Tyler Higbeeis "questionable" because of a hand injury heading into the Rams' Monday
Brent Hibbitts Jersey Night Football matchup against the Bears. Considering it's the last game of the week and Higbee plays fantasy football's thinnest position, his active/inactive status matters more than it should, and fantasy owners will undoubtedly be looking for updates before locking in their last start 'em, sit 'em decision of Week 7.We'll be here providing the latest news below about Higbee right up until the active/inactive report is released at around 6:45 p.m. ET on Monday. For more fantasy news, follow
Matt Wile Jersey us on Twitter .MORE MNF: | |Is Tyler Higbee playing Monday night?UPDATE:Higbee is for Week 7.After mi sing practice on Thursday and Friday, Higbee(hand) returned for a limited se sion on Saturday and is Monday night against the Bears.Aside from a
Mario Manningham Jersey three-TD game in Week 2, Higbeehasn't done much this year. He had a season-high 56 yards in Week 6, so that
Jake Ryan Jersey 's a good sign, but a neutral matchupagainst the Bears coupled with his hand injury probably means he's not worth waiting for this week. However, given the sorry state of the TE position, Higbee owners probably feel as if they have no choice but to start him, so he should be available if you need him.If Higbee is a surprise scratch, Gerald Everett would be the obvious pivot, and he'd have a decent amount of value considering he wouldn
Karl Kauffmann Jersey 't have to share snaps with Higbee. Jimmy Graham would also be a TD-or-bust streamer.
The tight end position is very thin, so any time there are multiple injuries at that spot, things get a little dicey. Ahead of Week 16 and fantasy football championship games
Brandon LaFell Jersey , the statuses of George Kittle (foot), Mike Gesicki (shoulder), and Eric Ebron (back) will be critical in helping make key start 'em, sit 'em lineup decisions and determining which streamers and sleepers can be trusted at the position.For the latest updates on injured RBs Ezekiel Elliott, Cam Akers, James Robinson, and Ronald Jones, ; for more RB updates on Christian McCaffrey, Myles Gaskin, Antonio Gibson, and Joe Mixon, click here; for injury news on key WRs Julio Jones,Kenny Golladay,DeVante Parker, andTyler Boyd,click here.Forall the latest fantasy updates, follow uson Twitter .WEEK 16 STANDARD RANKINGS: | | | | | Is George Kittle playing this week?UPDATE:Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that Kittle has a "" to return this week, adding, "If he's good, I plan on him playing."Kittlehas been outsince suffering a foot injury against the Seahawks back in Week 8. He started practicing last week
Auden Tate Jersey and is eligible to come off IR at any time now.That said, Kittle's return should be viewed as questionable. The 49ers were eliminated from playoff contention after their lo s to the Cowboys and the Cardinals' win over the Eagles in Week 15. So, while Kittle could be nearing a return, the 49ers could opt to shut him down with just a couple of meaningle s games left in their 2020 season. It could even behoove them to do that, as it would allow Kittle extra time to heal and avoid injury risk that could impact him during the offseason.Kittle's status will bear watching. The 49ers are playing the Cardinals this week, and Kittle did have four catches for 44 yards in the season opener against them despite dealing with a balky ankle. If he plays, he'll have to be trusted as a top-10 TE regardle s of workload. If not, Jordan Reed will be a low-end streamer against a Cardinals defense that has been solid against TEs this year.WEEK 16 PPR RANKINGS: |
Randy Bullock Jersey | | | | Is Mike Gesickiplaying this week? UPDATE:Gesicki was limited in practice on Tuesday, which is a good sign for his potential availiability on Saturday.Gesicki (shoulder) mi sed last week's game for the Dolphins, but on the day of the game, reported that Gesicki had "a real chance to play" against the Patriots. That didn't end up happening, but the fact that Gesicki was that close should bode well for him moving forward.The Dolphins are playing against the Raiders on Saturday night this week, so Gesicki will have one fewer day of rest to get on the field. That said, considering that he was only
Kevin Huber Jersey a non-participant at Wednesday's practice last week, he may have a chance to returnif he can at least be limited in all se sions this week. If he's slapped with another non-participant tag, it may be harder for him to get on the field.If Gesicki is out again, Durham Smythe, who caught five pa ses for 40 yards and led the Dolphins in receiving last week, would be in line for more targets at TE. He wouldn't be a recommended play at the position, but in DFS contests, he could be a worthwhile low-budget option.WEEK 16 WAIVER WIRE: | Is Eric Ebron playing this week?UPDATE:NFL Network's Tom Peli sero reported Tuesday afternoon that Ebron from the hit he took on Monday night.Ebron left the Steelers' Monday Night Football lo s to the Bengals after suffering a back injury in the first half. He didn't returnand was carted into the locker room after being helped to the sidelines.With
Michael Johnson Jersey the Steelers playing on a short week, Ebron's status is unclear. Considering the amount of pain he was in, it's hard to imagine that he would return to action in Week 16. His practice status will bear watching, but considering that Ebron was coming up on a tough matchup against the Indianapolis Colts anyway, there are better streamers out there for owners to trust in championship games.If Ebron can't play for the Steelers, Vance McDonald will soak up his targets and will be a low-end streaming option for this week. But again, there are bettermatchup-based TEs in that can be trusted.
