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The Titans will have to wait at least a week to see their top two draft picks in a regular season game.The team has ruled out linebackers Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry for their game against the Dolphins. Right tackle Jack Conklin and safety Kendrick Lewis will also miss the game.Evans has been dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him off the practice field for most of training camp and the entire preseason schedule. The first-round pick has been limited in practice this week Bruce Matthews Jersey , so it may not be too much longer before he’s cleared for game action.Landry went from limited by an ankle injury on Wednesday to a non-participant in Thursday’s practice. There’s better news for fellow outside linebacker Derrick Morgan as he’s been a full participant in practice this week after having knee surgery last month.Conklin is making his way back from a torn ACL suffered near the end of last season while Lewis is sidelined by a foot injury.The Titans may or may not have tried to trade for Rob Gronkowski The seemingly neverending drama in New England spilled over in to the Titans universe on Friday when Adam Kurkjian, formerly of the Boston Herald, dropped this bomb on Twitter.There is a pretty decent chance that this isn’t accurate. First, Kurkjian’s Twitter bio describes him as a “freelance journalist” so there is a possibility he either has bad information or is simply looking to stir the pot and get his name out there in hopes of finding a full time gig.Second Curley Culp Jersey , almost every Patriots beat reporter has come out since and said this is flat out not true.Now, the wording on those two tweets are worth noting in my opinion. Howe says Gronk was not getting traded “today” and Curran says “imminent” so its possible that all three tweets are true if Kurkjian was reporting something that had happened earlier in the offseason.Either way it sounds like negotiations — if there ever were any — are not ongoing currently. Gronk to the Titans would make sense to some extent despite the presence of their own Pro Bowl tight end in Delanie Walker. GM Jon Robinson has largely been credited as the driving force behind the Patriots drafting Gronkowski in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft and Robinson has already established a track record of believing in his evaluations. He was the key influence in the Pats drafting Logan Ryan in 2013 and also reportedly wanted the team to take Johnathan Cyprien in that same draft. Both were early targets for Robinson in the 2017 free agent class. Robinson trying to land one of his biggest scouting ”hits” in Gronk shouldn’t be surprising at this point. Obviously without knowing what the compensation might have been, its hard to say definitively whether I would have been for or against the trade, but in general I’m in favor of bringing in All-Pro caliber players and figuring out the rest later. You could absolutely design an offense where Gronk and Walker could co-exist and even thrive playing together. Gronk playing the Y position as an inline tight end with Walker becoming the world’s greatest move tight end is a pretty fantastic starting point for an offense. With both being plus run blockers it would have allowed the Titans to be equally as threatening on the ground and through the air to opposing defenses when lined up in 12 personnel. The Titans would be a bonafide matchup nightmare.Alas Delanie Walker Jersey , we will probably never get to see what this combination would look like in two-tone blue, but its at the very least a fun offseason hypothetical.

Bruce Arians is the latest coach entrusted to transform the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers into winners.The 66-year-old came out of a one-year retirement Tuesday to fill the team’s fifth coaching vacancy in a decade.Arians replaces Dirk Koetter Bryan Anger Jersey , who was dismissed Dec. 30 after leading the Bucs to 19 wins and no playoffs berths over the past three seasons.Arians coached the Arizona Cardinals for five years, stepping down after the 2017 season with a 50-32-1 record that included one division title, two playoff berths, three seasons with double-digit wins and one NFC championship game appearance.“Bruce Arians is one of the NFL’s most well-respected coaches over the past two decades and we are excited to have him leading our team,” Bucs owner/co-chairman Bryan Glazer said in a statement.“Throughout this process, we focused on finding the right coach with a proven ability to elevate our players and lead our team forward,” Glazer added. “Bruce has played a large role in the development and career success of some of our league’s best players and we look forward to seeing him continue that work here with our franchise.”The Bucs, who’ve finished last in the NFC South seven of the past eight seasons, haven’t made the playoffs since 2007 鈥?the second-longest drought in the league. They haven’t won a postseason game since their 2002 Super Bowl run under Jon Gruden.Gruden was fired 10 years ago this month.More Tampa Bay Buccaneers newsNFL history: Buccaneers become first team with two female coaches on staffBucs agree to terms with LB Bucannon, WR Perriman, punter Pinion in free agencyBuccaneers reportedly set to sign Breshad Perriman after WRvoided agreement with BrownsBuccaneers re-sign offensive tackle Donovan Smith to 3-year, $41.25 million contractJaguars CB Jalen Ramsey catches a TD on offense as AFC thumps NFC in rainy Pro Bowl in OrlandoArians is the latest in a line of successors that includes Raheem Morris, Greg Schiano, Lovie Smith and Koetter, who landed the job in 2016 primarily because ownership felt his offensive expertise would accelerate the growth of young quarterback Jameis Winston.General manager Jason Licht also interviewed Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards and Dallas Cowboys defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator Kris Richard. None of them have previous head coaching experience.Arians was believed to be the front-runner all along because of his familiarity with Licht, who was vice president of player personnel for two seasons in Arizona before moving to Tampa Bay as GM in 2014.The Bucs fired Koetter after consecutive 5-11 finishes that dropped his three-year record to 19-29.Despite setting franchise single-season records for points, total yards, passing yards and touchdown passes, Tampa Bay lost 11 of 14 following a surprising 2-0 start with upset victories over New Orleans and defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.During Koetter’s stay with the Bucs 鈥?first as offensive coordinator, then as a first-time NFL head coach who retained play-calling responsibilities for most of his tenure 鈥?Tampa Bay posted four of the five most productive offensive seasons in club history.The 2018 Bucs led the league in passing yards and amassed 500 yards total offense five times, yet were just 1-4 in those games. Turnovers and a porous defense were the main culprits.The day after Koetter was fired, Licht made it clear that whoever wound up replacing the coach would inherit Winston as his starting quarterback.“Jameis Winston will be here,” the GM said of the No. 1 overall pick from the 2015 draft, who’s due to earn $20.92 million next season in the final year of his rookie contract.Winston sat out the first three games of this season while serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy and was benched twice after regaining the starting job because of inconsistent play.The 25-year-old has 75 career turnovers, including 58 interceptions. Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles (76) is the only QB who’s turned it over more over the past four seasons.But Winston, who’s 21-33 as a starter and only led the team to one winning season in four years, has not been a bust.He completed a career-best 64.6 percent of his passes for 2,992 yards, 19 TDs and 14 interceptions this season and is already Tampa Bay’s career TD pass leader with 88. He’s only 193 yards shy of replacing Vinny Testaverde (14,820 yards, 1987-92) as the club’s all-time passing leader.The Bucs are counting on Arians to help Winston realize his potential.Among the high-profile quarterbacks he has worked with during a long coaching career are Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer and Andrew Luck. This Buccaneers team is completely mind numbing. They have the number one offense in the NFL, yet couldn’t get their top three receivers involved throughout the entire first half. The defense dug another insurmountable hole in the first half, only to play extraordinary football in the second half. They can’t seem to ever put it all together at once.The offense is clicking, the defense is atrocious. The offense is turning the ball over, the defense is getting three-and-outs. The team is awful in the first half, nails in the second.Mind. Numbingly. Frustrating.The Bucs are now 3-5 on the season and 1-2 in the NFC South. This is after starting 2-0 and 1-0 in the division. For you math majors out there, that means the Bucs have lost five of their last six games. They haven’t gotten a defensive turnover since the Monday night loss against Pittsburgh.Since apparently the Bucs’ defense can’t do it, we’ll go ahead and pick six;Six Topics Suitable For Conversation1.) No, Winston Wouldn’t Have Fared Any Better. For those out there complaining or mocking the quarterback situation, no - I don’t believe for one minute that Jameis Winston would have been any better on Sunday against that Panthers defense than Fitzpatrick was. There is absolutely zero evidence this season that Winston could have played better or turned the ball over less. Something is off with Winston. Whether it’s mental, mechanical, or a combination of the two, Winston needs to get himself figured out first. Maybe then he can go back to helping this team. Some time on the bench may be what he needs. Don’t get it twisted, I’m rooting for #3’s triumphant return. The last thing we need is to see the Bucs have to start over again at the quarterback position. However, right now, Winston hurts more than he helps.2.) Caleb Benenoch Is Not Good. I know, shocking news. Benenoch has no business playing with the starting offensive line. He’s been a turnstile all season long and his tag team partner Evan Smith - who was inactive Sunday - is no better. I find it hard to believe that Alex Cappa hasn’t done enough to warrant a try at guard for this team. There’s no way he’s worse than Benenoch has been.3.) Have A Day, Adam Humphries! Humphries was shockingly the Bucs’ leading receiver on Sunday. Close to his alma mater Clemson, Humphries went off for 82 yards on eight receptions and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Mike Evans Gerald McCoy Jersey , DeSean Jackson, and Chris Godwin were held to a combined five receptions for 88 yards and zero scores. If you’re going to go into a division rival’s house and upset them, you can’t have your top three receivers finish with a game like that. No, Fitz wasn’t magical but the big three left some catchable balls on the turf at Bank of America Stadium.4.) This Defense Is Still Bad. Despite the second half changes we’ve seen since Mark Duffner took over, this defense is still bad. They allowed over 400 yards of total offense again, 179 of them on the ground.They haven’t forced a turnover in five straight games, they had no answer for the misdirection plays run by the Panthers. They’re still just flat out bad. Yes, Duffner has helped a little, but if your dog poops on the floor and you just spray it with Febreeze rather than clean it up, it doesn’t really fix the problem - it just masks it. This defense needs fixing, not masking.5.) Carl Nassib Continues To Be Worth Every Penny. In the only game this season where Jason Pierre-Paul was a ghost, Nassib continues to show he was one of the best acquisitions of the off-season. Nassib had a key sack on Newton as the Bucs were mounting their comeback, forcing the Panthers to punt. Gotta love that kid.6.) Season Is All But Shot. The Bucs desperately needed this win to keep postseason hopes alive. Instead, they’re two games below .500, 1-2 in the division - of which they are now in last place - and 2-3 in the conference. The Redskins are on the horizon, which is another winnable contest, but the hourglass is just about out of sand on this 2018 team - and staff.Six Numbers To Consider21 - Number of Bucs turnovers this season, most in the NFL-15 - Bucs turnover differential, worst in the NFL1 - Number of receptions by Mike Evans after having a monster game in Cincinnati last week17 - Touchdown passes by Fitzpatrick this season, ten more than he has interceptions2 - Number of games this season that JPP doesn’t have a sack - still on pace for 16 on the season35 - Points by Carolina in the first half, the most in their franchise’s history for a halfSix Hot Takes1.) Fitzpatrick Won’t Be Benched Again This Season - It’s time for Jameis to sit back on game day while he figures out what is wrong with him. Right now, Fitz gives the team the best chance to win. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. Winston’s footwork is bad, his decision making is the worst it has ever been, and he’s hurting the team. Hopefully, this benching will light the fire under him that makes him the quarterback he has the talent to be.2.) The Staff Is Gone - Koetter and his crew are likely out of here. Barring a massive, miracle turnaround, the Glazers gave Koetter their vote of confidence after a terrible season last year. It’s been more of the same in 2018 and they’re likely going to have a quick trigger finger. No, they won’t fire him in season. That’s not their style. But I believe they clean house, except for...3.) Jason Licht Is Staying - Licht, overall, has done a good job. He’s brought in solid pieces, drafted well overall (I swear, the next time I hear the name Aguayo, I’m gonna snap. No GM bats 1.000 in the draft. It was a dumb move. They cut him. Move on and get over it.) Not only that, but there’s a very intriguing coach on the open market that Licht has a relationship with - Bruce Arians. Arians has worked wonders with quarterbacks and he loves Jameis. Licht could put it all on the line, saying “Let me get Bruce. If that doesn’t work, I’m gone.” 4.) Cameron Brate, DeSean Jackson, and Adam Humphries Will Be Gone After The Season - If Winston’s fifth year option is indeed kept, the Bucs will need to clear some cap space. He and DJax obviously have problems - whether that’s strictly on the field or not - and cutting him saves the Bucs’ $10 million. All of Brate’s guaranteed money is in this season and O.J. Howard has clearly asserted himself as this team’s full time tight end. As for Humph, it’s hard to see them re-signing him. JPP has to stay and he will cost some serious cash. With as deep as the Bucs are at receiver, they could let those two walk and draft another to keep the cap a little more flexible.5.) The Bucs Will Have To Draft O-Line In The First Round - As bad as the defense has been, the offensive line is every bit as bad, if not worse. You can’t invest in a quarterback or a running back when there’s no time and no lanes. Demar Dotson is nearing the end of his career, Benenoch/Smith is a disaster. The whole right side is a mess. The Bucs will have to invest a top pick - or spend big money in free agency - to try and get that right.6.) Kwon Alexander Will Still Get His Big Extension - Forget the franchise tag, Kwon will still get his contract. The injury sucks and it puts his future a bit in question, but torn ACL’s aren’t what they used to be. Guys come back stronger than ever. For Kwon, you see every snap he’s not on the field just how important he is. The Bucs are going to want to get it done and they’ll find a way to get him extended before free agency begins in March.Six Best Tweets (In No Particular Order)Six Super Bowl Bets(As always, the Sunday Night game has not finished upon compiling this list)1.) Los Angeles Rams - Struggled in New Orleans, but still the best team in football2.) New Orleans Saints - Gave the best team in football all they wanted and then some. Nothing but fire since losing week one3.) New England Patriots - No team in the AFC I trust more when push comes to shove4.) Kansas City Chiefs - Mahomes is so much fun to watch5.) Carolina Panthers - They find a way to win - week in, week out25.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - This is just a bad team. No more sugar coating it.Six Final WordsPlayoff Hopes Have All But Evaporated

