Denver Broncos

Rodgers was in control throughout as the Packers eased to a 41-25 win over the Chicago Bears to strengthen their grip on the NFC North.

Patrick Mahomes had earlier starred for the Kansas City Chiefs, who held off Brady and the Buccaneers.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers left it late against the Los Angeles Rams and the Denver Broncos – without a quarterback – fell.

RODGERS' PACKERS DOMINATE BEARS

The Packers handed the Bears a fifth straight loss with a 16-point victory.

Rodgers completed 21 of 29 passes for 211 yards and four touchdowns for Green Bay, who at one stage led 41-10.

During the win, Rodgers became the 11th player in NFL history to reach 50,000 passing yards.

Davante Adams had a receiving touchdown in a sixth straight game, the longest active streak in the NFL. He also tied the Packers' franchise record since at least 1950, according to NFL Research.

The Packers (8-3) are top of the NFC North ahead of the Minnesota Vikings (5-6), Bears (5-6) and Detroit Lions (4-7).

CHIEFS HOLD OFF BUCCANEERS

Mahomes and Tyreek Hill dominated as the Chiefs overcame the Buccaneers 27-24.

Hill caught three touchdown passes and had 269 receiving yards as the Chiefs improved to 10-1 and handed Brady three straight home losses for the first time in his career.

During his performance, Hill had 203 receiving yards in the first quarter. He was the third player since 1980 with 200-plus receiving yards in a single quarter, joining Qadry Ismail (1999) and Lee Evans (2006).

Mahomes was 37 of 49 for 462 yards and three touchdowns, while Brady completed 27 of 41 for 345 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

In November, Mahomes averaged 399.5 passing yards per game. That is the most passing yards per game by any quarterback in a single month in NFL history, with minimum four games played, as per Stats Perform.

49ERS EDGE RAMS

Robbie Gould drilled a 42-yard field goal as time expired to lift the 49ers past the Rams 23-20.

Deebo Samuel had 133 receiving yards for the 49ers as Nick Mullens completed 24 of 35 for 252 yards, with one interception.

Rams QB Jared Goff struggled, throwing two interceptions and getting sacked twice while completing 19 of 31 for 198 yards.

The 49ers (5-6) are bottom of the NFC West, behind the Seattle Seahawks (7-3), Rams (7-4) and Arizona Cardinals (6-5).

SAINTS BEAT QUARTERBACK-LESS BRONCOS

With all their quarterbacks declared ineligible to play due to coronavirus protocols, the Broncos fell to the New Orleans Saints 31-3.

Wide receiver Kendall Hinton started at QB for the Broncos. He went one-of-nine for 13 yards and two interceptions.

With Drew Brees sidelined, the Saints improved to 9-2 as Taysom Hill started, throwing for 78 yards and rushing for 44. Latavius Murray had 124 rushing yards.

Week 12 scores:

Atlanta Falcons 43-6 Las Vegas Raiders
Buffalo Bills 27-17 Los Angeles Chargers
Cleveland Browns 27-25 Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins 20-3 New York Jets
Minnesota Vikings 28-27 Carolina Panthers
New England Patriots 20-17 Arizona Cardinals
New York Giants 19-17 Cincinnati Bengals 
Tennessee Titans 45-26 Indianapolis Colts
New Orleans Saints 31-3 Denver Broncos
San Francisco 49ers 23-20 Los Angeles Rams
Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Green Bay Packers 41-25 Chicago Bears

Roethlisberger played just two games last season before undergoing elbow surgery, but the veteran quarterback made a fine return on Monday.

He completed 21 of 32 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns as the Steelers beat the New York Giants 26-16.

Roethlisberger was full of praise for the Steelers' defense, who intercepted Daniel Jones twice and sacked the Giants QB three times.

He connected twice with JuJu Smith-Schuster, with the Steelers scoring 23 unanswered points after falling 10-3 behind in the second quarter.

Benny Snell Jr. rushed for 113 yards on 19 carries for the Steelers, who saw Zach Banner (knee), Stefen Wisniewski (pectoral) and James Conner (ankle) suffer injuries.

Giants star Saquon Barkley was limited to just six rushing yards on 15 carries, while he had 60 receiving yards.

The Titans edged the Denver Broncos 16-14 in their opener at Sports Authority Field.

Ryan Tannehill (29 of 43 for 249 yards) threw touchdown passes to MyCole Pruitt and Jonnu Smith, but the Titans trailed heading into the final minute.

Making his debut for the Titans, Stephen Gostkowski became the first kicker to miss his four kicks in his first game with a team since Dennis Partee did so for the San Diego Chargers in 1968, as per STATS.

But he got another chance with 17 seconds remaining and drilled a 25-yard field goal to lift Tennessee to victory.

Titans star Derrick Henry rushed for 116 yards on 31 carries.

Wilson's 10-season career on the Seahawks, which included their Super Bowl XLVIII success, ended this offseason with his trade to the Broncos.

