Ryan Tannehill will miss the Tennessee Titans' road trip to the Houston Texans through injury, meaning rookie Malik Willis is set to make his first NFL start.

Since becoming the Titans' first-choice quarterback, Tannehill has not missed a game for Tennessee.

However, earlier this week Tannehill was noted as questionable due to an ankle injury sustained against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7 and it was later confirmed he was also struggling with illness.

On Saturday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network confirmed Tannehill has been downgraded to out and will not travel with the team to Texas.

Tannehill has completed 95 of 146 passes and thrown for six touchdowns for a Titans side who are 4-2 and top of the AFC South this season.

Willis will instead start under center for the Titans and he has been rep-heavy in practice with Tannehill unable to train.

His only action in the NFL came during Week 2 when the Titans were hammered 41-7 by the Buffalo Bills, with Willis completing one of four passes.

The 23-year-old was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and 86th overall.

Dexter Lawrence's assessment of his own skill set could be viewed by some as arrogant.

"I go into a game, honestly, knowing that I'm not going to be able to be stopped. I do feel like, right now, I'm unblockable," the New York Giants defensive tackle recently told NorthJersey.com.

"I'm gonna work all my technique. I'm gonna play strong, play fast and just whoop the guy in front of me. That's my mindset. I don't really care what he does. He can change it up mid-game. My whole focus is whooping that guy in front of me, I've always felt that way, but now, it's just showing."

However, confidence that borders on irrational is part of the deal with NFL players, and Lawrence is backing his words up with the finest season of his career so far.

Lawrence has already tied his career-high four sacks, serving as a cornerstone on defense for a Giants team that has stunned the league by surging to a 6-1 record.

But is he unblockable? Stats Perform dived into its advanced numbers around Lawrence's season to attempt to verify such a bold claim.

Aaron Donald-like production

Lawrence has typically been known for his run-stopping abilities from the nose tackle spot, but this season he is creating pressure at a level akin to arguably the finest defensive player of all time.

Indeed, among interior defensive linemen with at least 100 plays this season, Lawrence's pressure rate of 24.3 per cent is behind only that of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald (28.8 per cent) and Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets (25 per cent).

His stunt-adjusted pass rush win rate is second only to Donald. Lawrence is deemed to have won his rush on 72.82 per cent of snaps, with Donald just ahead on a remarkable 74.02 per cent.

It is in the run game where his numbers are not as impressive.

Run defense disappointment?

Lawrence's numbers against the run could be viewed as a disappointment, considering his reputation for strength in that area.

He has a run disruption rate of 20.3 per cent, which is below the average of 23.1 for interior defensive linemen with at least 20 snaps.

Similarly, his run block win rate of 49.15 per cent is only just above the NFL average of 49.03, and it pales in comparison to Donald's incredible 84.21 per cent win rate.

Yet that is partly a symptom of the different jobs Donald and Lawrence are asked to do in run defense.

While Donald is constantly looking to knife through opposing offensive lines to bring down the ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage, Lawrence has played 81 of his 123 run defense snaps at nose tackle, lining head up on the center and tasked with holding ground and soaking up double teams at the point of attack to allow team-mates to slip through open lanes to the football.

Even if Lawrence's numbers are not what may be expected of him in the run game, it is a trade-off the Giants will take if he keeps delivering such tremendous highs as a pass rusher.

A consistent game-wrecker

Game-wrecking performances are becoming a norm for Lawrence, who also has three tackles for loss and a forced fumble to his name in 2022.

The Giants' Week 4 win over the Chicago Bears saw him rack up 10 pressures, recording two sacks, while he had six in the victories against the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens.

Against Baltimore, he had a sack, two quarterback hits, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, making a string of splash plays that ultimately proved key in the Giants producing a comeback versus a Ravens team who look increasingly like one of the best in the AFC.

Lawrence's sack of Lamar Jackson in that game saw him beat former Giant Kevin Zeitler with a rip move before flattening his rush to bring down the Ravens' dual-threat quarterback.

That came on the Ravens' final drive of the first half, which they started with 65 seconds left, and put them back on their five-yard line, taking away any realistic hope of them coming away with points.

