Packers' Hafley makes big prediction about Parsons while noting how defense can thrive without him The Associated Press GREEN BAY, Wis.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley offered a bold prediction regarding Micah Parsons’ eventual return from the torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended the superstar pass rusher’s season prematurely.
“If I were a betting man, I would bet that he comes back even better and probably breaks the sack record next year,” Hafley said Wednesday.
Hafley also is bullish about the Packers’ chances of continuing to play quality defense even without Parsons, who injured his left knee in the third quarter of the Packers’ 34-26 loss at Denver on Sunday.
The Packers (9-4-1) play their first full game without Parsons this season on Saturday when they visit the Chicago Bears (10-4) with the NFC North lead at stake.
“We’ve got really good players, we’ve played good defense and we’re going to continue to play good defense,” Hafley said. “Our guys understand that, and I think it’s important for everyone to understand that these guys have a lot of pride, and they’re going to get even closer because of this. And they’re going to play well.”
Statistics suggest Green Bay’s defense could struggle without Parsons, who had a team-high 12 ½ sacks.
Although the Packers have allowed the sixth-fewest yards per game (294.6) and eighth-fewest points per game (20.1) of any NFL team, their game at Denver exposed their vulnerability when they’re not applying a consistent pass rush. Denver’s Bo Nix wasn’t sacked as he threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns.
Parsons’ league-high 83 quarterback pressures according to NFL Next Gen Stats were nearly twice the total of any other Packer. Green Bay will need former first-round picks Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness to recapture the form they showed early in the season when they capitalized on all the attention offenses were giving to Parsons.
Gary ranks second on the team with 42 pressures, but all 7 ½ of his sacks this season came in Green Bay’s first seven games.
Van Ness had 1 ½ sacks in Green Bay’s first five games, then missed seven of the Packers’ next eight games with a foot injury. Van Ness returned to play 22 snaps and post two tackles against Denver.
Gary said the Packers plan to play the rest of the season in a way that would impress Parsons.
“The No. 1 thing is, he wants us to turn the page and continue to play ball and get wins,” Gary said.
Green Bay still has many of the key players from a defense that ranked fifth in yards allowed and sixth in points allowed last season. That gives the Packers confidence they can still contain offenses even without Parsons chasing quarterbacks.
The Packers did send three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Kenny Clark to Dallas in the trade that got them Parsons. They also lost Devonte Wyatt, whose four sacks rank third on the team, to a season-ending ankle injury.
Yet they still have confidence they can continue to thrive without Parsons.
“We’ve still got the pen in our hand,” Gary said. “We can still write our story.”
If the Packers can pick up the slack and make a deep postseason run after losing Parsons, they should feel even better about themselves next year, whenever they get him back. Hafley said he expects the 26-year-old to come back better than ever.
After Hafley talked about the possibility of Parsons breaking the single-season sack record next year, he was asked if he specifically meant the league record. Michael Strahan set that record with 22 ½ in 2001 and T.J. Watt tied that mark 20 years later, though Cleveland’s Myles Garrett currently has 21 ½ with three games left in his season.
Hafley didn’t back down from his faith in Parsons or the rest of his players.
“He’s the type of guy – give Micah adversity and watch what happens,” Hafley said. “Give our defense and give our team adversity, and watch what happens. We’ll find out.”
NOTES: WR Christian Watson practiced on a limited basis Wednesday and expressed confidence he’d be able to play Saturday. Watson left the Broncos game with injuries to his chest and shoulder. “Obviously I’ve got to make sure that they clear me in the medical room and everything and make sure everything’s good,” Watson said. “But I mean, yeah, my goal is just to have a couple good days leading up to the game and hopefully it feels a little bit better each and every day and we’re at the point in the season where you’ve got to fight through some stuff, so should be good.” … RB Josh Jacobs (knee), RT Zach Tom (back/knee), TE Josh Whyle (concussion) and S Evan Williams (knee) didn’t practice. WR Jayden Reed also didn’t practice, due to a personal matter. … Parsons was officially placed on injured reserve.
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Ashton Jeanty struggles to find success behind Raiders' weak offensive line By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer The Associated Press HENDERSON, Nev.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Ashton Jeanty joined the Raiders with all the hype associated with the sixth pick of the draft , his tackle-breaking running style expected to pump life into the NFL's worst rushing offense.
Las Vegas, however, continues to rank 32nd in rushing, and Jeanty is finding little room behind an offensive line that has struggled all season to keep opposing defenders out of the backfield.
