall (7), rush (3), pass (14), scoring (5)
Turnover differential: Bills minus-1; Patriots plus-1.
Bills player to watch
QB Josh Allen. The eighth-year starter is coming off an outing in which he passed for three touchdowns and scored another rushing while rallying Buffalo from a 10-point deficit in the final eight minutes. Allen has combined for three or more touchdowns seven times this season — all wins — and is looking to atone for a sloppy two-TD and two-turnover outing in Buffalo’s loss to New England in Week 5.
Patriots players to watch
QB Drake Maye. The second-year standout enters this week first in the NFL with a 71.5 completion percentage and 111.9 passer rating. He's also second in the NFL in yards passing (3,412). Since 1970, three quarterbacks have led the league in yards, completion percentage and passer rating in the same season: Tom Brady in 2007, Kurt Warner in 2001 and Ken Anderson in 1974.
Key matchup
Allen and RB James Cook vs. Patriots run defense. The Patriots have been stingy against the run all season and come in allowing opponents only 89.5 yards per game on the ground. But the Bills have been great running the ball over their last two games. Against Pittsburgh in Week 13, Cook (144 yards) led the offense in an outing that saw Buffalo rack up a season-high 249 rushing yards. In their win over Cincinnati the following week, the Bills had 183 yards rushing – including 78 and a touchdown by Allen.
Key injuries
Bills: Buffalo is getting healthier with RT Spencer Brown (right shoulder) expected to return after missing two games. ... DE Joey Bosa (hamstring/wrist) has a chance to return after he resumed practicing on a limited basis after missing one game. ... LB Terrel Bernard’s status remains uncertain after missing two games with an elbow issue.
Patriots: Rookie LT Will Campbell won't play for the second straight game after he was placed on injured reserve Nov. 26 with a knee injury. ... LG Jared Wilson began the week as a full participant after sitting out last week with an ankle injury. ... RB Terrell Jennings started the week in the concussion protocol.
Series notes
The Patriots’ 80 wins over the Bills are their highest total against any opponent. ... New England is 41-24 all-time at home against Buffalo, including 18-5 at Gillette Stadium. ... The last time the Bills have been swept by a division foe was in 2019, Tom Brady’s last season in New England, when the Bills lost both games to the Pats.
Stats and stuff
The Patriots will clinch both the AFC East title and a playoff berth with a victory, ending Buffalo’s streak of five consecutive division titles. ... Including the playoffs, Buffalo is 12-12 on the road since 2023 and 3-3 this season. ... Buffalo is one win shy of its seventh consecutive season with 10 or more victories. ... Bills coach Sean McDermott improved to 95-49, moving ahead of John Madden and Mike McCarthy for the most regular-season wins among NFL coaches in their first nine years. McDermott is one win shy of matching Paul Brown, while George Seifert leads the list with 106. ... Allen improved to 6-0 this season and 38-7 overall when not committing a giveaway. The quarterback also extended his NFL record with his 50th game in which he has scored a TD on a pass and a run. ... RB James Cook topped 100 yards from scrimmage for a 10th time last weekend, but also lost a fumble -- his third of the season. The turnover came in the red zone, marking the fifth time the Bills have coughed up the ball inside an opponent’s 20 this season. The previous four giveaways were Allen interceptions. ... TE Dawson Knox had season highs with six catches and a team-leading 93 yards -- the third most of his seven-year career -- against the Bengals. ... CB Christian Benford scored on a 63-yard interception return against Cincinnati and a week after scoring on a 17-yard fumble return. He became Buffalo’s first player to score on TD returns in consecutive games. ... Buffalo has scored on a return in three straight, with Ray Davis’ 97-yard kickoff return in a 23-19 loss at Houston. ... The Patriots can also clinch a playoff berth with several combinations of tie and losses involving multiple teams. ... New England hasn’t won the AFC East since 2019, its final in a streak of 11 consecutive titles from 2009 to 2019. ... An 11th consecutive victory would be the third-longest single-season streak in team history. The Patriots have had streaks of at least 11 wins in a season two previous times: a 12-game streak in 2003 and a 16-game streak in 2007. ... A victory would give the Patriots their 14th 12-win season in team history. ... Mike Vrabel can become the third head coach since 1970 to record a winning streak of 11 or more games in his first season with a team, joining Jim Caldwell (14 consecutive wins with Indianapolis in 2009) and Steve Mariucci (11 with San Francisco in 1997). ... New England is the first team in NFL history to win 10 consecutive games with at least 23 points scored and 23 or fewer points allowed in each game. ... WR Stefon Diggs leads the team with 64 receptions and 705 receiving yards. ... TE Hunter Henry entered the week second on the team with 610 yards receiving. He needs 65 yards to set a single-season career high. ... LB Harold Landry leads the Patriots with 7 1/2 sacks.
