Bye week comes at opportune time for Raiders after 31-0 loss to Chiefs By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer The Associated Press HENDERSON, Nev.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll sounded both exasperated and optimistic about the state of his team on Monday.
He didn't expect such a tough start that included a 31-0 loss at Kansas City on Sunday that wasn't as close the score indicated.
But Carroll also spoke hopefully of a return for injured players Brock Bowers (knee), Jakobi Meyers (knee and toe) and Maxx Crosby (knee and back) when Las Vegas returns to action after this weekend's bye.
He has reason to believe those players will make a substantial difference because they were on the field for this season's opener, when Las Vegas played its best game in a 20-13 victory at New England that looks more impressive — and surprising — by the week.
Now the Raiders are 2-5 and look much closer to last season's 4-13 team that resulted in the firings of coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco .
If not worse. That team didn't have a stinker like Sunday, the Raiders' second loss in three weeks by more than 30 points. Before this stretch, their previous loss by more than 30 occurred four years ago, and the last time they had two such defeats in a season was in back-to-back weeks in 2019 — their final season in Oakland.
“I’m surprised that we’re not farther along than we are,” Carroll acknowledged.
Part of that surprise traces to his belief in quarterback Geno Smith, a player he coached in Seattle and then helped arrange a trade for with Las Vegas. Smith was considered an upgrade over Aidan O'Connell, who went 2-5 in seven starts last season and had a passer rating of 86.7. Smith's rating is 77.1 and he is tied with Miami's Tua Tagovailoa with an NFL-high 10 interceptions.
The Raiders used their sixth pick in this year's draft on Ashton Jeanty, going against the current tide of thinking that there is not much value taking a running back so high. Jeanty has shown some promise in rushing for 445 yards, but the main problem last season was the offensive line. The offseason additions to the line were more cosmetic than effectual — at least so far — and a major reason the Raiders have struggled offensively can be traced to the front.
Las Vegas tried to make up for the free agent losses of linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo and cornerback Nate Hobbs, and the numbers are similar to what they were last season.
Barring a significant improvement after the bye, the Raiders could be in position for another high draft pick and finally get that franchise quarterback they've been missing.
But maybe Carroll's optimism is well-founded that having Bowers, Meyers and Crosby back on the field will lead to a much better last part of the season.
“Those are three guys that are legitimate leader players on this football team that we need to get back out there,” Carroll said. “So, hopefully, that will take place.”
That's part of the benefit for getting this week off. Another is a close self-examination of what's wrong and how to possibly fix it.
“Big self-scouting opportunity for us,” Carroll said. “Big chance to make sure that we know what our opponents are seeing, and to tweak and adjust and be creative with how we do that. That’s what this time is always for.”
What’s working
Special teams had a good day for the second week in a row, reversing a trend from how the season began. AJ Cole dropped three punts inside the 20-yard line and finished with a 44.7-yard net average. Raheem Mostert averaged 33.3 yards on three kickoff returns.
What needs help
Where to start? Carroll has a lot to consider over the break after a performance in which the Chiefs had 30 first downs and the Raiders had 30 plays. Las Vegas picked up just three first downs, and Kansas City had a 434-95 yardage advantage.
Stock up
Check back after the bye.
Stock down
The Raiders were so badly beaten that their fierce rivals even took pity on them. The Chiefs punted from the Las Vegas 38 in the fourth quarter and later went into victory formation with 2:36 left and the Raiders holding all three timeouts. Chiefs coach Andy Reid likely didn't want to rub in the victory against an accomplished coach like Carroll.
Injuries
In addition to probably getting back Bowers, Meyers and Crosby, the Raiders also are getting close to the returns of O'Connell (broken wrist) and S Lonnie Johnson Jr. (fractured leg) from injured reserve. S Isaiah Pola-Mao (ankle) was injured against Kansas City, but Carroll said he had no update on his status.
Key number
14.7 — The number of points per game, far from expected after the splashy hiring of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator. That's the Raiders' lowest through seven games since 2009 when the JaMarcus Russell-quarterbacked team averaged 8.9 points.
Next steps
The Raiders host Jacksonville on Nov. 2.
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Brandon Graham is coming out of retirement to rejoin the Eagles, AP source says By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press
Brandon Graham is coming out of retirement to rejoin the Philadelphia Eagles, giving the defense a veteran edge rusher who was part of two Super Bowl championship teams, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press on Monday night.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a contract hasn’t been finalized.
Asked if he’s planning a comeback by the AP, Graham texted: “Let’s go!”
A first-round pick in 2010, the 37-year-old Graham has 76 1/2 sacks in 15 seasons. He missed six games last season after tearing his triceps, returned to play in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl victory over Kansas City and tore the triceps again in the game.
