Aaron Rodgers was absent from the Green Bay Packers' practice on Wednesday, but head coach Matt LaFleur is not worried about his availability for Sunday's game against the New York Jets.

Rodgers injured his thumb on the final play of the Packers' 27-22 defeat to the New York Giants at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the weekend.

The reigning MVP threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, but could not prevent defeat as Green Bay slipped to 3-2 for the season.

Despite missing Wednesday's practice, LaFleur is confident Rodgers will be fit to play against the Jets on Sunday.

"I don't think we have much concern for game day," LaFleur told reporters.

The Packers sit second in the NFC North, kept off top by the Minnesota Vikings, who beat them 23-7 in Week 1.

Back to work in Green Bay. @AllenLazard | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/ZgdbJXbnN7

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 12, 2022

Odell Beckham Jr hit out at the Los Angeles Rams for offering him the "lowest of low" contracts, though Sean McVay expects his side will go back in with new negotiations.

The Rams wideout suffered an ACL injury in February's Super Bowl LVI as Los Angeles narrowly defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 at their home of SoFi Stadium.

Beckham Jr signed a short-term deal with the Rams last November, though it was expected he would re-sign after an impressive postseason.

The 29-year-old is yet to find a new NFL side as he remains a free agent, but a reunion with the Rams appeared seemingly unlikely after Beckham Jr revealed his disappointment with his former team.

"LA knows where I wanted to be… but they didn't offer me….anything!," he posted on Twitter.

"So [I don't know] what people want me to do, I definitely know my worth and what the offer was isn't reflective of that.

"So it's tough to say that I can come on back even though I thought I finally found that home!

"But yes, LA treated me normal and special all in the same breath, we see how that played out! For both sides.

"I went out to win a [trophy] there knowing the risk of playing without an ACL… and then I got the lowest of low offers after that going into the next season."

Beckham Jr ended the series of posts with "Impossible" followed by two laughing emojis, suggesting he values himself far above what the Rams offered.

The Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs are said to be the favourites to sign Beckham Jr, though Rams coach McVay claimed negotiations are far from over.

"I love Odell," McVay told reporters. "We have constant dialogue. He also knows that certainly I don't think that's the last [offer] that would come from us. I'm not familiar with what it is.

"He knows how we feel about him. We've got a little bit of time. But [I] love Odell. Nothing but good things coming from me."

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is unlikely to make his return following thumb surgery against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to coach Mike McCarthy.

Prescott suffered a fracture near his right thumb in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' season-opening 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last month.

Cooper Rush has deputised ably since then, leading the team on a four-game winning streak, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently said he was unlikely to keep the starting spot when Prescott returns to fitness.

Prescott was set to throw for the first time since suffering his injury following Wednesday's practice, but McCarthy is planning to start Rush against the NFL's only unbeaten team on Sunday.

"We are preparing for Cooper to start against the Eagles," McCarthy told reporters.

"I think we're still in the medical rehab phase. So once he [Prescott] clears this phase and he's fully activated, then I think that's when we have our conversation.

"You've got to trust the medical process. This is a 17-game season. That was my immediate response. I know Dak didn't want to hear it, but you've got to make sure that he's right for the long haul, too.

"So I'm not saying we're being conservative because that doesn't line up with him, with the way he approaches preparing to play. But, yeah, this really is following the medical timeline."

McCarthy also stated his belief the team's form had not been significantly altered by their change of quarterback after Week 1.

"He [Prescott] is doing all the things you can possibly do and more to get ready," McCarthy added. "But I don't think it would've changed, from my view."

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams has been charged with misdemeanour assault for pushing over a photographer after his team's 30-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Moments after the defeat, Adams was making his way from the field at Arrowhead Stadium when he shoved Ryan Zebley, a credentialed media member, who suffered whiplash and a headache as well as a potential minor concussion.

Though Adams apologised after the incident, the former Green Bay Packers wideout has now been charged for what was described in court records as an "intentional, overt act" that caused "bodily injury".

The charges were filed on Wednesday at the Municipal Court of Kansas City, and Adams is set to be in court on November 10.

Adams is also reportedly facing discipline from the NFL, though his coach Josh McDaniels defended him on Tuesday, saying: "That was an unfortunate situation. I support Davante wholeheartedly as a human being. I don't think there was any intent behind it, on his part."