Fantasy tip
Look for the ball to go to Diggs a lot in this one. He posted a season-high 10 catches for 146 yards in the Patriots’ victory in Buffalo in Week 5. That was also Diggs’ season high for catches and yards.
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Panthers aim to even things against the Saints and remain atop the NFC South By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Carolina (7-6) at New Orleans (3-10)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, Fox.
BetMGM NFL odds: Panthers by 3.
Against the spread: Panthers 8-5, Saints 5-8.
Series record: Saints lead 33-29.
Last meeting: Saints beat Panthers 17-7 on Nov. 9, 2025, at Carolina.
Last week: Panthers had a bye; beat the Rams 31-28 on Nov. 30; Saints beat the Buccaneers 24-20.
Panthers offense: overall (23), rush (10), pass (25), scoring (28).
Panthers defense: overall (18), rush (17), pass (18), scoring (15t).
Saints offense: overall (26), rush (28), pass (21), scoring (30).
Saints defense: overall (12), rush (23), pass (6), scoring (21).
Turnover differential: Panthers even; Saints minus-5.
Panthers player to watch
CB Jaycee Horn. His five interceptions are tied for second most in the NFL. He'll be eager to see if he can add to that against a rookie QB in the very stadium that his father, former Saints receiver Joe Horn, once called home. Horn had two interceptions in the first half of his last outing in Week 12 game against San Francisco. He missed the following week against the Los Angeles Rams with a concussion.
Saints player to watch
QB Tyler Shough. The rookie is showing he can make plays as a passer or runner. He ran for touchdowns of 34 and 13 yards in last Sunday's victory over Tampa Bay.
Key matchup
Carolina's Horn is bound to spend much of the game covering Saints No. 1 receiver Chris Olave, a Saints first-round pick in 2022 who leads the club with 76 catches for 811 yards and five TDs.
Key injuries
Panthers: Horn and LB Claudin Cherelus are expected to clear the team's concussion protocol following the bye week. ... C Cade Mays returns after missing two games with an ankle injury. His return means Austin Corbett moves back to right guard. ... LB Christian Rozeboom (hip/hamstring) is also expected back after missing two games.
Saints: RB Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) and S Justin Reid (knee) and reserve OT Asim Richards (ankle) missed practice this week, while RT Taliese Fuaga (ankle) returned to the field on a limited basis after sitting out last week.
Series notes
The Saints have won the last two meetings in New Orleans. The Saints are 16-13 against Carolina in the Superdome. A Saints-Panthers game has been decided by eight or fewer points 30 times with each team winning 15 of those. The last time these teams met in New Orleans, the Saints recorded the largest victory margin in series history, winning 47-10. Since then, the Saints have changed coaches from Dennis Allen to Kellen Moore and changed QBs from Derek Carr to Shough.