The San Francisco 49ers lost another started to injury Dante Pettis Jersey White , with free safety Adrian Colbert suffering a high ankle sprain in the team’s Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers placed him on injured reserve Monday evening, which coincided with the re-signing of free agent quarterback Tom Savage.Colbert has dealt with a couple injuries this season, and when he has gone down, rookie D.J. Reed has moved into the lineup in his place. Reed has played some slot corner as well, but the vast majority of his defensive snaps have been at free safety.On Monday, head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Reed would get the first chance at the free safety. However, he also said DB Jimmie Ward would get an opportunity once his hamstring is healed. Ward suffered a hamstring injury in the 49ers loss in Green Bay, and was a DNP all week in practice. The team returns to practice on Wednesday George Kittle Jersey , at which point they’ll have a better idea of where Ward is for this week.Colbert got his opportunity last season as a rookie due to multiple injuries across the safety depth chart. Reed will likely be starting this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, and has a chance to build on a solid start thus far. He’s made his share of mistakes, but PFF has graded him out well in coverage. Shanahan had this to say about Reed’s work thus far when he’s played the free safety position.Reed has already gotten his feet wet, so he would not be going into Sunday’s game blind. The 49ers face a Cardinals pass offense that is among the worst in the league thus far. Head coach Steve Wilks fired his offensive coordinator, Mike McCoy, and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Byron Leftwich. It’s hard to tell what this will mean for the 49ers game. The Cardinals passing attack cannot perform much worse than it has thus far, but how much it will improve is uncertain at this point.Joshua Garnett, Jaquiski Tartt sit out practice Solomon Thomas Jersey , Marquise Goodwin, Ahkello Witherspoon listed as limited The San Francisco 49ers released their first practice participation report of Week 3, and there are some notable names present and missing. As mentioned earlier, Malcolm Smith returned to practice and was not even included in the “full participant” list. That suggests he is 100 percent, and should be good to play this Sunday.Safety Jaquiski Tartt was a DNP after injuring his shoulder late in Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions. Tartt dealt with the shoulder injury previously, so this will be something to monitor. The Thursday session will be key for him getting on the field this weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs. If Tartt is limited, that bodes well. If he is a DNP, that would be problematic for the strong safety position. Antone Exum is the reserve strong safety Brock Coyle Jersey , although conceivably Jimmie Ward could play there as well.Of course, Ward might be needed at cornerback once again. Ahkello Witherspoon struggled and was eventually benched this past weekend, and now is listed as limited with an ankle injury. We’ll have to wait and see what Thursday and Friday bring.Marquise Goodwin was a limited participant as he rehabs his quadricep injury. Meanwhile, Joshua Garnett was a DNP and Mike Person was listed as limited. Person seems set to start Week 3, but Garnett will be one to track on Thursday.

Week 1 of the 2018 NFL season Dontae Johnson Jersey , newly acquired Denver Broncos quarterback Case Keenum throws for 329 yards and a season-high three touchdowns in a 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks.Fast forward..."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections VideosCoffee and CigarettesGame AnalysisThe Numbers GameCigar ThoughtsNFL Trade RumorsLatest NewsReport: Broncos agree to trade Case Keenum to WashingtonNew,24commentsPSTShareTweetShareShareReport: Broncos agree to trade Case Keenum to WashingtonIsaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY SportsWeek 1 of the 2018 NFL season, newly acquired Denver Broncos quarterback Case Keenum throws for 329 yards and a season-high three touchdowns in a 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks.Fast forward to March 2019, and Keenum’s days in Denver are already over.With the Broncos having already traded for former Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco, there was the question of what would happen to Keenum. The answer is to ship him to Washington, swapping late-round draft picks in the process. This will be made official next week when the league year begins.Keenum only threw for 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions on a bad Broncos offense, which led to the firing of head coach Vance Joseph. He was highly sought after thanks to a spirited run as Minnesota Vikings starter in 2017, helping lead the team to the NFC Championship Game, only to be thrashed by the Philadelphia Eagles. Apart from that year Byron Maxwell Jersey , Keenum has historically not been a very good QB, and Elway found out the hard way after signing him to a two-year, $36 million contract.Washington is in obvious need for a quarterback. Alex Smith’s broken leg means he might not even play in 2019 (if ever again), and backup Colt McCoy proceeded to fracture his leg. This isn’t to say that neither Washington nor Denver will still pursue a quarterback early in next month’s draft, but for now you’d assume Flacco is the Broncos’ starter, while Keenum would be the favorite to be the opening day starter for Washington. The Seahawks only have four draft picks at their disposal and they aren’t keeping it a secret that they’d like to move the 21st overall pick in order to boost their total number of selections.They’ve spent some time with a wide receiver who could be on their wish list whether they pull off their attempt to increase their bites at the apple in Nashville later this month or not. Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that the team had former Ohio State wide receiver Parris Campbell in for a visit this week.Campbell caught 90 passes for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and also saw time as a kick returner over his four years with the Buckeyes. He ran the 40 in 4.31 seconds during the Scouting Combine and it’s easy to understand why that kind of speed would appeal to offensive coaches around the league.The Seahawks have Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett at the top of their receiver depth chart, although Baldwin’s going to be focused on rehabbing for the near future after having three surgeries this offseason.