Graham’s most memorable play came when he strip-sacked Tom Brady to help secure a 41-33 victory over New England when the Eagles won the first Super Bowl in franchise history following the 2017 season.
The Eagles (5-2) had signed veteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith last month but he retired last week.
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Gibbs has career-high 218 yards of offense and 2 TDs, helping Lions bounce back and beat Bucs 24-9 By LARRY LAGE AP Sports Writer The Associated Press DETROIT
DETROIT (AP) — Jahmyr Gibbs was offered oxygen on the bench after a 78-yard run.
He turned it down.
Clearly, he was not out of breath.
Gibbs scored on a long sprint in the second quarter, a 5-yard spinning plunge in the third and accounted for a career-high 218 yards from scrimmage to lead the Detroit Lions in a 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.
“You felt like this was coming,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “This has been building.”
The Lions (5-2) bounced back from a loss as they have done flawlessly for nearly three years, extending their NFL-long streak of 51 games without dropping two straight in the regular season.
“The guys responded, which I knew they would,” Campbell said.
Tampa Bay (5-2) was outgained by more than 200 yards in the first half, but trailed 14-3 because Detroit had an interception, fumble, turned it over on downs and missed a field goal.
Rookie Tez Johnson had a 22-yard touchdown reception to open the second half, pulling the Bucs within five points, but they could not slow down Gibbs.
On the ensuing drive, Gibbs had a 15-yard run and a 28-yard reception to set up his second touchdown that gave the Lions a 21-9 lead late in the third quarter.
The third-year running back finished with a season-high 136 yards rushing on 17 carries and a season-high 82 yards receiving on three catches, giving him a total that trails just four performances for the franchise this century.
Gibbs is the first NFL player with at least 135 yards rushing and 80 yards receiving along with two scores on the ground since Chris Johnson pulled off the feat with Tennessee in 2009.
“He’s a very talented running back and when you miss a gap, he can turn it into a big play,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said.
Detroit's Jared Goff was 20 of 29 for 241 yards with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown on the game's opening drive. Goff, though, lost a fumble and overthrew rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa on fourth-and-2 on the next two possessions and later threw an interception — all in Tampa Bay territory.
Baker Mayfield was 28 of 50 for 228 yards with one touchdown and one interception against a short-handed defense. Mayfield threw an incomplete pass in the end zone with 4:24 left, ending potential comeback hopes.
“As a skill group, we didn’t connect on a lot of plays,” Mayfield said. "Once the defense knows we are going to have to pass, they can pin their ears back. That’s not a fair situation to the offensive line.”
Gibbs took advantage of a big hole and his speed to score on a careerlong, 78-yard run late in the second quarter to put Detroit ahead 14-0.
“If you can get him to second level, he can do the rest,” Campbell said.
After Detroit's Jake Bates missed a 54-yard field goal, Chase McLaughlin made a 53-yard field goal to end the half and put the Bucs on the scoreboard.
Bates did connect on a 58-yard field goal early in the fourth, knocking it in off an upright, to give the Lions a 24-9 lead.
“They are a tough matchup for every team right now," Bowles said. "We know about the loud crowd. We just didn’t execute, but they played a very good game.”
Prime time
The Lions are 13-3 in night games under Campbell and they've won five straight on Monday Night Football.
Injuries
Bucs: WR Mike Evans (concussion, broken collarbone) lasted less than a half after returning from a three-game absence due to a hamstring injury.
“He’s going to be gone until toward the last of the season," Bowles said.
OLB Haason Reddick (knee, ankle) left the game in the second half.
Lions: CB Kerby Joseph, Terrion Arnold and Avonte Maddox were out with injuries, a setback for a secondary without suspended safety Brian Branch. DT Alim McNeill played for the first time since tearing a knee ligament late last season and OT Taylor Decker (shoulder) returned after missing two games.
Up next
Bucs: Visit New Orleans on Sunday.
Lions: Bye week before hosting Minnesota on Nov. 2.
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Mayfield and Buccaneers can't take advantage of banged-up Lions in 24-9 loss By DAVE HOGG Associated Press The Associated Press DETROIT
DETROIT (AP) — Monday night was supposed to be Baker Mayfield's next chance to shine.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback was facing a Detroit Lions secondary missing all four starters and several backups. Mayfield was getting Mike Evans back from injury and seemed to have the perfect situation.
It didn't work.
Mayfield went 28 of 50 for 228 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 24-9 loss to the Lions .
“As a skill group, we just didn't connect on enough plays,” Mayfield said. "We were behind the sticks a lot, and that allows their defensive line and linebackers to pin their ears back and come after me.