The Chiefs defeat dropped the Raiders to 1-4, and their bye week means they are now not in action until October 23 when they will host the Houston Texans, though it remains to be seen whether Adams will be suspended for that game.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will return to team practice on Wednesday and could be cleared from concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during a defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals last month and was taken by ambulance to hospital, subsequently missing the Dolphins' loss to the New York Jets.

While highly unlikely to take to the field in Week 6 against the Vikings, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport state sources say he has made 'great strides' and is heading in the 'right direction' for a return to the field.

Tagovailoa has consulted with four independent specialists since the injury and increased his rehab work to include cardio and strength training over the weekend, while Wednesday will involve throwing the ball as part of "non-contact sports-specific activity".

The Dolphins quarterback situation is up in the air ahead of Sunday, with backup QB Terry Bridgewater also in concussion protocol and coach Mike McDaniel telling reporters on Monday there was no specific timeframe for the return of either player.

Rookie seventh-round pick Skylar Thompson took to the field in place of Bridgewater against the Jets, where he threw for 166 yards and one interception, finishing with a pass completion percentage of 57.6 per cent.

The Dolphins are on a two-game losing streak, sitting 3-2 after beginning the 2022 season with three successive wins.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield will not require surgery on the high ankle sprain he suffered in the defeat to the San Francisco 49ers, which means he will not be placed on injured reserve.

The 2018 No.1 overall pick is set to be sidelined for this weekend's matchup with the Los Angeles Rams but, having avoided IR status, will be available to return within the next four games.

Mayfield, signed in a trade from the Cleveland Browns in July, suffered the injury in the loss to the 49ers, leaving the Panthers with a 1-4 record for the season, but was given a verdict of 'no major damage' after receiving second opinions on the injury, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

His absence is a blow to the Panthers, who are yet to find full flow with their new cornerstone franchise QB; Mayfield having 962 passing yards, four touchdown throws and a pass completion of 54.9 per cent – which ranks as the lowest across the entirety of the NFL in 2022.

P.J. Walker is set to take over as the Panthers' starting QB while Mayfield is absent, having totalled 60 yards and an 83.3 per cent completion rate following his introduction against the 49ers in Week 4.

Across his three-year career in the NFL, Walker has played in 10 matches, twice as a starter, accumulating 790 passing yards and two touchdown throws.

The Panthers' trip to LA will be the first under the guidance of interim head coach Steve Wilks, following the dismissal of Matt Rhule on Monday.

Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett remains "clueless" regarding the controversial roughing the passer call which followed his hit on Tom Brady on Sunday.

Brady equalled the NFL record for most victories by a quarterback against a specific opponent without defeat (11) as he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 21-15 win over the Falcons.

However, Atlanta looked set to get a chance to complete a memorable comeback when Jarrett sacked Brady on third down with three minutes remaining.

But referee Jerome Boger called roughing the passer against the 29-year-old, later explaining the decision was made due to Jarrett unnecessarily throwing Brady to the ground.

The call has been met with controversy, with subsequent reports suggesting the NFL's competition committee will discuss amendments to roughing penalties after this season.

Jarrett is yet to come to terms with the decision two days later, saying: "Looking back on it, I'm still kind of left clueless on what I'm expected to do in that situation."

Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones was on the receiving end of a similar call against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, leading Jarrett to call for change.

"I did see Chris' sack last night, and that was questionable as well," Jarrett said. "All these other things that we can review… I'm not saying that it cost us the game, but it cost us an opportunity to win the game.

"If it's costing people games, it's going to cost people livelihoods. It's going to cost people opportunities. You never know who is going to go down and make a crazy play.

"Obviously this happened to us, the Falcons, but forget all that, it's about the sport. When people watch us to be entertained, to see some game-winning drives and then when you do it right, the right way, that's what makes it so frustrating.

"So let's give the game what the game is owed, and that's the best product we can put on the field."

Speaking on SiriusXM's Let's Go! Podcast on Monday, Brady described the incident as an "unwelcome hug" from Garrett and steered clear of discussing the decision.

"It was a long hug, a long unwelcome hug from Grady," Brady said. "And he was in the backfield all day. So as I said after the games, I don't throw flags.

"What I do throw is tablets, and I didn't have one accessible at that time. He had a hell of a game. I'll leave it at that.

"I woke up this morning, I was looking around the corner everywhere for Grady Jarrett jumping out and hitting me again.

"He played such a good game against us yesterday and I had nightmares last night thinking about him. But I'm glad we're through with that game. I'm glad we won."

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Monday's 30-29 win over the Las Vegas Raiders was a result that would "build the true character" of the team.