Our old friend Dan Kadar is still pumping out weekly 2019 NFL mock drafts for the SB Nation mothership. His latest mock has the Titans taking Brian Burns Womens Jurrell Casey Jersey , EDGE, Florida State. Here were Dan’s..."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Tennessee Titans Podcast2019 NFL mock draft: Titans get their edge rusherNew,146commentsCSTShareTweetShareShare2019 NFL mock draft: Titans get their edge rusherRob Kinnan-USA TODAY SportsOur old friend Dan Kadar is still pumping out weekly 2019 NFL mock drafts for the SB Nation mothership. His latest mock has the Titans taking Brian Burns, EDGE http://www.thetitanslockerroom.com/authentic-jack-conklin-jersey , Florida State. Here were Dan’s comments on the pick:Burns had a very nice year in Tallahassee with 10 sacks on the season. That was a big jump form his 4.5 in 2017.This pick makes a lot of sense for what the Titans need in 2019. The thought of them lining Harold Landry up on one side with Burns on the other is pretty exciting. I am on board with this pick assuming the Titans are able to solve some offensive problems in free agency. Matt LaFleur shockingly was hired by the Green Bay Packers to be their next Head Coach. I say shockingly because he was terrible in his first year as the Titans OC. I believe Matt LaFleur was not..."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Tennessee Titans PodcastTitans News: Goodnight Sweet EyebrowsNew,15commentsCSTShareTweetShareShareTitans News: Goodnight Sweet EyebrowsChristopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY SportsMatt LaFleur shockingly was hired by the Green Bay Packers to be their next Head Coach. I say shockingly because he was terrible in his first year as the Titans OC. I believe Matt LaFleur was not good in his first year, and I also think it is bad for the Titans to lose him. Having continuity for Marcus is huge and he is now on his 4th OC in 5 years. That’s a recipe that spells disaster for almost all QBs that have to face this challenge. The next OC hire will be vital for not only the future of Marcus Mariota, who will enter the dreaded “make or break season” in 2019 http://www.thetitanslockerroom.com/authentic-marcus-mariota-jersey , but also for Mike Vrabel and JRob.In more positive news, Corey Davis grew in 2018 as a player and as a leader. Jim Wyatt answers questions on the offensive line and how it will change in 2019. Sidenote: Trevor Lawrence put on a show against a terrific Bama defense. Get that guy to be your QB, he’ll win some Super Bowls.

Matt Ryan barked out a play Anthony Nelson Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jersey , took the snap and zipped a pass to the receiver who played his college ball at Alabama.Nope, it wasn't Julio Jones.He's sitting out the team's voluntary offseason program. So it was Calvin Ridley — a first-round draft pick from the Crimson Tide — who got a chance to shine during a 90-minute practice Wednesday.But, for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, it was impossible to ignore the absence of No. 11.So, where's Julio?The Falcons say it's no big deal, even as they talk constantly about the importance building camaraderie and trust in each other during the voluntary offseason workouts, a big part of coach Dan Quinn's much-ballyhooed "Brotherhood ."Jones said his absence has nothing to do with any hard feelings toward the only team he's played with in the NFL, but he's vague about his reasons for staying away and it seems fairly obvious that he's trying to send a message about his desire for a new contract.While Jones still has three seasons remaining on the last deal he signed — a five-year, $71.3 million extension with $47 million in guaranteed money — his average salary is now less than at least a half-dozen receivers around the league. Most tellingly, recent deals with Tampa Bay's Mike Evans and Cleveland's Jarvis Landry seemed to set a whole new financial bar for the NFL's top pass catchers, a list that certainly includes Jones.In addition, he surely took note when the Falcons made quarterback Matt Ryan the league's NFL's first $100 million man , agreeing to a new deal that assures the quarterback of at least that much in guaranteed money and could average out to as much as $30 million annually over five seasons.Rarely flustered, Ryan got a bit testy when asked about missing out on a chance to work with his favorite receiver during OTAs."We'll have our chances to work together," the QB said. "I'm not going to go into it more than that. It's not really anybody else's business."Jones has gone silent on social media and hasn't spoken in months to the Atlanta media, but he did provide some reassuring words to Falcons fans when the gossip site TMZ caught up with him last weekend as he was leaving a swanky restaurant in West Hollywood ."Everyone wants a story right now. There's no story to be told," Jones insisted. "I'm just working on getting myself better. I'm just working on myself right now. That's all that is. There's no bad blood between me and the team or anything like that."Jones insisted that he plans to remain with the Falcons for the rest of his career Womens Anthony Nelson Jersey , echoing a sentiment expressed by owner Arthur Blank."Everybody on the outside (is) trying to look in and trying to destroy what we built there," Jones said. "I'm not going nowhere. I'll be there. I love the team. I love the organization. I love everybody there. I'm good."Still, Jones' decision to skip OTAs has been a major topic of conversation around Atlanta, with fans and sports talk radio weighing in almost daily on his future with a team that reached the Super Bowl during the 2016 season and the second round of the playoffs last season.Everyone can rest easy, Quinn insisted.Jones has assured his coach that he'll be at the team's mandatory minicamp, which is scheduled for June 12-14."The guys who are really close to him, obviously they keep up," Quinn said outside the locker room after practice. "It's not like they don't hang out and talk on the phone and do stuff together. They may not be spending the amount of time here, in the building, that they normally do. But that doesn't mean they don't spend time away from here. So, no issues on our end."I know he's working really hard. I've had contact with him, obviously. We can't wait to get him back, here, with the guys. But he's really putting good work in. I think we'll see the results of that work, hopefully soon."The 29-year-old Jones is a huge weapon in the Falcons' offense , using his rare combination of speed, size and power to shake off constant double-teams. Last season Anthony Nelson Tampa Bay Buccaneers , he had 88 catches for 1,444 yards — his fourth straight season with at least 80 receptions and 1,400 receiving yards. In 2015, he had one of the greatest seasons ever by an NFL receiver — 136 catches (tied for the second most in league history behind Marvin Harrison's 143) and 1,871 yards (surpassed only by Calvin Johnson's record of 1,954) .Ryan certainly recognizes the bond he has with his favorite receiver.They've been together since 2011. They won't be any trouble getting back in sync, Ryan said confidently.As soon as Jones shows up, that is."No concern," Ryan said. "He's always been extremely well prepared coming into seasons, going into games. Talk about being on the same page: we've played together for a long time. When he's healthy and he feels good , like he does right now ... it's very easy to get on the same page. He's so talented. So, we're fine."Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at s://apnews/search/paul%20newberry Broadcast InfoTV:ESPN (8:15 PM ET): Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarland, Lisa Salters (Field reporter) SIRIUS:81 (Pit), 83 (TB) | XM: 226 (Pit), 225 (TB)Buccaneers Notes 鈥B RYAN FITZPATRICK passed for 402 yards with 4 TDs vs. 1 INT for 144.4 rating last week. Is 1 of 3 in NFL history with 4+ TD passes in each of team’s 1st 2 games of season. Joined HOFer DAN MARINO (1984) & BILLY VOLEK (2004) as only players with 400+ pass yards & 4+ TD passes in consec. games in league annals. Has 517 pass yards (258.5 per game) with 3 TDs & 1 INT for 96 rating in his past 2 vs. Pit. 鈥?RB PEYTON BARBER has 60+ scrimmage yards in 3 of past 4 at home. 鈥?WR MIKE EVANS had 65 rec. yards & TD in last meeting. Has 12 catches for 180 yards (90 per game) & TD in his past 2 vs. AFC. Aims for 3rd in row with 7+ catches & TD. WR DE SEAN JACKSON has 275 rec. yards (137.5 per game) & 3 TDs in past 2. Has 23 career TDs of 60+ yards O. J. Howard Jersey , tied with HOFer JERRY RICE for most all-time. Had 6 receptions for 102 yards in his last game vs. Pit. (9/12/16 with Was.). WR CHRIS GODWIN aims for 4th in row with TD. 