“That doesn't put the offensive line in a fair position.”
Tampa Bay wasn't able to establish the running game, finishing with 12 carries for 41 yards, and Mayfield was sacked four times and hit several more.
“Detroit did a good job of keeping Baker in the pocket and got pressure up the middle,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “That's an important part of the game. We have to block it better and protect him better.”
Even Lions coach Dan Campbell was stunned by his defense's achievements.
“I knew we were going to challenge them and do more than we did last week," he said. "But that’s a good quarterback over there and they’ve been playing good football. I had confidence, but nine points?”
The Buccaneers had just 58 yards of offense in the first half and needed the defense to force a Jared Goff interception to avoid being shut out. Chase McLaughlin kicked a 53-yard field goal as time expired to get them within 14-3.
Things got worse when Evans left the game in the second quarter with a concussion and a broken clavicle. Mayfield targeted Evans four times without a completion. Bowles said he hopes his star receiver could be back before the end of the season.
“Obviously, losing Mike isn't great for the team, but I really hate it for him," Mayfield said. “Other guys are going to step up, but I know Mike is going to be around the team supporting those guys.”
Early in the third quarter, Emeka Egbuka got behind the Lions defense, but Mayfield badly underthrew him, turning a possible touchdown into an incomplete pass.
Mayfield recovered, though, hitting Tez Johnson for a 22-yard score.
Bowles went for an early two-point conversion, but Mayfield’s pass was underthrown.
The Buccaneers didn't scored again, thanks in part to an odd replay review. On 4th-and-4 from the Tampa Bay 37, Mayfield hit Cade Otton over the middle. He dove for the first-down line and fumbled, with offensive guard Ben Bredeson recovering the ball downfield.
The officials ruled Otton had fumbled the ball after getting it past the first-down line, so it was Tampa Bay's ball at the 41. The Lions challenged the call, and the officials originally ruled Otton hadn't fumbled, because he was down before the ball came out.
Moments later, the officials announced that after a second look, Otton was short of the first-down mark, so it was Detroit's ball.
“I'm still confused about that double review,” Mayfield said. "There were a lot of things in that game were questionable, and that’s frustrating.”
Tampa Bay turned the ball over on downs on their last three possessions, including an 18-play drive that ended when Mayfield threw an incompletion pass on 4th-and-8 from the Lions 12.
“We had to get something out of that drive,” Mayfield said. “We put so much energy into it and then came up empty.”
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Smith-Njigba, defense show out again for Seahawks in 27-19 win against Texans By ANDREW DESTIN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press SEATTLE
SEATTLE (AP) — Jaxon Smith-Njigba called it spontaneous. Sam Darnold was simply surprised.
The reserved Smith-Njigba, who has let his play speak for itself while leading the NFL in yards receiving this season, decided to celebrate his fourth touchdown catch of the season in style.
After corralling an 11-yard pass from Darnold in the end zone to give the Seattle Seahawks a 14-0 lead on the Houston Texans late in the first quarter , Smith-Njigba effortlessly and gracefully slam-dunked the football on the crossbar of the goalposts. He drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the process, but helped guide the Seahawks to a 27-19 win on Monday night.
“That was very spontaneous,” Smith-Njigba said. “Definitely saw a lot of my favorites do it (growing up), but that was really on the spot right there.”
Smith-Njigba caught eight passes for 123 yards receiving, good for his NFL-leading fifth 100-yard receiving game of the season. He became the second player in franchise history to record three straight 100-yard games, and his five 100-yard games this season are tied for the second-most in a year by any Seahawks player.
As stellar as Smith-Njigba has been in his third NFL season, what he’s put forth on the regular has become somewhat expected. From teammate and 2021 AP NFL Offensive Player of the year Cooper Kupp’s perspective, though, Smith-Njigba’s excellence should be appreciated.
“There’s nothing routine about what he’s been able to do productivity-wise,” Kupp said. “It’s very difficult. That’s difficult. Takes a lot of work to be able to do that. I think that’s the standard.”
Outside of Smith-Njigba’s success, the Seahawks didn’t get a whole lot going offensively against the No. 1 rated scoring defense in the NFL. Seattle did strike first, though, when running back Zach Charbonnet plunged in from one yard out on the Seahawks’ second drive of the game to give them a 7-0 lead.
They had excellent field position thanks to linebacker Uchenna Nwosu sacking C.J. Stroud for an 18-yard loss, which pinned the Texans at their own one-yard line. It was the third-longest sack in Seahawks franchise history by Nwosu, who missed Seattle’s first game of the season and was limited due to injuries in 2023 and 2024.
