Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray appeared to suffer a serious knee injury on the first drive of Monday's game against the New England Patriots, leaving the field on a medical cart after a non-contact incident.

On just the third play of the game, Murray attempted to scramble for positive yardage, but went down in a heap after gaining three yards, clutching his knee.

The 25-year-old former top overall draft pick stayed down, and a medical cart was brought on the field to carry him back to the locker room.

Murray, who has thrown 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his 10 starts this season – going 3-7 in those games – was replaced by Colt McCoy as the Cardinals' starter. 

There are four weeks remaining of the 2022 NFL season, meaning we are in the home stretch not only in the race for the playoffs, but also in the battle for the MVP.

Week 14 was one in which the race appeared to settle into one between four quarterbacks. Other positions are worthy of recognition, but since Adrian Peterson's win in 2012 the MVP has been solely a quarterback award, and there is a quartet who have separated themselves from the rest.

Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins had received some hype as a potential MVP, but his successive disappointing displays against the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers have likely removed him from the equation.

This has become a fight between the quarterback piloting the best team in the NFC and a trio of signal-callers each hoping to lead their respective rosters to the top seed in the AFC.

Right now, it is the former who stands as the favourite because of a near-perfect resume.

THE FRONTRUNNER: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

The competition with more established NFL stars has been fierce but, after recent devastating performances against the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants, it is difficult to dispute Hurts as the MVP frontrunner.

A week on from brushing past the Titans, the Eagles swatted the Giants aside at The Meadowlands with another display of effortless dominance powered by Hurts’ ability to hit the deep ball and his influence on an ultra-diverse run game.

Hurts connected with DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown for touchdowns of 41 and 33 yards, and also rushed for 77 yards and a score on seven carries. His 13 touchdown passes of at least 20 yards are the most in the NFL while his 10 rushing scores are the sixth-most, and two more than any other quarterback (Justin Fields, eight).

He now has 3,157 passing yards with 22 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns this season, becoming the the fourth quarterback ever with at least 3,000 passing yards, 20 touchdown passes & 10 rushing touchdowns in a single season, joining Kyler Murray (2020), Cam Newton (2011 and 2015) and Kordell Stewart (1997).

Newton won the MVP in 2015 by posting such numbers for a 15-1 Carolina Panthers team that went on to reach the Super Bowl. The Eagles are on course to go 16-1 thanks to Hurts’ growth as a thrower – his well-thrown rate of 82.7 percent is a substantial improvement on his mark of 77.1 per cent from 2021. If they do so, there are unlikely to be many convincing counterarguments against Hurts as the MVP.

DON'T COUNT HIM OUT: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

A three-interception performance by Mahomes against the Denver Broncos may have helped tilt the MVP race in favour of Hurts, but the 2018 MVP is still performing at a level to be worthy of regaining the award.

Mahomes has 60 completions of at least 20 yards this season. No other quarterback has even reached 50, with Joe Burrow his nearest challenger on 46.

He ranks eighth among quarterbacks with a minimum of 200 attempts with a well-thrown rate of 83.5 percent, and has been extremely accurate when going deep.

Indeed, Mahomes' completion percentage of 50 on pass attempts of at least 21 air yards is fourth among quarterbacks with at least 10 such throws. On top of his downfield explosiveness, Mahomes has done an excellent job of creating yardage for himself on the ground, his yards per carry average on scrambles of 7.44 bettered by only Justin Fields (7.98) and P.J. Walker (8.67).

Recent issues with turnovers and the fact the Chiefs lost to Josh Allen's Buffalo Bills and Joe Burrow's Cincinnati Bengals may have dented his case but, with four games to go, Mahomes has built the foundations of an MVP resume and still has the chance to earn the prize for a second time if he can lift Kansas City to the one seed.

FADING FAST?: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

The resume in terms of achievements for Allen is pretty sparkling. If the season ended today, the Bills would be the number one seed in the AFC and he delivered the tiebreaking win over the Chiefs with a tremendous fourth-quarter performance at Arrowhead.

Allen's deep ball has been extremely impressive this season. No quarterback in the NFL has accounted for more yards on throws of at least 21 air yards than his 833. 