The 2022 NFL schedule release then threw up an early treat, with the Broncos visiting Lumen Field on September 12, in Wilson's first regular season game for the team.

But for all the fond memories the nine-time Pro Bowler has of his team as a Seahawk, his focus will be on a first win in Broncos colours.

"I think it's going to be an exciting time," Wilson told reporters. "Obviously, Seattle's meant the world to me over the past 10 years.

"It's a special place, special place to play, Lumen Field. I have a high regard for all those guys over there and what they do.

"I think, for me, it's non-emotional, though – it has got to be non-emotional.

"You've got to be able to go into it with an understanding that it's just ball – and also understand that there's been amazing times. There's been a lot of touchdowns there, won a lot of games there, so I had a great experience.

"It'll always be a special place in my heart forever. So, for me, it's about going up there and trying to play the best football for our football team here and try to go win."

Crucially, Wilson is set to get in Denver what he was denied in Seattle, an offense shaped entirely around his ability at QB.

New Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett said: "We want to build this thing completely around him and make sure that he's comfortable and watch him come alive."

The quarterback suffered a hamstring injury in the 19-16 overtime defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday.

He played through the pain barrier in the late stages of that game but will not be risked this weekend, the Broncos confirmed.

It means Brett Rypien will play against the 4-2 Jets, making just his second start in the NFL. Coincidentally, his first also came against the Jets, with Rypien throwing two touchdown passes for the Broncos in a 37-28 win in October 2020.

On Friday, the Broncos listed Wilson as questionable for the clash with the Jets, while head coach Nathaniel Hackett said the team would make a "game-time decision" on his involvement.

That situation has now progressed, with Wilson unavailable as the Broncos look to improve on their 2-4 start to the season.

Nine-time Pro Bowl QB Wilson has completed just 58.6 per cent of his passes since arriving in a March trade with the Seattle Seahawks, landing a five-year, $245million contract.

Against the Chargers, Wilson finished the first quarter with a perfect 10 completions, including a touchdown, but he completed just five of his subsequent 18 passes.

The Broncos parted ways with first-year coach Hackett on Monday following their 51-14 Christmas Day defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, which left them with a 4-11 record.

Denver's record is the joint-third worst in the NFL, with the Broncos set for their seventh consecutive losing season.

The Broncos had high expectations heading into the campaign, with ex-Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Hackett hired in January for his first head coach position, while Wilson was added to their ranks in March in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks.

But neither have enhanced the Broncos' struggling offense, with Denver's points-per-game average of 15.5 the lowest in the NFL.

Wilson is on track for a career-low in touchdown passes (12) and a career-high in sacks (49). The QB leads the NFL in sacks this season.

"The reality is I wish I could have played better for him too," Wilson told reporters after Wednesday's practice. "I wish I could have played at the standard, the level that I've always played at, know how to play at.

"I know I can play exceptionally well. I know what I have in me. Each moment you get out there, you want to play at your best and I haven't been able to do that this year. We have two games to go, I want to go compete at the highest level and try to get us two wins."

Interim Broncos coach Jerry Rosburg confirmed Wilson would start their final two games of the season, firstly against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Broncos general manager George Paton has stated that Wilson's recruitment was with a long-term view.

Wilson added: "You have dark days sometimes. It's been a tough year in a lot of ways. [I'm] used to scoring a lot of touchdowns, winning a lot of games and that hasn't happened, [it's the] first time it's been like this.

"My expectations are higher than everybody else's. The mission is still the same – bring Super Bowls to Denver."

Wilson began the game brightly, finishing the first quarter with a perfect 10 completions from 10 attempts including a touchdown to rookie tight end Greg Dulcich to build a 10-0 lead at quarter-time.

Things broke down for the Broncos' offense after that, with Wilson going on to complete just five-of-18 passes the rest of the way as their only points in the last three quarters came from a pair of Brandon McManus field goals.

After the game, Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett opened up his press conference by listing Wilson among the injuries for the game, saying he hurt his hamstring and not expanding any further.

When questioned about it in his own interview, Wilson confirmed he did indeed have to nurse the injury through the latter stages of the contest after feeling it pull in the fourth quarter..

"Yeah, I got my hammy," he said. "I was kind of scrambling and moving around on one, and had to throw it away. It got me pretty good in the fourth quarter, but I just tried to play through it and all that.

"I felt good moving around, running around, throwing it and everything else – especially early on – and then that happened. 

"So that was kind of a little unfortunate, but, you know, [we were still] trying to find a way to win the game."

Wilson entered the game with a nagging shoulder injury, and he said his "shoulder did good", but that "the only thing that matters is us winning".

If Wilson did indeed strain his hamstring, even a minor injury will likely mean at least one game on the sideline, while a medium-severity strain would force him to miss two or three games at a minimum.

The loss relegates the Broncos to a 2-4 record through Week 6, with a home fixture against the New York Jets scheduled for this Sunday.

Sam Darnold will make his season debut for the Panthers on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, becoming the fourth different quarterback to play for Carolina this season and the third different starter. 