“It’s amazing to see him play like this right now,” defensive end Leonard Williams III said of Nwosu.
Charbonnet punched in his second touchdown of the game, a two-yard rush, late in the third quarter to give the Seahawks a 27-12 advantage.
Houston, meanwhile, scored its first touchdown of the game when Darnold was strip-sacked in his own end zone midway through the third quarter. Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. recovered the fumble in the Seahawks’ end zone, but Houston failed to convert its two-point conversion attempt.
“At the end of the day,” Darnold said, “I got to get the ball out of my hands.”
The Texans’ only offensive touchdown came courtesy of a four-yard TD pass from Stroud to running back Woody Marks with only 2:04 remaining in regulation.
“Our defense kept us in the whole game,” Stroud said. “Got to help those guys out and score some points somehow, some way.”
Ka’imi Fairbairn added two field goals for the Texans, whose two-game win streak was snapped and dropped to 2-4 on the year. Jason Myers, meanwhile, converted two of three attempts for the Seahawks, who advanced to 5-2 on the season and moved into a tie atop the NFC West with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams heading into their bye week
“I think we got our bye at the perfect time,” Williams said. “It’s almost midseason right now. I think we’re going into it feeling good about what we’ve accomplished so far.”
Jiving Jones
Linebacker Ernest Jones IV set a career-high with his third interception of the season, picking off Stroud on the Texans’ first drive of the third quarter. Jones dropped into coverage and slid in front of a pass intended for Houston’s leading receiver, Nico Collins, and returned it 28 yards.
“This one here caught me off guard a little bit,” Jones said. “I didn’t see it until the last moment; just glad I was able to come down with it.”
The Seahawks increased their lead to 17-6 on a 26-yard field goal by Myers after Jones’ interception.
Jones also had a game-high 11 total tackles, four solo tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass defended in the victory. He leads the Seahawks in interceptions, total tackles and solo tackles.
“He’s really important,” Williams said of Jones. “He’s pretty much the quarterback of the defense. He keeps everyone calm. He hypes everyone up.”
Houston, we have a protection problem
Stroud was sacked three times on Monday night, and hit another seven times by Seattle’s pass rush. Seven games into the season, the Texans’ offensive line has allowed Stroud to be sacked 18 times, a significantly better rate than the 2024 season
Last year, Stroud was sacked 52 times in 17 games. Despite the improvement, right tackle Tytus Howard recognized Monday’s showing was a step back for the Texans. Houston coach DeMeco Ryans added that Houston’s offensive line was sloppy in defeat.
“We were complacent today,” Howard said. “We didn’t come out with enough energy to start the game.”
Home, sweet home
Monday’s victory moved Seattle’s home record to 2-2. Last season, the Seahawks went 3-6 at Lumen Field, including four double-digit losses.
In 2024, the Seahawks finished the season with a 7-1 record away from home, which matched their best road record in franchise history. Seattle also went 7-1 away from Lumen Field in 2019.
Heading into the 2025 season, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald was optimistic the Seahawks would be able to more frequently make the most of their homefield advantage that the at-times deafening Lumen Field can turn into for the opposition.
“The 12s were on fire,” Macdonald said. “Great atmosphere. Our guys are fired up. Our home crowd was just tremendous.
Injuries
Seahawks: WR Dareke Young suffered a hip injury in the second half and did not return.
The Seahawks played without linebacker Derick Hall and two starting defensive backs: S Julian Love and CBs Devon Witherspoon.
Texans: Nico Collins was evaluated for a concussion in the second half and did not return. The Texans played without wide receiver Christian Kirk, running back Dameon Pierce and defensive end Darrell Taylor.
Up next
Texans: Hosts San Francisco next Sunday.
Seahawks: Bye week, followed by visiting Washington on Nov. 2.
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Broncos' historic comeback leaves Giants reeling and reflecting on missed opportunities By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press DENVER
DENVER (AP) — Brian Daboll would love to have Sean Payton's problems.
“Mental errors, mistakes, snaps, wrong reads, you name it,” Payton rattled off Monday as the thrill of Denver's inconceivable 33-32 comeback against the New York Giants gave way to an agonizing film session littered with what-ifs.
Denver's slow-starting offense produced zilch for three quarters before Bo Nix tore through the NFL records books in becoming the first quarterback in league history to run and throw for multiple touchdowns in a fourth quarter, something he topped off by needing just 35 seconds to move the Broncos (5-2) into field goal range for the game-winner as time expired.
