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Tennessee Titans

Prayers for Dane Jackson as Bills cornerback suffers worrying neck injury

The 25-year-old Jackson was taken away in an ambulance for scans at the Erie County Medical Center.

He suffered the injury in a collision with a team-mate, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, near the end of the first half.

McDermott said in a post-game press conference: "We're still waiting word. We're praying for Dane. Dane Jackson has, I think, full movement in his extremities, which is good.

"You go from being a coach to being a human when you're watching him being loaded into the ambulance. That's a real moment. It's an unfortunate situation.

"The game's important and trying to win a game is important, but there's bigger things, especially at that moment when their team-mate's down there.

"I saw him in the ambulance at half-time. I had a chance to talk to him real quick before they headed out."

The blow to Jackson took some of the attention away from a fine win for the Bills, which saw Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs connect for three touchdowns.

Wide receiver Diggs had 12 receptions for 148 yards, and he savoured seeing the Bills move to 2-0 for the third time in the past four seasons.

He said: "As a receiver, you want to be able to do everything, especially if you consider yourself a wide receiver one.

"You've got to be everything for your quarterback. If your quarterback wants to throw a bomb, you better be able to catch it. [Same for] if he wants to carve things up in the middle.

"I've got a quarterback that can do everything, so I've just got to do everything. If I do my job, I'm all right, giving my quarterback that comfortable feel, that safety play, so he's out there not thinking too much, just trusting I'm going to be open and I'll make a play for you."

Week 3 will see the Bills tackle the Miami Dolphins, AFC East rivals who have also begun with two wins.

"That's definitely going to be another test for us, and it's something we look forward to," Diggs said. "They're in our division, so we've got to get a win.

"I feel like they're a good-ass team, they've got a hell of a defense, they call on the right plays on offense, and they're having a lot of success."

Prescott glad to get the job done as Cowboys keep NFC East hopes alive

The Cowboys improved to a 12-4 record after capitalising on a series of penalties to lead from start to finish, leaving them hot on the trail of the 13-2 Philadelphia Eagles in their division.

Mike McCarthy's team must now defeat the Washington Commanders in the final game and hope the Eagles lose both of their remaining two to claim top spot.

Prescott threw both touchdown passes for Dalton Schultz, but also stretched his run to six games with an interception, giving up two in the second quarter as the Titans rallied to 10-6 at half-time with two Randy Bullock field goals.

"A win's a win, and we're going to take it and we're going to get better from the mistakes and make sure that we're improving," said Prescott.

"But a road win, short week, you've got to take them all. And style points and all that, that's for all of you who think games are won on paper."

Asked about the preparations required for the Cowboys' potentially pivotal clash with the Commanders, Prescott added: "Obviously get the rest we need, get our bodies back underneath us and then mentally understanding what's to come.

"Take a couple of days or two and get away from it, but know when we come back we've got to finish this season off on the right foot and we've got a long, long run ahead of us that we know we're capable of making."

Prescott completed 29 of 41 attempts for 282 yards with two TDs and two interceptions, tying Troy Aikman with 165 passing TDs for second most in franchise history.

While McCarthy recognised some shortcomings in the team's performance, much like Prescott he was just content to put another win on the board, particularly with a growing injury list.

"I'm in tune with the injuries and all the things that are going on," he said. "All the little stuff. Yeah, it wasn't clean. This was not a clean performance. We recognise that. I'm not disputing that at all.

"But I do know my football team. I know that they came out of a hard victory on Sunday and took a little longer to get their bodies back.

"That's what Thursday night football is. It's a tough challenge. But the most important thing is we answered the bell and we got it done."

Prescott ties Aikman franchise mark as Cowboys stay in hunt to top NFC East

The Cowboys capitalised on a series of penalties to lead from start to finish and improve to a 12-4 record, behind the 13-2 Philadelphia Eagles in their division. Dallas need to win their final game against the Washington Commanders and hope the Eagles lose both of their remaining two to top the NFC East.

Prescott threw both TD passes for Dalton Schultz, although he also extended his run to six games with an interception, giving up two in the second quarter as the Titans rallied to 10-6 at half-time with two Randy Bullock field goals.

Ezekiel Elliott, who ran 37 yards on 19 carries, rushed in the game's opening touchdown in the first quarter, extending his run of TDs to nine straight games. CeeDee Lamb brought up 100 yards across 11 receptions.

The Titans slump to their sixth straight loss but remain in playoffs contention at 7-9, with victory next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars to determine the winner of the AFC South.