The Bills star is also on the right side of the ledger in terms of accuracy, delivering a well-thrown ball on 82 percent of his passes. The league average – minimum 50 attempts – is 81.4.

However, like Mahomes, Allen has 11 interceptions this season, and has a pickable pass rate of 4.89 percent that is nearly a full point above the average of 4.09%.

His carelessness with the ball has contributed to key defeats to the likes of the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, costing the Bills wins that would have given them clear separation atop the AFC.

Allen is clearly one of the league's premier quarterbacks and will be for many years to come, but the consistency has not been there for him to be considered the MVP at this point.

THE SLEEPER: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

After a slow start, the man who spearheaded the Bengals' improbable charge to an AFC Championship is once again performing at a level that saw him elevate Cincinnati to the ranks of the elite.

Even in hard-fought Week 14 win over the Cleveland Browns with a Bengals' offense that has been one of the most productive in the NFL since Week 6 did not fire on all cylinders, Burrow's deadly precision was a difference-maker, most notably on a pinpoint 15-yard touchdown throw to Ja’Marr Chase on a post route to open the scoring.

Burrow delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 87.5 percent of his passes against the Browns. For the season, his well-thrown rate of 85.9 percent is fifth among quarterbacks with at least 200 attempts. His pickable pass rate of just 1.52 percent is the NFL's best.

Burrow is outperforming Hurts, Mahomes and Allen when it comes to delivering accurately and taking care of the ball, and has a signature win over Mahomes to his name from Week 13.

If the Bengals go on to wrest the AFC North from the Baltimore Ravens, Burrow will have an excellent case for the MVP, one that will be even stronger if 9-4 Cincinnati manage to catch Kansas City and Buffalo in the race for the one seed.

Cade Cunningham will miss the remainder of the NBA season after it was revealed on Monday the Detroit Pistons' franchise cornerstone will undergo surgery on his bothersome left shin.

According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Cunningham has been dealing with pain in his shin since the preseason, with the injury keeping him out of action since November 9.

The plan was to give him a month off to see if the rest would address the issue, but its persistence required further action, leading to the decision to send the former first overall pick in the 2021 draft under the knife.

He is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of the 2023-24 campaign, when the Pistons will look to begin their ascent out of the NBA's cellar.

It has been a lean few years in the win column for Detroit, landing the top pick in the 2021 draft after finishing dead last in the Eastern Conference with a record of 20-52 in the shortened 2020-21 season, before following it with a 23-59 campaign, ultimately resulting in Jaden Ivey's arrival with the fifth pick this year.

They are on track for another top-five pick in next year's draft as they own the worst record in the league at 7-22 – but it is a year where the front office will be happy to continue losing.

The light at the end of the tunnel is 18-year-old French super-prospect Victor Wembanyama, who will assuredly be selected by whichever team is fortunate enough to win the draft lottery and the top pick in the draft.

Standing at 7ft 4in with an 8ft wingspan – longer than any player currently in the league – Wembanyama is plying his trade in the French LNB Pro A, which is France's top men's league.

He is leading the league in scoring (23.6 points per game), rebounding (9.4), and blocks (2.8), while hitting 1.4 three-pointers per game, including high-difficulty attempts off the bounce, and even off one leg.

Cunningham and Wembanyama is a pairing that would have the Pistons on an express path to contention, and it will be no surprise to see Detroit trade away veterans with any value – such as Bojan Bogdanovic, whom The Athletic is reporting as a target for the Los Angeles Lakers – to lose as many games as possible.

Cade Cunningham will miss the remainder of the NBA season after it was revealed on Monday the Detroit Pistons' franchise cornerstone will undergo surgery on his bothersome left shin.

According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Cunningham has been dealing with pain in his shin since the preseason, with the injury keeping him out of action since November 9.

The plan was to give him a month off to see if the rest would address the issue, but its persistence required further action, leading to the decision to send the former first overall pick in the 2021 draft under the knife.

He is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of the 2023-24 campaign, when the Pistons will look to begin their ascent out of the NBA's cellar.