On the first Baltimore drive of the second half, Lawrence displayed more of his pass rush weaponry to pressure Jackson again. Lawrence used an arm-over move to beat center Tyler Linderbaum and then ripped past Zeitler to bear down on Jackson inside the five-yard line, only for the quarterback to evade him in the pocket and scramble to the 25-yard line.

Rookie Linderbaum had consistent problems pass protecting against Lawrence. On the Ravens' penultimate drive, Lawrence defeated his block with an outside-inside move. Lined up on Linderbaum's left shoulder, Lawrence initially rushed towards that outside shoulder, before using his quickness and power to work back to the inside and get a clear path to Jackson, who got a short pass away for a four-yard gain on second-and-five.

The Ravens took a penalty on third-and-one and Jackson was then intercepted, setting in motion a dramatic collapse for Baltimore.

Lawrence is not 'unblockable', but the pass-rush numbers and his performances are illustrative of the 2019 first-round pick firmly justifying that selection by developing into an elite interior rusher.

Should he continue in this manner, the Giants will likely face the prospect of handing out a lucrative extension to keep Lawrence around beyond 2023. Though his emergence may complicate things financially for New York, the timing could otherwise hardly be better, with Lawrence breaking out in the same year they landed edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux in the draft. Thibodeaux forced the fumble that sealed the game against Baltimore.

With a top-tier prospect who is gradually having more of an impact on the edge and Lawrence rapidly becoming a pass-rushing force on the interior, the Giants have a combination that can make theirs a fearsome defensive front for years to come. Lawrence may not be unblockable, but his dominance has been critical to one of the most surprising storylines of the 2022 season and will be key to the Giants' hopes of sustaining their turnaround.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel will miss Sunday’s game against NFC West rivals the Los Angeles Rams with a hamstring injury.

Samuel, a first team All-Pro selection in 2021, was injured in the 49ers’ 44-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week. The dynamic playmaker played through the issue during the game, but did not practice at all this week.

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan on Friday said he is hopeful Samuel can return for San Francisco’s November 13 game against the Los Angeles Chargers following a Week 9 bye.

"He's not good enough to go," Shanahan said. "The fact that he even had a chance hopefully means he'll be good with the week off and be ready for the next game."

Samuel has compiled 387 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 32 catches so far this season, while adding 138 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 attempts.

His best performance in 2022 came against the Rams in Week 4, when the fourth-year pro had six receptions for 115 yards and contributed a 57-yard touchdown catch to the 49ers' 24-9 victory.

Including the 2021 NFC Championship Game, Samuel has amassed 621 yards from scrimmage with five total touchdowns in five meetings with the Rams dating back to Week 12 of the 2020 campaign. The 49ers won all four of the regular-season matchups between the teams during that stretch.

Shanahan added that fellow wide receiver Jauan Jennings will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury of his own.

Jennings ranks fourth among San Francisco players with 14 catches and 180 receiving yards in seven games this season.

The San Francisco 49ers are looking to continue their regular-season dominance over the Los Angeles Rams, and may need to lean on new running back Christian McCaffrey to help them do so.

San Francisco's trip to SoFi Stadium marks a critical game for these NFC West rivals, who have both struggled to produce their best this season.

After a bye week, the defending Super Bowl champion Rams are 3-3, while the 49ers are coming off back-to-back losses, which have dropped them to 3-4.

However, the 49ers have plenty of reason for confidence of getting back on track before their bye week against an opponent they defeated 24-9 in Week 4.

That victory made it seven straight regular-season wins over the Rams for the Niners, their second-longest streak against Los Angeles all-time (17 straight from December 1990 – December 1998).

But the 49ers will not have happy memories from their previous visit to Los Angeles, the Rams having prevailed 20-17 in last season's NFC Championship Game to book their place in the Super Bowl.

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel played a critical role in that game and has been a key feature in the 49ers' success against the Rams. 

Samuel has accounted for seven regular-season touchdowns in his career against the Rams (three receiving, three rushing, one passing) but will be unavailable for San Francisco this weekend due to a hamstring injury.

The loss of the best running wide receiver in the NFL may see greater onus placed on arguably the best receiving running back, with McCaffrey sure to be an integral part of the gameplan after the 49ers traded four draft picks to acquire him from the Carolina Panthers.