Titans QB Joshua Dobbs, making his first career start, made 20 of 39 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown, for Robert Woods, and one interception. Prescott completed 29 of 41 attempts for 282 yards with two TDs and two interceptions, tying Troy Aikman with 165 passing TDs for second most in franchise history.

Prescott found Schultz to make it 17-6 in the third quarter after a penalty on third-and-19 against Tre Avery for pass interference on Michael Gallup led to a 51-yard gain, with the Cowboys scoring on the next play. Monty Rice was penalised for roughing the passer on a second-and-10, leading to Schultz's second TD.

QBs go early in NFL Draft as Burrow, Tagovailoa land in Cincinnati & Miami

With the coronavirus pandemic forcing the draft to be held remotely with NFL general managers, coaches and scouts isolated in their homes instead of inside team complexes, the virtual draft ran smoothly – and without much drama early on Thursday.

In what has been widely expected for weeks, and possibly months, the Cincinnati Bengals selected LSU Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow with the first overall pick.

Burrow led LSU to the national title last season, completing 76.3 percent of his passes for 5,671 yards and an FBS-single season record 60 touchdowns to just six interceptions. 

The second pick also went exactly like how many draft experts had predicted for weeks, with the Washington Redskins drafting Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young. 

Young led the FBS with 16.5 sacks and six forced fumbles in 2019, and was regarded to be the most talented player in the draft class – even ahead of Burrow. 

If not for Burrow's incredible 2019 season and because of Tua Tagovailoa's injury concerns, the latter may have challenged for the top spot in the 2020 draft. 

Tagovailoa became the second quarterback off the board when he was selected by the Miami Dolphins with the fifth pick.

One pick after Tagovailoa, the Los Angeles Chargers took Oregon QB Justin Herbert – just the third time since the 1970 merger three quarterbacks were chosen in the top six picks. 

Three teams that had selected quarterbacks in the first round of the last two drafts, used the 2020 draft to beef up their offensive lines to protect their young, franchise QBs. 

The New York Giants (Daniel Jones at six in 2019) picked Georgia tackle Andrew Thomas at fourth overall, the Cleveland Browns (Baker Mayfield at one in 2018) selected Alabama tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. with the 10th pick, and the New York Jets (Sam Darnold third in 2018) used the next pick to select Louisville tackle Mekhi Becton. 

After this run on tackles, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took part in the first trade of the draft to insure their new – and aging – quarterback would also stay upright. They moved up one spot in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers to select Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs at 13 to shore up the offensive line in front of Tom Brady. 

The next trade came 10 picks later as Brady's old team, New England Patriots, dealt pick 23 to the Chargers – who selected Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray. The Patriots received a second and third-round pick from the Chargers and now have five of the first 100 picks of the 2020 draft and 13 overall. 

While it is possible New England could use one of those picks to draft Brady's replacement, the Green Bay Packers have chosen the heir apparent to 36-year-old Aaron Rodgers, trading up from 30th to 26th to select Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. 

The opening round concluded with the defending Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs selecting the first running back to bookend the first round with LSU picks, taking Clyde Edwards-Helaire – the 14th player drafted out of the SEC. 

Wide receiver is considered to be the deepest position in the draft, and six went in the first round – but none until 12, when Alabama's Henry Ruggs III became the first player ever selected by the Raiders in their new home of Las Vegas. 

While Las Vegas was not able to host the draft festivities this year, Goodell announced that the city has been awarded the 2022 draft, with the commissioner saying, "We think you deserve another shot".

 

First round selections:

1. Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals)
2. Chase Young (Washington Redskins)
3. Jeff Okudah (Detroit Lions)
4. Andrew Thomas (New York Giants)
5. Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)
6. Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers)
7. Derrick Brown (Carolina Panthers)
8. Isaiah Simmons (Arizona Cardinals)
9. CJ Henderson (Jacksonville Jaguars)
10. Jedrick Wills Jr. (Cleveland Browns)
11. Mekhi Becton (New York Jets)
12. Henry Ruggs III (Las Vegas Raiders)
13. Tristan Wirfs (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
14. Javon Kinlaw (San Francisco 49ers)
15. Jerry Jeudy (Denver Broncos)
16. A.J. Terrell (Atlanta Falcons)
17. CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys)
18. Austin Jackson (Miami Dolphins)
19. Damon Arnette (Las Vegas Raiders)
20. K'Lavon Chaisson (Jacksonville Jaguars)
21. Jalen Reagor (Philadelphia Eagles)
22. Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings)
23. Kenneth Murray (Los Angeles Chargers)
24. Cesar Ruiz (New Orleans Saints)
25. Brandon Aiyuk (San Francisco 49ers)
26. Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers)
27. Jordyn Brooks (Seattle Seahawks)
28. Patrick Queen (Baltimore Ravens)
29. Isaiah Wilson (Tennessee Titans)
30. Noah Igbinoghene (Miami Dolphins)
31. Jeff Gladney (Minnesota Vikings)
32. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Kansas City Chiefs)