The Steelers-Bengalsrivalry is one of the most one-sided in NFL history.Pittsburgh has been a consistent powerhouse the past half-century. Cincinnati has, for the most part, been a doormat.In their 53 seasons, the Bengals have reached the playoffs just 14 times. The Steelers have reached the playoffs 13 times since the start of the 2000 seasonand have made them 31times total since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. They also have six Super Bowl wins to
Tyrunn Walker Jersey none by the Bengals.The head-to-head results have largely reflected that disparity. The Steelers entered the 2021 season with a 64-37record in101meetings.That hasn't been the case this year, however. The Bengals beat the Steelers 24-10 in Week 3and walloped them41-10 on Sunday. The 31-point margin tied for the second-largest point differential in a Bengals win in the history of the rivalry. The Steelers were swept by the Bengals in the regular season for the first time since 2009.MORE: Sunday was just the latest example of how the tables have turned for the two franchises, at least for now. The Bengals are on the rise and the Steelers are facing the prospect of moving on from franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the not-so-distant future.What went wrongSunday for Pittsburgh, and what does it mean for the team moving forward? Sporting News dives in for a look.Ben Roethlisberger's decline continuedNot every old quarterback can stick around the way Tom Brady has. Age certainly seems to have caught up with Roethlisberger, and fast.Roethlisberger, 39, had his worst game of the season Sunday, posting a 61.2 rating against the Bengals. He completed 20 of 36 pa ses for 231 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also lost a fumble. Of note: His second-worst rating of the season, 70.9, came in Week 3 against Cincinnati.It is worth noting as well that Roethlisberger's touchdown came with 2:49 left in the game, with Cincinnati already leading 41-3.Roethlisberger has experienced a season full of highs and lows. In the four weeks prior to Sunday, he completed 67.6 percent of his pa ses for 973 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions, capped by a three-touchdown game against the Chargers in Week 11.MORE: But make no mistake, this has not been a great season for Big Ben.
Cooper Kupp Jersey , he came into Week 12 ranked 36th out of 38 qualified quarterbacks in the NFL. His 7.2-yard average depth of target is the shortest of his career., 4.1 percent have been considered turnover-worthy by PFF, while only 3.2 percent have been considered big-time throws. That is his highest turnover-worthy percentage in a season with at least 100 pa s attempts since 2016, when it was 4.6, and it the lowest big-time throw percentage in a full season in his career.Roethlisberger is no longer a Pro Bowl or even above-average quarterback. His dreadful game Sunday reinforced that point.The rushing attack and offensive line failedSo, yes, the entire offense is a me s right now. But offenses can still survive without an adequate quarterback. But it becomes problematic if they don't have the running talent to keep the ball moving.And that has been the case with the Steelers. Long gone are the days of Le'Veon Bell in the backfield waiting for his chance to run.Rookie Najee Harris has been leaned on heavily, and he hasn't been able to deliver the nece sary yardage. He rankedseventh in the NFL with 685 rushing yards coming into the week, but only because he rankedthird with 188 attempts. Overall, he was 39th in the NFL with 3.6 yards per carry.MORE: And that average was again a problem on Sunday. He took eight carries just 23 yards 2.9 yards per play.Pro Football Focus sees Harris as a middle-of-the-road running back, ranking him 33rd among 59 qualified backs.Harris isn't
Cam Akers Jersey the entire problem. He has not received much help from of the offensive line. as the second-worst run-blocking team in the NFL with a grade of 53.2, though the line does rank 11th in pa s blocking with a 66.5 grade.Roethlisberger's lost fumble Sunday came when hewas sacked in the third quarter. He was sacked three times total for 13 yards by the Bengals.PFF is not kind in its individual grades for the the Pittsburgh linemen. Center Kendrick Green is 33rd out of 38. Guards Kevin Dotson and Trai Turner are 35th and 40th out of 78, respectively. Tackles Chukwuma Okorafor and Dan Moore Jr. are 65th and 72nd out of 81, respectively.Tight ends Zach Gentry and Pat Freiermuth are the only Steelers with pa s block grades above 80and wide receiver Cody White is the only player with a run block grade above 68, .So, yes, there are a lot of problems on offense. Roethlisberger just stands out the most given how big a franchise iconhe has become.The defense's lack of depth showedThe Steelers might have the best defensive one-two punch in the NFL. PFF grades Cameron Heyward as the league's second-best interior defender and T.J. Watt as its third-best edge defender.But there are i sues below the surface.For starters, they have major i sues defending