He has rushed for 700 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 50 yards per game and 3 1/2 per carry. Jeanty has produced just one 100-yard game, a 138-yard performance against Chicago in which he also ran and caught passes for three TDs.
“We have not controlled the line of scrimmage like we need to,” coach Pete Carroll said. "Because the games have gone out of whack score-wise, we don’t see the numbers in the (rushing attempts) that we like to get. But, basically, we got to get better movement, we got to get better spacing, we got to make sure that we’re giving him a chance and get him going.
"We’re just waiting for him to bust, like you all are too, because we know he can, but it’s been hard sledding.”
Jeanty acknowledged he has become frustrated at times, understandable given he hasn't had the same production — or victories — he enjoyed at Boise State.
He was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy after putting together one of the greatest seasons in college football history. Jeanty led the nation with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns rushing, his physical style capturing the attention of fans and NFL scouts as the Broncos made the College Football Playoff .
Though Jeanty has shown that same ability to break tackles while taking handoffs for the Raiders, he often finds himself face to face with a defender right after getting the ball. It would be easy for him to wonder if he ever will get the chance to shine in Las Vegas.
“I’m never going to lose confidence whether I played the way I did, I wanted to or the way I didn’t want to,” Jeanty said. "Confidence is the only way you can be able to go out there and put up your best performance.”
Quarterback Geno Smith can relate after his own rocky path in the NFL.
He was drafted in the second round in 2013 by the New York Jets, but Smith's career was in real jeopardy until he resurrected it under Carroll in Seattle beginning in 2022.
“If (Jeanty's) thinking about what other people are expecting, he’s doing it wrong,” Smith said. "Anybody in this building thinking about the outside is doing it wrong. We’ve got to think about what we expect and what we can do and how we can be better all around. There’s nothing outside of here that matters. Everything that’s inside of here is what we have, is what we need.”
Smith was speaking more in hypotheticals and wasn't trying to imply Jeanty was being influenced by any external criticism.
Carroll said he hasn't seen any signs of Jeanty getting down on himself.
“He’s been really constant, hasn’t blurted out anything or whatever, and we’re communicating," Carroll said. "So it’s not like he’s ducking and dodging the coaches or anything like that. He wants to do everything he can do, too, to help. He’s a terrific competitor, and he’s looking for his opportunities.”
Maybe that will come Sunday at Houston, though the Texans allow just 92.7 yards rushing per game, which is fourth best.
After this weekend, Jeanty will have just two more opportunities until next season.
“I measure (progress) by how I come to work, how I practice," Jeanty said. “I work hard every week. Maybe I don’t get the results that I want from a stat standpoint, but I think it’s all about how I continue to get better and what I do next.”
Smith returns to practice
Smith, who did not play in Sunday's 31-0 loss at Philadelphia because of back and shoulder injuries , returned to practice Wednesday. Carroll said no decision has been made on whether Smith will play at Houston.
“We’ll just take it one day at a time, see how he does and how he recovers tomorrow and all that,” Carroll said. "There’s no rush to figure that out because he’ll get a bunch of turns today.”
Smith said he was taking the same guarded approach, but was anxious to get back into the lineup.
“I hated it,” Smith said of not playing. “But I get a chance to prove myself in practice this week.”
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All-American receiver Makai Lemon headed to NFL, skipping his final season at USC The Associated Press LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES (AP) — All-American receiver Makai Lemon is skipping his final season at Southern California to enter the NFL draft.
Lemon won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver this season after catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards — tops in the Power Four conferences — and 11 touchdowns for the Trojans (9-3). The 5-foot-11 wideout with a knack for acrobatic catches and game-changing plays earned first-team All-America honors from The Associated Press.
Lemon grew up 25 miles from USC's campus in Orange County. After playing sparingly as a freshman in 2023, he caught 131 passes for 1,928 yards and 14 TDs during his two full seasons with the Trojans.
“The opportunity to play this game in the city that raised me was something I envisioned long before it became reality,” Lemon wrote when announcing his expected decision on social media Wednesday. “Competing in front of my family, friends and community made this experience even more meaningful, and I'll always be proud to have represented this university and this city.”
Lemon is USC's second Biletnikoff Award winner, joining Marqise Lee (2012).
Ja'Kobi Lane, Lemon's friend and fellow starting receiver at USC, also declared for the draft earlier this week.
USC coach Lincoln Riley already announced that both of his top receivers would skip the Trojans' trip to the Alamo Bowl to face TCU on Dec. 30. Riley's team is expected be without roughly a dozen starters between opt-outs and injury recoveries.