Rams not rushing Von Miller debut after ankle injury

Miller, 32, joined the Rams from the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster trade on Monday, which significantly boosts McVay's 7-1 side and their NFL Super Bowl prospects.

A Super Bowl winner and MVP, Miller arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday and underwent a physical and onboarding but sat out practice on Wednesday, ahead of Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans.

Miller missed the Broncos' Week 8 game due to an ankle injury suffered against the Cleveland Browns in Week 7, putting his availability to face the Titans in doubt.

"He'll do some limited work off to the side, just getting a feel for where his ankle is at. He hasn't been with us," McVay told reporters about Miller on Wednesday.

"Want to be smart, want to be able to ease him back in. We'll see what that looks like a day at a time."

McVay said the eight-time Pro Bowler was eager to play for his new team.

"Oh yeah, he's going to do everything in his power to try to play," McVay said. "But I think there's an element of let's take it a day at a time and let's be smart, let's get a feel for how he's doing, but this guy is an elite competitor and he definitely wants to be able to do that."

Miller has a pressure rate of 24.8 per cent, which was well above the pre-Week 8 average of 17.2 per cent for edge rushers.

McVay also revealed quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Robert Woods should both face the Titans, despite not practicing on Wednesday.

"We're fairly banged up so we're going to take a little bit more modified approach to practice this week," McVay said, adding later, "it's more about just being smart, being safe."

The Rams beat the Houston Texans 38-22 on the road last week after leading 38-0 heading into the fourth quarter. They are one of two teams (also the Dallas Cowboys) to score at least 20 points in every game this season, according to Stats Perform.

Meanwhile, the Rams have scored points in every half dating back to Week 13 in 2019 – their streak of 58 consecutive halves is the second-longest active streak (Baltimore, 135), per Stats Perform.

The Titans (6-2) will be without running back Derrick Henry, who underwent foot surgery on Tuesday.

Rams out to inflict more misery on Bucs, Bills chasing fifth straight win

Josh Allen faces Zach Wilson as the New York Jets confront a major test of their defense against the soaraway Buffalo Bills, while the Los Angeles Rams will look to keep up their remarkable record against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Could Derrick Henry have another monumental game in him after last week's big effort, and after he dispelled worries about a foot problem?

Stats Perform has taken a look at the numbers ahead of Sunday's games, beginning with the travails of the Brady bunch.

Los Angeles Rams (3-4) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)

The Buccaneers are on the slide, and the Rams are just about the nightmare opponents this weekend, judging by recent games between the teams.

Including Los Angeles' win in last season's Divisional Round, the Rams are 9-1 in their last 10 games against the Bucs, and that includes a 5-0 streak in Tampa.

This game is big for both, and for the Bucs it offers a chance to halt a losing sequence of three. They were beaten 27-22 by the Baltimore last week and are on their longest single-season losing run since a dismal four-game run in the 2019 season.

It remains to be seen whether Tom Brady can get them out of this mess. Brady threw for 325 yards and zero interceptions in last week's loss to Baltimore. Across his stellar career, he is 54-7 when throwing 300 yards and no interceptions, but this season he is 1-2 in such games.

Brady might fancy the job against a Rams team who have scored 14 or fewer points and lost by double-digits four times already this season, including last time out in a 31-14 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Rival quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 187 yards last week on 33 attempts. His team are 2-9 in games where Stafford has thrown the ball at least 30 times and finished with fewer than 200 passing yards.

Buffalo Bills (6-1) at New York Jets (5-3)

The Buffalo Bills are 6-1 for the first time since 1993, the season they last made it through to the Super Bowl. This weekend they go after a fifth win in a row after getting the better of the Green Bay Packers last time out.

What's more, they have strung together a four-game winning streak in road games against the Jets, second only in franchise history to a seven-game streak from 1987 to 1993.