The AFC West outfit edged a thriller against their divisional rivals at Arrowhead Stadium to move to 4-1 for this NFL season, fighting back from a 17-point deficit midway through the second quarter.

Four touchdowns for tight end Travis Kelce saw the hosts complete a remarkable comeback, while the Raiders fluffed a two-point attempt to win the match in the closing minutes.

The result came amid another controversial roughing call, when Chris Jones was penalised amid a strip on Derek Carr, and Mahomes suggested his side's frustration helped fire them on to another victory.

"Sometimes, these games are the ones that build the true character of the team," he said. "How you respond, go back and fight, that was good to see from this team.

"It wasn't the greatest call in the world. You have to find a way to bounce back and we did."

Official Carl Cheffers was lambasted by Chiefs coach Andy Reid following the call, and as the teams headed into the half-time interval, but the latter stated he had said his piece when pressed post-game.

"I got it off my chest," Reid said. "I said what I needed to say."

The Chiefs will welcome the Buffalo Bills to face them on Sunday as they look to keep their hand atop AFC West, while the Raiders will cool their heels for a fortnight before facing the Houston Texans.

Josh McDaniels admitted the Las Vegas Raiders have already "lost the sprint" as he held out hope they could be marathon specialists instead, following another painful defeat.

The Raiders went down 30-29 on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, missing a late chance to pinch the game.

Davante Adams got on the end of his second deep touchdown of the game after a 48-yard bomb from Derek Carr, but instead of kicking the extra point to tie, the Raiders opted to go for two and were stopped short.

Last season saw the Raiders finish with a 10-7 record under interim coach Rich Bisaccia, but they are 1-4 so far in this campaign, McDaniels' first at the helm.

"This is a marathon. If it was a sprint, we lost the sprint," McDaniels said. "Fortunately for us, it's a marathon. We understand what these games mean and they each matter. They're each significant at the end of your season, we know that. They add up.

"But I think the thing we have to focus on is take the positives and then also try to learn from the things that we're not quite doing well enough.

"That's our job. That's what we're going to continue to do. That's what we've done after we've won, that's what we've done after we lost, and we're going to continue to do that. There's progress we've made and that's a good football team out there."

The Raiders have only lost by single-digit margins so far, therefore McDaniels sees the scope for them turning around those tight games.

Quarterback Carr completed 19 of 30 for 241 yards and two touchdowns, passing 200 career passing touchdowns, a landmark for which he said he was "thankful".

McDaniels said the Raiders "gave ourselves an opportunity, and we just didn't make one or two plays at the end to finish it".

As the Chiefs improved to 4-1 with their win, Raiders coach McDaniels added: "Hopefully we'll learn from this and be better."

Las Vegas Raiders superstar Davante Adams has taken to Twitter to apologise to the person he was caught on video shoving to the ground immediately after his side lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 30-29 on Monday night.

Adams, who caught two long touchdowns in the game to finish with 124 yards from three catches, was making his way from the field when he alleges someone holding a tripod ran in front of him as he tried to head down the tunnel.

The receiver pushed the worker to the ground before heading into the locker room.

Minutes later, after the footage circulated widely online, Adams tweeted out an apology, saying "that's not me".

"Sorry to the guy I pushed over after the game," it said. "Obviously very frustrated at the way the game ended and when he ran in front of me as I exited that was my reaction and I felt horrible immediately. 

"That's not me… my apologies man hope you see this."

Star tight end Travis Kelce pulled down four touchdown catches to carry the Kansas City Chiefs to a 30-29 home win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night.

Kelce became the first player in NFL history with four touchdown catches of fewer than 10 yards in a single game, finishing with just 25 yards from his seven catches as he was used heavily near the goal-line.

While it was the Chiefs who came out on top, it was the Raiders who started on fire, jumping out to a 17-0 lead one minute into the second quarter after Josh Jacobs' one-yard touchdown run followed a big 58-yard touchdown catch from Davante Adams, arguably the best receiver in the league.

Kelce would catch a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter, before securing a four-yard score and an eight-yard score on back-to-back drives in the third term. He would cap off his day with another one-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to put his side up 30-23 with seven minutes remaining.

In response, Adams got on the end of his second deep touchdown of the game as he got behind the defense on a 48-yard bomb from Derek Carr, but instead of kicking the extra point to tie the game, they opted to go for two, and were stopped short.

That decision came back to haunt the Raiders, as they never got back into field goal range.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 29 of 43 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns, while Carr completed 19 of 30 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Neither quarterback committed a turnover.