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Sanders has plenty to focus on as Browns prepare to host Bills on Sunday By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer The Associated Press BEREA, Ohio
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Shedeur Sanders quickly turned the page after he threw three interceptions in the Cleveland Browns' 31-3 loss to the Chicago Bears last Sunday.
The rookie quarterback didn't have a choice, considering what is up next on the schedule.
Sanders was well into preparations on Wednesday for Sunday's game against Buffalo, which has the league's second-ranked pass defense. The Bills are allowing only 169.5 passing yards per game.
Cleveland has had the league's staunchest pass defense for much of the season and is giving up 169 yards per game.
“He’s got the same attitude every single day, which you expect from quarterbacks. You have to, in this league, be able to turn the page after a loss. You've got to be able to turn the page after a win. You just can’t take that previous game with you and I think he does a great job of that," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said.
Opponents are completing only 60.5% of their passes against the Bills, the fifth-lowest rate in the league. The Bills have also allowed a league-low 1,221 yards after the catch, which is one area where the Browns have thrived in Sanders' four starts.
“Well, I’m just excited that I’m able to get everybody’s best,” Sanders said. “I’m just getting in the league and my feet settled and everything. So I get excited knowing I’m able to face those challenges because you've got to understand this, this year right here, this is worst it’s going to be. You know what I’m saying? This is where I’m building from. This is where I’m understanding different things. This is where everything’s translating for me."
Even though Sanders is averaging 13.1 yards per completion, which would be tied with Seattle's Sam Darnold if he had enough attempts to qualify for the league leaders, his 52.2% completion rate would be last.
Sanders led the Football Bowl Subdivision in completion percentage last year at Colorado at 74%. Expecting him to have the same level of success at the next level was going to be a tall order, especially with a lack of snaps in practice for much of the season.
But if Sanders is hoping to show he can be the Browns' starter in 2026, that completion percentage has to be at least 8-10 points higher.
“I've got to get more completions and even whenever we’re down or anything I can’t press. Just work within the game and just keep driving the ball. Get first downs," he said. “I mean, I’m not really looking in the numbers. I’m looking at the wins. So that achieves everything.”
Of Sanders' 72 completions, 23 have gone to rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Developing a rapport with Jerry Jeudy remains a work in progress.
Sanders has targeted Jeudy 20 times with 10 completions. Three passes that were intended for Jeudy were picked off, including one in the end zone last week that went through his hands.
Even though Sanders completed only 18 of 35 passes for 177 yards and three interceptions against the Bears, he saw some progress.
“It’s always going to be a work in progress. It is relationships. All relationships ain’t always the best, but you still stick together through everything," Sanders said. "So just because when we’re well connected and the next week we are a bit off, it doesn’t mean that we didn’t have progress."
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Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said his slumping team 'got the message' from his angry postgame rant By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press TAMPA, Fla.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Todd Bowles delivered a message to his team with an uncharacteristic profanity-laced reaction during a postgame news conference after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead last week.
Whether it impacts the team’s performance will be known Sunday.
The Buccaneers (7-7) have lost five of six and six of eight heading into a showdown for first place in the NFC South against the Carolina Panthers (7-7).
“Accountability could be doing little things right, it could be teammates talking to each other, you’re talking to yourself, coaches talking to each other,” Bowles said Wednesday. “We understood the message after the ball game. We met on it, we talked about it, we got it out of our system. Everybody is hard at work and trying to do the right things to win the ball game.”
Bowles lashed out at his team directly and in a news conference after the Bucs wasted a 28-14 lead and lost 29-28 to the Atlanta Falcons last Thursday night.
“They got the message,” he said. “It’s football, guys. I don’t know. There have probably been a billion stories written when coaches have lost that got (ticked) off and said something to their guys. It’s not an issue. We’re fine.”
The Bucs technically don’t have to win Sunday in the first of two meetings over the next three weeks against the Panthers. They will secure their fifth straight division title with two victories in the final three games. Or, they would clinch with one win out of two games against the Panthers if Carolina also loses to Seattle next week.
“You’re going to lose some games in this league,” Bowles said. “We’ve all lost some throughout our entire lives. You don’t like it that day, but you get up the next day, put your head down, you go to work, and you try to correct the little things, and you move on. You don’t hold it and make it any tougher than it has to be. It’s a football game.”
The Bucs started 5-1 and were 6-2 at their bye week. But they’ve lost to the Patriots, Bills, Rams, Saints and Falcons since coming back. Their only win was 20-17 against the lowly Cardinals.
“We still have everything right in front of us,” Bowles said. “We got some things to clean up, but it’s about right where you need to be at this time with everybody fighting for a playoff spot. We’re playing meaningful games in December and that’s all you can ask for.”