Darnold, acquired from the New York Jets in April 2021, replaces Baker Mayfield, who threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 13-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and dropped to 1-5 as the team’s starter. 

Darnold has spent most of this season on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain he suffered during the preseason. He went 4-8 as Carolina’s starter last season, but was 1-8 in his last nine games. He ended up completing 59.9 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions for a 71.9 passer rating. 

"You learn a lot just by watching," Darnold said recently. "There’s a lot to learn in terms of walking around the building, learning from other guys. There’s a lot you can learn when you don’t have the stress of being a starter. But at the end of the day, I want to be out there." 

Coach Steve Wilks opted to go with Darnold after Mayfield’s dismal performance, and P.J. Walker is not yet ready to return from his own high-ankle sprain. Walker was 2-3 before suffering his injury in a Week 10 win over the Atlanta Falcons.  

At 3-8, the Panthers are tied with the Chicago Bears for the worst record in the NFC and are headed for a fifth straight season out of the playoffs.

Already carrying a hamstring injury, Hopkins figured he may as well take a full-blooded kick for glory and hold nothing back.

"In my mind, it was already at a point where it was a, 'Well, screw it' moment," said Hopkins. "Pretty much, if it's already feeling this bad at this point, let's just give it a ride."

The overtime heroics from Hopkins, who kicked four field goals in all, secured a 19-16 win for the Chargers, with quarterback Justin Herbert saluting the kicker.

"We have so much respect for him. We know that he is hurting," said Herbert. "He's tough. That's all you can say about him. For him to go out there and play and put up with some pain like that, it's great to see from him."

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley saw his team nullify the threat of Russell Wilson after the first quarter, in which the Broncos quarterback completed all 10 of his passes, including a 39-yard touchdown to rookie tight end Greg Dulcich.

The Chargers rallied from 10-0 adrift but could only manage one touchdown that came at the start of the second quarter, with a 15-play drive capped off by a six-yard Austin Ekeler touchdown dash.

They had to grind it out, and Staley said: "This is a complete team win. It was a tough, rugged game. They have an outstanding defense over there. It was tough sledding in every way for all four quarters and overtime. It was just a tough and rugged game. It took everybody in Powder Blue to win it."

He added: "The fact that we're able to show our resilience in all three phases, and then be able to finish that game on our home field in front of our fans, I'm really proud of our group today."

Losses to the Chiefs and the Jaguars came as early season setbacks for the Chargers, but Herbert has been encouraged by the wins that have followed against the Texans, Browns and now the Broncos.

"I thought 4-2 has been a big step up for us," he said, "especially where we were at with 1-2.

"For us to answer back and to win three games in a row like that, I think it says a lot about our team, our defense, our special teams, because they have stepped up big time. It's been awesome to see from them."

Herbert completed 37 of his 57 passes for 238 yards and one interception. This made him the only quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw as many as 57 passes in a game with no TDs but still win, Opta said.

Long-time Seahawks quarterback Wilson was moved with a fourth-round pick to the Denver Broncos for two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a fifth-round pick, along with Drew Lock, Shelby Harris and Noah Fant.

That deal signalled the end of an era in Seattle, where Wilson had been the starter since being drafted in 2012, winning the Super Bowl in his second season.

Prior to the trade, Carroll had insisted the Seahawks had "no intention of making any move there".

But speaking on Tuesday, the head coach said: "Things change. There was a long period in there working it. I didn't have the intention of going crazy, but we looked at the opportunity.

"Once we got a good look at it, there was reason. We got a really good deal, so we went ahead and made it. It took a long time to get to that, though.

"We had a long process where I didn’t think we would do it. It was such a complicated trade to make."

Given Carroll's wording, Seahawks fans might be concerned by his update on the future of wide receiver Metcalf, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

"We intend for him to be with us," Carroll said. "We'd love to figure that out."

However, he added some certainty on the future a 24-year-old who last year had 12 receiving touchdowns – more than either Davante Adams or Tyreek Hill, two players who have this offseason secured huge new contracts following trades.

"We're not on that topic yet specifically, because we've got so many other things going on, but we'd love to have him," Carroll said. "There's no way I could imagine playing without him."

Among those "many other things" is the identity of Wilson's successor under center, even as the Seahawks work to re-sign his former back-up Geno Smith.

The team are "definitely still in the quarterback business," Carroll said. Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett could be options in the draft, but talks with Colin Kaepernick "have not progressed".

For now, former Broncos QB Lock is in the box seat, despite underwhelming across three seasons in Denver in which he earned only 21 starts.

Lock threw 15 interceptions in his sole season as a regular starter in 2020, leading Carroll to acknowledge "there's a lot of turnovers in his game" and "that just doesn't fit with us". "We just have to fix that," he said.

However, the Seahawks coach can also "still see" the "big, strong-armed, mobile, aggressive, athletic quarterback" that came out of college.

"All we're seeing right now is upside," he added.