The Bills have outscored this season's opponents by 105 points (203-98) so far, the widest differential in the NFL.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen has urged the Jets to show patience with his struggling counterpart Zach Wilson, who has completed just 54.9 per cent of passes this season, the second-worst rate in the NFL heading into Week 9. Wilson has thrown for 1,048 yards across five games, with three touchdowns and five interceptions, compared to Allen's 2,198 yards for 19 TDs and six interceptions from seven games.

Stefon Diggs has at least 100 yards and a receiving touchdown in three straight games, the longest streak of the Bills wide receiver's career and tied for the longest streak in team history with Elbert Dubenion (1964). The last NFL player with a longer streak was Adam Thielen in 2018 (five). How Diggs fares against Jets rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner will be a factor.

The Jets have already topped last season's four wins, but they are 8-30 against divisional opponents since 2016, the worst record in the NFL.

Tennessee Titans (5-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)

What does Titans running back Henry have in store for an encore? Henry last week recorded his sixth career 200-yard rushing game, with 219 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans, tying Adrian Peterson and O.J. Simpson for the most all-time. All other active players have combined for just four such games.

The Chiefs will be wary of that threat, and will look to their own WR, JuJu Smith-Schuster, to make his own impact. After failing to reach 90 yards or find the endzone in his first five games this season, Smith-Schuster now has back-to-back games with at least 100 yards and a touchdown. He had not had such a game since Week 8, 2019 and now has eight such games in his career.

The Titans have won four straight regular season matchups with the Chiefs but lost in the 2020 AFC Championship Game in Kansas City.

Their respective 5-2 records this season disguise the fact each of those wins has been relatively close. The Titans and Vikings have only won by single digits this season. Only five teams in NFL history have seen such a streak reach six games – the 2020 Chiefs, 1997 Vikings, 1994 Giants, 1988 Saints and 1986 Giants. Of those, only the Chiefs' streak reached seven.

Elsewhere...

The Miami Dolphins (5-3) will be looking for a fourth consecutive road win against the Chicago Bears (3-5), which would make the Dolphins the first AFC team since the conference came into being in 1970 to have such a streak in Chicago. Miami's Tyreek Hill has gone 52 consecutive receptions without a receiving touchdown. That accounts for the longest streak of his career, nearly doubling his previous career-long streak (27, twice).

Memories of a record-setting 2014 game between the Carolina Panthers and the Bengals will be stoked when the teams meet in Cincinnati on Sunday. The last time these teams met at the home of the Bengals it finished in a 37-37 tie, and entering Week 9 in 2022 that remains the highest-scoring tie in an NFL game since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970.

The New England Patriots are 4-4 for the fifth time in the Bill Belichick era (since 2000) as they approach a home game against the Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1). The other four times the Patriots started 4-4 under Belichick, they made the playoffs three times (2001, 2005, 2021) and missed the playoffs once (2002). Between the regular season and playoffs, Belichick owns an 18-9 career record against the Colts, with only Don Shula (36 wins as coach of the Dolphins from 1970 to 1995) having achieved more such wins.

Rams trade WR Woods to Titans

According to widespread reports, wide receiver Woods will join the Titans in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in 2023.

The Titans were looking for a new complement for number one wide receiver A.J. Brown after releasing Julio Jones following his injury-hit season with the AFC South winners in 2021.

Woods, who spent five seasons with the Rams, also suffered injury frustration last season, tearing his ACL in November and missing the Super Bowl run.

Prior to that, though, Woods had been consistently productive for the Rams, most notably racking up 266 catches for 3,289 yards in remarkable three-year run from 2018 to 2020. 

The 29-year-old had a $3.5million roster bonus due on Sunday and the Rams recently made a big move at the receiver position.

They signed top free agent Allen Robinson to partner with All-Pro Cooper Kupp, who won the receiving triple crown as he topped the NFL for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last year.

Odell Beckham Jr. helped to fill the void left by Woods' injury towards the end of last season and the Rams are still reportedly keen to bring him back as well.

The Rams' situation gave the Titans, who won the AFC South last season and went into the playoffs as number one seeds in the conference, a window to strike a deal for Woods.

After a stunning regular season, the Titans promptly lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, who went on to face the Rams in the Super Bowl, in the Divisional Round when the postseason began.

Tennessee have made the playoffs in three straight seasons and hope Woods can help a roster that also contains quarterback Ryan Tannehill, star wideout Brown and running back Derrick Henry to make the next step.

Ravens in slump as Lamar has chance to exorcise Titans demons

The Ravens have lost two of their last three NFL games and dropped to 6-3, leaving them a long way behind the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers (9-0) atop the AFC North.