Bowles questioned whether some players care enough after the loss to the Falcons. Quarterback Baker Mayfield also has called out teammates previously and All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs hoped players would “stew” over the loss to Atlanta during a mini-bye last weekend.
Still, players aren’t pointing fingers directly.
“The finger pointing (is) only happening if you have bad culture in the building,” Mayfield said. “That’s not a problem we have to deal with. We met on Monday with the offense, and I told them what I said in the postgame press conference. I said it’s on me, it’s on this group, I expect us to be able to score more than 28 (points) in a situation like that and put the game out of reach. You just nip it in the bud in the beginning.”
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Texans' top-ranked defense looks to extend winning streak against the struggling Raiders By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press HOUSTON
HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s top-ranked defense has been dominating teams for most of the season.
On Sunday, the Texans (9-5) will get another chance to show off their vaunted group when they face the Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) and their league-worst offense.
The Texans are first in the NFL in points (16.3) and yards (269.2) allowed per game and are on track to post the lowest points-per-game total in franchise history. Their success has helped Houston to a six-game winning streak that put the team in the thick of the playoff race after starting the season 0-3.
The Raiders are last in the league by scoring 14 points a game and gaining 244.1 yards a game. They’re tied with the Giants for the NFL’s longest active losing streak at eight games, with their last win coming Oct. 12 against Tennessee.
Coach Pete Carroll knows his team, which was shut out for the second time this season last week against Philadelphia, will have its hands full in dealing with the Texans.
“They’re really good, first off, and they’re playing great,” Carroll said. “Meco’s (coach DeMeco Ryans) got those guys humming, and it’s the style of D that we recognize really clearly. They’re doing it really well, and they’re really active. They have playmakers at all their spots, particularly the edge guys jump out, but it’s guys in the middle of the defense, too.”
The “edge guys” Carroll referenced are defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., who have combined for 22 1/2 sacks this season. Las Vegas has allowed an NFL-high 54 sacks this season and Geno Smith, who missed last week with an injury, has been sacked 49 times, the most by a single player.
Despite their struggles, Ryans believes the Raiders can be dangerous, and he raved about tight end Brock Bowers and rookie running back Ashton Jeanty .
“Those two players are the guys that stick out to me the most,” Ryans said. “They can definitely make some big plays on you. You have to be aware of those guys at all times.”
Jordan’s journey
Jawhar Jordan spent almost two full seasons on Houston’s practice squad before making his NFL debut last week against the Cardinals. With Nick Chubb and Woody Marks both dealing with injuries, Jordan made the most of his opportunity, running 15 times for 101 yards.
It was the first time this season that a Texans player had a 100-yard rushing game, and he added 17 yards receiving to set a team record for most yards from scrimmage in an NFL debut.
The 2024 sixth-round draft pick is likely to get more work Sunday with Marks and Chubb both still being slowed by injuries.
“He did an outstanding job of taking advantage of the opportunity that was presented to him, and he did a great job of getting over 100-yards rushing, making some explosive runs for us,” Ryans said.
Blocking out the criticism
Smith has taken the brunt of the criticism for the Raiders’ rough season, and his 14 interceptions have made for a key talking point.
Only Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa has more at 15 picks — and he was benched Wednesday .
“Perspective is all you need to get over anything,” Smith said. “I’ve always had that. I’ve always felt like I’ve been blessed to play this game. The opportunities have always been super important to me, so that’s all I focus on is getting myself prepared to go out there and play.”
Red zone woes
Houston scored touchdowns on just three of its six trips inside the red zone against the Cardinals, and it ranks 30th in the NFL by scoring TDs on just 44.9% of its red-zone opportunities this season.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud believes that’s the No. 1 area in which the offense needs to improve.
“I always look internal to see what I can do better,” he said. “Then from there, I think we look at it as a whole, what are we doing as players, as coaches, schematically. So, I think that’s another area we can get better in.”
Mixing defensive systems
Carroll retained defensive coordinator Patrick Graham , also the DC under previous Raiders coaches Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce.
But because Carroll had his own defensive philosophies that didn’t entirely align with Graham’s, how they would work together was a storyline entering the season.
“I think it took us all the way to get rolling into the season before we had a feel for what we’re trying to get done and really clear about how it would mesh together,” Carroll said. “But I have so much respect for him. He’s smart as hell. He’s got (a) great background and adds to whatever I’ve been doing all these years.”
Las Vegas has a middle-of-the-pack defense, which is far ahead of its offense.