Trailing by one point with 20 seconds to play, the Broncos opted to chase victory with a 64-yard field-goal attempt from Brandon McManus, rather than keep the ball in Wilson's hands. McManus' attempt, which would have tied for the second longest field goal in NFL history, had the distance but missed wide left.

Wilson, who was traded by the Seahawks to the Broncos in the offseason, completed 29-of-42 passes for 340 yards with one touchdown for Denver.

Smith was the star for the Seahawks, particularly in the first half, completing 23-of-28 attempts for 195 yards with two touchdowns. The Seahawks were scoreless in the second half but their defense held up.

Seattle scored a TD with their first drive as Smith found a wide-open Will Dissly, who had three receptions for 43 yards.

The Broncos tied it up in the second quarter when Wilson floated to Jerry Jeudy for a 67-yard to reception TD, which was his first in over 600 days. Seattle re-claimed the lead before half-time when Smith threw 25 yards to Colby Parkinson.

After Denver cut the lead to one from a McManus field goal in the fourth, the Broncos came up empty on the goal line twice, before their last-ditch attempt fell short.

Wilson hit up Javonte Williams, before exhausting time and calling a timeout with 20 seconds remaining to allow McManus' attempt.

The win means Seattle have won their last eight Week 1 games at home, dating back to their last loss in 1999. Denver have lost six straight Monday Night Football games.

Smith started the Seahawks' 27-26 preseason loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Friday, with Lock subsequently coming in to throw one touchdown pass and three interceptions.

Former New York Jets passer Smith, who moved to Seattle in 2019 after also featuring for the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers, looked likely to get the nod after a bout of COVID-19 forced Lock to sit out their second outing of preseason, a 27-11 defeat to the Chicago Bears.

Head coach Pete Carroll confirmed his decision after the loss to Dallas, declaring: "Geno's going to start.

"He's going to start the opener, and he's earned it, he's won the job. With the time frames that got messed up for Drew, he just ran out of time."

Smith, 31, has started all three of Seattle's preseason outings, and said: "Obviously I'm thankful for the opportunity and grateful, but I have a lot of work ahead of me, that was my mindset from the start.

"I'm just getting ready to get out there and win games, and this is just step one in that process. None of this will matter if we don't get out and win the games we're supposed to win." 

The Seahawks' season-opening clash with Denver will see them face their former star quarterback Russell Wilson, whose trade took Lock to Seattle earlier this year. 

Seattle sealed a four-year first in the NFL thanks to Sunday's 20-9 victory at Lumen Field, where the Seahawks kept alive their hopes of finishing with one of the NFC's top two seeds.

Aaron Rodgers flexed his muscles and team-mate Davante Adams starred in the Green Bay Packers' rout of the Tennessee Titans.

There were also wins for the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers.

SEAHAWKS IN NFC WEST-CLINCHING WIN

For the fifth time under head coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks got their hands on the NFC West crown.

The Seahawks (11-4) used a resurgent defense to see off the Rams (9-6), holding Los Angeles to just six points in the second half, while sacking quarterback Jared Goff – who reportedly suffered a broken thumb – three times.

"There were times during the season where everybody had enough statistics to go ahead and blow us out, and like we weren't worth anything on defense," Carroll said.

"But this defense is good, and they've shown it and they've declared it. This is the kind of defense that we've played in years past when we really had good teams down... the stretch."

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson was 20-of-32 passing for 225 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions, while he also rushed for a TD on three carries.

RODGERS' PACKERS DOMINATE

Huge performances from MVP hopeful Rodgers and wide receiver Adams fuelled Green Bay's 40-14 demolition of the Titans at Lambeau Field.

Rodgers showcased his MVP credentials by going 21 of 25 for 231 yards, four touchdowns and one interception for a 128.1 passer rating.

The Packers quarterback had his 13th game with a 100-plus passer rating this season, tying himself in 2011 and Patrick Mahomes in 2018 for the most such games in a single season in league history, per NFL Research. Both Rodgers (2011) and Mahomes (2018) finished as that season's NFL MVP.

Adams caught 11 passes for 142 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the third player in NFL history to have 100-plus receptions and 16-plus receiving TDs in a season.

He also recorded his ninth successive Sunday Night Football appearance with a touchdown – breaking a tie with Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski for the longest such streak in NFL history.

The Packers improved to 12-3 but still need to beat the Chicago Bears in their final regular-season game to clinch the NFC's number one seed.

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill completed just 11 of 24 passes for 121 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, while Tennessee star Derrick Henry was restricted to 23 carries, 98 yards and no TDs.

COWBOYS STAY ALIVE

The Cowboys remain in the hunt in a wide-open NFC East after defeating rivals the Philadelphia Eagles 37-17.

Coupled with the Washington Football Team's (6-9) 20-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Cowboys (6-9) still have a chance to win the division.

The Cowboys need to beat the New York Giants in Week 17, while the Eagles must take down Washington in order for Dallas to top the NFC East.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert set a new single-season rookie record for touchdown passes in the 19-16 victory against the Denver Broncos.