In the midst of the celebration that followed Denver's historic comeback from a 26-8 deficit with less than six minutes remaining, Payton warned that come Monday the Broncos would pay the price for their sins on offense and a defense that was bamboozled all afternoon by rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Denver's win was just the second in 3,679 NFL games since the 1970 merger by a team that trailed by at least 18 points in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter. And the Broncos were the first to do so in regulation — Peyton Manning did it in overtime with the Colts in 2003.
“There are certainly a lot of guys that are hurting right now,” Daboll said Monday following the Giants' excruciating flight home. “But they gave everything they had and we came up short. That was a tough one, make no mistake about it, but you’ve got to get back on your horse."
Here's a look at some of the crucial moments that allowed for one of the greatest comebacks — or meltdowns — in the league's 104-year history.
Kicking themselves
Filling in for injured Graham Gano, kicker Jude McAtamney missed two extra points, one in the second quarter and the other after Dart dived across the goal line with 37 seconds left to restore New York's lead at 32-30.
That first missed extra point led Daboll to go for 2 after Tyrone Tracy Jr.'s 31-yard run made it 19-0 in the third quarter. It was a classic example of chasing points.
The math says kicking the extra point — not a given on this day, we'll give you that — would force the opponent to have to score three TDs to catch up.
“That’s the decision that we made,” Daboll retorted. “That’s what was on our chart and that’s what we went with. That’s what I went with.”
Defensive dissension
Linebacker Brian Burns came off the field fuming about how the Giants had rushed just three defenders and dropped eight into coverage on the first play of the final drive when Nix threw a 29-yard pass to Marvin Mims Jr. at midfield.
“Look, there are plenty of plays that we had opportunities to make throughout, I’d say, the fourth quarter and we just came up short,” Daboll said. “So, it’s not about one play. Like I said, it’s not about one player. It’s not about one specific side. It’s a collective and I can do a better job.”
Linebacker Bobby Okereke said, “We’re a bunch of fiery competitive dudes. Obviously, frustrations boil over in a tough emotional loss like that. The way the momentum was swinging, it was up and down. I think that’s positive for us as a team to get those frustrations and emotions out. Us as grown men have the accountability to get better.
"We talked about it today. It’s not one player, one coach, one position group. Everybody really had their hands in the pot in this loss.”
Costly decisions
The catalyst in many ways for Denver's comeback was inside linebacker Justin Strnad's interception of Dart's pass with 4:47 remaining at the Broncos trailing 26-16.
The Giants had called for consecutive hand-offs to Cam Scattebo that forced Denver to use its first two timeouts, but on third-and-5 from their 35, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka called for a pass when a run would have forced the Broncos to burn their final timeout. Moreover, if they didn't get the first down, a punt would have forced Denver to chew up more clock and more yards.
Under pressure, Dart tripped and threw right to Strnad, who returned it to the New York 19, setting up the score that made it 26-23.
“I thought we had a good play called,” Daboll insisted, refusing to criticize Kafka's call.
The Giants went three-and-out on their next possession and Denver took its first lead on Nix's 18-yard scamper around the left end with just under 2 minutes left.
Payton's penalty both fortuitous and lamentable
Not all the miscues Sunday were Daboll's.
Payton may have been calculated in running onto the field to yell at the officials after a debatable pass interference call on cornerback Riley Moss put the ball at the Denver 2 in the final minute — after all, his unsportsmanlike conduct flag only cost the Broncos a yard.
And that actually played out in Denver's favor because Dart took it in from there, diving across the goal line on first down for the go-ahead touchdown with 37 seconds left.
If it's at the 2, maybe the Giants don't call for a keeper or perhaps they burn up more clock before punching it in. Either way, 37 seconds was exactly what the Broncos needed to secure their amazing comeback.
“I just wanted them to hear me,” Payton cracked about the officials afterward.
He certainly wasn't laughing Monday when the NFL suspended Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw for doing the exact same thing following his long-awaited Denver debut.
After Lutz's game-winner, Greenlaw went after referee Brad Allen, berating him as he and his crew tried to leave the field, resulting in his one-game ban without pay.
So, barring an appeal, he'll miss Denver's game against Dallas this weekend.
No matter the mistakes and the aesthetics, the Broncos are riding a four-game winning streak and sit alone atop the AFC West for the first time since Week 4 of the 2016 season.
The Giants find themselves in the NFC East cellar and on the wrong end of one of the most improbable comebacks in gridiron history.
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A peek inside the blue medical tent that has become a fixture on NFL sidelines By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer The Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Jaxson Dart was getting checked for a concussion during the New York Giants' prime-time game against Philadelphia, and Brian Daboll was running out of patience.
The coach pulled back the flap of the blue medical tent on the sideline and yelled inside to ask when his rookie quarterback's evaluation would be done. Running back Cam Skattebo also barged in while Dart was getting examined, and the next morning, the NFL launched an investigation into how the protocol was followed.