It has been a lean few years in the win column for Detroit, landing the top pick in the 2021 draft after finishing dead last in the Eastern Conference with a record of 20-52 in the shortened 2020-21 season, before following it with a 23-59 campaign, ultimately resulting in Jaden Ivey's arrival with the fifth pick this year.

They are on track for another top-five pick in next year's draft as they own the worst record in the league at 7-22 – but it is a year where the front office will be happy to continue losing.

The light at the end of the tunnel is 18-year-old French super-prospect Victor Wembanyama, who will assuredly be selected by whichever team is fortunate enough to win the draft lottery and the top pick in the draft.

Standing at 7ft 4in with an 8ft wingspan – longer than any player currently in the league – Wembanyama is plying his trade in the French LNB Pro A, which is France's top men's league.

He is leading the league in scoring (23.6 points per game), rebounding (9.4), and blocks (2.8), while hitting 1.4 three-pointers per game, including high-difficulty attempts off the bounce, and even off one leg.

Cunningham and Wembanyama is a pairing that would have the Pistons on an express path to contention, and it will be no surprise to see Detroit trade away veterans with any value – such as Bojan Bogdanovic, whom The Athletic is reporting as a target for the Los Angeles Lakers – to lose as many games as possible.

Erik ten Hag urged Harry Maguire to replicate his England form with Manchester United to fight his way back into the Red Devils line-up.

Maguire made just three Premier League starts for United this season before going to the World Cup with England and appearing in all five games in their run to the quarter-finals.

Gareth Southgate has repeatedly backed the centre-back on the international stage, though Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have become Ten Hag's preferred partnership at United this term.

After England's elimination to France on Saturday, Ten Hag hopes Maguire can return to Old Trafford with confidence from his impressive showings in Qatar.

"I can only back him. I've been asked many times if he is good enough [to play for me] and it is clear he is good enough to play at the highest level," the United manager told reporters.

"And then it is up to him to show that confidence on the pitch and he didn't show that in all the games [for United].

"When he is playing with his confidence like now, he is a massively important player for us and that is what everyone expects. That's what Harry expects from himself.

"He has that high standard, he wants to play at the highest level, he wants to lead the defensive line, so it is up to him. I'm sure he has the potential to play in our style and fit into our system.

"He has, for England, almost all the time good games. He had a period in Manchester where he performed badly and then, of course, there are difficulties but when he is confident in himself, he will put that on the pitch.

"When he is working hard you will get that confidence and you are seeing that with the way he is playing for England.

"We want him to bring that back to Manchester with him so he can bring it on the pitch for Manchester United. I expect from him, the team knows what they expect from him. If he does that he will be a great player for us."

A hamstring injury ruled Maguire out for parts of United's Premier League campaign, though even when fit Ten Hag has still utilised Martinez, Varane and Victor Lindelof over the 29-year-old.

Ten Hag assured he has no issues with Maguire and insists positive performances will lead to a return to his starting XI.

"When I choose Rapha [Varane] it is nothing against Harry," he continued. "Sometimes it is because one player is a lot better than the other.

"But I think I have two or three good players there in the right centre-back position.

"After Brentford, I had a feeling I had to change. He was unlucky that moment was bad for him but it doesn't say anything about his quality that he can't do it or my opinion about his quality.

"Rapha came in and is doing a good job. There are laws of the game in top football – you have to take your chance. Your chance will always come.

"The only thing he has to do is train well, perform well, he has games, he has rhythm and his chance will come. He will have a chance to show it and then he's in and he will play."

As for Maguire's future, Ten Hag added: "Only when he doesn't want to be in these circumstances any more. Until that moment, I am happy with him.

"I have said it to him and you, I can do nothing more. It is up to him to contribute to play himself into the team.

"We have 16 to 18 players in the squad and that is what you need at the top level if you want to play for trophies. All the number of games we have to cover and then it is about the players who construct the best team, and that team we will pick. It is nothing to do with being personal."

The Golden State Warriors will look to claim only their third road win of the season when they face the Milwaukee Bucks in a potential NBA Finals preview.

Golden State have recovered from a slow start to their title defence to sit at 14-13, eighth in the Western Conference.

The reigning champions delivered a reminder of their title credentials last time out, defeating the team they vanquished in last year's Finals, the 21-6 Boston Celtics, 124-107.