Herbert broke the record when he threw his 28th TD of the season in the second quarter, while he joined Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes as the only players to record 4,000 passing yards through their first 14 starts.

Week 16 scores:

New York Jets 23-16 Cleveland Browns
Baltimore Ravens 27-13 New York Giants
Cincinnati Bengals 37-31 Houston Texans
Chicago Bears 41-17 Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs 17-14 Atlanta Falcons
Pittsburgh Steelers 28-24 Indianapolis Colts
Seattle Seahawks 20-9 Los Angeles Rams
Dallas Cowboys 37-17 Philadelphia Eagles
Green Bay Packers 40-14 Tennessee Titans
Carolina Panthers 20-13 Washington Football Team
Los Angeles Chargers 19-16 Denver Broncos

Payton left his role with the New Orleans Saints at the end of last season, having compiled a record of 152-89 during his 15 seasons in charge, which saw him lead them to a first Super Bowl title in franchise history in the 2009 campaign.

His departure was quickly viewed as the start of a sabbatical rather than a retirement, with Payton regarded as a top head coaching candidate this offseason.

It was reported the Broncos, who fired Nathaniel Hackett following their Christmas Day defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, had asked the Saints, who still retain the rights to Payton's contract, for permission to speak with him.

Asked about his contract status as part of his role as a studio analyst for FOX Sports, Payton said: "I have two years left on a contract with New Orleans, so 23 [this upcoming year] and 24, so because of that, any team that would want to enquire and speak with me, they can do so, they just need permission from the Saints.

"Down the road, if that's something that materialises into anything else, then there would be compensation required, much like a player trade.

"Denver's the first team. I was able to have a conversation with their owner, and that's kind of protocol.

"The interview process can't officially begin until the 17th of this month, so that's really where it's at."

The Broncos are in a difficult position, having traded two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to acquire nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson, who has subsequently endured the worst season of his career.

Pressed on whether the quarterback is the most important thing with any potential new team, Payton replied: "It's really about the triangular relationship. Ownership, front office, head coach.

"When we went to New Orleans, the quarterback was unsettled at that time. I think ownership and the functionality of the front office is most important."

ESPN said the deal was officially signed on Friday.

Reports earlier in the week had revealed the Broncos had agreed a trade package with the New Orleans Saints for Payton, including a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Payton, who described the move as "the opportunity I was looking for", quit the Saints after the 2021 season.

But there was understandable interest at the start of this year in a coach who won the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Following interviews with a number of teams, Payton headed for Denver, whose 2022 season was underwhelming to say the least.

The Broncos traded for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and appointed Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as coach.

The result was a 5-12 season in which Wilson struggled badly and Hackett was eventually fired.

Payton faces a sizeable task to turn around the fortunes of the worst team in the highly competitive AFC West.

Shurmur was sacked by the Giants in December after two seasons in charge of the NFL franchise, where he managed a 9-23 record.

The 54-year-old, however, has landed on his feet after joining the Broncos for the 2020 season.

"Pat is an established play-caller with significant experience leading an offense as both a co-ordinator and head coach," head coach Vic Fangio said on Tuesday.

"Having coached against Pat for a number of years, he's always impressed me. His track record of developing younger players is outstanding.

"Pat brings a collaborative approach to working with the staff as well as a flexibility to adjust the offense to our players and opponents. We're excited to add someone of his calibre to our coaching staff."

Prior to his role as head coach of the Giants, Shurmur spent two years as offensive co-ordinator with the Minnesota Vikings.

Or that the team hasn't made the playoffs since the 2015 season.

The way Simmons sees it, the Broncos are equipped to win this year's Super Bowl.

Simmons was drafted by Denver in 2016 just months after the team's last playoff appearance – a win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

The Broncos have four double-digit loss seasons in the six years since winning it all, but with the addition of Russell Wilson at quarterback and a new coaching staff, Simmons believes this season will end differently.

"In terms of the playoffs, I'm really excited," Simmons said Tuesday on Good Morning Football. "Like you said, I just missed the Super Bowl with Denver; got drafted the year after, and then since then, the best record that I've been a part of was 9-7, just missing that playoff berth. 

"Guys are hungry, and obviously, Russ is hungry. We got a hungry group, we've got a talented group, and that's what I'm really looking forward to. I feel like if you have that - as long as we don't beat ourselves - I like our chances to host playoff games and eventually hoist the Lombardi trophy at the end of the year."

A Pro Bowl selection in 2020, the 28-year-old Simmons was tied for fourth in the NFL with five interceptions last season to help lead a defense that ranked third in the league in opponent scoring at 18.9 points per game.

With Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock lining up at quarterback, however, Denver's offense struggled to keep up in the high-powered AFC West, averaging 19.7 points per game to rank tied with Washington for 23rd.

Expectations on offense are much higher this year with Wilson taking over at signal-caller in perhaps the NFL's most talented quarterback division with the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herber and Las Vegas Raiders' Derek Carr.

"I think the confidence level is at an all-time high," Simmons said. "Playing in the best division in football, being in the AFC West, is going to be challenging but it's going to be fun, right? 