鈥?DT GERALD MC COY had sack in last meeting. Has 5 sacks in his past 5 vs. AFC. Aims for 3rd in row at home vs. AFC with sack. LB LAVONTE DAVID has 36 tackles, FF & 3 FRs in his past 4 at home. Had 12 tackles & FF in last meeting. Since 2014, leads NFL with 15 FFs. LB KWON ALEXANDER had 7 tackles, sack & FF last week. Has 30 tackles, 2 sacks, FF & 4 PD in past 4 at home vs. AFC. In past 4 at home, has 43 tackles (10.8 per game). DE JASON PIERRE-PAUL had sack in Week 2, his 1st sack with TB. Steelers Notes鈥?QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER completed 39 of 60 (65 pct.) for 452 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 104.3 rating & rushed for TD last week. In last meeting, completed 29 of 40 (72.5 pct.) for 314 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 120.2 rating. Aims for 3rd in row vs. NFC with 300+ pass yards. Has 51,852 career pass yards & surpassed HOFer JOHN ELWAY (51,475) for 7th-most in NFL history.鈥?RB JAMES CONNER had 65 scrimmage yards (48 rec., 17 rush) & rush TD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with rush TD. Has 257 scrimmage yards in 2018, most by NFL RB. Is 1 of 2 NFL RBs (TODD GURLEY) with 150+ rush yards (152) & 3+ rush TDs (3). 鈥?WR ANTONIO BROWN has 70 catches (8.8 per game) for 885 yards (110.6 per game) & 7 TDs in past 8 vs. NFC. Had 7 catches for 131 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. In past 2 on road, has 17 catches for 194 yards & 2 TDs. Aims for 3rd road game in row with TD catch. WR JU JU SMITHSCHUSTER had career-high 13 catches for 121 yards & TD in Week 2. Has 27 catches (9 per game) for 383 rec. yards (127.7 per game) & 2 TDs in past 3. Aims for 4th in row with 100+ rec. yards. TE JESSE JAMES had career-high 138 rec. yards & TD last week. 鈥?LB T.J. WATT ties for 3rd in NFL with 3 sacks. DT CAMERON HEYWARD had 2 TFL & sack in last meeting. Has 3 sacks in past 2 vs. NFC. LB JON BOSTIC has 19 tackles (9.5 per game) in his past 2 vs. NFC.Series HistoryLEADER: Steelers lead all-time series, 8-2 STREAKS: Steelers have won 4 of past 5 LAST GAME: 9/28/14: Buccaneers 27 at Steelers 24LAST GAME AT SITE: 9/26/10: Steelers 38, Buccaneers 13

The 2019 Senior Bowl is officially a wrap Womens Steve Young Jersey , with the North beating the South 34-24 in Mobile, Alabama. The Raiders coached the North, and head coach Jon Gruden took a moral victory in beating the 49ers-coached South roster.Enjoy it, Jon!The 49ers had a busy week assessing players, and one edge rusher in particular enjoyed his time working with 49ers coach Chris Kiffin. Oshane Ximines (Old Dominion) spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Chan, and appreciated the techniques he learned from Kiffin, and said, “I definitely got better in these three days.”Ximines entered the Senior Bowl coming off a huge redshirt senior season at Old Dominion. He had 11.5 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss, to go along with two pass deflections and four forced fumbles. ODU is in FBS, but the level of competition is not the same as you’d see from Montez Sweat, Nick Bosa, and Josh Allen. The Senior Bowl gave Ximines a chance to stand out in facing a higher level of competition in practice. Derrik Klassen noted that Ximines “showed more natural feel for adjusting on the fly and getting by a tackle by any means necessary. Ximines has the speed, creativity, and ample power to be a really intriguing mid-round pass rushing project.”Here’s a rundown of Saturday links following the Senior Bowl!2019 Senior Bowl: Edge rusher Oshane Ximines praises 49ers coaching staff (Chan)2019 Senior Bowl: What coaches, scouts are saying about NFL draft prospects (Maiocco, Chan, Bair)2019 Senior Bowl: Edge rusher Oshane Ximines praises 49ers coaching staff(Chan)Daniel Jones, Ryan Finley among five stars from Senior Bowl(NFL.com)Daniel Jones, Ryan Finley among five stars from Senior Bowl (NFL.com)2019 Senior Bowl Game Recap (Deep Fried Draft)What We Learned About Every Senior Bowl Quarterback (The Draft Network)10 Biggest Winners Of Senior Bowl Week (The Draft Network)5 Prospects Who Hurt Their Stock In The Senior Bowl Game (The Draft Network)5 Prospects Who Improved Their Stock In The Senior Bowl Game (The Draft Network)Five Things We Learned At The Senior Bowl (RealGM Analysis)2019 Senior Bowl: Top performers from Saturday’s game (Draft Wire)10 Biggest Disappointments Of Senior Bowl Week (The Draft Network)Three Senior Bowl Prospects Sending Me Back To The Tape (The Draft Network)Senior Bowl Final: North Wins 34-24 (Bleeding Green Nation)Breaking down the 49ers’ running game success against the Chiefs While the 49ers are still reeling from the loss of their franchise quarterback for their season Deion Sanders Jersey White , it’s probably to shift some focus over to some positive things about the 49ers’ offense. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has always prided himself about having a successful run game and San Francisco is delivering on that this season.Even with top running back Jerick McKinnon sidelined for the entire season with a torn ACL, backups Matt Breida and Alfred Morris have seamlessly stepped in, carrying the burden thus far. After three weeks, Breida is tied for the most rushing yards in the NFL, with Cowboys’ tailback Ezekiel Elliot (274). San Francisco is second in the NFL in rushing yards per attempt (5.6) and second in rushing yards per game (152.7) due to the skill of the running backs, but also in part due to the success of the offensive line. Per Pro Football Focus, 49ers’ rookie right tackle Mike McGlinchey is having a phenomenal season, posting an 84.7 run-blocking grade against the Chiefs and possessing a run-blocking grade of 79.4 through three weeks — which is second in the NFL. Combine that with veteran lineman Joe Staley and Weston Richburg running over defensive linemen and the 49ers’ running backs have wide open lanes.How wide open, you ask? The 49ers have 230 yards on the ground before they are touched by a defensive player — a number that’s second behind Carolina, according to ESPN. Sunday’s contest against Kansas City backs that notion up, as Breida and Morris broke off big runs, their longest being 26 and 16 yards, respectively.On Breida’s biggest run of the day, it was a huge gain due to his creativity on the play. The running lane closes quickly, but the 49ers’ second-year back has a solid presence of mind to cut it back to the left side of the field, where there’s no defenders. That allows Breida to kick it into a higher gear and gain 26 yards on the play.49ers have a lot of success on these misdirection, where they get a wide receiver running across the line of scrimmage to freeze up one of the defensive ends, allowing the blockers to shift in the direction of the run. In this case, it frees up a huge hole for Breida to gain 21 yards. It wasn’t until early in the third quarter that the 49ers found some offensive rhythm Mike Person Jersey , especially in their running game. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo bobbles this snap, but is able to toss it to Breida, who takes it for a 27-yard gain.On this play, the 49ers offensive line does a solid job run blocking, bringing in tight end George Kittle as an extra blocker and allowing fullback Kyle Juszczyk to be the lead blocker. The opening gave way to a six-yard Morris gain on first down. Having positive first downs have been key to sustaining long drives for San Francisco’s offense.Another strong example of the 49ers ability to line up and run block. All the linemen up front hold their blocks, creating a lane for Morris to gain nearly 10 yards before first contact. Then Morris is able to use his physicality to turn it into his longest run of the afternoon.I mean, look at this hole created by the 49ers’ offensive line. You or I could run through that opening for a positive gain. Morris takes that for an easy eight-yard gain and the 49ers have a short second down. Having successful run plays, opens up the dangerous play-action passing game, which is the base of the Shanahan offense.Here’s another wrinkle in the 49ers’ running attack, as Garoppolo hands it to Juszczyk, who has the option of running of the ball or tossing it to Breida. In this case, the 49ers’ fullback does the correct thing, tossing it to Breida. It eventually turns into a nice red zone gain for the 49ers of 13 yards.No matter who’s in the backfield for San Francisco, this offensive line unit is absolutely mauling the defenders and creating wide open running lanes for the backs. Without Garoppolo in the lineup, I’m sure defenses will start to adjust to take away the running game primarily. Defenses should start to stack the boxes with eight defenders and force backup quarterback C.J. Beathard to make throws from the pocket. If the 49ers can continue to run the ball down opposing defenses’ throats then, I’ll be impressed.