As with most of their successes so far this season, that win came at friendly confines of the Chase Center.

On their travels, it is a different story for the Warriors, who are 2-11 on the road.

It will be a tall order to improve that dismal mark against the Bucks, who are 12-3 at home, and at 19-7 overall trail only the Celtics in the Eastern Conference.

Yet the Bucks displayed vulnerability in stumbling to defeat against the rebuilding Houston Rockets in their most recent encounter.

It is still relatively early in the season, but this matchup between the last two NBA champions will be a good barometer of each team's prospects as they plot a path to lifting the trophy again this campaign.

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS

Milwaukee Bucks - Giannis Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo is obviously the heartbeat of the Bucks, and he will be motivated to bounce back after being held to 16 points in 36 minutes in their loss to the Rockets.

It was just the second time he had been limited to 16 or less in that number of minutes since the 2017-18 season. The Warriors are allowing the ninth-most points per game in the NBA (116.1), seemingly giving Antetokounmpo the opportunity to get back on track in a marquee matchup.

Golden State Warriors - Klay Thompson

The second 'Splash Brother' atoned for his somewhat disappointing performance in last year's Finals by making it rain against the Celtics.

He shot 53.8 per cent from the field in racking up 34 points in a game that also saw Stephen Curry score 32. When the Warriors get those contributions from both their leading lights, even teams as talented as the Bucks find them tough to overcome.

KEY BATTLE - Can Looney prevent second chances?

Kevon Looney was exceptional as the Warriors defeated the Celtics. He finished plus-19 the plus-minus and dominated on the defensive glass.

Twelve of Looney's 15 rebounds came on the defensive side, and his ability to excel in that area will be critical against a Bucks team that is eighth in offensive rebounds per game and second-chance points.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Warriors and Bucks split their season series in the previous campaign, but Golden State have not tasted victory on the road against Milwaukee since 2018.

Nick Kyrgios hit out at a lack of respect for his achievements in Australian tennis, after Ash Barty claimed the Newcombe Medal.

Three-time grand slam winner Barty made the surprise decision to retire in March, aged just 25, after securing the Australian Open title only two months earlier.

The former world number one was subsequently recognised with the highest individual honour in Australian tennis as she won her fifth consecutive Newcombe Medal on Monday.

Kyrgios, who won the Australian Open doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis, became the first male Australian finalist at Wimbledon since Mark Philippoussis (2003) in July, but fell to defeat against Novak Djokovic.

The 27-year-old, then 40th in the world, was also the lowest-ranked grand slam male finalist since Marcos Baghdatis (54) at the Australian Open in 2006.

After the announcement of Barty's individual recognition, Kyrgios took to Instagram to question the decision.

"LOL. No respect at all. Don't give a f***," he wrote before including a comparison of his 2022 victories to Barty's year.

It is not the first time Kyrgios has spoken out against Australian tennis, previously suggesting it was an "easy decision" to snub the Davis Cup to play at the Diriyah Tennis Cup exhibition event in Riyadh.

Kyrgios may take some consolation, though, after being named with Kokkinakis as the Fans' Favourite doubles team in the 2022 ATP Awards.

He responded to the announcement on Instagram, adding: "Obviously lol."

Clement Lenglet saluted "legend" Hugo Lloris, backing his France and Tottenham team-mate to lead Les Bleus into another World Cup final.

Lloris is just two wins away from becoming the first captain to lift the World Cup trophy on two occasions, with the reigning champions continuing their title defence against Morocco in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

The goalkeeper earned a record-breaking 143rd France appearance in their 2-1 victory over England in the quarter-finals, surpassing Lilian Thuram (142) in the process.

Lenglet - Lloris' compatriot and colleague at club level - paid tribute to the 35-year-old on Tottenham's official website.

"I'm so proud of Hugo, it's such a big achievement," the defender said. "For a long time, Lilian Thuram was the number one, now Hugo is the new number one, and reaching the number in such a big game against England, where he played very well.

"To all French people, he's a legend because he's a very good person, a very good professional, an amazing goalkeeper. He's one of the best players in the history of the French national team.