Hours before that incident, the league pulled back the curtain — literally — for a small group of reporters to learn how game-day medical processes like concussion evaluations and emergency procedures work.
“It’s a little roomier in here than you might think,” NFL Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills said from inside the tent on Oct. 9. “Who’s usually in here? It has to be the player, the team doctor and the concussion specialist. Sometimes an athletic trainer will be here, too, but never more than those people. Never any coaches in here, never any other players in here, never anybody else in here.”
Daboll eventually apologized to the doctor at that Thursday night game for barking at him and reiterated his respect for the process, while owner John Mara — who's on the Competition Committee — put out a statement that teams "need to allow our medical staff to execute those protocols without interference.” The fiasco underscored how much of a fixture the mysterious blue tent has become in football since it was implemented in 2017 to provide a place for players to get looked at without the prying eyes of fans watching from the stands and on television.
"The stadium is a very visually distracting stadium — all of them are,” Sills said. “I really need (the player’s) concentration and our communication, right? I don’t need him looking at the replay or wondering what the score is. We want to get through this, and I find that everybody relaxes. Now we’ve gone from being in a stadium where every move is on TV, including Trevor Lawrence picking his nose the other night, to now we can just be a doctor and a patient."
What sends a player to the blue medical tent?
Some serious injuries — like Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers tearing the ACL in his right knee — don't require a trip to the tent because a player needs to be carted off the field or sent directly inside because of what the league calls “no-go signs” like obvious symptoms of a concussion. When Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during a game in Cincinnati in January 2023, independent medical personnel and doctors and trainers from the Bills and Bengals sprung into action.
“At that point, there’s no Giants, there’s no Eagles,” Sills said: “We’re all out there with a life-threatening emergency, and the teams are working together.”
For injuries that are tent-worthy, there is a step-by-step procedure. It starts by making sure the player involved can't go rogue and avoid evaluation.
“We take the helmet before we even enter this room, so that way, if they try to run out, they can’t go on the field,” Giants assistant athletic trainer Justin Maher said.
Concussion evaluations can be done in a couple of minutes, Sills said, though the NFL doesn't want to rush the process — much to the chagrin of players and coaches.
“It felt so long,” Dart said that night, in large part because it wasn't his first time he was forced into the tent after scrambling and taking a big hit. “I’m tired of it, man. I’m tired of it.”
The tent is not just for concussion evaluation
The telltale sign of whether a player is getting checked for a concussion is the presence of an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant in a red hat.
“Here’s a pro tip for you — impress your friends and family: If you see the player coming in and somebody wearing a red hat, that is a concussion evaluation,” Sills said. "Player plus a red hat, that’s always a concussion eval. Sometimes they’ll come in here and do things that aren’t concussion eval: no red hat.”
Maher, who has been working for the Giants full time for a decade, said orthopedic exams are common. The key is getting to do it quickly without having to go behind closed doors inside.
“It kind of takes away the 80,000 fans that are watching it or even the coach or a player that’s over your shoulder,” Maher said. "Things that we do in athletic training like taping an ankle or wrapping an injury that needs to be in a more private setting — gamesmanship where you tape both ankles of a player so that the other team doesn’t know which ankle’s injured. Things like that happen in here. But it’s all medical-related, so when you see this tent up, it’s medical-related.”
Except when it isn't. Asked if the tent sometimes gets pulled up so players, coaches or staff can relieve themselves at a spot closer than the nearest restroom, Sills joked, “We will neither confirm nor deny.”
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Broncos stun Giants 33-32 with last-second field goal in historic comeback By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press DENVER
DENVER (AP) — Once the bungling, bumbling Denver Broncos finally got going, they couldn't be stopped.
Shut out for three quarters, the Broncos rallied with 33 points in the fourth in one of the most stunning turnarounds in NFL history.
Wil Lutz kicked a 39-yard field goal as time expired, lifting Denver to a thrilling 33-32 win Sunday over the stunned New York Giants, who watched the Broncos score on their last five drives.
“I lost hope, I ain’t gonna lie. I lost hope," star cornerback Patrick Surtain said.
“It was one of them games where we felt like we didn’t execute. Going to film room, there’s a lot of corrections. But one thing we didn’t lose was composure,” Surtain added. "We fought to the end. In this league, no matter how much you're down, there’s always a will, and there’s always a way."
At least now there is.
The Broncos' 33 fourth-quarter points were the most in NFL history by any team that was shut out for the first three quarters and quarterback Bo Nix became the first player ever to run for two scores and throw for two touchdowns in a fourth quarter.