Adams and Jacobs both had massive games for the Raiders, with Adams finishing with 124 yards and two touchdowns from just three catches, while Jacobs rushed 21 times for 154 yards and a score.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said it is too early to decide on a starting quarterback for their Week 6 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

The Dolphins currently have both starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater recovering from concussions, with third-string rookie Skylar Thompson being forced to play nearly the entire 40-17 loss to the New York Jets this past Sunday.

There is concern Tagovailoa actually suffered two concussions less than a week apart after being allowed to return to the Dolphins' Week 3 win against the Buffalo Bills despite showing symptoms, prompting the league to update their concussion protocol.

With the uncertain nature of concussions and their recovery period, McDaniel told reporters on Tuesday that they will wait until later in the week to decide who will start at the sport's most important position.

"It's too soon for me to really pinpoint [the starter]," he said. "I kind of have to wait and assess the whole situation, which I do not have in scope. 

"What I do know is that Skylar will be practicing on Wednesday and hopefully Wednesday I'll have a better feel of the direction that we should go that's best for the football team.

"Being a backup quarterback in this league is not easy, and what people don't understand is you have a finite amount of reps during the week because you can't deplete your athletes and you can't have endless amount of reps. 

"So typically, starters get anywhere from 80 to 100 per cent of the practice reps. So a backup quarterback, especially a rookie, it's a tremendous challenge because you have to own the whole game plan, visualize it, be able to call it, be able to line people up and then execute appropriately."

The inclination from McDaniel could be that the team will look for outside help at the position to avoid having to start their seventh-round draft pick, however teaching the playbook to a new signing in time for Week 6 is likely too unrealistic.

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Baltimore Ravens’ embattled defensive secondary.  

Free safety Marcus Williams, the team’s top free agent acquisition of the offseason, will go on injured reserve after suffering a dislocated wrist.  

While Williams is expected to return at some point this season, Ravens coach Jon Harbaugh told reporters Monday that Williams will miss "a significant amount of time." 

Williams is thought to have injured his wrist early in Baltimore’s 19-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday night but attempted to play through it.  

"He gutted it out," Harbaugh said. "He didn't really say too much about it, so I don't think anybody realised how serious it was until they got inside and took a look at it."

Williams, who spent the first five years of his career with the New Orleans Saints, has three interceptions and five pass breakups this season – a rare bright spot for a secondary that is allowing a league-worst 305.8 passing yards per game.  

Young players like Geno Stone and 2022 first-round pick Kyle Hamilton will be forced into larger roles for the Ravens’ defense.  

"Both [Stone and Hamilton] have their own styles, and I think they're going to both play well for us," Harbaugh said. "So I'm looking forward to all those guys, as a team [and] as a group, kind of filling in for Marcus and not losing a step on that."

The Ravens lead the AFC North at 3-2 and visit the 4-1 New York Giants this Sunday.  

Through five weeks of the 2022 season, the San Francisco 49ers have the best defense in the NFL.

The Niners have given up just 4.01 yards per play so far this year, the fewest in the league, while only they and the Dallas Cowboys have conceded fewer than 20 points in every game.

San Francisco's points totals allowed in 2022 – 19, 7, 11, 9, 15 – tell a tale of dominance, with Christian McCaffrey's rushing touchdown against the 49ers only the second the defense has conceded since giving up three in a rainstorm in their season opener to the Chicago Bears.

The 49ers' average of 12.2 points allowed is tied with that of the Buffalo Bills for the league's best. They have given up just 12 points in the first half, while no other team has conceded fewer than 35.

No defense has allowed fewer explosive plays of 10 yards or more than the 49ers (45), and San Francisco have forced a league-leading 44 negative plays from opposing offenses.

The Niners have given up four yards or more on only 42.9 per cent of first downs, the best ratio in the NFL, and they have allowed a conversion on just 30 per cent of the third-down attempts they have faced. The Tennessee Titans (27.1) and New Orleans Saints (29.9) are the only two defenses who can claim to have fared better in that regard.

Simply put, the 49ers' defense is dominating in every facet. The Niners do not give up explosive plays with regularity, excel at putting opponents behind the eight-ball by creating negative plays and limiting yardage on first down, and have little difficulty getting off the field on third down.

DeMeco Ryans' defense was already among the NFL's elite last year, but what has catapulted it to championship-calibre unit that has the potential to be the foundation of a deep San Francisco playoff run?