Los Angeles Rams Jersey the pa s. This might not have stood out as much in the box score Sunday as Bengals QB Joe Burrow had just 190 pa sing yards and only one pa sing touchdown. Burrow was incredibly efficient, though, completing 20 of 24 pa ses, and averaging 7.9 yards per attempt.The Steelers came into thegame 13th in the NFL with 6.6 pa sing yards allowed per play. They had a 3.75-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, the fifth-worst in the NFL.MORE: Tre Norwood, Terrell Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick rank 77th, 83rd and 87th out of 91 safeties, respectively. The corners are better James Pierre, Joe Haden and Arthur Maulet are 40th, 45th and 60th out of 118, respectively but the secondary remains a major problem overall. The only other defensive players with better ratings than Pierre are linebacker Joe Schobert (23rd out of84) and Chris Wormley (24th out of 131).PFF grades Pittsburgh as having the fourth-worst coverage grade against wide receivers.That could be a problem for the Steelers long term. , Burrow has the eighth-best offensive grade, the Ravens' Lamar Jackson is 15th and the Browns' Baker Mayfield is 26thamong 38 qualifying quarterbacks.Additionally troubling for Pittsburgh is thatthe rush defense was torched Sundayand there are plenty of signs the situation could worsen.Joe Mixon rushed 28 times for 165 yards with two touchdowns, and the Bengals as a team rushed for 198 yards and three scores on 38 carries.Teams haven't challenged Pittsburgh on the ground much this season. The Steelers have faced the 11th-fewest rushing attempts with just 266, but they've allowed the most rushing
Marshall Faulk Jersey yards per attempt in the NFL at 4.8.Still, PFF grades the Steelers' rush defense positively. Their 70.5 grade is the fourth-highest in the NFL. But that . The Steelers received all four of their highest rush defense grades in the first five weeks. Since the start of Week 6,
Let the offseason speculation commence.The Rams-Jared Goff marriage has been a bit on the rocks since the highs of making an appearance in Super Bowl 53, a game in which the Rams' dynamic offense only scored three
Pavel Buchnevich Jersey points.In the 31 regular-season games since, Goff, the 2016 No. 1 overall pick, hasn't really taken the next step as the franchise pa ser, leaving his future very
Ondrej Kase Jersey much in limbo. Just take Ramsgeneral manager Les Snead's word for it.Snead wouldn't speculate on the status of Goff entering 2021, and wouldn't offer a vote of confidence for the 28-year-oldMORE: "Jared Goff is a Ram at this moment," Snead said."It's way too early to speculate the future. That's a beautiful mystery."Those aren't exactly words of encouragement for Goff, who will
Nikita Zadorov Jersey be entering his sixth season asan NFLpa ser, and is also due big money as part of an extension. He's owed quite a bit of guaranteed money over the coming seasons, as well, with the team incurring a dead-cap penalty of $22 million if he's traded before June 1.Goff is coming off a 20 touchdown, 13 interception season, pa sing for 3,952 yards in a year when many attributed Los Angeles' succe s to their top-ranked
Oscar Klefbom Jersey defense. Los Angeles was eliminated in the divisional round by the Packers.Snead's comments echoed those of Rams head coach Sean McVay, who said afterthe end of the Rams' season that Goff is the Rams' quarterback McVay also called out Goff's performance aftera few games this season
Chris Kelly Jersey .There are no certainties in football, but the real "beautiful mystery" is whothe Rams' QB will be in 2021.
Colin Kaepernick is still waiting for a phone call.Amidst recent movement from the quarterback, the blackballed former NFL pa ser expre sed desire to get back into the league following a recent workout in Seattle.On Wednesday, after a workout in which he was throwing pa ses to current Seahawks wide receiver Aaron Fuller, Kaepernick reiterated that
Richie James Men Jersey he hasn't given up on getting back into the league, potentially with Seattle."Still waiting
Shelby Harris Men Jersey for that chance, Kaepernick said (). "Still hopeful. Theres been a lot of conversation around it. Again, weve had conversations with Pete (Carroll) and John (Schneider) previously. As Pete mentioned, we have spoken recently and (Im) still hoping that door is open and get a chance to walk through it."MORE:Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was non-committal on bringing
Charles Woodson Men Jersey Kaepernick aboard following his workout for the team in mid-March, but didn't slam the door shut on bringing the QB in, either.The Seahawks are, presumably, still searching the quarterback market for their replacement to now-traded Ru sell Wilson. Cleveland's Baker Mayfield seems to be the most natural fit, with the Browns recently trading for Deshaun Watson.And heres some workout footage. Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) Seattle acquired Drew Lock in the
Dontari Poe Youth Jersey Wilson deal, but Lock's standing as Week 1 starter seems tenuous at best, pending a potential next quarterback move for the Seahawks.MORE:Kaepernick hasn't played in the NFL since 2016, following his protests against social injustices which vaulted him into the national spotlight.During that 2016 season, the then-49ers pa ser threw 16 touchdowns to four interceptions over 12 games, while San Francisco skidded to a 2-14 record.In 2017, the 49ers started C.J. Beathard and Brian Hoyer before acquiring
Dwayne Haskins Jr Women Jersey Jimmy Garoppolo from the Patriots.