The Broncos’ improbable comeback snapped a streak in which NFL teams had won 1,602 consecutive games when leading by 18 points in the final 6 minutes of a game.
“I don't even know how we scored 33 points in a quarter,” Nix admitted. “That's kind of insane.”
“You win a game like that, it's the best thing ever.”
The Giants were in disbelief after losing leads of 19-0 and 26-8.
“This is going to haunt us for a long time,” said Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger.
“Tough loss," Giants coach Brian Daboll said. "Put their heart and soul into it. Not a lot of talking that needs to be done when you lose a game like that. Everybody gave everything they had.”
When the Broncos (5-2) trailed 26-8 with 6:38 remaining in the game and were facing fourth-and-3, their win probability was less than 1% , according to Next Gen Stats.
The Broncos, though, scored on a 7-yard Nix scamper, R.J. Harvey's 2-yard catch after Justin Strnad's interception, an 18-yard keeper by Nix and Lutz's game-winner after Jaxson Dart seemingly broke the Broncos' hearts with a 1-yard TD with 37 seconds left that gave New York a 32-30 lead.
Jude McAtamney missed his second extra point of the afternoon, however, and after Tyler Badie returned the kickoff 19 yards to the 23, Nix found Marvin Mims for 29 yards and Courtland Sutton for 22.
With no timeouts remaining, the Broncos raced to the line of scrimmage at the Giants 21 and Nix spiked the ball with 2 seconds left.
The snap was high but Lutz nailed the field goal to secure Denver's fourth consecutive win overall and NFL-best eighth straight at home.
“I was proud we fought to get back in it,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “It's like we had to find a way to clean up our mess.”
The Broncos took a 30-26 lead on Nix's 18-yard scamper with 1:51 left. But the Giants (2-5) appeared to dodge the defeat when Denver cornerback Riley Moss was whistled for pass interference on an incompletion to Beaux Collins near the goal line. Payton ran out onto the field to argue the call and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. That put the ball at the 1 and Dart took it from there.
“That was silly,” Payton said of his penalty. “I just wanted them to hear me. Can’t do that.”
The Broncos were actually in danger of getting shut out at home for the first time in their 66-year history when they were blanked for three quarters. Denver’s managed 111 yards on its first eight possessions and got 295 yards on its final five drives.
The Broncos' 33-point quarter was the second-highest in NFL history, behind only a 34-point performance by Detroit in a 37-27 win over Chicago on Sept. 30, 2007.
Deflected TDs
R.J. Harvey's 2-yard TD catch that got Denver on the scoreboard, came on a deflected pass, but on the ensuing drive, on third-and-17 from the Denver 41, the Giants got their own ricocheted touchdown when tight end Theo Johnson hauled in Dart's pass after it went off wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson's hands.
Honoring Thomas
The Broncos' historic comeback came on a day the franchise honored the late Demaryius Thomas , who died at age 33, by inducting him into the team's ring of fame on day they also celebrated the 10th anniversary of their Super Bowl 50 team.
By the halftime ceremony, the Giants had taken a 13-0 lead on Dart’s 44-yard touchdown pass to Bellinger and his 13-yard strike to Cam Scattebo for the rookie running back's first career TD grab.
Greenlaw's Denver debut
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw made his debut for Denver after spending the first six weeks of the season sidelined by a quadriceps injury. He had six tackles.
Injuries
Giants: S Jevon Holland left with a knee injury in the first half and didn't return. ... CB Paulson Adebo went out with an unspecified injury in the third quarter.
Broncos: RT Mike McGlinchey got hurt with 4:42 remaining and walked off the field but returned, saying, “I certainly wasn’t going to miss out on the fun. I was a part of three and a-half quarters of (bad) football, so I might as well get in for the good ones.”
Up next
Giants: Visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
Broncos: host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
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Cardinals' losing streak reaches 5 games with 27-23 loss to Packers By JOHN MARSHALL AP Sports Writer The Associated Press GLENDALE, Ariz.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals have been in every game this season, none decided by more than a touchdown.
Winners of the first two close games, the Cardinals have fallen into a spiral of frustration as one win after another has agonizingly slipped from their grasp.
The latest: a 27-23 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday that stretched Arizona's losing streak to five games — by a combined 13 points.
“More of the same,” Cardinals defensive tackle Calais Campbell said. “We fight hard, but we've got to find a way to win ballgames.”
The Cardinals (2-5) had the close-game answers against New Orleans and Carolina to open the season, winning both by a combined 12 points.
The past five weeks have been a blur of missed opportunities.
It started with a 16-15 loss at San Francisco in Week 3, kicking off a string of three straight losses on the last play of the fourth quarter — an NFL first.