Under regular circumstances Jaron Brown Jersey , Frank Clark was great against the L.A. Rams. Under the circumstances he played in, Clark was unbelievable. In the week leading up to the Seattle Seahawks’ game against the Rams, Clark appeared on the injury report with an illness. He was listed as questionable, and the only details revealed was that he was battling food poisoning. Following Clark’s performance against Los Angeles, which featured an interception:A forced fumble: And a wildly emphatic stop on a jet sweep: He shared further details of his week.Between Wednesday and Friday, Clark was forced to go the hospital twice. Additionally, Clark had eight IVs over the course of the week. His battle with food poisoning resulted in him losing 12 pounds.As impressive as Clark played when he was on the field, the week that led up to Sunday clearly took a toll on him. By the time the 4th quarter rolled around, Clark was rarely on the field. Though the worst of it is presumably behind him, with a trans-Atlantic flight just days away, we may see Clark’s stamina be low again in Week 6. And if you’re wondering the culprit of Clark’s food poisoning, he’s got you covered there Barkevious Mingo Jersey , too: The NFL free agency period officially begins Wednesday afternoon at 4 pm New York time, and there has already been a lot of movement around the league. That movement has brought a lot of discussion..."The NFL free agency period officially begins Wednesday afternoon at 4 pm New York time, and there has already been a lot of movement around the league. That movement has brought a lot of discussion regarding comp picks that a team might receive, so this piece is here in order to address many of those questions for the fans who wish to learn more about the comp pick system.Much of this article is cut and pasted from the Q&A on the subject I did last year during free agency, but I have gone through and changed the names of players to update it for relevancy since the best way to learn the workings of a system is through examples.What are comp picks and where do they come from?In the draft there are 256 selections. Each team is initially allocated seven selections in the draft, and those 224 selections comprise the core of the draft. The remaining 32 picks are compensatory picks (“comp picks” for short) that are held by the league and allocated to the teams who suffered the largest net loss of players in the offseason the year prior. The picks are allocated based on a secret formula that the league has never made public, but which many followers of the NFL have reverse engineered to the point where they are able to predict with near certainty which teams will be awarded a pick and in which rounds.In short, the teams which suffer the largest net losses in free agency this season of players who are considered in comp pick calculations this year will be awarded up to four picks from the league’s allotment of 32 comp picks in the 2020 draft.How are comp picks distributed?The way the comp picks are distributed based on a formula. The maximum number of comp picks a team may receive is equal to the net difference between free agents signed and free agents lost, up to a maximum of four. At this point in time, the Seattle Seahawks are set to lose five free agents (Justin Coleman, J.R. Sweezy, Shamar Stephen D.J. Fluker Jersey , Brett Hundley and Mike Davis) and signed none. That means the team is eligible for up to four comp picks at the moment, but that is obviously subject to change in the coming days and weeks.Do non-tendered RFAs count?No. Restricted free agents who are non-tendered become unrestricted free agents. This is exactly what fans saw happen in 2018 when the team non-tendered both Mike Davis and Thomas Rawls. Rawls went on to sign with the New York Jets, but because he had been a RFA who was non-tendered, did not factor in comp pick calculations. Thus, if the Hawks decide not to extend a tender offer to fullback Tre Madden (I do not expect them to do so), then he will become an unrestricted free agent, but would not generate a comp pick for the Seahawks no matter how large a contract he might sign with another team. Do players who are cut count? No. Players who are cut from the roster do not count in the comp pick calculations. That means players like edge rusher Justin Houston, cut recently by the Kansas City Chiefs, could be signed by a team without affecting anything related to comp picks. Do players who had an option year not picked up count?Yes. If a player has a team option in his contract and that option is not picked up and his contract expires, then his contract is considered to have expired completed. Thus, players like Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall or wide receiver Pierre Garcon of the San Francisco 49ers do count in comp pick tabulations.What do things look like as of right now?Probably the leading expert on this matter outside of an employee of the NFL or a front office somewhere across the league is Nick Korte (@nickkorte on Twitter), of OverTheCap.com. Korte has followed and analyzed the comp pick system for years Dontae Johnson Jersey , and is the leading expert on the matter in my opinion. Over The Cap maintains an almost real time comp pick tracker on its website which can be viewed at https://overthecap.com/draft/. For those who don’t want to be bothered with clicking over to their website right now, this is the current projection for comp picks looks like. The way to read that table is to find the team you’re looking for on the left hand side, and then the number next to it is the round of a pick that he projects for that team based on the free agent signed in the third column. The fourth column is the APY of the contract for which the player signed, which is how the round and order of the picks are determined.So, as of this writing, Korte projects the Seahawks to receive four comp picks, with those picks coming for the following players lost:Justin Coleman: 4th round selection projectedShamar Stephen: 6th round selection projectedMike Davis: 6th round selection projectedBrett Hundley: 7th round selection projectedThis obviously does not include J.R. Sweezy because of the fact that the terms of his agreement with the Arizona Cardinals have not yet come out. Assuming the Sweezy contract is somewhere in the $6M-$7M range, that would put the comp pick for him in the 5th round range. If that is indeed the case, it would bump the 7th for Hundley out of the picture and slide in between the picks projected for Coleman and Stephen.If there are any other questions about comp picks, feel free to ask away in the comments section, and I’ll do my best to update this article with the answers when I have a chance.