Are you willing to spend over a third of your fantasy football auction budget on one player? Based on , that's what it will take to land Christian McCaffrey. As
Kenny Hill Jersey great as McCaffreyis, we saw last year how quickly paying up for him canbackfire. The owners who stocked up on rookie running backs for far le s money came out in much better shape. Of course, if you opted for some of the other popular sleepers and pa sed on high-priced studs Derrick Henry or Alvin Kamara, you regretted being so cheap.Anything can work and anything can flop. Helpful, right? We wish we had better advice for you than "get guys who don't get hurt and score a lot of touchdowns," but it's tough to take a strong stance on much of anything with RBs. The one strategy that usually doesn't work is loading up on mid-tier guys. That $10-$20 range is not where you want to live in a fantasy football auction. Getting one guy in that price range, especially if he's a rookie like Javonte Williams or Travis Etienne, is smart, but getting one $35-plus dollar guy is usually better than two $18 guys.2021 PPR FANTASY RANKINGS: | | | | | | You don't want to go super cheap for all of your backs, at least in standard leagues. Every year we see surprise rookies and handcuffs who go for $1 (or le s) have good years (think Myles Gaskin and James Robinson), but sometimes it takes them a while to break out or they have consistency/injury i sues. You need at least a little stability in your backfield for the first few weeks, which is why it usually makes sense to get at least one semi-expensive back. It doesn't need to be a top-five guy, but be prepared to bid $30-plus for at least one runner.2021 STANDARD FANTASY RANKINGS: | | | | | | PPR formats offer more potential sleepers and reliable early-season plug-and-plays, but the elite of the elite are even more, well, elite. Again, this isn't to say you should definitely target a top-three guy, but don't go into your auction planning to definitelyavoid them either. They could go for le s than the projected values below, and you never want to look back and regret not bidding
Joe Barry Carroll Jersey on McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook after they come off the board for $5-8 below market value.2021 FANTASY AUCTION VALUES (Standard & PPR): | | | | | As with any position, the timing of nominations will affect how much players cost. If you want a top-tier RB, don't wait for the last one. He'll likely go for an inflated price as the owners with money fight to the bitter end. In much the same way, popular sleepers can go for "too much" if they're nominated when everyone has a full bankroll.2021 FANTASY SLEEPERS: | | | | | Ultimately, there's no "right" strategy other than planning on having ample depth one way or another. You want to make sure to save some bucks for the end of the auction to grab some $1 handcuffs and deep lotto tickets, but that's true if you're
Earl Campbell Jersey planning to start Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubbor Zack Mo s and Michael Carter in Week 1. Have a lane and stay in it -- swerving at the last second can lead to accidents and regret.2021 FANTASY TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY: | | | |We'll continue updating these RB auction values until Week 1, so check back often.FANTASY DRAFT STRATEGY: | | | | To get customized dollar values tailored to your league settings, check out . For customized mock auctions that you can do in minutes, .MORE 2021 FANTASY RANKINGS: | | | | 2021 Fantasy Auction Values: RBDollar values courtesy of and based on 12-team leagues with $200 budgets.Scoring based on standard, non-PPR formats.All backs not listed valued at $0.DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: RankPlayerDollar Value1Christian McCaffrey, CAR$722Dalvin Cook, MIN$693Derrick Henry, TEN$674Alvin Kamara, NO$535Jonathan Taylor, IND$486Nick Chubb, CLE$477Aaron Jones, GB$478Ezekiel Elliott, DAL$479Saquon Barkley, NYG$4710Joe Mixon, CIN$4211Najee Harris, PIT$4212Antonio Gibson, WAS$3913Austin Ekeler, LAC$3814C. Edwards-helaire, KC$3415David Montgomery, CHI$3416Chris Carson, SEA$3317Josh Jacobs, LV$3318Miles Sanders, PHI$3119D'Andre Swift, DET$2920James Robinson, JAC$2621Gus Edwards, BAL$2422Darrell Henderson, LAR$2223Mike Davis, ATL$2224Chase Edmonds, ARI$2025Myles Gaskin, MIA$1926Damien Harris, NE$1827Kareem Hunt, CLE$1628Javonte Williams, DEN$1529Raheem Mostert, SF$1530Leonard Fournette, TB$1131Zack Mo s, BUF$1032Melvin Gordon III, DEN$1033Trey Sermon, SF$934Ronald Jones II, TB$935James Conner, ARI$936Kenyan Drake, LV$737Michael Carter, NYJ$738Sony Michel, LAR$739Jamaal Williams, DET$740AJ Dillon, GB$641David Johnson, HOU$642Devin Singletary, BUF$643Tony Pollard, DAL$544Tevin Coleman, NYJ$445J.D. McKi sic, WAS$446James White, NE$447Phillip Lindsay, HOU$448Nyheim Hines, IND$449Alexander