McCaffrey averaged 6.2 yards on his 10 touches in his debut against the Kansas City Chiefs and, though the 49ers will look for him to boost a run game that has a disappointing success rate of 33.7 per cent through seven weeks, the absence of Samuel and their underwhelming ground game could see San Francisco feature the former Panther heavily in the passing game.

San Francisco's 44-23 loss to the Chiefs last week marked the first time they have lost back-to-back games by at least 14 points since Weeks 9-10, 2020. They followed those games up with a 23-20 win against the Rams in Los Angeles.

The 49ers will look for a defensive upturn after their struggles against Kansas City, though defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans' group is still battling injuries in the front seven.

Holding the Rams in check will be critical to San Francisco's hopes of overcoming their absences. Los Angeles have scored at least 20 points in all three of their wins this season and 10 or fewer points in all three losses. 

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford's record against the 49ers should also offer optimism to Kyle Shanahan's team. Stafford is 1-6 in his regular-season career against the 49ers, his worst record against any NFC opponent.

Stafford has thrown four touchdown passes and five interceptions in his three games against them since joining the Rams, losing each one. Whether he improves on Sunday is likely to have a huge say in which teams emerge from the NFC West.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen are ending their 13-year marriage after announcing they have started divorce proceedings.

Multiple outlets reported that Bundchen filed documents in the couple’s home state of Florida on Friday morning, hours after Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers were dealt a 27-22 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The pair have reportedly reached a settlement on property and custody of their two children.

"We arrived at this decision to end our marriage after much consideration," Brady wrote in an Instagram post. "Doing so is, of course, painful and difficult, like it is for many people who go through the same thing every day around the world."

The announcement ends months of speculation that the high-profile marriage was close to unravelling. Brady briefly left the Buccaneers’ training camp in August for personal reasons that were rumoured to be related to the couple’s marital problems.

“The decision to end a marriage is never easy but we have grown apart and while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always,” Bundchen wrote in a statement.

Brady had announced his retirement in February, citing the desire to spend more time with his family, but reversed course 40 days later and re-signed with the Bucs for a 23rd NFL season.

Bundchen admitted her displeasure over her husband’s decision in an interview with Elle magazine in September.

“Obviously, I have my concerns,” she said. “(Football) is a very violent sport, and I have my children and would like him to be more present. I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again.

“But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for (them). He needs to follow his joy, too.”

Brady and Bundchen, a successful supermodel born in Brazil, were married in 2009 and had their first child, Benjamin, later that year. Their second child, Vivian, was born in 2012.

The 45-year-old Brady has endured a difficult year on the field as well. The Buccaneers were among the NFC’s preseason favourites but fell to 3-5 with Thursday’s loss – the first time in the seven-time Super Bowl champion’s career his team is under .500 eight games into a season.

Ja'Marr Chase could be set for injured reserve following a hip injury, potentially slowing the Cincinnati Bengals' momentum as they recover from a tough start in 2022.

Second-year wide receiver Chase sustained the injury against the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, although he still caught two touchdown passes in that game and two more against the Atlanta Falcons last week, tallying 262 receiving yards across the two games combined.

Despite initially playing through the issue, Chase appeared on the Bengals' injury report on Thursday.

Coach Zac Taylor suggested the injury would be assessed daily, but ESPN subsequently reported Chase was facing four to six weeks on the sideline after seeing a specialist.

That would represent a huge blow to the Bengals, who started 0-2 after losing Super Bowl LVI but have recovered to 4-3.

As last year, when his 1,455 receiving yards set a rookie record for the Super Bowl era, Chase leads the Cincinnati receiving corps, tallying 605 yards and six touchdowns from 47 catches.

However, the Bengals are the only team in the NFL to have three players with at least 400 receiving yards, with Chase joined by Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins (both 455).

Boyd led the way with 155 yards in last week's 35-17 defeat of the Falcons, in which quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 481 yards – the third-most in a regular-season Bengals game all-time – and three TDs, rushing for a further 20 yards and a score.

Burrow endured a dismal start to the year, with four interceptions and seven sacks against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, but now looks back to his best.

The QB's 11.45 yards per attempt against the Falcons represented a career high, while his completion percentage of 81.0 (34 of 42) was his second-best mark.

Burrow now faces the Cleveland Browns, a team he has never beaten in three attempts.

In fact, the Bengals have lost four straight to their AFC North rivals, their worst run in this matchup since dropping seven in a row between 1992 and 1995.