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AP Sports Writer Mark Anderson in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
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Williams and the Bears look to get payback against the Parsons-less Packers in an NFC North showdown By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press CHICAGO
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears were sitting atop the NFC with five straight wins and nine in the previous 10 games going into their most recent meeting with the Green Bay Packers .
They came up short when Caleb Williams got intercepted in the end zone. They won't have to wait long for the rematch.
Chicago and Green Bay meet for the second time in three weeks, this time at Soldier Field on Saturday night with first place in the NFC North on the line and Packers star pass rusher Micah Parsons out with a season-ending knee injury . Both teams have a chance to clinch a playoff spot.
“It’s another game,” Williams said. "Go out here and do my job, play well. Start fast, get the energy going for the team and we’ve got a real shot to go win the game.”
Williams made it clear after the Bears' 31-3 romp over Cleveland last week that he was looking forward to the rematch with the Packers. It's not hard to see why.
The Bears (10-4) were threatening to tie or take the lead, only to come away with a 28-21 loss at Lambeau Field when Williams got intercepted in the end zone by Keisean Nixon with 22 seconds remaining on a badly underthrown pass to Cole Kmet. The loss knocked Chicago from first to seventh in the NFC and into second place in the division behind Green Bay.
Chicago bounced back in a big way against Cleveland and regained the North lead with the Packers falling at Denver . Even worse for Green Bay (9-4-1), Parsons tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the third quarter, a massive blow for a team that came into the season with Super Bowl hopes after acquiring the two-time All-Pro from Dallas just before the opener.
“Just understanding what’s in front of us, understanding that we’ve still got the pen in our hand,” Packers defensive end Rashan Gary said. “We can still write our story.”
With or without Parsons, Bears coach Ben Johnson sees a difficult task.
"It’s a really good football team and a really good defense,” he said. “I know you kind of lock in on one player, because he does garner a lot of your attention when you go against that defense, and yet, they have some high-caliber players throughout, on the defensive line, the linebacking core and on the back end. Just because one player goes down, that doesn’t mean that this is going to change a whole lot for them.”
Needing more from Gary
Parsons’ injury means the Packers will need all their healthy pass rushers to raise their games. Perhaps nobody is more equipped to do that than Rashan Gary, who has 46 1/2 career sacks.
It’s been an up-and-down season for Gary, who had 7 1/2 sacks in Green Bay’s first seven games but none in the seven games since.
“I’ve just got to be myself,” Gary said. “You know, when guys are thinking that they need to do more than what they’ve been doing, you start to strain, start to try to find plays that’s not there.”
Playoff scenarios
Chicago and Green Bay can clinch playoff spots with a win plus a loss or tie by Detroit against Pittsburgh. The two teams also would get in with a tie if the Lions lose.
Green Bay is looking to reach the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years under coach Matt LaFleur, while Chicago is trying to make it for the first time since 2020. The Bears have just three trips to the postseason since the 2006 Super Bowl season.
Packers’ injury issues
Parsons isn’t the only notable Packers player who could be missing for Saturday’s game.
Injuries knocked out wide receiver Christian Watson (chest/shoulder), safety Evan Williams (knee) and right tackle Zach Tom (back/knee) from the Packers’ loss at Denver. Running back Josh Jacobs said he reinjured his knee early in that game, though he continued to play and scored two touchdowns.
The status for each of those players remains uncertain.
“Definitely, it sucks to see guys go down that are key points for this team,” Williams said. “But it’s also an opportunity for more opportunities for other people. And that’s pretty cool to see, to see other people get their shot, and to get to see what they get to do with their time on the field.”
Lopsided rivalry
Though the Bears have a chance to add to their division lead, wins over the Packers are rare for them.
Green Bay has dominated the NFL's longest-running rivalry in recent decades, going 30-6 against Chicago since the start of the 2008 season. That includes the 2010 team winning the NFC championship game at Soldier Field en route to capturing the Super Bowl title.
The Packers won 11 straight against the Bears before losing last year's finale at Lambeau Field. Green Bay has won six in a row in Chicago.
Home run
The Bears have won five straight at Soldier Field since a season-opening loss to Minnesota. It's their best home winning streak since a six-game run in 2005.
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Injured Justin Herbert leads the Chargers' playoff push, and they can clinch at the Cowboys By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Justin Herbert has managed well enough while playing with a broken non-throwing hand to help the Los Angeles Chargers win three consecutive games and close in on a second trip to the playoffs in two seasons under coach Jim Harbaugh.
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys might be officially out of the postseason race before kickoff Sunday in their regular-season home finale.