Benan Ersek Jersey Mattison, MIN$450Malcolm Brown, MIA$451Darrynton Evans, TEN$352Latavius Murray, NO$253Rashaad Penny, SEA$254Darrel Williams, KC$255Mark Ingram II, HOU$256Damien Williams, CHI$257Ty'Son Williams, BAL$258Justin Jackson, LAC$159Giovani Bernard, TB$160Rhamondre Stevenson, NE$12021 Fantasy PPR Auction Values: RBDollar values courtesy of and based on 12-team leagues with $200 budgets.Scoring based on full-point PPR formats.All backs not listed valued at $0.RankPlayerDollar Value1Christian McCaffrey, CAR$692Dalvin Cook, MIN$593Alvin Kamara, NO$564Derrick Henry, TEN$495Austin Ekeler, LAC$436Saquon Barkley, NYG$437Ezekiel Elliott, DAL$428Aaron Jones, GB$429Jonathan Taylor, IND$4010Joe Mixon, CIN$3811Najee Harris, PIT$3712Nick Chubb, CLE$3613Antonio Gibson, WAS$3414C. Edwards-helaire, KC$3215D'Andre Swift, DET$3116Chris Carson, SEA$2917David Montgomery, CHI$2818Miles Sanders, PHI$2719Josh Jacobs, LV$2620James Robinson, JAC$2421Mike Davis, ATL$2222Chase Edmonds, ARI$2223Myles Gaskin, MIA$1824Darrell Henderson, LAR$1625Kareem Hunt, CLE$1526Gus Edwards, BAL$1527Javonte Williams, DEN$1228Damien Harris, NE$1129Raheem Mostert, SF$1030Leonard Fournette, TB$831Kenyan Drake, LV$832Zack Mo s, BUF$733J.D. McKi sic, WAS$734Melvin Gordon
Payton Pritchard Jersey III, DEN$735Jamaal Williams, DET$636Michael Carter, NYJ$637James Conner, ARI$638Trey Sermon, SF$639James White, NE$640David Johnson, HOU$541Nyheim Hines, IND$542Ronald Jones II, TB$543Devin Singletary, BUF$544Tony Pollard, DAL$545Sony Michel, LAR$446AJ Dillon, GB$447Phillip Lindsay, HOU$348Tevin Coleman, NYJ$349Tarik Cohen, CHI$250Giovani Bernard, TB$251Alexander Mattison, MIN$252Malcolm Brown, MIA$253Darrynton Evans, TEN$254Latavius Murray, NO$255Damien Williams, CHI$156Darrel Williams, KC$1For further RB rankings and individual player analysis, .
Super Bowl 56 is a battle of the expected vs. the unexpected betweenthe Rams andthe Bengals.With the Rams edging the 49ers in the , Los Angeles made good on their trade for Matthew Stafford and are back in the Super Bowl for the second time in four years.The Rams' appearance in the Super Bowl isn't too surprising, but what happened in the
Tae Davis Jersey AFC was. For the first time in over three decades, the Cincinnati Bengals are Super Bowl-bound, thanks in big part to Joe Burrow.Whether it's "Joey Franchise," "Joe Shiesty," "Joe Brrr" or just plain "Joey B," Cincinnati fans can call him one thing collectively: AFC champion. Burrow and the Bengals staged an vs. the Chiefs to punch their ticket to Super Bowl 56.MORE: The Super Bowl 56 matchup marks one of the few meetings between No. 1 overall picks.Stafford was the No. 1 overall pick of the Lions in 2008and is making his first Super Bowl appearance in 2022. Burrow had a much
Maliek Collins Jersey shorter wait, appearing in the Super Bowl after being selected No. 1 overall in 2020.Here's what you need to know about Super Bowl 56:Who is in the Super Bowl 2022?Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles RamsThe Bengals and the Rams are meeting for the first time in the Super Bowl.The Rams are making their fifth post-merger Super Bowl appearance, while the Bengals return to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1980s and Boomer Esiason-led teams.When & where is Super Bowl 56?Date: Sunday, Feb. 13Kickoff time: 6:30 p.m. ET (unofficial)TV network: NBCLocation:SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, Cal.Super Bowl 56 is happening at SoFi Stadium, marking the second season in a row that a
Houston Texans Women Jersey team in the Super Bowl has something of a home-field advantage.SoFi Stadium is the home of the Rams, so expect them to have something of a home-field advantage even if the NFC championship game.MORE: Super Bowl 56odds, line, spreadOpening spread:Rams -3.5Moneyline:Rams -200/Bengals +162Over/under:50The Rams opened as slight favorites
J.J. Watt Jersey over the Bengals , as 3.5-point favorites.Both teams have high-powered offenses, so the 50number makes sense and it's a very tantalizing, tough bet to figure either way.How many times have the Bengals been to the Super Bowl?The Bengals have been to the Super Bowl two other times: In 1981 and 1988, and have no Super Bowl victories.Ken Anderson was the QB for the '81 team: The Bengals faced the 49ers in the Super Bowl, losing 26-21.Boomer Esiason was under center for the 1988 squad. In Super Bowl 23, Joe Montana and San Franciscoonce again downed the Bengals, 20-16.MOST SUPER BOWL WINS:|How many times have the Rams been to the Super Bowl?The Rams have been tofourSuper Bowls before 2022, last appearing in a Super Bowl in 2019 to face the Patriots.They're looking for their