A stacked AFC in 2020 means they, like the Titans who have the same record, still have work to do if they are to ensure a return the postseason.

While the Ravens remain one of the league's strongest teams with a fierce running game and their MVP quarterback Jackson to call upon, they have not looked quite the same since their stunning playoff loss to the Titans in January.

How Henry heroics eliminated Ravens

The Ravens had gone 14-2 in the 2019 regular season and went into the playoffs as number one seed in the AFC.

Few issues were expected when they took on the sixth seed Titans, who went on to record an incredible 28-12 upset, leaving Lamar one and done in the playoffs for a second straight year with an offseason to ponder what had gone wrong.

It was a game that produced some unusual numbers. Per Stats Perform data, it was the first time since 2010 that a sixth seed team had beaten a number one outfit, while the 12 points scored by the Ravens were the fewest in Jackson's 33 career starts.

The incredible Derrick Henry ran all over the Ravens with 195 yards on the ground and the Titans RB even threw a touchdown pass, just the second player ever in postseason history to do that while recording 190+ rushing yards (after Freeman McNeil in 1982).

The Ravens were beaten despite racking up 530 total yards, the third-most all-time by a losing team in the postseason.

Jackson was productive with 365 pass yards and 143 on the ground, becoming – despite a defeat - the only player in postseason history with 300+ yards through the air while also reaching three figures on the ground.

But it was a game that raised doubts which are yet to be dispelled over whether the Ravens offense – featuring a prominent rushing attack and ball control strategy which thrives with the lead – is capable of launching a pass-heavy comeback after falling behind. 

Ravens, Jackson not the same in 2020

Since that loss, the Ravens and Jackson have not looked the same, despite holding a respectable record.

The Ravens and Titans both sit 6-3, but the AFC has multiple contending and struggling teams without much in between, leading to a competitive playoff picture. 

There are nine teams with records of 6-3 or better, while six teams are 3-6 or worse, with the 4-5 New England Patriots the only middling team in the conference.

The Ravens started the season 5-1 and had just five giveaways, but then had six giveaways in going 1-2 since, losing to Pittsburgh and New England either side of a win over the Indianapolis Colts.

They have fumbled four times in the red zone this season, second-most in the NFL, having not turned the ball over at all in 64 such drives across 2019.

As for Jackson, his passing yards per game (208.5 to 195.8), yards per attempt (7.8 to 7.1) and rushing yards (80.4 to 58.2) have all declined significantly since last season.

Jackson threw for 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions with eight total giveaways as the Ravens went 13-2 in 15 games before their Titans playoff loss.

Including that game, they have gone 6-4 since, with Jackson's TD/INT numbers declining to 15/7, with more giveaways (11) even over the shorter timeframe.

The QB's completion rate has fallen from 66.1 to 61.8 in the same period.

Adding weight to the argument Jackson struggles to lead his team from behind, Stats Perform datashows the Ravens are 1-5 when trailing after the first quarter, as they were against the Titans.

That is compared to 19-1 when leading after 15 minutes and 5-2 on occasions where the score was level.

Jackson remains a unique threat and on Sunday he could become the first QB to rush for 2,500 yards inside three seasons – he goes into the game on 2,425, already an NFL record.

But of 47 previous instances where a QB has rushed for over 500 yards in a season, only one (Russell Wilson in 2013), has gone on to win the Super Bowl.

If the Ravens are to improve on that statistic, a convincing performance against another contending team is needed.

Doing so against a Titans group that ended their playoff hopes so dramatically in 2019 would help to change the narrative in a season which is not going as smoothly as expected.

Ravens RB Ingram misses practice due to calf injury

Ingram missed the Ravens' final game of the regular season – a 28-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 29 – after hurting his calf a week earlier.

The 30-year-old sat out practice on Tuesday, just four days out from the Ravens' clash against the Tennessee Titans.

Ingram scored 15 touchdowns during the regular season – the fourth most in the NFL – in his 15 appearances.

The Ravens, who finished the regular season with a 14-2 record, host the Titans in the AFC Divisional Round.

Record-breaking Derrick Henry hails collective effort in Titans' triumph

The Titans were physically a step above of the top-seeded Ravens in a 28-12 triumph that booked a Conference Championship berth.

Running back Henry made history by becoming the first player in NFL history to finish with 180 or more rushing yards in three consecutive games, including the playoffs.