"Hopefully, he'll have two more caps at the World Cup. He can make history. It's a long way yet, you have to think game by game - Morocco next. But as I said, it would be a big, big achievement for him [to lift the trophy again]."

Morocco, the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals, stand in France's way of a potential clash with Argentina or Croatia in Sunday's showpiece.

The Atlas Lions are the first side to progress to the last four having not conceded a single goal scored by an opposing player since Italy in 2006. However, Lenglet is confident of a French victory.

"It's a big game for both teams," he added. "We are happy to play an African team in the semi-final. I'm sure we will see a game with a lot of intensity and duels, they are very, very strong.

"I believe France has the experience, they won a difficult game against England when, during the game, it was not always easy. When you win that type of game, you are completely ready. I think France will do it, they have all the quality to do it again."

Conor Benn believes his innocence is soon to be proven after losing his British Board of Control (BBBofC) boxing licence earlier this year because of failed drugs tests.

Benn, the son of former WBO middleweight and WBC super-middleweight champion Nigel Benn, was due to fight Chris Eubank Jr in October.

But just days before the fight, it emerged Benn had tested positive for banned substance clomifene, and the BBBofC subsequently prohibited the fight from taking place despite promoters from both sides attempting to force a U-turn.

Benn admitted afterwards that he had failed tests and relinquished his BBBofC licence, though the 26-year-old has always maintained his innocence.

In a social media post on Monday, Benn once again reiterated he is a clean boxer and believes his team have now finally proven that fact.

"My team and I have worked extremely hard over the past seven years to make me the fighter I am today," Benn said on Instagram. "We have never cut corners or cheated the grind in any way.

"It's been really hard for me to accept that people think that I would do what I was accused of but what I've come to realise is people rush to judgement, without knowing the facts.

"Tony Sims [Benn's trainer] has had a clean gym for 26 years, I respect the gym. No one is bigger than the gym! Hard work and dedication is what we stand for. We don't condone cheating or cutting corners.

"I've stayed in the gym and continued to work extremely hard, staying positive that my innocence will be proven and the truth will come out.

"My team has proven my innocence and the truth will soon come out.

"Until then, I won't be commenting further due to confidentiality.

"There were times I feared it never would but we all had faith. I'm thankful to everyone who has supported me through this tough time... tough times don't last, tough people do.

"See you all in 2023, the year I become world champion!"

The Dallas Cowboys have signed wide receiver T.Y. Hilton despite ongoing links to fellow veteran Odell Beckham Jr.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones suggested last week he will not be rushed into a move for Beckham and has subsequently added experience at wide receiver in four-time Pro Bowler Hilton.

The 33-year-old, who spent 10 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, has been a free agent since the start of the season but joins a Cowboys receiving group including CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup.

"Great addition," said Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, who added Hilton has a chance to play on Sunday versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

"We'll get him out there Wednesday and get him acclimated. ... He had a workout. Everything passed with flying colours. The timing is right. He's ready to go."

Hilton boasts five 1,000-yard seasons, including an NFL-best 1,448 yards in 2016 for the Colts, but has not played since 2021 for Indianapolis.

He caught just 23 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns last season, though is only one of 15 players in the Super Bowl era to have at least three touchdown catches in the first 10 seasons of his career.

That experience may prove vital for the Cowboys, who have long been on the hunt for another receiver to join a roster that also includes Noah Brown, Jalen Tolbert, James Washington and KaVontae Turpin.

It remains unclear what Hilton's arrival means for three-time Pro Bowler Beckham, who is not expected to be fit for the regular season after not playing since tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl earlier this year.

The Cowboys are 10-3 and on a four-game winning streak heading into Week 15 as Dallas mounts a charge for what could be a deep playoff run.

Luis Enrique acknowledged Spain's failings at the World Cup against Morocco in which "everything went to hell" as La Roja exited in Qatar.

Morocco, the surprise packing of the tournament, dumped Spain out on penalties after a goalless draw in Tuesday's last-16 clash.

Enrique was subsequently dismissed from his role as head coach on Thursday, with former Spain youth boss Luis de la Fuente named as his replacement.