The perennial star of the show for the 49er defense is the front, which is teeming with depth at edge rusher and boasts several players who can thrive rushing from that position and from the interior.

No team has registered more quarterback sacks than San Francisco (21) and the 49ers' 91 pressures trail only the Cowboys (95) and Philadelphia Eagles (92).

The athleticism of linebacker Fred Warner, who displays extraordinary precision in zone coverage and can run with wide receivers downfield, is also critical to San Francisco's defensive success. 

Talanoa Hufanga's breakout second season has deservedly attracted substantial attention, the former fifth-round pick quickly becoming a walking highlight reel at the safety position, recording five tackles for loss, five pass breakups, one sack and two interceptions, including a game-clinching pick-six against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4.

Hufanga has demanded attention with his enthralling hard-hitting and all-action brand of football, but just as crucial to the Niners and deserving of similar acclaim has been the play of cornerback Charvarius 'Mooney' Ward.

The 49ers' big-ticket free-agent acquisition in the offseason, San Francisco gave Ward a three-year, $40.5million contract with a view to him becoming the missing piece for a frequently maligned cornerback group.

Ward has unquestionably delivered to this point with his performances, combined with the emergence of Hufanga, helping transform the 49ers' secondary from an area of concern to a clear strength.

Arguably no 49er defender has done more to prevent big plays than Ward, who has been burnt – which is when a receiver wins his matchup on a play where he is targeted – on 10 of his 29 targets for a burn rate of 34.5 per cent. That is the fifth-best among corners targeted at least 20 times.

His big play rate, which tracks burns for 20 yards-plus or burns for touchdowns, of 18 per cent is 13th for his position. When wideouts have got in a position to catch the ball when going against his coverage, they have frequently seen it knocked away from them. Trevon Diggs (nine) is the sole defender to have produced more pass breakups than Ward's eight.

Through his strength in coverage and his proficiency for making plays on the ball, Ward has given the 49ers a lockdown corner they can rely on who offers a defense defined by its diversity even more flexibility.

Indeed, Ward's ability to consistently shut down wide receivers in man coverage is an asset to the Niners when they want to be more aggressive on defense, with San Francisco thriving through such an approach in the 24-9 beatdown of the Rams, in which they blitzed Matthew Stafford and an injury-hit Los Angeles offensive line on 30.4 per cent of dropbacks and were rewarded with seven sacks and 21 pressures.

Ward has also elevated the play of those around him in the cornerback room. Fellow starter Emmanuel Moseley has the third-best burn rate (31.8 per cent) among cornerbacks and nickel Deommodore Lenoir has given up a big play on 15 per cent of his targets, a rate bettered by just four corners.

The 49ers will now have to do some reshuffling in the secondary, however, after Moseley saw his season ended by a torn ACL suffered in Sunday's 37-15 rout of the Carolina Panthers.

Moseley's injury will mean either Lenoir shifting to the outside or one of Jason Verrett, Ambry Thomas or rookie Samuel Womack taking over at the spot across from Ward.

Without Moseley, the opposite side of the field to Ward may be viewed as a potential vulnerability in a defense that has presented none this campaign.

But San Francisco's defensive backfield is better equipped to deal with a serious injury than it was a year ago. The 49ers' misfortune may have robbed them of the top-tier starting cornerback duo Ward and Moseley looked like becoming, but their astute investment in the former has ensured the Niners' secondary is now one opposing offenses have significantly less hope of succeeding against.

The Carolina Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule on Monday, one day after a 37-15 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers dropped the team to 1-4 this season. 

Carolina hired Rhule in January 2020 after he led Baylor University to an 11-3 record in 2019 and earned Big 12 Coach of the Year honours. 

The Panthers signed Rhule to a seven-year contract worth a guaranteed $62million, but the team went 5-11 in 2020 and 5-12 last year before opening with four losses in their first five games this season. 

That 11-27 record is the fifth-worst in the NFL since the beginning of the 2020 campaign. 

Defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach Steve Wilks has been named Carolina's interim coach for the remainder of the season. 

Wilks went 3-13 in 2018 with the Arizona Cardinals in his only previous head coaching experience in the NFL. 

Defending Super Bowl champions the Los Angeles Rams will host the Panthers in Wilks' first game at the helm with Carolina facing problems at quarterback.

Starting QB Baker Mayfield has confirmed he will undergo an MRI after injuring his left ankle in the 49ers loss.

With 2021 starter Sam Darnold still on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain, P.J. Walker would presumably start at quarterback should Mayfield be forced to miss the Week 6 game.