Henry rushed for 195 in total and threw a three-yard touchdown pass in a fine showing, but the 26-year-old said the win was a mark of the efforts of the whole team.

"I am more happy that we won [than making history]. The stats and all of that stuff is good. But we got the win, and we are advancing. That's the most important thing to me," Henry told reporters.

"It's not just me. It's a team effort. We're all playing collectively as an offense, as a whole. We're just locked in. We believe in each other. We communicate. It's working out there."

Head coach Mike Vrabel added: "They handed me a sheet that said, 'the only player in NFL history...'

"Whatever comes after that is pretty much self-explanatory when it's the only player in NFL history. It's fun to get to coach him."

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill described his team-mate as a "special" talent and explained what makes Henry so unique.

"He's special. I think he is special because he has the size that is extremely rare in a running back. But he also has the speed to go with it," Tannehill said.

"So he has the size to run those two or three-yard runs that are physical when there's no hole. He's getting the yards to keep us ahead of the chains.

"But also if he breaks free and gets past the first level, he has the speed to take it 60 or 70 yards, which is extremely rare and what makes him special."

Rodgers felt he 'threw a lot of wobblers' in loss to Titans

The Packers' playoff hopes took another blow at Lambeau Field, where they were consigned to a 27-17 defeat on Thursday.

After beating the Dallas Cowboys to halt a five-game losing streak last Sunday, Green Bay slipped up again and are 4-7 in second place in the NFC North.

Quarterback Rodgers finished on 24-of-39 passing for 227 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Derrick Henry was a star of the show, rushing for 87 yards to become the first running back to pass the 1,000-yard mark this season.

He also rushed for his 10th touchdown, becoming the fifth player in NFL history to rush for 10 or more touchdowns in five consecutive seasons.

Packers supporters made their feelings clear and Rodgers was clearly puzzled to hear them turn on their side.

"Interesting," Rodgers said when asked about the boos. "That's the best I can give you."

Rodgers, bothered by a thumb problem of late, offered a frank assessment of his performance during Green Bay's latest setback.

"I couldn't tell you, point to one thing [that went wrong]," he said. "I'm not going to make excuses about my thumb, it's been the same since New York.

"I don't know. I've gotta go back and look at it. It felt like fundamentally I was in a good spot. I just didn't have the same type of consistent grip and ball coming out the same way.

"I threw a lot of kinda wobblers tonight. There was some wind. I just missed a few throws I should have had."

He added: "I've got to throw the ball better than I did tonight. Not a lot of margin for error for us and definitely not against a team that gives you some opportunities. We've got to have those plays.

Four-time NFL MVP Rodgers says all is not lost for the Packers.

"We've gotta play up to our potential," Rodgers said. "If we play up to our potential, we can win our last six games. I'm confident of that. Obviously I've gotta play up to my potential; tonight wasn't it."

Rodgers helps Packers clinch NFC North, Wilson dominates Jets

Rodgers continued his good form as the Packers overcame the Detroit Lions 31-24 on Sunday, clinching the NFC North for the second straight year.

Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks were untroubled by the Jets, who slumped to 0-13.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell to a second straight loss and Jalen Hurts inspired the Philadelphia Eagles on his first NFL start.

 

RODGERS HELPS PACKERS CLINCH

Rodgers threw three touchdown passes and went 26 of 33 for 290 yards in the Packers' win, while also rushing in for a score.

The quarterback connected with Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Robert Tonyan, Green Bay seeing out their win despite the Lions closing to within seven twice in the fourth quarter.

Adams caught a receiving TD in an eighth straight game, which is tied for the third longest streak in a single season in the Super Bowl era, as per NFL Research. Only Jerry Rice (12) and A.J. Green (nine) have had longer streaks.

As the Packers improved to 10-3, Detroit fell to 5-8 – including 1-5 at home – and saw quarterback Matthew Stafford replaced by Chase Daniel due to an upper-body injury.

WILSON WONDERFUL AGAINST WINLESS JETS

Seattle were untroubled by the Jets as Wilson completed 21 of 27 passes for 206 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in a 40-3 thrashing.

Wilson recorded his 15th career game with four-plus touchdowns, tied with Peyton Manning for the second most such games in a player's first nine seasons in the Super Bowl era, as per NFL Research. Only Dan Marino (16) has more.

The Seahawks star checked out in the third quarter for Seattle, who joined the Los Angeles Rams on a 9-4 record in the NFC West. Seattle and Los Angeles meet on December 27.