Bidding to end that run without Chase on Monday, Burrow and the Bengals are second in the division, two games ahead of the third-placed 2-5 Browns.ja

The big boys are back in Week 8 as the NFL season edges its way closer to the playoffs.

The Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings all return after a bye week, as do the defending champion Los Angeles Rams, who will look to increase the pressure on the San Francisco 49ers.

The Eagles are aiming to maintain their 100 per cent record when the Pittsburgh Steelers come to town, while the Bills host Aaron Rodgers and his wobbling Green Bay Packers.

Stats Perform has taken a look at the numbers ahead of Sunday's games, starting in the city of brotherly love.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5) @ Philadelphia Eagles (6-0)

It promises to be a tricky trip for Pittsburgh, as the Eagles own a nine-game winning streak at home against them, a streak that started in 1966 (Pittsburgh's last win there was Week 6, 1965). It is the Eagles' longest home winning streak against a single opponent in franchise history.

The Steelers lost 16-10 at the Miami Dolphins last week, and are averaging just 15.3 points per game, the second fewest in the NFL (Denver Broncos, 14.3). The last time they finished in the bottom two of the NFL in scoring was 1969 (15.6 points per game, second worst).

The Eagles have held a lead of at least 14 points in each of their six games this season. The last team to do so in seven straight games to begin the season was the 2007 Patriots (eight straight).

Philadelphia have won Jalen Hurts' last nine starts, tied for the longest quarterback win streak in franchise history with Carson Wentz (2017), Donovan McNabb (2003) and Norm Van Brocklin (1960). The Eagles were 6-10 in Hurts' first 16 career starts in the NFL.

San Francisco 49ers (3-4) @ Los Angeles Rams (3-3)

Including a 24-9 home win in Week 4, the 49ers have won seven straight regular-season games against Los Angeles, their second-longest streak against the Rams all-time (17 straight from December 1990 to December 1998). However, the Rams beat the 49ers in last season's NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium.

San Francisco lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 44-23, at home last week. It was the first time they have lost back-to-back games by at least 14 points since Weeks 9-10 in 2020. They followed those games up with a 23-20 win against the Rams in Los Angeles.

Last week, Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 303 yards, the 11th game in his career with at least 300 yards. The 49ers won the first seven of those games but are just 1-3 in the last four. The only win in that span came on the road against the Rams in Week 18 last season.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford is 1-6 in his regular season career against the 49ers, his worst record against any NFC opponent. He has thrown four touchdown passes and five interceptions in his three games against them since joining the Rams, losing each one.

Green Bay Packers (3-4) @ Buffalo Bills (5-1)

The Packers have won their last four home games against the Bills, but are 0-6 all-time in Buffalo, most recently losing a 21-13 game there in Week 15, 2014. The Bills are the only active franchise the Packers have never beaten on the road.

Green Bay lost 23-21 to the Washington Commanders last week, and have lost three straight games for the first time since Weeks 11-13 in 2018. They have not lost four straight since Weeks 8-11 in 2016. The last time they lost four of their first seven games was in 2006 (also 3-4).

The Bills are coming off their bye week following a 24-20 win in Kansas City in Week 6. Since the Bills' last Super Bowl appearance in 1993, they have begun a season 5-1 four times – 1995, 2008, 2019, and this year.

Buffalo's offense has faced a blitz on 35.3 per cent of its passing plays this season, the fourth highest in the league. The Packers have faced a blitz just 20.2 per cent of the time, second lowest in the league (Miami, 18.2). The Bills have blitzed opponents just 12.9 per cent of the time, the lowest in the league.

Elsewhere…

Dak Prescott should face the Chicago Bears (3-4) after making his return in the Dallas Cowboys' (5-2) win over the Detroit Lions last week, moving his career record as a starter to 54-33 (.621). Since 2016. The Cowboys are 9-8 when Prescott does not start (.530) while averaging almost 60 total yards fewer per game when he is not the starter (382.3 with, 322.9 without).

The New York Jets (5-2) enter their clash with the New England Patriots (3-4) with a chance to break their current 12-game losing streak against them, which dates back to the 2016 season. With a loss, the streak would match Denver's 13-game losing streak to Kansas City as the longest active one in the NFL.