"I think Russ kind of hit it on the head in his opening presser when he was officially announced as a Denver Bronco, and saying, 'I'm not scared of the competition and I want to go up against the best, and there's no better division to go up against in the AFC West.' 

"Seeing Herbert, Carr and Mahomes twice a year and obviously how talented that offense is, but just as a team. The defensive additions that all those teams have gotten and things like that. I'm just really looking forward to the competitive nature that those games are going to hold. I'm excited for, you know, obviously us, but the fans to watch those games as well. 

"It's going to be really cool. It's going to be a lot of fireworks for those games."

Losing had become a horrible habit for the Browns in recent years, but now - behind the two-heading running attack of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt - Cleveland sits at 8-3, putting them firmly on course for a wildcard berth.

Next up for them is a trip to the Tennessee Titans, who leaned on leading rusher Derrick Henry to beat the Colts last time out and seize control of the AFC South. 

The latest round of games also includes a pivotal NFC West battle, while the Steelers have to deal with a short week and the Washington Football Team as they aim to remain unbeaten.

FEATURED GAME

Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans - Sunday, 1pm (all times Eastern)

- The Titans are 10-5 against Cleveland since the Browns franchise came back in 1999, including winning the previous three meetings. Last season's 43-13 Tennessee win in Week 1 was the largest by either team in the series since the Oilers set a franchise record in a 58-14 victory on December 9, 1990. 

- Cleveland's 8-3 start is the team's best since 1994, when the Browns began 9-3 under Bill Belichick and went on to win a playoff game, the franchise's last postseason triumph. Victory in Week 12 put an end to a 12-year streak of losing seasons. 

- Baker Mayfield is the first Browns quarterback to win three straight starts without throwing an interception since Vinny Testaverde in September 1995. The previous Browns QB with four straight victories and no picks? Frank Ryan, back in 1967. 

- Tennessee are coming off a 45-26 win at Indianapolis, the Titans' most points in a game since 2016 when they put 47 on the Green Bay Packers. Ryan Tannehill attempted just 22 passes in that Week 12 triumph, though he set a season high at 10.05 yards per attempt.

OTHER KEY GAMES

Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals - Sunday, 4.05pm

- The Cardinals were held under 21 points for the first time this season in their 20-17 loss to the New England Patriots last time out. Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time this year and posted a 67.0 passer rating in the defeat, the second-worst rating of his NFL career.

New York Giants at Seattle Seahawks - Sunday, 4.05pm

- These teams have split 18 all-time meetings. However, the Seahawks have won the past four, all by double digits. The most recent meeting was in 2017, a 24-7 Seattle triumph. The Giants last visited Seattle in 2014, a game  the home team won by a 38-17 scoreline. 

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs - Sunday, 8.20pm

- The Chiefs have won their past 10 games against the Broncos, the franchise's second-longest winning streak against any single opponent (11 games against Denver, from 1964 to 1969). Patrick Mahomes threw for 462 yards in the victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12, meaning he is now responsible for five of the 10 400-yard passing games by a Chiefs quarterback.

Buffalo Bills at San Francisco 49ers - Monday, 8.15pm

- The Bills have not had a 100-yard rusher in 16 games, the fourth-longest active streak in the NFL. Still, throwing the ball has worked just fine for them this season - Josh Allen has become the fourth Bill to pass for over 3,000 yards in consecutive seasons, joining Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jim Kelly and Tyrod Taylor.

ELSEWHERE...

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons - Sunday, 1pm

- Taysom Hill is the second player in the Super Bowl era to score four rushing touchdowns through two career starts at quarterback, along with Eric Hipple, who did so for the Detroit Lions in 1981. However, the Falcons have improved under Raheem Morris, a 43-6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders last week meaning they are 4-2 since he took charge on an interim basis.

Washington Football Team at Pittsburgh Steelers - Monday, 7pm

- The Steelers are 11-0 for the first time in franchise history after beating the depleted Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday in a game delayed from Thanksgiving. Since 1970, nine of the 11 teams to start 11-0 have gone on to make the Super Bowl, including five that won it.

Although neither team were in playoff contention last year, things got ugly between the AFC North rivals in their first meeting of 2019 when a fight broke out and Myles Garrett hit Mason Rudolph with his own helmet. 

The mood in both camps will be upbeat heading into Sunday's game at Heinz Field, though, as they have been victorious in each of their past four outings. 

A meeting of Cleveland's top-ranked rushing attack and the Pittsburgh's second-ranked run defense promises to serve up quite the contest. 

The Steelers have limited two of their first four opponents to fewer than 30 yards on the ground and allow 64.0 yards per game, while the Browns' average in rushing yards per game is almost three times that figure. 

The New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans are back in action after seeing games postponed by positive COVID-19 tests, while veteran quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady will go toe to toe in Tampa. 

We use Stats Perform data to look ahead to another mouthwatering schedule.