BILLS BEAT STEELERS, HURTS SHINES

The Buffalo Bills handed the Steelers a second straight loss with a 26-15 victory to close in on a first AFC East title since 1995.

Josh Allen was 24 of 43 for 238 yards, two touchdowns and an interception and Stefon Diggs had 130 receiving yards and a TD.

Now 10-3, the Bills moved clear of the Miami Dolphins (8-5) and New England Patriots (6-7) in the AFC East.

Handed their first loss of the season by the Washington Football Team last time out, the Steelers (11-2) are still clear of the Cleveland Browns (9-3) and Baltimore Ravens (7-5) in the AFC North.

In the defeat, the Steelers set an NFL record with a sack in 70 consecutive games. Pittsburgh surpassed the 1999-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers' all-time mark.

Replacing the struggling Carson Wentz, Hurts inspired the Eagles to an upset 24-21 win over the New Orleans Saints, whose nine-game winning streak was ended.

Hurts completed 17 of 30 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 106 yards on 18 carries.

He became the second quarterback all-time to beat a team on a winning streak of nine-plus games on his first career start, according to Stats Perform. He joined former Ram Ron Jaworski (1975).

Week 14 scores:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-14 Minnesota Vikings
Arizona Cardinals 26-7 New York Giants
Kansas City Chiefs 33-27 Miami Dolphins
Tennessee Titans 31-10 Jacksonville Jaguars
Dallas Cowboys 30-7 Cincinnati Bengals
Chicago Bears 36-7 Houston Texans
Denver Broncos 32-27 Carolina Panthers
Indianapolis Colts 44-27 Las Vegas Raiders
Seattle Seahawks 40-3 New York Jets
Green Bay Packers 31-24 Detroit Lions
Los Angeles Chargers 20-17 Atlanta Falcons
Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 New Orleans Saints
Washington Football Team 23-15 San Francisco 49ers
Buffalo Bills 26-15 Pittsburgh Steelers

Rodgers helps Packers secure NFC's top seed, Henry makes history as Titans win AFC South

Aaron Rodgers again powered the Packers, throwing four touchdown passes in a win over the Chicago Bears.

Despite their loss, the Bears clinched a playoff spot, as did the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams.

Meanwhile, Henry made history as the Titans won the AFC South, while the Washington Football Team claimed the NFC East.

 

RODGERS DOMINATES AGAIN AS PACKERS CLINCH TOP SEED

Rodgers completed 19 of 24 passes for 240 yards and four TDs in the Packers' 35-16 victory over the Bears.

The Packers quarterback connected for TDs with Robert Tonyan, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Dominique Dafney and Davante Adams.

Rodgers finished the regular season with 48 TD passes. Alongside Peyton Manning, they are the only players in NFL history with 45-plus TD passes in multiple seasons, according to NFL Research. They won the NFL MVP in each of the previous three instances.

While Green Bay finished with a 13-3 record, the 8-8 Bears also reached the playoffs.

 

HISTORY FOR HENRY AS TITANS WIN AFC SOUTH

The Titans claimed the AFC South for the first time since 2008 after a thrilling 41-38 win over the Houston Texans.

Henry became the eighth player in history to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a single season.

He had 250 rushing yards and two TDs against the Texans. Of the eight players to achieve the feat, Henry was the only one who needed 200-plus yards in his last game to get there, according to Stats Perform.

A.J. Brown had 151 receiving yards, but the Titans needed Sam Sloman's 37-yard field goal as time expired to edge the Texans.

The Titans became the first team in NFL history to have a 250-yard rusher and 150-yard receiver in the same game.

 

WASHINGTON WIN NFC EAST AS COLTS, RAMS REACH PLAYOFFS

The Washington Football Team claimed the NFC East thanks to a 20-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Alex Smith threw two touchdown passes and two interceptions as Washington (7-9) claimed the division.

The Colts (11-5) reached the playoffs thanks to a 28-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Los Angeles Rams (10-6) are also into the postseason after beating the Arizona Cardinals 18-7.

 

Week 17 scores:

Minnesota Vikings 37-35 Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 44-27 Atlanta Falcons
New England Patriots 28-14 New York Jets
Buffalo Bills 56-26 Miami Dolphins
Cleveland Browns 24-22 Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Giants 23-19 Dallas Cowboys
Baltimore Ravens 38-3 Cincinnati Bengals
Indianapolis Colts 28-14 Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans 41-38 Houston Texans
Los Angeles Rams 18-7 Arizona Cardinals
New Orleans Saints 33-7 Carolina Panthers
Green Bay Packers 35-16 Chicago Bears
Los Angeles Chargers 38-21 Kansas City Chiefs
Seattle Seahawks 26-23 San Francisco 49ers
Las Vegas Raiders 32-31 Denver Broncos
Washington Football Team 20-14 Philadelphia Eagles

Rodgers leads Packers past Bears, Mahomes shines as Chiefs hold off Brady's Buccaneers

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 helps Steelers past Giants, Gostkowski hits game-winner after struggles

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.