Saquon Barkley (110 rushing yards) and Daniel Jones (107) each ran for over 100 yards last week, the third time a New York Giants (6-1) duo has eclipsed that mark. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw did so in Week 14, 2010 and Week 16, 2007. The only other team with such a duo this season was the New Orleans Saints in Week 5 against the Giants' opponents for Week 8, the Seattle Seahawks (4-3).

The Tennessee Titans (4-2) own a four-game win streak after a 19-10 win at home against the Indianapolis Colts. This is the Titans' sixth-straight season with a winning streak of at least four games, and it could go to five with a win at the Houston Texans (1-4-1).

Tom Brady said the Tampa Bay Buccaneers "struggled on everything" in Thursday's 27-22 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, with the quarterback now on his first three-game losing streak since 2002.

The Bucs' miserable run of form continued as the Ravens clicked into gear after only scoring three points in the first half, with Lamar Jackson throwing two touchdowns after the interval.

Neither quarterback committed a turnover as Brady completed 26 of his 44 passes for 325 yards and one touchdown, but the seven-time Super Bowl champion is now enduring his worst losing run in 20 years.

The Bucs have slumped to a 3-5 record after opening the season with two wins, and Brady says they are simply not meeting their own standards.

"We just didn't play well enough to win, so give them credit. They played good, certainly better than we did," Brady said.

"We just came up short, I don't think it feels good, whether [you're ahead in the] first half or second half. We just have to play better, certainly on offense.

"I think we've struggled pretty much on everything. We struggled in the red zone, on third down, during the run game. It's just not very good offense football."

Having lost five of their last six games to fall below the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South, the Bucs now have a 10-day break before they face the Los Angeles Rams, and Brady knows the importance of a response.

"I don't think anyone feels good. We've lost five, so it's not where we want to be, but we haven't earned it," he added. "We've got to go earn it, fight hard and figure out how to win games.

"Whenever we play, we play. We've got to win, break or no break. We're all just frustrated we're not getting the job done.

"We're playing to win and losing is no fun for any of us, we're just coming up short."

The Bucs' injury problems continued to mount when outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett suffered a suspected torn Achilles in the third quarter, and Brady cannot wait for the team to return to something approaching full strength.

"Shaq's a great player for us, I hope he's okay," Brady said. "We need to get some guys back, get a little healthier, and see if we can perform a bit better."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles admitted "it doesn't look good" for Shaquil Barrett after he suffered a suspected torn Achilles in the team's 27-22 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The outside linebacker was injured during a Ravens running play in the third quarter on Thursday, and reports have suggested his season could be over after initial examinations.

Speaking after the Bucs suffered a fifth loss in their last six games, Bowles said of Barrett: "He has an Achilles right now, so we'll wait for the MRI, but it doesn't look good."

Any significant absence for the two-time Pro Bowler would represent a considerable blow for the Bucs, who were already coping with several injuries ahead of Thursday's game.

Barrett has led the team for sacks in two of the last three seasons, and has recorded eight sacks and 43 tackles in his eight starts this campaign.

With Tampa Bay slumping to a 3-5 record despite winning their first two games of the season, Bowles acknowledges things are "dark" for his team, but he remains confident they can change their fortunes.

"It's still dark; until you win ball games consistently and play for four quarters consistently it's going to be dark," he said.

"That doesn't mean we can't get out of it, we just have a lot of work to do as coaches and as players."

The Ravens looked to have suffered an injury blow of their own when tight end Mark Andrews was ruled out with a shoulder injury in the second quarter, while wide receiver Rashod Bateman also exited with a foot problem.

However, head coach John Harbaugh played down any concerns over the duo after the win, saying: "They are not serious.

"Rashod was a tweak of what he had before, and Mark is not a serious long-term injury."

The Baltimore Ravens' offense clicked into gear in the second half of their 27-16 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night after only mustering three points in the first two quarters.

Baltimore grabbed an early lead just four minutes into the action, with their punt on the opening drive of the game bouncing off the chest of Buccaneers returner Dee Delaney to gift the Ravens a redzone opportunity.

The Buccaneers defense held, forcing a Justin Tucker field goal, and they took the lead just five minutes later when Leonard Fournette punched in a one-yard touchdown run to cap off a 75-yard drive.