The mood around the Jets' facility was predictably somber Kenny Vaccaro Jersey , a mix of disappointment and disbelief after another brutal loss.New York blew a 16-0 lead at Tennessee on Sunday before falling to the Titans 26-22, the team's sixth straight defeat in what has spiraled into another lost season. New York is 3-9 with a game at AFC East-rival Buffalo next Sunday, and this latest loss hung like a dark cloud for everyone involved."Frustration, obviously. (Ticked) off, obviously," coach Todd Bowles said during a conference call Monday. "It's one of them games you'll remember for the rest of your life, as a player or a coach, and you'll never forget about it. It can propel you to be better at your job or it can make you go in a shell. I don't think we have those kinds of guys, but of course everybody's frustrated and (ticked) off."Bowles has come under heavy criticism in his fourth season as the losses have piled. While management has not commented on the coach's future, it seems unlikely Bowles will return after this season. He has a 23-37 record and will fail to reach the playoffs in any of his seasons.It appeared the Jets might get a surprising win on the road Sunday, controlling most of the game against the Titans. But Marcus Mariota and Tennessee whittled away at New York's lead before connecting with Corey Davis for an 11-yard go-ahead touchdown with 36 seconds left.The Jets had a chance 鈥?albeit unlikely 鈥?to answer back, but Josh McCown was intercepted by Malcolm Butler to end it."Like I said, this game will stick with me for the rest of my life," Bowles said. "I've been in about three of them, and this will go right up there with them games. You're at your wits' end for a second and then you come back 鈥?How can we get better? What do we've got to do? How can we improve? 鈥?and you go X, Y, Z and you keep on moving, keep grinding."A few Jets players were relayed Bowles' comments, and they echoed the sentiments of their embattled coach."Guys are really sick," nose tackle Steve McLendon said. "Like Coach Bowles said A.J. Brown Jersey , it's one of those games that's really going to stick like glue for the rest of your career. Not just the rest of your career, but the rest of your life."McLendon added that as professional athletes, he and his teammates will try to use the adversity as something to adjust to and move forward from."Are we going to have the right attitude, or are we just going to give up and let adversity get the best of us?" he said. "I think for these next couple of weeks, it most definitely defines the character, the player, the man, the drive, the focus, the want-to, the will, the determination, the commitment. These next couple of weeks are really going to show what kind of man we are through adversity. ... We have to hate losing more than we love winning."Gloomy Monday mornings have been all too common for the Jets the past few seasons, and their current skid has been perhaps the biggest test for the team to stick together.Several players, including safety Jamal Adams and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa, have defended Bowles and stressed that it's on the players to act like professionals and not make so many mistakes and commit penalties. Against the Titans, the Jets were flagged 11 times for 96 yards, including three times on the Titans' final drive.New York's special teams unit had a solid game, with Jason Myers kicking five field goals, Andre Roberts breaking off a few long returns A.J. Brown Tennessee Titans Jersey , and the Jets blocking an extra point and a punt.But, Jeremy Bates' offense struggled to get anything going consistently, finishing with just 280 total yards and going 3 for 14 on third-down situations. The Jets have scored just one touchdown or less in each of the past five games.The defense also wilted late, allowing Tennessee to crawl back into the game 鈥?and win."It's everything when you struggle in any area," Bowles said. "Offensively, you can say we can call better plays, you can say we can play better as players and it's all the above and it's all inclusive. It's frustrating and it's not from a lack of trying or everybody trying."It just hasn't happened and it's extremely frustrating that we can't get touchdowns instead of field goals."The search for solutions has been an ongoing theme for Bowles and his staff, and they're running out of time."You never run out of answers as a coach because you might as well retire," Bowles said. "You can be at your wits' end and be (ticked) off and frustrated and not sleep at night, and you still have to wake up the next day. It's my job to lead them into games the next week and to correct the mistakes and be a leader." Everybody at CBS picked the Colts. I love that because it makes the third straight week that I have seen a graphic where everyone picked against the Titans. The Titans won the last 2 games. No reason they won’t make it 3 in a row today.The line over at MyBookie has dropped all the way down to Titans +1 after opening at Titans +3. That means there are plenty of people out there who have faith in the Titans. Hopefully they can come out and reward those people.This is the biggest game of the year. A win here sets up a huge Monday night game next week against the Texans. Make it happen, boys!Here is everything you need to know about watching the game today:Nuts and boltsLocation: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, INGame time: Sunday, November 18, 2018 | 12:00 p.m. CentralTV channel: CBS (viewing map)Announcers: Andrew Catalon, James LoftonOnline Stream/Replay: NFL GamepassLine: Titans +1If you are new to the site, welcome! We will use this thread as the first half open thread for the game. Terry will have inactives 90 minutes prior to kickoff. We will also have an instant reaction recap and winners and losers after the game tonight.