Last week, the Cardinals had a four-point lead in the fourth quarter, the ball on Tennessee's 9-yard line and still lost, 31-27.
Arizona's loss to the Packers (4-1-1) turned on a midfield decision that backfired.
Faced with a fourth-and-1 at their own 48 with six minutes left, the Cardinals opted to go for it, hoping to continue winding clock with a 23-20 lead. The gambit failed when quarterback Jacob Brissett, making his second straight start in place of injured Kyler Murray, was stuffed at the line of scrimmage for a turnover on downs.
“I definitely wanted to go — I would have went for it with more than that (yards),” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said.
Arizona's defense had a chance to make a stand, but bowed backward instead.
Green Bay converted a fourth-and-2 with a 15-yard pass from Jordan Love to tight end Tucker Kraft and kept moving down field. Josh Jacobs scored on a 1-yard run to put the Packers up 27-23 and Brissett last-gasp pass from Green Bay's 27 caromed out of the back of the end zone.
“We had a lead in the fourth quarter, multiple times, and we didn't get off the field,” Campbell said. “To be as good as I think we can be, that's unacceptable.”
Another breakdown gave Green Bay momentum heading into halftime.
Arizona moved the ball in the first half, but two drives stalled, resulting in field goals. The Cardinals finally broke through with a touchdown, on a 15-yard pass from Brissett to tight end Trey McBride that put them up 13-3 with seven seconds left before halftime.
The Packers needed just two plays to cut the lead to a touchdown: a 22-yard catch by Romeo Daubs and Lucas Havrisik's team-record 61-yard field goal as time expired.
“You’re figuring with seven seconds on a timeout, the yardage they could get, I thought we’d be OK,” Gannon said. “There was a little too much (cushion) in the call they were in, but it was the right call. ... Looking back on it, do I wish I had made a different call? Yeah.”
As the Cardinals head into their bye week, they'll have plenty of time to look at what's gone wrong during their five-game skid.
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Slipping Chargers see just how high bar is being set in AFC in loss to Colts DOUG PADILLA Associated Press The Associated Press INGLEWOOOD, Calif.
INGLEWOOOD, Calif. (AP) — In hindsight, perhaps it was not the best look for a team riddled with key injuries to be dressed like banana peels.
Without key members of the offensive line and backfield, the Chargers slipped again, losing 38-24 to the Indianapolis Colts while wearing bright yellow alternate jerseys from head to toe.
The Chargers had a season-low 54 net rushing yards and has lost three of its past four games after starting the season on a three-game winning streak against AFC West opponents.
After the Chargers gave up three rushing touchdowns to Jonathan Taylor and two TD passes from Daniel Jones, safety Derwin James Jr. had no problem accepting the blame.
“It was all on us,” said James, who had a team-best seven tackles. “We could have prevented a lot of it. It just starts with reading your keys and we've got to be better. We didn’t do that today.”
The defense was not completely to blame. Justin Herbert matched a season high with two interceptions, both in the second quarter. He was picked off after the Chargers got to the Colts’ 28-yard line midway through the period and again with just under two minutes to go in the first half after reaching the Indianapolis 8.
The Colts led 23-3 at the half and put away the game with a pair of TD runs by Taylor in the third quarter.
Herbert put up 289 of his career-best 420 passing yards in the second half and the Chargers still never got within 13 points.
“You’re playing that kind of game because they took advantage of things,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “They did a good job of staying ahead of the sticks. They’re very good. Outside of that second quarter, I thought we were good, too.”
Herbert also made sure to be accountable.
“Yeah, I think it’s on us,” said Herbert, who had the second game of at least 400 yards passing in his career. “We just can’t do that. We can’t expect win games when I turn the ball over in the red zone like that.”
The Chargers were without offensive linemen Joe Alt (ankle) and Trey Pipkins III (knee), and running backs Najee Harris (Achilles) and Omarion Hampton (ankle) are on injured reserve. Harris is out for the season.
Alt was limited in practice last week and could play Thursday against the Minnesota Vikings, which would be in his first appearance since playing against the New York Giants in Week 4. That was the start of Los Angeles’ current run of three losses in four games.
A short week is a challenge for a team struggling for consistency among its injury issues. But there won’t be any travel as the Chargers wait for the Vikings to come to town.
“I can’t wait to get this taste out of my mouth,” James said.
And the Chargers have now seen just how high the bar is being set in the AFC. The Colts were the only six-win team at the end of play Sunday and lead the NFL with 232 points scored.
“You know, you can’t let a previous performance affect your next one,” Herbert said. “So we’re gonna show up (Monday) and show up the next day, and we’re on to the Vikings.”
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