J J Watt T Shirts first Super Bowl victory since 2000, when Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and "The Greatest Show on Turf" knocked off the Tenne see Titans in Super Bowl 34, 23-16.They've also appeared in the Super Bowl in 1980, 2000, 2002 and 2019.
The USFL got off to a see-saw start, with the league's host team, the Birmingham Stallions, escaping their first game with a 28-24 victory over the New Jersey Generals on Saturday night.After explosive starts by both sides that featured opening-drive touchdowns, the offenses were stymied until late in the second half.Neither side scored more than seven consecutive points throughout the game as they struggled to establish and maintain momentum on offense. They both reinvented themselves at halftime, however, as weather became a factor.BENDER: The Stallions came out of
Buffalo Bills Accessories the halftime locker room without quarterback Alex McGough, who suffered an injury in the first half. J'Mar Smith came in and, despite some early jitters, finished 11 of 21 pa sing for 156 yards and produced a pair of touchdowns (one rushing, one pa sing). The rushing touchdown gave Birmingham the lead with 23 seconds left.New Jersey quarterback De'Andre Smith got most of the reps in the second half after a good start by Luis Perez. Johnson headed a running game that dominated for much of the second half, but the offense came up just short. The Generals will now look to reload and figure out their dual-QB system.The Sporting News provided live updates of the Generals and Stallions opening the new USFL's first season.Generals vs. Stallions scoreQ1Q2Q3Q4FGenerals7701024Stallions7071428Generals vs. Stallions live updates, highlights from USFL opener(All times Eastern)FINAL: Stallions 28, Generals 2410:49 p.m.: A last play for New Jersey fails, and the Stallions escape with a 28-24 win in the first game of the USFL season. Great job by J'Mar Smith filling in at quarterback and leading Birmingham to a hometown victory.10:45 p.m.: J'Mar Smith takes the lead back for the Stallions, punching in a touchdown with 23 seconds left! Terrific play from Smith who continues to impre s, and the extra point makes
Tyler Matakevich Jersey it 28-24 Stallions.THE STALLIONS RESPOND AND TAKE THE LEAD LATE! : , & USFL (@USFL) 10:43 p.m.: Victor Bolden makes a great block on the outside to spring C.J. Marble for a first down. With 33 seconds left it's 1st and Goal with the Stallions down three.10:39 p.m.: J'Mar Smith is putting together another nice drive for Birmingham, making plays with his legs and his arms. He has the Stallions on the Generals' side of the field with 53 seconds left.10:35 p.m.: An interesting choice by New Jersey to attempt a field goal on 4th and 2. After Nick Rose hooked his first two field goals, he sneaks a 47-yard attempt through the left upright. Great kick to make it 24-21 Generals with 1:49 left.10:32 p.m.: We head into the two minute warning still tied, as New Jersey tries to keep its drive alive on third-and-long. This is the first time in a while the Generals have found themselves behind the sticks, so we'll see what play call they come out with.10:29 p.m.: De'Andre Johnson has looked more and more comfortable making plays with his legs as this game has worn on. Back-to-back first downs on the ground have the generals back in busine s in a 21-21 game.10:24 p.m.: Cary Angeline scores for the Stallions on a dot from J'Mar Smith. Great job by Birmingham to answer and draw even with 5:51 left.THAT'S SIX : , & Birmingham Stallions (@USFLStallions) 10:22 p.m.: Nice job by the Stallions going up-tempo behind J'Mar Smith to convert on a third-and-2. They're cooking with gas as they continue to try to get the ball to their top players, and they're looking to tie the game up as we close in on six minutes remaining.10:15 p.m.: De'Andre Johnson scores on a sweep to the outside for the Generals, putting them back up 21-14 after the extra point. Really well-executed drive, particularly from Johnson in the running game.10:13 p.m.: The Generals are in first and goal now, as Darius Victor continues to have a nice drive. The Generals' RPO behind De'Andre Johnson is effective in the red zone.10:08 p.