A Tampa Bay field goal would give them a 10-3 lead at halftime, but the Baltimore offense would figure things out in the second half as a five-yard touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson to Kenyan Drake tied the contest at 10-10.

After forcing a Buccaneers punt, the Ravens made it two touchdown drives in a row as Jackson was flushed out of the pocket and found rookie tight end Isaiah Likely along the back of the endzone in tight coverage.

They then made it three touchdown drives in a row when receiver Devin Duvernay was able to convert a third-and-one into a 15-yard touchdown run on a jet-sweep, widening the Ravens' lead to 24-13 with under seven minutes to play.

Tom Brady was able to lead the Buccaneers back into the redzone twice, and was rewarded with a consolation eight-yard touchdown pass to the returning Julio Jones with under a minute on the clock.

Neither quarterback ended up committing a turnover as Jackson completed 27 of his 38 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, while Brady was 26-of-44 for 325 yards and one score.

After star Ravens tight end Mark Andrews left with an injury, Likely led the Ravens in catches (six) and receiving yards (77), while Mike Evans caught six balls for 123 yards to lead the Buccaneers.

The Kansas City Chiefs have a bye this week but the team is staying busy, acquiring wide receiver Kadarius Toney from the New York Giants.

The Chiefs sent a 2023 third-round pick and a sixth-round pick in next year's draft to the Giants to complete the trade.

Toney was the 20th overall pick in the 2021 draft by New York, but his career has been marred by injuries so far.

A hamstring issue has sidelined him since Week 2 this season, while oblique and shoulder injuries limited him to just 10 games as a rookie last year.

When healthy, however, the 23-year-old has proven to be a dangerous receiver and should provide Patrick Mahomes with another weapon at his disposal.

In 2021, he hauled in 39 receptions for 420 yards, averaging 6.1 yards after the catch. He has just two catches for zero yards this season.

The Chiefs next play on November 6 against the Tennessee Titans and it is still uncertain when Toney will be able to make his Kansas City debut due to his ailing hamstring.

When Toney does suit up, he will be joining a talented pass-catching corps with receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman and tight end Travis Kelce.

Andy Dalton will retain the starting quarterback berth for the New Orleans Saints despite the return to practice of Jameis Winston, head coach Dennis Allen has confirmed.

Winston injured his back in the Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons and initially played through the pain barrier in the following two games.

He was eventually sidelined to allow him to recover, with Dalton, signed as a backup to Winston, starting under center after the Saints' attempts to bring in Deshaun Watson were unsuccessful.

Allen explained his reasoning for sticking with Dalton, telling reporters: "Andy's gonna get the start again this week [against the Las Vegas Raiders.

"I feel like he's played well. Offensively, I feel like we're in a little bit of a rhythm. We've been moving the ball effectively, we've scored points. And so we're gonna continue down that road with Andy as the quarterback."

This season, Dalton has completed on 63.4 per cent of his passes for 946 yards and seven touchdowns, while he has been sacked four times and been intercepted four times.

Last time out against the Arizona Cardinals, a game the Saints lost, Dalton threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns but also conceded three interceptions – two of which were returned for touchdowns.

However, Allen said he was looking for offensive continuity in the coming weeks.

"What I mean by that is in the last four weeks, we're one of the top offenses in terms of moving the ball, we're one of the top offenses in terms of scoring points," he added.  "And that's really the name of the game. So, we're gonna continue doing what we've been doing.

"We've gotta do a better job of protecting the football. And if we do that, I think we can be highly effective offensively."

Allen said Dalton will keep his position over a fully fit Winston as long as the team remain coherent with the ball in hand.

"Well, look, Jameis is back healthy right now. We're gonna go with Andy as we sit here right now. And if we continue to play well offensively and move the ball offensively, Andy will stay in there," Allen said.

"There's a lot of things that we're doing really well offensively. And I didn't feel like there was any need to upset the apple cart there. We'll keep going how we are. And if we continue to do that, then we'll stay the course."

The Saints (2-5) sit bottom of the NFC South and will look to ignite life into their season against the Raiders on Sunday.

Mystery remains around the New England Patriots starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the New York Jets with head coach Bill Belichick refusing to declare his hand.

Mac Jones was benched after three series for backup Bailey Zappe in the Patriots' 33-14 home defeat to the Chicago Bears on Monday.