FEATURE GAME

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers - Sunday, 1pm (all times Eastern)

- The Browns have scored 30 points in each of their past four games and their total of 150 in Weeks 2-5 were the most in the NFL. They lead the NFL in rushing (188.4 yards per game) and are fourth in stopping the run (87.0 yards per game).

- Pittsburgh are 4-0 for the first time since 1979 – the last Super Bowl-winning season of the Chuck Noll/Terry Bradshaw/Steel Curtain era. The season before that Pittsburgh started 7-0, also en route to the Lombardi Trophy.

- Ben Roethlisberger is 22-2-1 in 25 career starts versus the Browns, including 11-0 at Heinz Field. In addition, he came off the bench to pass for 379 yards in a home victory over Cleveland in 2015. He last faced the Browns in 2018, throwing four interceptions in two games.

OTHER KEY GAMES

Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers – Sunday, 1pm

- Teddy Bridgewater's 73.0 completion percentage ranks second in the NFL behind Derek Carr (73.1 percent). The all-time single-season high for a Carolina quarterback is 68.0 percent by Cam Newton in 2018 (minimum 10 attempts).

Baltimore Ravens at Philadelphia Eagles – Sunday, 1pm

- Baltimore improved to 4-1 with a 27-3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. The Ravens' +73-point differential leads the NFL and ranks second in franchise history through five games, behind only 2011 (+77).

Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sunday, 4.25pm

- Rodgers and Brady have split their head-to-head matchups 1-1, with the latter taking the most recent one in Foxborough back in 2018 (31-17). However, Rodgers is in strong form this year – he is just the fourth quarterback in the past 70 years to throw for at least 13 touchdowns without an interception through the first four games of a season (2018 Patrick Mahomes, 2013 Peyton Manning, 1966 Don Meredith).

Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers – Sunday, 8.20pm

- The Rams have nine rushing touchdowns this season, more than any other team in the NFL. Five different Rams players have run for a touchdown this season, with Darrell Henderson (3), Malcolm Brown (2) and Jared Goff (2) all doing so multiple times.

Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills – Monday, 5pm

- Mahomes suffered just his eighth defeat in 36 regular-season games as a starting quarter back in Week 5. He’s bounced back well after the first seven defeats, going 5-2 and throwing 18 touchdowns to just four interceptions following losses.

ELSEWHERE…

Denver Broncos at New England Patriots – Sunday, 1pm

- The Pats are 2-2 and in danger of falling below .500 in October or later for the first time since 2002. Their streak of 225 consecutive games in October or later without being below .500 (either before or after the game) is the longest streak in NFL history.

Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – Monday, 8.15pm

- DeAndre Hopkins had six receptions for 131 yards in a 30-10 rout of the New York Jets in Week 5 and leads the NFL with 45 catches and 528 yards. Hopkins surpassed 9,000 career receiving yards in the win, becoming the fourth-youngest player in NFL history to do so at 28 years and 127 days old. Only Randy Moss (27 years, 310 days), Calvin Johnson (28-56) and Hopkins' team-mate Larry Fitzgerald (28 years, 81 days) got there at a younger age.

The 5-0 Seahawks are coming off a bye week and have QB Russell Wilson putting together an MVP year, although he has struggled against the Cardinals in the past.

Meanwhile, Kyler Murray is impressing in an Arizona team that beat Seattle when they last met in December 2019.

We use Stats Perform data to look at that game and the rest of the Week 7 slate.
 

FEATURE GAME

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals - Sunday, 8.20pm (all times Eastern)

- The Seahawks are 6-1 (.857) in games after a bye week since 2013, which is the best record in the NFL. The lone loss during this span came against the Cardinals in 2015 (39-32).

- Since 2018, Wilson is averaging 183.3 passing yards and has three passing touchdowns to one interception over four games against Arizona. Against all other opponents in this span, Wilson is averaging 252.3 passing yards and has an 82/14 TD-INT ratio (33 games).

- Murray completed a career-low nine passes in the win over the Cowboys, but still finished with 188 passing yards. The last player to rack up that many yards through the air on fewer than 10 completions was Brian Hoyer on October 12, 2014 (217 yards on eight completions versus Pittsburgh).

OTHER KEY GAMES

Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans - Sunday, 1pm

- This is just the sixth game in the Super Bowl era between two teams entering the game at 5-0 or better. Each of the previous five were won by a team that went on to make the Super Bowl (1973 Vikings, 2004 Patriots, 2007 Patriots twice, 2015 Broncos). Both franchises are 5-0 for the second time in their history. Pittsburgh started 7-0 in 1978 and went on to go 14-2 and win the Super Bowl, while Tennessee were 10-0 in 2008.

San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots - Sunday, 4.25pm

- Sunday's game will be played 6,566 days since the last time the Patriots took the field on or after October 1 with a sub-.500 record. This last occurred on November 3, 2002, when New England travelled to Buffalo to face – just as this week, with the 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo – a former Patriots QB. They defeated Drew Bledsoe and the Bills 38-7.