Buffalo Bills Golf Sporting Goods m.: On 4th and 4, the Generals run a sweep play to the outside for Trey Williams for a first down. On-field mics pick up a Stallion player telling the officials to "call holding one time."10:06 p.m.: Darius Victor rips off a big run for the Generals early in the fourth quarter, putting New Jersey back in scoring position.9:56 p.m.: J'Mar Smith puts together a nice drive for Birmingham that ends in their first points since the opening po se sion. C.J. Marable punches it in for the Stallions, and they tie the game up 14-14 with the extra point.TOUCHDOWN punched it in : , & Birmingham Stallions (@USFLStallions) 9:52 p.m.: Terrific play from J'Mar Smith under pre sure as he makes a free blitzer mi s and finds Victor Bolden on the outside. Birmingham is looking to get back into this game once again and capitalize on the mi sed field goal.9:47 p.m.: The Generals run a delay for De'Andre Smith coming out of the timeout, and he's stacked up just inside the 10. The Generals mi s the field goal to keep it 14-7, coming away from a 12-play drive with nothing.9:44 p.m.: On third-and-goal, the Generals have to burn their second timeout of the drive as the crowd noise gets to them. Coming out of the, they'll be looking to cap the drive off with a
Gabriel Davis Jersey touchdown.9:39 p.m.: The Generals are slowing things down, running quick-hitting plays with both Luis Perez and De'Andre Smith. This drive has been their most methodical so far, and they're on the Stallions' side of the field.9:35 p.m.: A... choice by the Generals coming out of halftime, as Luis Perez forces a pa s into double coverage that gets broken up. The inclement weather is still a factor, but that's a bad pa s in perfect conditions.9:31 p.m.: J'Mar Smith has his third-down pa s tipped at the line on third-and-8, resulting in another fourth down. The ball goes through the end zone, and the Generals will try to start the second half stronger.9:28 p.m.: Coming out of the half, Birmingham will be without Alex McGough. That means J'Mar Smith will take over at quarterback for the Stallions, as they get the ball out of the half.HALFTIME: Generals 14, Stallions 79:15 p.m.: New Jersey mi ses a field goal heading into the half, taking us to the locker room with the Generals up 14-7. It was an explosive start to the game, but the weather picking up and defenses settling in appeared to slow both offenses down.9:12 p.m.: Great play by New Jersey as the clock
Frank Reich Jersey begins to wind down in the half, as KaVontae Turpin shows off some incredible ha
The Broncos suffered a scare just ahead of their blowout 30-16 win over the Cowboys in Week 9. On Sunday morning, backup quarterback Drew Lock tested positive for COVID-19. And for a moment, it looked like
Trey Hendrickson Jersey starter Teddy Bridgewater might have as well. that both Lock and Bridgewater are vaccinated against COVID, but Lock's positive test ruled him out for Sunday's game in Dallas. Had Bridgewater not been vaccinated or tested positive for the virus, he would have been ineligible to play. So, it was a close call for the Broncos.Bridgewater was tested for COVID before the game on Sunday
Brandon Allen Jersey morning.There was an "error" within his results, so he had to get retested.They tested me (Sunday) morning and there was an error so I had to wait for results to come back, Bridgewater said, per The Denver Post. I didnt have to get swabbed again.MORE: Bridgewater's test ended up being negative. However,if it hadn't been, the Broncos would have been shorthanded at quarterback.We had a scare in the morning," coach Vic Fangio said. "We thought it might be Kendall Hinton, the sequel.Hinton, of course, started a game for the Broncos last season after all of the team's quarterbacks were ruled out after violating COVID protocols. He played quarterback in college but has since transitioned to receiver at the NFL level.MORE: Hinton's one start wasn't pretty. He completed just 1 of 9 pa ses for 13 yards and two interceptions as the emergency starter.That said, the Broncos may not have had to trust him again, as
Tyler Boyd Jersey they have a third quarterback on their roster.If Bridgewater had been ruled inactive, Brett Rypien would have started the game. Rypien appeared in three games for
Clay Johnston Jersey the Broncos last year and made one start. He completed 67.5 percent of his pa ses for 295 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.Starting Rypien may not have been ideal, but it would have been a better option than turning to Hinton again. Of course, it's worth noting that Hinton would have been Rypien's backup, so the Broncos would be one injury away from a nightmare scenario.NFL POWER RANKINGS: Fangio acknowledged he was "nervous" about the po sibility of Hinton seeing action at quarterback, but ultimately, he knew there
Cincinnati Bengals Sleepwear Underwear was nothing he could do about it.Ive gotten better over the years, Fangio said. In fact, Ive gotten really good when things I have no control over (happen);I dont sweat it.Denver was able to dodge that potential me s and playedits best game of the season in a rout of Dallas. They're now sitting at 5-4 on the season and are just a half-game back of the Raiders and Chargers for first place in the AFC West.