Rookie McPherson's late game-winner sends Bengals into AFC Championship Game

The Bengals, who claimed their first playoffs win in 31 years last weekend against the Las Vegas Raiders, will take on either the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs on the road. Saturday's victory was Cincinnati's first-ever postseason road win and qualifies the franchise for the AFC Championship Game for the third time.

Cincinnati regained possession with 20 seconds left, setting up McPherson's late field-goal chance, when Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill's pass was intercepted by Logan Wilson. Tannehill completed 15 of 24 attempts for 220 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.

Bengals QB Joe Burrow was sacked nine times but kept his side moving, making 28 of 37 attempts for 348 yards with one interception.

Rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase was key for the Bengals too, making 109 yards from five receptions while Tee Higgins had seven receptions for 96 yards. Joe Mixon rushed Cincinnati's only touchdown after a slick cutback to open up a 16-6 third-quarter lead.

Titans running back Derrick Henry, on his return from a foot injury, scored the only touchdown of the first half in trademark style, finishing with 20 carries for 62 yards for the game.

AJ Brown made some major plays with five receptions for 142 yards for the Titans but none were bigger than his TD from Tannehill's long pass late in the third quarter which forced a tie game.

Scores remained locked until Tannehill's late interception pass, before Burrow drove the Bengals within field-goal range and University of Florida rookie McPherson made himself the hero, completing a perfect four from four for the game.

Ryan Tannehill agrees contract extension with Titans

Tannehill was acquired in a trade with the Miami Dolphins in March 2019, going on to impress in his debut season in Nashville after taking over as the team's starter.

During the regular season, Tannehill threw for 2,742 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions as he helped the Titans to a 9-7 record and a playoff berth.

The 31-year-old also guided Tennessee to two postseason victories, beating the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens on the road, before they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

The Titans have been suggested as a potential landing spot for Patriots icon Brady, should he leave New England. However, a move for the six-time Super Bowl winner now appears highly unlikely with Tannehill tied up.

Having been named the NFL's comeback player of the year, Tannehill commented earlier in the offseason that he was hoping to extend his stay with the team.

"I do know I love the [Titans] organisation, I love the team, I love the guys on the team, and I love the tone coach [Mike] Vrabel sets, and the vision that he has," he said at the Pro Bowl. 

"I feel like we're headed in the right direction. I'd like for things to line up and I'd like to be back (in Tennessee) if it all gets worked out. We'll just have to see. But hopefully we can get things worked out and keep building on what we did this year."

Now he gets to stick around after signing a four-year deal worth a reported $118 million, including $62m in fully guaranteed money.

Saints RB Kamara out of Titans clash with knee injury

Star running back Kamara did not practice on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday and will be absent for the crunch Week 10 matchup against the number one team in the AFC. 

The four-time Pro Bowler has rushed for 530 yards and three touchdowns in his eight appearances for New Orleans this season. 

His absence is another significant blow for head coach Sean Payton, with starting quarterback Jameis Winston and wide receiver Michael Thomas already sidelined for the rest of the campaign.

The 5-3 Saints are in with a decent shot of making the postseason but will have to bounce back from a 27-25 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons when they take on the 7-2 Titans. 

Trevor Siemian will again start at quarterback, having completed 25 of his 41 passes for 249 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions against the Falcons. 

Seahawks win first NFC West title since 2016, Rodgers shows MVP form as Adams stars for Packers

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

Smith reaches agreement to become Atlanta Falcons head coach

Smith has spent 10 years with the Tennessee Titans, the last two of those as their offensive coordinator.

The 38-year-old is set to replace Dan Quinn, who left along with general manager Thomas Dimitroff in October following the Falcons' 0-5 start.

Raheem Morris has been in temporary charge since then and guided the team to a 4-12 record.

Smith has also previously spent two years as the defensive quality assistant for the Washington Redskins from 2007-08.

The Falcons made the announcement on their official website on Friday, 24 hours after the New York Jets reached an agreement in principle with Robert Saleh to become their next head coach.