Belichick insisted that decision was not performance-based after the game, alluding to the fact Jones was returning in Week 7 following a three-game absence due to a high ankle sprain.

Jones was not listed on the Patriots' injury report this week, yet Belichick declined to elaborate on the situation on Wednesday ahead of practice.

"We'll see how it goes today," Belichick told reporters five times when asked about the QB situation.

Onlookers at Patriots practice on Wednesday claimed that Jones took the vast majority of first team reps in an indication he will start on Sunday.

Jones, who was taken with the 15th pick in last year's NFL Draft, has started four games this season, completing 67 of 103 attempts for 799 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions.

The second-year quarterback admitted that he had not been told by Belichick if he would start against the Jets but insisted he was fine with that.

"He's done a good job, been very open with me," Jones said. "I think that's all you can ask for, clear communication. Putting all the rat poison away and playing the best I can play and becoming the best quarterback I can be.

"Like I said, those are things that we want to work through as the week goes along. I don’t really care if they tell me or not, it's just important that I'm ready to go. Just as Zappe is ready to go.

"It's the same way every week, you want to prepare as a starter… I plan to start every game I've ever played in."

One day after he made comments critical of his teammates, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said that nobody told him they had a problem with his assessment.

During his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Rodgers had harsh words for some teammates.

"Guys are making too many mistakes shouldn’t be playing, you know," he said. "Gotta start cutting some reps, and maybe guys who aren’t playing, give them a chance."

On Wednesday, Rodgers did not back down from those comments amid criticism of the message it sent within the camp.

"I don’t understand why people have a problem with things that are truthful," Rodgers said. "I’m calling things the way I see it. People don’t think I need to air that stuff out, that's their opinion. But I’m doing what I think is in the best interest of our guys, and I've tried a lot of different things from a leadership standpoint this year, and I was just relating my personal feeling on the situation.

"I didn’t call anybody out by name. I think we all need to be on the details, and that includes me."

Rodgers said his comments should not come as a surprise since it was nothing he has not shared behind closed doors inside team headquarters at Lambeau Field.

"If one of those guys has a problem with it, I'm right here, and I'd love to have a conversation," Rodgers said. "I enjoy those conversations. I enjoy any type of conflict like that because I know the resolution on the other side is going to make us a better unit, a better friendship, a better cohesion on the field."

Rodgers has also been criticised for making the feedback public rather than keeping it internal. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur did not have an issue with Rodgers’ approach.

"Sometimes the truth hurts," LaFleur said. "I don’t think he publicly called out individuals, I don’t believe, I didn’t sit there and listen to the whole thing, so I just think that you have to get to the root of the truth."

Rodgers and the Packers are heavy underdogs heading into Sunday's road matchup against the Buffalo Bills as they try to avoid the team's first four-game losing streak since 2016.

Matt Ryan has vowed to embrace his new backup role after the Indianapolis Colts opted to make Sam Ehlinger their starting quarterback.

The Colts are currently 3-3-1 for the campaign, and Ryan – a postseason acquisition from the Atlanta Falcons – has thrown a league-high nine interceptions. 

Ryan threw two interceptions – one of which was returned 76 yards for a touchdown – during the Colts' 19-10 loss to their AFC South rivals the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

On Monday, head coach Frank Reich revealed the team's plan to make Ehlinger their starting QB for the rest of the season, and Ryan accepts that decision.

"It's not something I've dealt with [before], but I've been around a long time and seen that it happens," Ryan said.

"I've always preached that you've got to accept and embrace the role that they decide for you and try and be the best in that role that you can be. That's what I'll do.

"As a player, you just always anticipate, you're getting ready, you're going to go and so that's where your mindset's at. 

"There was a little bit of surprise and shock at the beginning, but it's a decision they had to make and, as a player, as a team-mate, you have to move forward and you've got to help out where you can."

Reich, meanwhile, has refuted the suggestion the decision to change quarterback means the Colts are giving up on the season. 

"I can tell you this for sure, nobody is waving the white flag," Reich said. "It's not in my DNA. It's not in our players' DNA. I would never do that in a million years. I just couldn't do that."

Ryan has completed 203 of 297 passes for 2,008 yards at a 68.4 per cent completion rate this season, with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has also been sacked 24 times, tied for the second most in the NFL this season.

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