The Chargers (10-4) beat the Las Vegas Raiders the day Herbert broke a bone in his left hand , then took care of both of last season's Super Bowl teams, defending champ Philadelphia and Kansas City, with the hand heavily protected.
Last week's 16-13 victory over the Chiefs eliminated Patrick Mahomes & Co., who had played in seven consecutive AFC championship games. The star quarterback tore two ligaments in his left knee late in the game.
The Chargers, who lost in the wild-card round last season, will be hoping Herbert has an even better handle on the hand injury if they move on to the playoffs. They figure to be a wild-card team again.
“Getting better,” said Herbert, who had surgery after the 31-14 win over the Raiders and played seven days later in the 22-19 overtime victory against the Eagles. “That's the most important part, just getting the swelling down and getting full range of motion and control with it, just to get a good grip on the ball.”
The Cowboys (6-7-1) did the same thing as the Chargers, beating the Eagles and Chiefs in consecutive games, but followed that with losses to Detroit and Minnesota. The Vikings won 34-26 after learning prior to kickoff they had been eliminated.
Now Dallas is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the second year in a row. A Dallas loss or a victory by the Eagles against four-win Washington eliminates the Cowboys. Philadelphia is playing Saturday.
Regardless, first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer said Prescott, the NFL's leading passer, will be on the field against the Chargers.
“I want to win,” Schottenheimer said. “So the plan will be to play Dak.”
A defense on notice
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has defended first-year defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus most of the season despite the Cowboys having one of the NFL's worst defenses. His patience is running thin as the weeks add up with opposing quarterbacks playing considerably better than they have in most of their other games.
The latest was J.J. McCarthy in his eighth career start for the Vikings. The second-year QB didn't play as a rookie because of a knee injury.
“The result was that we let him make some pretty significant plays out there, plus, he played pretty well,” Jones said. “It seems like we're always saying that about these quarterbacks. Some of them hadn't played as well, but when they play us, they play better. I think that's telling, too.”
Jones rejected the notion that the players don't fit Eberflus' zone-heavy scheme. Dallas is last in the NFL in pass defense, second-to-last in scoring defense and 29th overall.
Eberflus, who was fired in the middle of his third season as Chicago's coach last year after previously serving as the defensive coordinator in Indianapolis, may be feeling the heat.
He said Thursday he would move to the coaching booth from the sideline against the Chargers, a first this season. Eberflus, who had a previous stint on the Dallas defensive staff, says he has sought that different perspective before.
“Candidly, just to be very up front about it,” Jones said, “I think if we could have gotten this defense in better shape earlier, that we could be sitting here and with the kind of wins that would have not had us in this tight spot.”
Sputtering offense
The Chargers clearly won with defense against the Eagles and Chiefs. Los Angeles had fewer than 300 yards total offense in both games, and Herbert was sacked 11 times total.
LA has been in the middle of the pack in the NFL on offense, but not really close to that since Herbert's injury. Herbert has thrown at least one interception in seven of the past eight games and has 12 for the season, three off his career high.
“You got to go out there and play every play like you need to win the game and to put your team in a position to win,” Herbert said. “You can't let a previous play or mistake affect the plays going forward.”
Bottling up Pickens
George Pickens' breakout year at receiver for the Cowboys hasn't been the same the past two weeks. There were questionable moments on the field during his three seasons in Pittsburgh, and those followed him to Dallas when he was traded in the offseason.
Retired cornerback Richard Sherman, a three-time All-Pro, questioned Pickens' commitment to running routes after he was held to five catches for 37 yards — a season-low 7.4 yards per catch — in a 44-30 loss to Detroit. Pickens responded in an Instagram post that was later deleted.
Pickens had just three catches for 33 yards against the Vikings, after CeeDee Lamb defended the other half of what has been a dynamic pairing. Lamb said critics were just waiting for a bad game from Pickens, who is still third in the NFL with 1,212 yards receiving.
“Some people’s job is to do that, tear down character, see how much clicks they can get,” Pickens said this week in his first comments since deleting the post about Sherman.
Asked if he was used to the scrutiny coming off a tumultuous time in Pittsburgh, Pickens said he was and added, “Starting to get kind of old, honestly.”
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With Mahomes out, Chiefs turn to Minshew trying to snap a 3-game skid visiting struggling Titans By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Kansas City (6-8) at Tennessee (2-12)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.
BetMGM NFL odds: Chiefs by 3 1/2.
Against the spread: Chiefs 5-9, Titans 6-8.
Series record: Chiefs lead 31-25.
Last meeting: Chiefs beat the Titans 20-17 in OT at Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 6, 2022.