The controversy over NFL players protesting during the national anthem isn't going away Lavonte David Jersey , despite — or perhaps because of — team owners' efforts to stop players from using the forum to speak out on political causes.The league's attempt to turn responsibility for disciplining protesters over to individual teams backfired Thursday when the Miami Dolphins tried to categorize raising a fist or kneeling during the anthem as "conduct detrimental to the club." That gave them the right to punish a player with a fine or up to a four-game suspension — one game more than Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston got when he was accused of groping an Uber driver.Hours after The Associated Press reported on Miami's rules, the NFL and the players union issued a joint statement saying they were putting any anthem conduct policy on hold to see if they could come up with a compromise. But the owners aren't left with many good ways to defuse the controversy — especially with President Donald Trump fanning the flames by subtweeting Commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday: "The $40,000,000 Commissioner must now make a stand."Here's a look at some of the options:LEAVE IT TO THE TEAMSThe Plan: The league's solution, which the NFL Players Association challenged, was to allow each team to determine whether to punish its own players for protesting during the anthem. The policy adopted in May subjected clubs to fines and required players to stand if they are on the field during "The Star-Spangled Banner," though players could choose to stay in the locker room.This would have given hard-line owners in conservative regions a chance to clamp down while allowing teams in more liberal areas to let their players speak more freely. (Trump called for a season-long suspension for a second violation, a penalty that would violate the collective bargaining agreement.)But the league quickly backed off after the Dolphins' rules leaked.The Winners: None. With players punished in some cities and protesting freely in others, there would always be plenty to complain about for those inclined to do so. And everyone seems inclined to do so these days.The Losers: NFL owners. Any punishment would be destined to divide the locker room and the fandom; should a team actually suspend a significant contributor, it would only be hurting itself. And the guarantee of unequal treatment between and within teams would surely keep the issue in the news for yet another season.GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYThe Plan: Ask players to stand at attention during the national anthem, and hope they do.The Winners: Players, who would retain the ability to call attention to causes they believe in, namely racial inequality and police brutality . And Trump, who gets applause any time he attacks the protesting players as he stumps for Republicans in the November midterm elections.The Losers: NFL owners, or at least those like Houston's Bob McNair who have chafed at the notion of the "inmates running the prison." They would lose control and remain a subject of Trump's ridicule.KEEP PLAYERS IN THE LOCKER ROOM DURING THE ANTHEMThe Plan: Players can't protest during the anthem if they aren't on the field during the anthem. Or so the theory goes. But the demonstrations were never about the anthem itself. They started as a way for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to protest racial inequality and expanded into a leaguewide us-vs.-them after Trump hollered at one rally: "Get that son of a bitch off the field."The Winners: Fans who were triggered by the sight of players kneeling during the song. And players, who could surely find another forum for their protests.The Losers: NFL owners. The president has already said this isn't patriotic enough for him, so there's little hope of him easing up on his criticism. And it would cost them the connection to the flag and country they have worked hard to cultivate.COMPROMISEThe Plan: Other sports worked with their players so that they didn't have to protest to be heard. Maybe the owners make a donation to the players' pet projects, play a video on the scoreboard, or otherwise give them a forum for their concerns.The Winners: Players. It's not about the protest, it's about the cause.The Losers: NFL owners. Even if they could stomach the loss of control, the political intrusion on the sport is bound to alienate some fans.STOP PLAYING THE ANTHEM BEFORE GAMESThe Plan: Join almost every other country in the world and skip the forced display of patriotism that demands players stand at attention while fans check their phones, finish their hot dogs or visit the bathroom. If teams want to honor the military or local first-responders, let them do so — free from marketing deals.The Winners: Fans who don't consider the anthem an integral part of the sports experience, giving them another 90 seconds to spend in game-day traffic without missing anything.The Losers. NFL owners. Concessionaires. And a whole generation of American Idol also-rans.EDITORS NOTE: Jimmy Golen covers sports and the law for The Associated Press. Broadcast InfoTV: FOX (1:00 PM ET): Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth, Jennifer Hale (Field reporter) SIRIUS: 134 (Atl), 105 (TB) | XM: 381 (Atl), 234 (TB) Buccaneers Notes鈥?QB JAMEIS WINSTON completed 34 of 48 (70.8 pct.) for 336 yards with 1 TD vs. 0 INTs for 97.2 rating in Week 16. In his past 3 at home, has 774 pass yards (258 per game) with 6 TDs vs. 1 INT for 100.1 rating. Has 1 Vita Vea Jersey ,236 pass yards (309 per game) with 14 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 120.4 rating in his past 4 meetings. Aims for his 5th in row vs. Atl. with 3+ pass TDs & 110+ rating. 鈥?RB PEYTON BARBER has career-highs in rush yards (805) & rush TDs (5) this season. Had 106 scrimmage yards (82 rush, 24 rec.) & TD catch in last meeting. Has 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.) in his past 3 vs. Atl. Has rush TD in 2 of his past 3 at home vs. NFC South. RB JACQUIZZ RODGERS had 7 receptions for 55 yards & rush TD in Week 16. 鈥?WR MIKE EVANS had 6 receptions for 90 yards & TD last week. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 1,418 rec. yards & 1st averaging 17.7 yards per catch (min. 50 receptions) this season. Has 5 TD catches in his past 6 vs. Atl. In 7 home games this season, has 628 rec. yards (89.7 per game) & 2 TDs. WR ADAM HUMPHRIES tied career-high with 10 receptions for 79 yards last week. Has TD in 2 of his past 3 at home. 鈥?DE JASON PIERRE-PAUL has 2 sacks & FR in his past 4 vs. division. Leads TB with 11.5 sacks this season. Had sack in last meeting. Rookie DT VITA VEA had sack in Week 16. LB LAVONTE DAVID has 10+ tackles in 3 of his past 4. In his past 3 at home vs. Atl., has 29 tackles (9.7 per game) 5 TFL & INT.Falcons Notes鈥?FALCONS had 2 players named to 2019 Pro Bowl: WR JULIO JONES & C ALEX MACK. 鈥?QB MATT RYAN passed for 239 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 126.9 rating in Week 16. In his past 5 vs. TB, has completed 126 of 180 (70 pct.) for 1,562 yards (312.4 per game) with 11 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 116.9 rating. Has 1,617 pass yards (323.4 per game) with 15 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 124.9 rating in 5 games vs. division this season. Aims for his 6th in row vs. NFC South with 2+ pass TDs & 100+ rating. 鈥?RB TEVIN COLEMAN has career-highs in rush yards (755) & scrimmage yards (1,022) this season. In his past 3 vs. TB, has 255 scrimmage yards (85 per game) & 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. TB with TD. RB BRIAN HILL rushed 8 times for career-high 115 yards (14.4 avg.) in Week 16. 鈥?WR JULIO JONES leads NFL with 1,539 rec. yards & ties for 7th with 104 receptions this season. Has 3 career seasons with 100+ catches & 1,500+ rec. yards. Had TD catch last week. Aims for his 4th in row with TD. Rookie WR CALVIN RIDLEY had team-high 90 rec. yards & TD last week. Leads NFL rookies with 789 rec. yards & 9 TD catches. 鈥?LB DEION JONES led team with 14 tackles & had FF last week. Has 34 tackles (11.3 per game), FF & INT in his past 3 vs. division. Aims for his 4th in row vs. NFC South with 10+ tackles. CB BRIAN POOLE had INT in Week 16. Aims for his 3rd in row with INTSeries HistoryLEADER: Falcons lead all-time series, 26-24 STREAKS: Falcons have won past 4 LAST GAME: 10/14/18: Buccaneers 29 at Falcons 34 LAST GAME AT SITE: 12/18/17: Falcons 24, Buccaneers 21 Week 17 Staff PicksLatest line: Falcons by 1.5, over/under: 52.5Gil (10-5): Falcons 24, Bucs 17James (8-7): Falcons 31, Bucs 30Evan (10-5):Falcons 24, Bucs 10Alex (8-7): Bucs 24, Falcons 23Jon (8-7): Bucs 24, Falcons 21Kyle (12-3): Falcons 38, Bucs 20David (7-8): Falcons 28, Bucs 24Bailey (7-8): Falcons 35, Bucs 24Dustin (8-7): Falcons 31, Bucs 28