Michael Thomas last played in the Saints' lo s to the Buccaneers during the 2021 NFL postseason. He failed to record a catch against the eventual Super Bowl Champions as New Orleans was eliminated in Drew Brees' last game.Since then, therehas been . The veteran receiver spent the offseason attempting to recover from a troublesome ankle injury that plagued him during the 2020 campaign. However, he wasn't able to and opted to have surgery on the injury.
Philadelphia Eagles Pet Gear The one problem: the surgery came so late in the offseason that it guaranteed Thomas wouldn't be able to start the regular season. As such, the Saints have been shorthanded at receiver while waiting fortheir top pa s catcherto make his comeback.The tension between both sides seems to have cooled a bit, and now, Thomas may soon be ready to return to action for New Orleans. It's just a matter of when.Here's what you need to know about Thomas' injury and when you might see him next suit up for the Saints.MNF INJURY UPDATES: | What is Michael Thomas' injury?Thomas is dealing with an ankle injury that he has been nursing since suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season. He mi sed six weeks before returning to action. He later suffered a quad injury and that helped limit him to just seven regular season
Steven Nelson Jersey games.The ankle was still the most troublesome injury for Thomas.He dealt with a torn deltoid, among other ligamentsin his ankle.The Saints wanted Thomas to have surgery early in the offseason to fix the balky ankle. However,Thomas elected to try to heal his injury non-surgically. It didn't work, so he opted to have the procedurein June after reporting to Saints mandatory minicamp.Saints coach Sean Payton wasn'thappy with Thomas' decision to delay his surgery."Well, look, it appears we're gonna have to spend some time without him. It's disappointing," Payton said at Saints training camp, per . "And we'll work through it with the other players that are here. But the surgery took place, and obviously we would've liked that to happen earlier than later. And quite honestly, it should've."SAINTS VS. SEAHAWKS: How long is Michael Thomas out?Thomas was placed on the PUP list to start the 2021 NFL season. That meant he would sit out at least six weeks of action. He was eligible to return in Week 7, but the Saints didn't activate him from the injury list for their game against the Seahawks.It sounds like the Saints' receiver may still need a couple of weeks before he can return to action, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport detailed on an Oct. 18 episode of "NFL Live."Star receiver for the Saints Michael Thomas has been battling that lower leg injury, kind of ankle injury ever since his surgery in
A.J. Brown Jersey the spring, . Im told hes still expected to be a couple weeks away. So that really quick infusion of offense for the New Orleans Saints, doesnt sound like its coming this week or next week.From NFL Now: As the players on PUP are eligible to come off the list and practice, we took a look at some key ones. Of note: WR Michael Thomas is believed to be a few weeks away. Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) Given that timeline, it would seem that Thomas would either return in Week 9 against the Falcons or Week 10 against the Titans.Why does Thomas need to mi s that extra time? Saints beat writer Nick Underhil explained that Thomas would need some time to "ramp up" as he continues to
Philadelphia Eagles Golf Sporting Goods rehab from the ankle injury.I dont think theres a definitive timetable. Ive just been told to expect some time for Mike Thomas to ramp up. Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) Thomas had the surgery to repair his ankle at some point in June. The recovery time for his procedure was , so if he returns in early-to-mid November, he'll have mi sed that timetable by only about two or three weeks.NFL POWER RANKINGS: Saints WR depth chartBelow is a look at how the Saints' wide receiver depth chart has shaken out with Thomas out of action.RankPlayerTotal snaps1Marquez Callaway2242Deonte Harris1023Ty Montgomery1024Kenny Stills865Chris Hogan*686Lil'Jordan Humphrey42* Chris Hogan retired before the Saints' game against the Seahawks.Incredibly, Callaway and Harris are the only two wide receivers with double-digit receptions and more than 100 receiving yards. Callaway has caught 13 pa ses for 222 yards and three TDs while Harris has 12 catches for 236 yards and two scores. The other receivers on the roster have 152 receiving yards on 13 catches.When Thomas does return, the Saints will be in much better shape at the receiver spot. He has averaged 7.3 catches per game during his career.It's also worth noting that Tre'Quan Smith, who had 34 catches for 448 yards and four touchdowns last season, has yet to play for the Saints. Considering those injuries, it's impre sive that the New Orleans' pa sing attack has stayed afloat and earned a 3-2 record in its
Philadelphia Eagles Home Office first five games.