Stats and stuff
The Panthers enter tied with Tampa Bay atop the NFC South Division. ... QB Bryce Young completed 15 of 20 passes (75%) for 206 yards and 3 TDs for a 147.1 rating in Week 13. ... RB Rico Dowdle had 79 scrimmage yards (58 rushing, 21 receiving) in Week 13 and has 70 or more scrimmage yards in three straight games. ... Dowdle has 929 yards rushing this season and needs 71 more for his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. ... RB Chuba Hubbard led Carolina with a season-high 124 scrimmage yards (83 rushing, 41 receiving) and caught a TD pass in Week 13. ... WR Tetairoa McMillan had his sixth TD catch of season in Week 13, tied for the most among rookies this season. His 826 yards receiving ranks first among rookies. ... McMillan has a TD catch in each of his last three games. ... WR Jalen Coker had a team- and season-high 74 yards receiving and his first TD catch of this season in Week 13. ... LB D.J. Wonnum had his first fumble recovery of the season in Week 13. ... LB Trevin Wallace had six tackles and a tackle for loss in Week 13 and has a tackle for loss in each of his last two games. ... DT Derrick Brown had a sack, a pass defensed and his first forced fumble of season in Week 13. He had nine tackles and a tackle for loss in these teams' Week 10 meeting. ... CB Mike Jackson returned an interception for a TD in Week 13 and has three interceptions this season. ... S Nick Scott had nine tackles and his first interception of the season in Week 13. ... Rookie S Lathan Ransom led Carolina with a season-high 11 tackles and had his first sack of the season in Week 13. ... The Saints' Shough completed 13 of 20 passes (65%) for 144 yards passing and to go with his 55 yards rushing. His 34-yard TD rushing was the longest by any Saints QB. ... Shough joined Archie Manning as the only Saints QBs to rush for 50 yards and two TDs in a game. ... RB Alvin Kamara, who has missed the Saints' past two games, has 7,250 career yards rushing and 4,948 career yards receiving, putting him in range of becoming the first NFL player with 5,000 career yards rushing and receiving. Kamara had 115 scrimmage yards against Carolina in Week 10. ... Rookie RB Devin Neal led New Orleans with 70 yards rushing and scored his first career TD rushing last week. ... Olave is one of six receivers this season with 50 or more yards receiving in 10 games. ... Olave had 104 yards receiving against the Panthers in Week 10. ... WR Devaughn Vele led the Saints with 40 yards receiving in Week 14. ... TE Juwan Johnson had 92 yards receiving and a TD catch in Week 10 and has caught a TD pass in two of his past three vs. Carolina. ... LB Demario Davis led New Orleans with seven tackles last week and has at least that many in each of his past seven games. ... DE Cameron Jordan has 128 sacks and 747 tackles since 2011. ... CB Alontae Taylor had his second interception of the season last week. ... CB Kool-Aid McKinstry had a team-high seven tackles and a pass defensed in Week 14.
Fantasy tip
Dowdle has been a monster producer in fantasy football this season, but his production could be on a downward slope with Hubbard looking healthy again. In fact, Hubbard outgained Dowdle 83 yards to 58 in Carolina's last game against the Los Angeles Rams.
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Bears look to bounce back against Garrett and the Browns after losing to the Packers By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Cleveland (3-10) at Chicago (9-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox.
BetMGM NFL odds: Bears by 7 1/2.
Against the spread: Browns 4-6; Bears 6-4.
Series record: Browns lead 11-7.
Last meeting: Browns beat Bears 20-17 at Cleveland on Dec. 17, 2023.
Last week: Browns lost to Tennessee 31-29; Bears lost at Green Bay 28-21.
Browns offense: overall (30), rush (27), pass (29), scoring (29)
Browns defense: overall (2), overall (13), pass (1), scoring (17)
Bears offense: overall (5), rush (2), pass (14), scoring (8)
Bears defense: overall (27), overall (27), pass (21), scoring (25)
Turnover differential: Browns minus-1; Bears plus-17.
Bears player to watch
WR DJ Moore. With leading receiver Rome Odunze missing last week's game with a lingering foot injury, coach Ben Johnson expected Moore to carry a heavier load. That didn't happen. Moore was targeted just three times and caught one pass for a 4-yard loss, the first time in his eight seasons that his receiving total was for negative yardage. Moore has 498 yards receiving through 13 games and is on pace to finish with 651. His career low is 788 yards in 2018 as a rookie with Carolina.