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos - Sunday, 4.25pm

- Patrick Mahomes is the third quarterback in NFL history to have at least 15 TD passes and no more than one interception over his team's first six games of a season, along with Aaron Rodgers in 2014 and Tom Brady in 2015.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Las Vegas Raiders - Sunday, 4.05pm

- After going down 10-0 in the first quarter, Tampa Bay ripped off 38 unanswered points to defeat the Packers last week, the second-longest unanswered scoring run in franchise history. The longest came in a 41-0 win over Chicago back on September 10, 2000. Tampa Bay's defense held Green Bay QB Rodgers to a 35.4 passer rating in last week's win, the third-lowest of his career. The Buccaneers have now caused two of Rodgers' three career pick sixes after Jamel Dean took one to the house in the second quarter.

Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams - Monday, 8.15pm

- The Bears improved to 5-1 with a 23-16 win over the Panthers in Week 6, their best start since going 5-1 in 2012. Chicago's average margin of victory is just 4.0 points this season compared to 19.4 points during the 2012 start.

ELSEWHERE...

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team - Sunday, 1pm

- Washington lost to the Giants 20-19 in the Meadowlands last week, their first one-point defeat since a 24-23 decision against the Cowboys in Week 16, 2013. Sunday was the eighth time since 2018 that Washington have had at least two fourth-down conversions, tied for third-most in the league (0-8 in those games).

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets - Sunday, 1pm

- The Jets are 0-6 for just the second time in franchise history after starting 0-6 in 1996 (finished 1-15). They rank last in scoring offense (12.5 PPG) and point differential (-18.3). That is their second-worst point differential through six games in franchise history ahead of the 1976 Jets (-20.3).

Mahomes, the Super Bowl LIV MVP and 2018 season NFL MVP, and fellow quarterback Jackson, the 2019 season's NFL MVP, will hope to get the W that moves their team to 3-0.

That clash, one of a number of enticing Week 3 matchups, will provide an early indication of which franchise might be in the best shape to be the AFC's Super Bowl LV representative too.

Here, using Stats Perform data, we break down that game and the other top Week 3 showdowns.

FEATURE GAME

Chiefs at Ravens - Monday, 8.15pm (All times Eastern)

- There have been 13 games featuring the reigning and previous NFL MVPs starting against each other at the quarterback position (including playoffs). The reigning MVP has led his team to victory in eight of the last 10 such matchups, and is 8-5 overall.

- Mahomes hooked up with Tyreek Hill for a 54-yard touchdown in the win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2. That was Mahomes' 11th career touchdown pass of 50-plus yards (most in the NFL since 2018). The Ravens as a team have only had nine such touchdowns since 2015, four coming from the arm of Jackson.

- The Chiefs are 6-3 against the Ravens, including wins in each of the three most recent matchups and they have a 4-1 record in Baltimore.

OTHER KEY GAMES

Texans at Steelers - Sunday, 1pm

- The Steelers are 2-0 for the seventh time since 2000. They made the playoffs in each of the previous six seasons, reaching three Super Bowls and winning two titles. Pittsburgh's last 3-0 start was in 2010, when the Steelers made their last trip to the Super Bowl.

Raiders at Patriots - Sunday, 1pm

- New England are tied for ninth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (142.0) and are eighth in passing offense (268.5 yards per game). They are one of three teams in the league's top 10 in both categories, joining the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams. In Sunday's loss at the Seattle Seahawks, Cam Newton passed for 397 yards, including 312 in the second half.

Rams at Bills - Sunday, 1pm

- Buffalo are attempting to start 3-0 for a second straight season, a feat they have accomplished only twice previously in franchise history (1964-65, 1991-92). The Bills have won 10 straight games since December 2018 when scoring 20 or more points, the longest active streak in the NFL. 

Cowboys at Seahawks - Sunday, 4.15pm 

- Dak Prescott enters this weekend with 99 career touchdown passes in 66 career games. With another touchdown pass on Sunday, Prescott would be the fastest Cowboy to reach 100 TD passes – Tony Romo currently holds the record at 79 games.

Packers at Saints - Sunday, 8.20pm

- Since 2018, Davante Adams - who could miss this game through injury - has accounted for 27.8 per cent of Green Bay's receiving yards, the fifth-highest mark in the NFL. The player with the highest percentage during this span is Saints star Michael Thomas (34.5 per cent), who is out this week with an ankle injury.

ELSEWHERE...

Titans at Vikings - Sunday, 1pm

- Ryan Tannehill threw for four touchdowns and no interceptions in the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, extending his streak of regular season games with multiple touchdown passes to a franchise-record nine games. Tannehill has a 118.1 passer rating since joining Tennessee in 2019, the best mark in the NFL over that span (minimum 250 attempts).

Buccaneers at Broncos - Sunday, 4.25pm

- Melvin Gordon has tallied 148 rushing yards on 34 attempts this season, 124 more than the Broncos' next-leading rusher (Phillip Lindsay, 24). Gordon also has five receptions and has accounted for 41.9 per cent of the Broncos' touches this season, fifth highest in the NFL.