Last week: Chiefs lost to the Chargers 16-13; Titans lost to the 49ers 37-24.
Chiefs offense: overall (7), rush (20), pass (5), scoring (15t).
Chiefs defense: overall (8), rush (7), pass (14), scoring (5).
Titans offense: overall (31), rush (30), pass (31), scoring (29t).
Titans defense: overall (27), rush (20), pass (25), scoring (28).
Turnover differential: Chiefs minus-2; Titans minus-4.
Chiefs player to watch
QB Gardner Minshew. The veteran backup will be under center with Patrick Mahomes recovering from surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee. Minshew has started 46 games in his NFL career, so taking the opening snap won't be new for him. He completed his first three passes after taking over in the final minutes against the Chargers last week, but his interception two plays later sealed the 16-13 loss.
Titans player to watch
QB Cam Ward. The No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft has started a rookie franchise-record 14 games for Tennessee. He also is coming off his first game without being sacked, but remains tied for the most sacked quarterback in the NFL. He also threw two TD passes last week.
Key matchup
The Chiefs run defense vs. Titans RB Tony Pollard. The veteran running back is coming off his two best rushing games this season and another 100-yard rushing performance would be the first in his NFL career. The Chiefs rank seventh in the NFL allowing 99.1 yards rushing per game.
Key injuries
Chiefs: WRs Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton were in the concussion protocol. ... LT Jaylon Moore (knee), RT Jawaan Taylor (triceps and elbow), CB Trent McDuffie (knee) and LB Leo Chenal (shoulder) also missed practice time.
Titans: LB Cedric Gray is in the concussion protocol. ... RG Kevin Zeitler (groin) and WR Van Jefferson (back) missed practice time. ... S Amani Hooker went home Wednesday sick. ... TE Gunnar Helm (toe) is limited by an injured toe. ... OLB Oluwafemi Oladejo (fibula), OLB Ali Gaye (knee) and WR Bryce Oliver (knee) started practicing Wednesday, trying to return from injured reserve.
Series notes
These are original AFL franchises who first met in 1960 when the Chiefs were the Dallas Texans. The Chiefs have won two of the past three against the Titans after a four-game losing streak, including a 35-24 win in the AFC championship game in January 2020. The Titans beat the Chiefs in the wild-card round in January 2018, the year before Mahomes became the starting quarterback in Kansas City.
Stats and stuff
The Chiefs already have been eliminated from the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Their streak of nine straight AFC West titles, seven consecutive AFC championship game appearances and three straight Super Bowl trips also have ended. ... The Chiefs have lost three straight and five of their last six. The only win came in overtime against Indianapolis. ... Kansas City has not lost four consecutive games since midway through the 2017 season. ... The Chiefs are 1-5 on the road this season. ... Chiefs TE Travis Kelce needs 52 yards receiving to reach 13,000 for his career. He has caught a pass in 188 consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history and longest active streak in the NFL. ... DT Chris Jones needs 1 1/2 sacks to pass Neil Smith (85 1/2) for third-most in Chiefs history. ... The Titans are looking for their first home win this season. The Titans are mired in an 11-game skid, tied for this franchise's longest since moving to Tennessee in 1997. The then-Houston Oilers lost 13 straight over the 1972 and 1973 seasons with each of those teams going 1-13. ... Ward posted a season-high 101.2 passer rating last week. He leads all rookies with 2,638 yards passing and is second with 11 TD passes. ... DT Jeffery Simmons had seven tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble last week. ... Pollard led the Titans with 112 yards from scrimmage last week. ... RB Tyjae Spears ran for 34 yards last week. ... TE Gunnar Helm had four catches for 49 yards and a TD last week, and the rookie has had at least six catches in his past two home games. ... LB Cedric Gray led the Titans with 16 tackles last week. ... LB Jaylen Harrell had a sack last week.
Fantasy tip
Kelce, the Chiefs' leading receiver, will be a top target for Minshew against a Tennessee defense whose top tackler is trying to clear the concussion protocol and a secondary that just put three safeties on injured reserve Tuesday.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Colts and 49ers head into a key Monday night matchup chasing different playoff aspirations By The Associated Press The Associated Press
San Francisco (10-4) at Indianapolis (8-6)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN.
BetMGM NFL odds: 49ers by 6.
Against the spread: 49ers 9-5; Colts 8-6.
Series record: Colts lead 27-18.
Last meeting: Colts beat 49ers 30-18 on Oct. 24, 2021, in Santa Clara, California.
Last week: 49ers beat the Titans 37-24; Colts lost to the Seahawks 18-16.