Browns player to watch
QB Shedeur Sanders. The highly publicized fifth-round pick and son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders will be the Browns' starter for the rest of the season after passing for 364 yards and three touchdowns while also having a rushing score. He is 1-2 as Cleveland's starter, but the next three games against tough defenses should be an indicator of what the Browns might have going into another offseason where they could be looking for quarterback help.
Key matchup
Browns DE Myles Garrett vs. Bears LT Ozzy Trapilo. Garrett comes in with a league-leading 20 sacks and needs just 2 1/2 to match the NFL single-season record shared by the New York Giants' Michael Strahan (2001) and Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt (2021). A four-time All-Pro, Garrett has 16 in the past seven games. The Giants' Brian Burns is second in the NFL with 13 sacks. Trapilo, a second-round draft pick from Boston College this year, held his own last week against an aggressive defense led by Micah Parsons. A solid effort against Cleveland could help cement him as the Bears' left tackle of the future.
Key injuries
Browns: OG Wyatt Teller (calf) will miss his second straight game and OT Jack Conklin remains in concussion protocol. ... WR Malachi Corley (concussion), TE David Njoku (knee), CB Denzel Ward (calf) and WR Cedric Tillman (concussion) are questionable after being injured last week.
Bears: CB Kyler Gordon (groin) was a late scratch last week after he was hurt in warmups and coach Ben Gordon said it's “to be determined” if he'll play again this season. He has played in just three games due to hamstring and groin injuries. ... Odunze would have been a limited participant Wednesday had the Bears practiced rather than held a walkthrough.
Series notes
The Browns have won the past two meetings — both in Cleveland, including a wild one in 2023. They rallied from 10 down with Joe Flacco leading the comeback and withstood a Hail Mary on the final play. Justin Fields' heave got batted by two defenders, but it went directly to Bears receiver Darnell Mooney, who was lying on his back. The ball bounced in and out of Mooney’s hands and he kicked it into the air, allowing Browns safety D’Anthony Bell to intercept it. ... Chicago is 5-2 in home games against Cleveland, most recently winning at Soldier Field in 2017.
Stats and stuff
Cleveland has dropped two straight and five of six. It is assured of its 19th season with double-digit losses since returning to the league in 1999. ... The Browns are on pace to join the 1968 Buffalo Bills as the only teams in the Super Bowl era to have their leaders in pass attempts, rushing carries and pass receptions all be rookies. ... RB Quinshon Judkins leads NFL rookies with 784 yards rushing and is tied for first in rushing TDs (seven). ... WR Jerry Jeudy had his second TD catch of the season last week. ... TE Harold Fannin Jr. had career highs in receptions (eight) and yards receiving (114) last week. He's second among league rookies with 59 catches. ... Chicago had won five straight and nine of 10 before last week’s game. ... The Bears fell behind Green Bay for the NFC North lead and tumbled from first to seventh in the conference race with the loss at Lambeau Field. ... The Bears have won four straight at home since a season-opening loss to Minnesota. ... Chicago leads the league in interceptions (18), takeaways (27) and turnover differential (plus-17). ... The Bears have five wins this season after trailing in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, tied with the 2016 Detroit Lions and 2011 Denver Broncos for the league record. ... QB Caleb Williams has completed fewer than 60% of his passes in six straight games. On a more positive note, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has 19 touchdown passes after throwing for 20 as a rookie last season. ... S Kevin Byard leads the NFL with six interceptions — two shy of his career high. CB Nahshon Wright is tied for second with five, and LB Tremaine Edmunds has four, matching his personal best. ... Wright leads the league in takeaways (eight) and fumble recoveries (three).
Fantasy tip
With frigid temperatures forecast and the potential for a low-scoring game, this might be a good week to bench Sanders — particularly going against a defense that leads the league in takeaways.
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