While pointing to the lasting legacy his Spain side may leave on future generations, Enrique suggested it only takes 90 minutes for years of planning to derail.

"In 90 minutes, everything went to hell. It is clear that we did not play a good game against Morocco," he said on Twitch.

"I saw it positively. Right now I am calm and satisfied with what we have done. We generated enthusiasm and desire to see the national team.

"We have seen it. Many young people and children came to see us at the hotel. We could do better, I am aware, but I tried to take the best players and those who embodied my ideas."

The former Barcelona boss came under scrutiny for his squad selection ahead of FIFA's top tournament, with questions over his preference to play Ferran Torres and not call up a traditional striker option.

The inclusion of Sergio Roberto and Eric Garcia led to further debates over the La Roja squad, though Enrique has no regrets over his decisions.

"It consoles me that the same thing happens to others. I don't enter the debate. I respect it," he continued.

"I make the decisions with my staff. Nobody makes recommendations to me, nobody from the press has dedicated even 10 per cent of the hours that my staff and I have dedicated."

Manchester United, now managed by Erik ten Hag, were previously reportedly interested in Enrique, who will wait for the new season before considering his next move.

"I want to continue training at a club to develop what I did in the national team," he added. "That has been a dream. This stage is over. I'll wait for the start of next season."

Luis Enrique acknowledged Spain's failings at the World Cup against Morocco in which "everything went to hell" as La Roja exited in Qatar.

Morocco, the surprise packing of the tournament, dumped Spain out on penalties after a goalless draw in Tuesday's last-16 clash.

Luis Enrique was subsequently dismissed from his role as head coach on Thursday, with former Spain youth boss Luis de la Fuente named as his replacement.

While pointing to the lasting legacy his Spain side may leave on future generations, Luis Enrique suggested it only takes 90 minutes for years of planning to derail.

"In 90 minutes, everything went to hell. It is clear that we did not play a good game against Morocco," he said on Twitch.

"I saw it positively. Right now I am calm and satisfied with what we have done. We generated enthusiasm and desire to see the national team.

"We have seen it. Many young people and children came to see us at the hotel. We could do better, I am aware, but I tried to take the best players and those who embodied my ideas."

The former Barcelona boss came under scrutiny for his squad selection ahead of FIFA's top tournament, with questions over his preference to play Ferran Torres and not call up a traditional striker option.

The inclusion of Sergio Roberto and Eric Garcia led to further debates over the La Roja squad, though Luis Enrique has no regrets over his decisions.

"It consoles me that the same thing happens to others. I don't enter the debate. I respect it," he continued.

"I make the decisions with my staff. Nobody makes recommendations to me, nobody from the press has dedicated even 10 per cent of the hours that my staff and I have dedicated."

Manchester United, now managed by Erik ten Hag, were previously reportedly interested in Luis Enrique, who will wait for the new season before considering his next move.

"I want to continue training at a club to develop what I did in the national team," he added. "That has been a dream. This stage is over. I'll wait for the start of next season."

The Atlanta Falcons are returning from their bye with a new starting quarterback.

Head coach Arthur Smith announced Monday that rookie Desmond Ridder will take over the starting duties from Marcus Mariota for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.

"I did make a switch at quarterback. Desmond Ridder will be the starter. It’s a performance-based decision," he said in a press conference.

The move had been expected after it was reported last week that Ridder would be named the starter.

A third-round pick in April’s draft, Ridder has yet to take an offensive snap in the regular season after throwing for 10,239 yards with 87 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in his four-year collegiate career at Cincinnati.

He takes over an offense that is in need of a jolt, with Atlanta having lost four of five, averaging 15.3 points in those defeats.

Despite their recent slide to drop to 5-8, the Falcons are only a game behind the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the lowly NFC South, so a path to the playoffs with Ridder at QB is not out of the question.

Ridder will foreseeably be the Falcons' starter for the remainder of the season, as Smith said Mariota will likely be placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Mariota was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week following his performance in the Falcons' 28-14 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6, but he's struggled to generate much offense over the last month.

In Atlanta’s last five games, Mariota was averaging just 157.4 passing yards with five touchdown passes and three interceptions for an 81.6 rating.