49ers offense: overall (10), rush (25), pass (4), scoring (11).
49ers defense: overall (18), rush (12), pass (18), scoring (10t).
Colts offense: overall (8), rush (6t), pass (9), scoring (6).
Colts defense: overall (22), rush (6), pass (31), scoring (12).
Turnover differential: 49ers minus-5; Colts plus-2.
49ers player to watch
WR Jauan Jennings. After being slowed by injuries early in the season, Jennings has been back to last season’s form recently. He caught two TD passes in the last game to give him six in his last six games. If he catches a TD in a fourth straight game, he'll tie George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk for the longest streak for the 49ers in the last 12 seasons.
Colts players to watch
RT Jalen Travis and LT Luke Tenuta. Travis, a rookie, made his first start last week in place of the injured Braden Smith. Tenuta could get his first career start this week — if LT Bernhard Raimann can't play because of an injured elbow. While the 49ers rank last in the NFL with 16 sacks in 14 games, they could crank up the pressure against 44-year-old QB Philip Rivers. And it will be incumbent on the offensive line to play well Sunday.
Key matchup
San Francisco's run defense vs. Jonathan Taylor. Since losing Fred Warner in mid-October, the 49ers have allowed five of eight opponents to rush for more than 100 yards per game including each of the last two weeks. They've allowed an average 105.1 yards per game. That means they're likely to get a heavy dose of Taylor, who's chasing his second league rushing title. The 49ers are likely to stack the line, daring Rivers to throw and the winner of this chess match likely wins the game.
Key injuries
49ers: WR Ricky Pearsall came out of last week’s game with injuries to his knee and ankle and is questionable this week. ... San Francisco is hoping to get several players back this week, including LB Tatum Bethune (ankle), DE Sam Okuayinonu (ankle), LB Eric Kendricks (calf) and DL Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring).
Colts: In addition to Smith and Raimann, it’s unclear whether two-time All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner will return from his strained calf. ... Indy also could activate two-time Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner (neck). He started practicing last week and could finally be ready to play this week.
Series notes
Indy has won five straight and six of the last eight in this series. It also is unbeaten on the teams' most recent home fields: The Colts are 2-0 at Lucas Oil Stadium and 1-0 at Levi's Stadium. ... San Francisco's last win over Indianapolis came in November 2001 — the game that prompted then-Colts coach Jim Mora to go on his infamous “Playoffs?” rant. ... These franchises played in a heavy downpour the last time they met. ... Before the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the 49ers and Colts were part of the NFL's Western Conference from 1953-69 and the NFL's Coastal Division from 1967-69.
Stats and stuff
The 49ers can clinch their fifth playoff berth in seven seasons with a win — or a Detroit loss. ... San Francisco’s four-game winning streak is the longest for the team since a six-game streak in 2023. ... The 49ers have run just five offensive plays when trailing during this winning streak. ... Christian McCaffrey has 86 receptions and needs seven this week to break Roger Craig’s franchise record for a running back of 92 set in 1985. ... San Francisco converted its first seven third-down attempts last week and ranks second in the league with a 49.2% conversion rate. ... QB Brock Purdy has a 124.1 passer rating on third down this season for the best mark of any quarterback who has started this season. ... San Francisco has scored four TDs and one FG on their six opening drives this season with Purdy at QB. ... The Colts have slid out of playoff position after losing four straight and five of six. ... Indianapolis has scored 20 or fewer points in all five of its losses this season. ... Since opening the season by scoring 20 or more points in 11 straight games, Indy has not scored more than 19 in its last three contests. ... Rivers played for the Colts in 2020, but never played in front of a crowd larger 14,100 that season. His last win came with Indy on Jan. 3, 2021 . ... Taylor entered Week 16 as the NFL's leading rusher with 1,443, 28 more than Buffalo's James Cook. Taylor needs 106 yards to pass Edgerrin James for the fifth-highest single season total in franchise history and 111 to pass James for fourth. ... Tyler Warren needs nine yards receiving to break Hall of Famer John Mackey's franchise record for a rookie tight end. Mackey had 726 yards in 1963. ... Indy's run defense is allowing 95.1 yards per game and has allowed the second-lowest percentage of opponents gaining four or more yards, which occur on just 39.6%of opponents' carries. ... Opposing quarterbacks also have an 86.2 passer rating, the ninth lowest in the NFL.
Fantasy tip
Taylor was the safe play most of this season, and he could be again Monday. But McCaffrey is on the kind of roll Taylor was earlier this season. Over the past four weeks, he has produced 424 total yards and scored six TDs.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl