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OPENING LINE - Panthers by 2 1/2RECORD VS. SPREAD - Carolina 10-7; Dallas 8-7-1SERIES RECORD - Cowboys lead series 9-4LAST MEETING - Panthers beat Cowboys 33-14, Nov. 26, 2015AP PRO32 RANKING - Cowboys No. 16, Panthers No. 11COWBOYS OFFENSE - OVERALL (14), RUSH (2), PASS (26).COWBOYS DEFENSE - OVERALL (8), RUSH (8), PASS (11).PANTHERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (19), RUSH (4), PASS (28).PANTHERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (7), RUSH (3), PASS (18).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Cowboys went 6-2 on road in 2017; Panthers were 6-2 at home. ... Dallas is 38-19-1 in season Color Rush Taco Charlton Jersey openers. ... QB Dak Prescott is 6-1 in last seven road starts with nine TD passes and two interceptions. ... RB Ezekiel Elliott had 1,252 yards from scrimmage in 2017 and nine TDs despite six-game suspension. ... WRs Allen Hurns and Tavon Austin make Dallas debuts with Dez Bryant gone. ... Geoff Swaim gets start at TE with Jason Whitten retired. ... DE DeMarcus Lawrence had career-high 14 1-2 sacks in 2017, tied for second in NFL. ... Cowboys going with K Brett Maher after cutting Dan Bailey http://www.authenticsdallascowboys.com/cheap-antwaun-woods-jersey , NFL's second-most accurate all-time kicker. ... Panthers have made playoffs in four of past five years. ... This is only second time in coach Ron Rivera's eight seasons Panthers will open at home. ... QB Cam Newton led team in rushing last season with 754 yards. Newton has more TDs rushing (54) than any QB in NFL history. ... New WRs include Torrey Smith, Jarius Wright and rookie D.J. Moore. ... RB Christian McCaffrey led team with 80 receptions last season as rookie. ... Backup RB C.J. Anderson joins Panthers after 1,000-yard rushing season with Denver. ... LT Matt Kalil (knee) begins season on injured reserve; Taylor Moton makes first career start in his place. ... LB Luke Kuechly had two INTs and TD return in last matchup. ... DEs Julius Peppers and Mario Addison each had 11 sacks last season. ... DT Dontari Poe replaces Star Lotulelei. ... Rookie CB Donte Jackson will start. ... Fantasy Tip: Rivera wants to get McCaffrey "25-30 touches" per game. Baker Mayfield's first NFL start came inside Oakland's notorious Black Hole.No. 2 will be against some nasty black birds.It can only get easier after this.The top overall pick in this year's draft, Mayfield faces a major challenge in his first career home start on Sunday as the Browns host the Ravens. Baltimore's ravenous, second-ranked defense has not given up a touchdown in the second half this season and made Steelers star QB Ben Roethlisberger look lost last week.Now they get a rookie to feast upon.Mayfield knows what awaits him."Baltimore has obviously been historically a great defensive franchise," he said. "They trust what they are good at, and they are going to run it. They are playing well right now. I expect them to continue to do what they are good at and also throw a couple of wrinkles in there for me."For the most part, Mayfield handled everything the Raiders threw his way a week ago in his first career start, a 45-42 loss in overtime. Showing some of the same poise and playmaking ability that made him a college star, Mayfield passed for 295 yards and two touchdowns. However, he committed four turnovers and the Browns (1-2-1) blew a 14-point lead in the second half and dropped to 2-33-1 in coach Hue Jackson's tenure.Still, Mayfield, who came off the bench on Sept. 20 against the Jets and led the Browns to their first win since 2016, handled the adversity like a seasoned pro and converted a few more doubters into believers.The Browns may have finally found their leader."I think Baker Mayfield is this generation's Brett Favre or John Elway, if you will," Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale said. "This guy knows where he wants to go with the ball Color Rush Brett Maher Jersey , and he's very accurate, has a quick release. He's really playing well. Obviously, he's playing well because they scored 42 points last week against Oakland, and they are the Top 5 of scoring offense. So, I think he's done a nice job filling in, and it seems like they have more rhythm with him as a rookie, every play he's in there."Mayfield's about to face a defense like he's never seen. Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley knows the Ravens well. After spending six seasons with Pittsburgh going up against Baltimore's tenacious defense twice a season, Haley smiled when told about Martindale's praise of his young QB."He's carving a (Pro Football Hall of Fame) bust?" Haley said. "I will hold my stance. I am excited about a lot of the things that he is doing. This week will be a real test. We will know a lot more come Sunday evening."INSIDE INFOLooking to get an advantage on Mayfield, the Ravens watched tapes of his games at Oklahoma and grilled tight end Mark Andrews and tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who were teammates with the Heisman Trophy winner."There's really not that much that those guys can tell you," coach John Harbaugh said. "You kind of talk about it, but I can't really say we've gotten any great information that way, to be honest with you. Honestly, I thought we'd get more."Asked if he watched HBO's "Hard Knocks" to learn more about the Browns, Harbaugh shook his head. Mayfield was prominently featured on the documentary series this summer."I never watch 'Hard Knocks.' Nope. Not a fan, not interested http://www.authenticsdallascowboys.com/cheap-la_el-collins-jersey ," he said, perhaps sending a message he doesn't want to be considered for the series in the future. "Couldn't care less about 'Hard Knocks,' just for the record."ROLLLING ROOKIEThe Browns aren't giving rookie Nick Chubb nearly enough touches. They know it."He has to get some," Jackson said after Chubb rushed for 105 yards on just three carries, and scored on two long runs last week. The Browns intend to increase his workload this week, mixing Chubb in with Carlos Hyde, who has scored five touchdowns but isn't a breakaway threat.Chubb has made the most of his 10 carries, rushing for 146 yards. According to Elias, Chubb is the first back in league history to rush for 100 yards and score two TDs on three runs.SUPER JOEIf Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco's first four games are any indication, he's going to have a fabulous season. He's thrown for 1,252 yards, eight touchdowns and just two interceptions and has quickly developed chemistry with new receivers Willie Snead, Michael Crabtree and Jon Brown.Still, with 12 games left, Flacco and Harbaugh are not looking too far ahead."Through four games, it's a quarter of the season. You could say we're on schedule Color Rush Jaylon Smith Jersey , but we're never satisfied," Harbaugh said. "We have a lot of work to do."Flacco agrees."We're only four games in," he noted. "Obviously, we like some of the stuff we're doing. We can get better at a lot of stuff, like always."TOUGH ASSIGNMENTFor Browns rookie left tackle Desmond Harrison, Sunday's matchup with Pro Bowler Terrell Suggs will be a measuring stick. Hopefully, Suggs doesn't use it on him.Harrison has sought advice from retired Browns star Joe Thomas, who had epic battles with Suggs over the years. The undrafted free agent insists he's not nervous about trying to block one of the league's best defenders."I'm just going to play my game, how I play every weekend, not going to try to do anything different, just stick to the script," he said.

  No more debate about whether Earl Thomas will practice or not Womens Michael Brockers Jersey , or whether a trade is coming.With Thomas gone for the year with a broken leg, the Seahawks are finally clear that Tedric Thompson is their starting free safety going forward."We're excited about his play and he's just growing. He's really mature about stuff, he's really worked hard to understand the scheme and the principles of what we want and he plays really strict and disciplined football," coach Pete Carroll said. "You put that all together, it makes for a chance to be a very productive player."Thompson will make his first NFL start Sunday when the Seahawks host the unbeaten Los Angeles Rams, and there could be no bigger test for a defensive back than facing the top passing offense in the league.Seattle got a good look at Thompson during the offseason and through training camp when he took the majority of the starting reps at free safety while Thomas was holding out because he was unhappy with his contract situation. Thompson played well in each of the first three preseason games and the Seahawks felt comfortable that if Thomas didn't return, or if a trade was made, they could go into the season with Thompson as their starter.Now, the Seahawks don't have a choice. It's Thompson's job for the foreseeable future."He's a very hungry guy and we know he's going to come out there and be excited," linebacker Bobby Wagner said. "He knows that people are probably going to be looking at him and I think he's up for the challenge."Thompson was a fourth-round pick by the Seahawks in 2017 and he was pegged as a potential starter from the outset. They liked his ability to make plays on the ball in space, even if he doesn't have the same kind of speed and coverage range as Thomas. He may not be like Thomas in having that rare ability to cover sideline-to-sideline www.losangelesramsteamonline.com , but he has enough that the Seahawks don't believe there will be a major drop off."He's done everything right to be in this position. Before Earl came back he was the man we had put our faith and trust in. It wasn't blind faith. It was stuff we had seen all through camp. He was showing up making plays," strong safety Bradley McDougald said. "It gives me confidence to know who is behind me. Coming into this game there is no question I know what to expect from Tedric."Wagner noted that when Thomas returned in time for the opener at Denver, Thompson had one of his best weeks of practice. Thompson didn't make an issue about possibly losing out on a significant opportunity just because Thomas was back. And now his chance is here, for the rest of this season and possibly beyond with the likelihood Thomas goes elsewhere following the season as a free agent.Even after Thomas returned, Thompson got on the field both in brief stints at free safety and in a few packages where Seattle goes with three safeties.Thomas' message when he spoke with Thompson this week was simple: "Have fun. Play with confidence.""I feel pretty comfortable with the fact that I know I have the trust coming from my teammates," Thompson said. "I feel pretty comfortable."NOTES: Starting DE Frank Clark missed his second straight day of practice due to illness. But the Seahawks saw RB Chris Carson return to practice in a limited fashion after missing last week's game due to a hip injury. The Seahawks remain optimistic Carson will be able to play Sunday. Rams React To Thousand Oaks Shooting | CBS LASome things are more important than football. The tragic events in Thousand Oaks overshadow what should be a great NFC West matchup this Sunday. Horns, and prayers, up.Rams CB Marcus Peters has a message for Saints coach Sean Payton: Tell him ‘to keep talking that s—’ | Sporting NewsPersonally, if I was Sean Payton, I’d take Peters up on his offer and keep talking. Until #22 starts making some positive plays for the Rams, I’m not so sure he should be the one flapping his gums. Gumbo for one Los Angeles Rams T-Shirt , Marcus. To go.Goff Making Plays in Different Ways as Rams Prepare for Seahawks | Rams OfficialWhile it’s true that Goff has looked a little more comfortable running with the ball lately, don’t expect him to suddenly channel Michael Vick. Yes, it’s ok to call him “Crazy Legs” Goff.Opposing View: Seahawks HC Pete Carroll Has Established Offensive Identity with Run Game | Rams Official Truth. Carrol’s Seahawks rushed for nearly 200 yards against the Rams in the previous matchup. When much of the offseason chatter was about how poor their offensive line would be, Seattle has quietly built an effective ground game.Whicker: It’s a different circus, but Jared Goff’s Rams and Kurt Warner’s Rams resemble the same animal | OC RegisterWhile the GSOT teams played in a different era of pro football, those offenses took the NFL by storm. Mark Whicker makes some interesting comparisons between those teams and the latest incarnation of the Los Angeles Rams.Too conservative on play calls? Seahawks OC Brian Schottenheimer answers that, and other questions Thursday | Seattle TimesNo way! Schotty going conservative?! He’s a GENIUS/MASTERMIND/OVERLORD OF ALL THINGS OFFENSIVE FOOTBALL. Seahawks Know Continuing Running Game Success Will Be Crucial In Week 10 at Rams | Seahawks OfficialFrom the Hawks’ official site, a hot take: we ran it well last time and almost won, so if we do that again, we also might almost win. Something tells me the Rams might be waiting for them this week.Robert Woods has become one of the most underrated WRs in the NFL | RamsWireSo steady. So smooth. So... invisible. Cam DaSilva breaks down some numbers on Rams WR Robert Woods and his quietly dominant season.Los Angeles Rams: 4 bold predictions for Week 10 against the Seahawks | FanSidedBold in the way that A-1 Bold is bold. Meaning, you know Los Angeles Rams Hats , not really all that bold. More like a pinch of cayenne and a squeeze of lime. But go on, FanSided, speak your truths.Pharoh Cooper not certain to be activated off IR, get return job back | RamsWirePretty sure everyone has been thinking it — now someone’s finally saying it. While I’m not overly impressed with Blake Countess on kickoff returns, the Rams have a real find in PR JoJo Natson. Anyone else reach for the Depends when the thought of Cooper returning a kickoff in a playoff game comes to mind?Sean McVay taps the brakes on Aqib Talib being ready for Week 13 | RamsWireThis is a bit of a non-story, but some detail on Talib’s return just the same. Players are supposed to say they’re coming back right when eligible, and coaches are supposed to go “Well wait a minute, we need to go through the process of....” Tell you what: if the Rams D gets embarrassed in Mexico City like we all know they might, there’s 0% chance Talib isn’t ready to roll Week 13.

On Thursday morning, the Bears eliminated any whiff of doubt. Trubisky is officially inactive, which means Chase Daniel will make his first start since he was with the Chiefs in 2014. Tyler Bray was Authentic Cody Parkey Jersey summoned from the practice squad to serve as the backup.Fullback Michael Burton, offensive lineman Rashaad Coward, wide receiver Javon Wims, tight end Adam Shaheen, defensive tackle Nick Williams and linebacker Aaron Lynch are also inactive for Chicago.Running back Kerryon Johnson and wide receiver Marvin Jones were ruled out on Friday, but defensive end Ziggy Ansah, cornerback Darius Slay and defensive tackle Damon Harrison are all playing after being listed as questionable. Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, cornerback Teez Tabor http://www.bearsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-anthony-miller-jersey , defensive end Kerry Hyder, tackle Andrew Donnal and wide receiver Brandon Powell round out the inactive list. Kicker Jason Sanders turned teammate Kenyan Drake's fumble into a footnote.Drake lost the ball when the Miami Dolphins were on the verge of victory, but thanks to Sanders it didn't matter. The rookie made a 47-yard field goal as time expired in overtime Sunday for a 31-28 victory over the Chicago Bears.Miami's Brock Osweiler threw for a career-high 380 yards and three touchdowns subbing for Ryan Tannehill, who sat out because of an injured throwing shoulder."Today felt like a heavyweight title fight," Osweiler said. "What this team did today was so special. Nothing was perfect, but in the end we found a way."The Dolphins took the kickoff to start overtime and marched 74 yards, but Drake fumbled just before crossing the goal line. Eddie Goldman recovered for the Bears.They drove to the Miami 35, but former Dolphin Cody Parkey was wide right on a 53-yard field goal try with 2 minutes left. Drake then had a 15-yard reception to help set up Sanders' field goal.When the ball sailed between the uprights, Drake sank to both knees on the field and bowed his head in gratitude and relief."That's the great thing about this sport and this team: When you're down, you're never out Roquan Smith Jersey ," Drake said.Albert Wilson turned two short passes into long touchdowns in the fourth quarter for the Dolphins, who overcame an 11-point deficit in the final 16 minutes of regulation."It was definitely a roller coaster," Wilson said.Miami (4-2), which began the day tied with New England for the AFC East lead, ended a two-game losing streak. Chicago (3-2) had a three-game winning streak snapped but remained atop the NFC North."Games like this sting," receiver Allen Robinson said. "It stings for everybody."The Bears' offense came alive after they trailed 7-0 at halftime. Miami then rallied from a 21-10 deficit to tie the game twice and force overtime.Mitchell Trubisky threw for 316 yards and three second-half touchdowns, but the Bears were hurt by two turnovers in the red zone. Jordan Howard lost a fumble at the 1, and Trubisky was intercepted in the end zone by T.J. McDonald.Trubisky a threw a 29-yard pass to Anthony Miller for a go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter, but Miami needed only one play to tie it again, with the dynamic Wilson weaving through the secondary for a 75-yard score.Wilson earlier scored on a 43-yard catch and run."Once I get going Authentic Allen Robinson Jersey , I'm going to make guys miss," Wilson said.Chicago's Tarik Cohen scored on a 21-yard run and had a 50-yard catch and run. Kyle Fuller had two interceptions, the second of which set up a Bears touchdown.But Miami contained Khalil Mack, ending his streak of at least one sack and one forced fumble in every game this season. The Bears, who were averaging 4 sacks per game, totaled none."That ain't what you expect with what we have up front," said Mack, who was slowed by an ankle injury suffered early in the game.Miami netted 541 yards without Tannehill, who had been nursing a shoulder injury for several weeks. He worked out before the game, and it was then decided he should sit.Frank Gore rushed for 101 yards. Osweiler http://www.bearsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-howard-jersey , who signed with Miami as a free agent in March, went 28 for 44 and led the Dolphins to their highest point total of the year."That's why he's here," coach Adam Gase said. "He treats it as though he's going to have to go in the game, so that puts him in a great position."INJURY REPORTDolphins: Miami had two defensive ends inactive and lost Jonathan Woodard (concussion) in the second quarter.Bears: CB Prince Amukamara (left hamstring) left in the second half.ANTHEMDolphins receivers Wilson and Kenny Stills kneeled during the national anthem, and defensive end Robert Quinn stood with a raised fist, as they've done at earlier games this season. No Bears demonstrated during the anthem.UP NEXTBears: host New England next SundayDolphins: home against Detroit next Sunday.Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: ://Steve_Wine

Shawn Williams is the most recent Bengal to exit Sunday’s game against the Steelers. The safety has been ruled out with concussion.He had exited the game before the Bengals’ goal line stand in the third quarter http://www.bengalscheapstore.com/clint-boling-jersey-cheap , but he returned the next drive. Then he was run over by Pittsburgh running back James Conner. Following that, the trainers walked Williams back to the locker room where he was being looked at for a concussion. He was replaced by Clayton Fejedelem who was replacing Jessie Bates III. Bates returned to the game after being evaluated for a concussion himself.The Bengals are already thin in the secondary as William Jackson was already iffy to play coming into the game, Darqueze Dennard has been ruled out with a shoulder injury and Bates already leaving the game once already.We will update as more information becomes available.Bengals Bytes (9/30): Sundays are for the birds 1 on 1: CBS Analyst Bruce Arians on Bengals vs FalconsCBS Analyst Bruce Arians joins Bengals.com's Marisa Contipelli to preview Cincinnati's week 4 match-up against Atlanta.BX: Bond unbroken with 2012 Bengals' skill playersBreaking Cincinnati news, traffic Cheap Joe Mixon Jersey , weather and local headlines from The Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper.Cincinnati Bengals Dre Kirkpatrick expects big test vs. FalconsBengals travel to Atlanta for 1 p.m. game SundayMedia Roundtable: Bengals-Falcons In Points Fest?With the Bengals trying to salvage a split of their already turbulent swing through the NFC South Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Channel 12) in Atlanta, the Bengals.com Media Roundtable huddled in an effort to decide if the Bengals’ 2-0 start...Random Bytes:Patriots cut former Browns first-rounder Corey Coleman for the second time in two weeks - CBSSports.comIf you can keep Coleman's 2018 journey straight, you deserve an award.Before new ad campaign, Nike almost dropped Kaepernick – ProFootballTalkThe month began with Nike rolling out a major ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. Before that Youth Alex Redmond Jersey , the company almost severed ties with him. As explained by Julie Creswell, Kevin Draper, and Sapna Maheshwari of the New York Times, Nike debated severing ties with Kaepernick in the summer of 2017...Panthers sign S Eric Reid Cheap John Ross Jersey , whose collusion case vs. NFL apparently remains intact | Pro Football WeeklyProving collusion still could happen even though Reid has signed with Carolina

 Both of these teams will be looking to extend their current winning streaks to three games Chuck Foreman Jersey , and as Eric detailed earlier this week, a win for Minnesota would be their first ever victory at the home of the Jets.So, how can you keep track of all the action this Sunday? Well, we’ve got all of that information right here for you in one place.Television InfoThis weekend’s game will be carried by FOX affiliates, which means KSTP-9 in the Twin Cities. Kickoff time is scheduled for noon Central time on Sunday afternoon, and the play-by-play combo for this one will be Thom Brennaman and Chris “Yes, I’m Rick’s brother” Spielman. If you are outside of the Twin Cities area and wondering if your local FOX affiliate will be carrying this one, you can check out the map below from 506 Sports. The Vikings/Jets game is shown in blue.If you are looking for this one on the DirecTV Sunday Ticket package, you’ll want to point the box to Channel 709.For our friends in the United Kingdom, this game will be aired on Sky Sports, specifically on Sky Sports Action. Kickoff time for those folks will be 6:00 PM UK time.As far as our men and women in uniform overseas, we’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the American Forces Network will actually be showing this week’s game! The bad news is. . .well Stefon Diggs Color Rush Jersey , you’ll have to wait for a Monday morning replay because they won’t be airing it live. Kickoff is scheduled for 0700Z on Monday, which translates to 0800L for everyone in Central Europe, 1030L for viewers in Afghanistan, and 1500L for fans in Japan and Korea.Radio InfoIf you’re not going to be anywhere near a television for this one, you’ll be able to hear the call from Paul Allen and Pete Bercich on the Vikings Radio Network. That link goes to a list of Vikings Radio Network affiliates across the Upper Midwest. See if yours will be carrying the game. There are a couple of other places you can find it online as well, including the TuneIn radio service as well as the KFAN site (if you’re on a desktop or laptop computer only. . .it won’t work on phones or tablets).For those that have satellite radio, you can find the Vikings Radio Network feed on Sirius Channel 106. If you have XM Radio, you can hear the game on XM Channel 231, but be advised that feed is going to be the Jets’ radio announcers. If you’re using the SiriusXM Online App, the Vikings’ permanent home there is Channel 819.Referee InfoPer the good folks at Football Zebras, the officiating crew for this week’s contest will be headed up by Shawn Smith. This is Smith’s first season as a lead official, and his first contest involving the Minnesota Vikings in that capacity.Weather InfoAccording to our friends at WeatherNation https://www.minnesotavikingsshop.com/Brett-Favre-Jersey , it looks like tomorrow is going to be cool and a bit on the breezy side in East Rutherford. They’re looking for some rain overnight and into the early hours of Sunday morning, but that will clear up by game time. Temperatures at kickoff are forecast to be in the mid-40s, with winds coming out of the northwest at 15-20 miles per hour. It appears those conditions will persist throughout Sunday’s game.Streaming InfoThere are several legal subscription services that are available in order to stream the game legally. Among them are Fubo.tv, USTVNow, and Sling TV. If you’re overseas, your best bet is going to be NFL GamePass.Since it has recently been brought up, I want to make it perfectly clear that streams from Reddit or other places are not. . .I repeat, not. . .legal. If you’d like to argue about that, you can argue it somewhere else, because the moderators won’t listen to that garbage. Until Reddit, or anywhere else, has a deal with the National Football League Alan Page Jersey Black Friday , those streams are illegal and not welcome to be put up on this site. If you want to use them, go find them on your own and don’t be plastering them in the comments section here unless you’d rather not be in the comments of the Game Thread. . .or any other thread. . .here at DN.That should be all of the information you need in order to keep track of all the action from MetLife Stadium between the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets on Sunday afternoon. We’ll have our Open Thread for the first quarter up about an hour before kickoff or so, and we hope that you’ll join us here for all of the fun! Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph made one of the biggest plays of Sunday’s 23-21 win over the Eagles when he grabbed a ball knocked out of Carson Wentz‘s hand and returned it 64 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of the game.At 6’4″ and 329 pounds, Joseph doesn’t fit the usual profile of players who score touchdowns of that length. Judy Battista of NFL Media passes along that he’s the biggest player to score a touchdown of at least 60 yards since Shaun Rogers did it with the Lions in 2007.After the game, Joseph said he appreciated the chance to show off his previously unappreciated athletic ability.“I mean, I consider myself an athlete but I feel like everyone got a chance to see that I am faster than what I look,” Joseph said, via a transcript of his postgame media session.Joseph also got a chance to show off a pretty sharp sideline look when he matched an oxygen mask with sunglasses while on the bench after his score, so it was a winning day across the board for the veteran tackle.

 Or they may not.Receiver Stefon Diggs (knee) and cornerback Xavier Rhodes (hamstring) are both questionable for the Week 13 game against the Patriots.Diggs emerged from Sunday night’s win over the Packers with a non-obvious knee injury; Rhodes had an obvious hamstring pull late in the game https://www.patriotsfanstore.com/Stephen-Gostkowski-Jersey , prompting him to fall over backward and to clutch at his upper thigh/lower butt.Coach Mike Zimmer told reporters on Friday that Rhodes has a habit of suffering injuries that seem worse than they are.“Everybody knows that,” Zimmer said, via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “That’s just Xavier. I have a few nicknames for him.” (Wild guess: X-Ray-vier is among the non-profane options.)Also questionable for the Vikings are cornerback Mackensie Alexander (knee) and receiver Brandon Zylstra (unspecified, for now). Receiver Chad Beebe (hamstring) and tight end David Morgan (knee) are out. NEW ENGLAND (5-2) at BUFFALO (2-5)Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPNOPENING LINE — Patriots by 11RECORD VS. SPREAD — New England 4-3, Buffalo 3-4SERIES RECORD — Patriots lead 72-43-1LAST MEETING — Patriots beat Bills 37-16 Matthew Slater Color Rush Jersey , Dec. 24, 2017LAST WEEK — Patriots beat Bears 38-31; Bills lost to Colts 37-5AP PRO32 RANKING — Patriots No. 2, Bills No. 28.PATRIOTS OFFENSE — OVERALL (10), RUSH (13), PASS (14).PATRIOTS DEFENSE — OVERALL (25), RUSH (21), PASS (25).BILLS OFFENSE — OVERALL (31) Ryan Allen Jersey , RUSH (19), PASS (32).BILLS DEFENSE — OVERALL (4), RUSH (16), PASS (4).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Patriots 31-4 in past 35 against AFC East-rival Bills, and Tom Brady holds NFL career-wins record by quarterback against one opponent with 28-3 record. … Patriots are 7-0 in night games against Bills, including 56-10 win at Buffalo on Nov. 18 Danny Shelton Jersey Black Friday , 2007. … Patriots have scored 21 or more points in first half in each of past four games this season to match franchise-best streak, and facing Bills, who have allowed 24 or more points in first half three times. … Brady’s 15 wins at what’s now New Era Field are tied for third with Tyrod Taylor and Drew Bledsoe since stadium opened in 1973. Only Jim Kelly (59) and Joe Ferguson (46) have won more at Orchard Park, New York. … Brady’s 575 career TDs passing (including playoffs) are four short of matching NFL record held by Peyton Manning. Brady’s also four short of matching Brett Favre’s 508 for second-most regular-season TDs passing. Manning stands first with 539. … With six TDs receiving, James White is one short of becoming 10th RB to score seven in one season since 1970. … Special teams matched team record by scoring two TDs against Chicago on WR Cordarrelle Patterson kickoff return and LB Kyle Van Noy returning blocked punt. … Bills retiring Hall of Fame RB Thurman Thomas’ No. 34 at halftime. … Bills’ 81 points through seven games are fewest since 1977 (75 points) and third fewest in team history. … QB Derek Anderson to make second consecutive start in place of rookie Josh Allen (sprained right elbow). Anderson’s 175 yards passing against Colts most by Bills in four games, but he also threw three interceptions and lost fumble. … Bills RB LeSean McCoy cleared concussion protocol and is expected to play. … WR Zay Jones has Bills-leading 226 yards receiving through seven games, 2 yards more than Josh Gordon has in only four games with Patriots. … Buffalo hasn’t topped 20 first downs in seven straight games https://www.patriotsfanstore.com/Jason-Mccourty-Jersey , matching worst streak since first seven games of 2007. … Bills allowed season-most four TDs passing against Colts, and have surrendered 13 overall — one short of last year’s total. … Buffalo failed to generate turnover against Colts after combining for 11 (six fumbles, five interceptions) in previous four outings. … Fantasy tip: White’s dual threat will test young LBs, after Colts RB Marlon Mack had 126 yards rushing and TD and 33 yards receiving and TD. Patriots’ defense are must start against anemic offense that has scored just seven touchdowns, two in past four games.

“This is the best punter in the league Cameron Meredith Jersey ,” Kamara said, via Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune.“And he don’t even punt,” Ingram chimed in.Morstead punted twice Sunday against the Eagles. He had no punts last week and only two the previous week. In the past seven games Rick Leonard Color Rush Jersey , Morstead has punted 10 times. He did not punt in games against Washington and Cincinnati this season. That means Morstead’s only appearances in those games were to hold for kicker Wil Lutz.Morstead occasionally kicks off, including once Sunday.Morstead, the highest-paid punter in the league at $3.9 million per season https://www.thesaintsfanshop.com/John-Kuhn-Jersey , has only 21 punts this season. He has become the subject of memes and jokes on social media. He and the Saints even got into the act, posting a picture of Morstead pretending to sleep in his locker after his no-punt game against the Bengals a week ago.“We’re keeping that leg on ice for when we need it,” Ingram said. The Eagles have a pretty big need for a win in New Orleans on Sunday and they expect to have right tackle Lane Johnson on hand to help them get it.Johnson did not play against the Cowboys last Sunday because of an injured MCL Alex Okafor Jersey , but head coach Doug Pederson said at his Friday press conference that he believes Johnson will be in the lineup this weekend. Johnson has been a limited participant in practice this week.Pederson also said that he’s optimistic that defensive tackle Tim Jernigan will make his first appearance of the season, but will wait on making a move adding him to the active roster until they’re certain he will play. Cornerback Ronald Darby remains on the 53-man roster after tearing his ACL last weekend, so there’s one easy way to open a spot for Jernigan’s return from offseason back surgery.Cornerback Sidney Jones also appears to be on track to return from his hamstring injury Larry Warford Color Rush Jersey , but cornerback Jalen Mills is set to miss the game with a foot injury.

Le'Veon Bell and it’s highly unlikely that Bell will be back in the team’s uniform again in the future.The team released a brief statement about Bell’s decision on Tuesday afternoon and one of Bell’s longtime teammates got a chance to talk about the running back on Wednesday. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he reached out to Bell on Tuesday before it became clear that Bell would not show up.“I texted him yesterday before the deadline and said I hoped he showed up Mike Mitchell Color Rush Jersey ,” Roethlisberger said, via Jacob Klinger of PennLive.com. “If he decided not to, I wished him nothing but the best. He was a great teammate and football player. To each their own for what they want to walk away from.”Roethlisberger said that he did not hear back from Bell and added that he’s happy to have reached a point that the team won’t have to discuss the running back’s situation anymore. That’s likely to be an opinion shared by others in the locker room, especially if James Conner clears the concussion protocol on Wednesday as head coach Mike Tomlin predicted. There were reports earlier this month that said Le'Veon Bell would be back with the Steelers after their bye week.Well https://www.steelerssportshop.com/Artie-Burns-Jersey , their bye week is over, and he isn’t.According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the disgruntled running back did not join the rest of his teammates when the Steelers reported Monday morning after their bye weekend.At this point, it’s unclear when he’ll be back. We’re sort of assuming it’s not “if” he returns Antonio Brown Jersey , because his goal is to get to free agency, and he needs to accrue a season to do that. That means showing up soon.Steelers owner Art Rooney II said that he didn’t anticipate Bell being traded, and if Bell doesn’t report before next Tuesday’s trade deadline, that’s a moot point. But there could still be some lingering disagreement about whether he’d be subject to a roster exemption when he gets back Stephon Tuitt Color Rush Jersey , which would pay him less than his $855,000 per week.

 On pace for little more than 800 yards based on half a season with the Broncos, Thomas could see his production increase, given Shane Ray Jersey the presence of DeAndre Hopkins, a favorite target of quarterback Deshaun Watson. Defenses will continue to lean toward Hopkins, and Thomas should benefit from even less attention being paid to him.With rookie Keke Coutee talented but not yet sufficiently durable to make a consistent contribution, Thomas will surely get plenty of playing time, and plenty of chances to get open against single coverage.It still won’t be easy for Thomas; he’ll need to learn a new offense, new quarterback, new everything on the fly. But at least he’ll be in familiar surroundings during his first game with the Texans. Only a few days after arriving in Houston, he’ll return to Denver for a game against the Broncos, with maximum motivation to prove to the Broncos that they shouldn’t have given up on him.Thomas has a $8.5 million base salary in 2018, which means he’s still owed $4.5 million from the Texans. Next year, his salary spikes to $14 million. Which likely means that the Texans will be proposed a new deal with a reduced salary in the offseason, with the possibility that the relationship will be a short one. The recent ineptitude of the Denver Broncos is highlighted best by what happens on the road. In Vance Joseph’s tenure, his team is 2-11 on the road. Chew on this: Joseph has never won a road game that wasn’t played on a Thursday. The last time the Broncos won a game that wasn’t played on a Friday Eve, Joseph wasn’t the head coach — Dec. 4, 2016, in a 21-10 game at the Jacksonville Jaguars.The same pit of misery happens in the AFC West. The last time Denver beat a divisional opponent on the road was Dec. 6, 2015, and, again https://www.broncosfanstore.com/Shelby-Harris-Jersey , Joseph wasn’t the head coach and the team played in a different city. The Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers in San Diego 17-3. Wait, it gets even better ... or worse. Denver has lost 10-straight games in Los Angeles — to the Chargers last season, eight games to the now Oakland Raiders and one to the Los Angeles Rams in 1994. The last time the Broncos won a game in Los Angeles was 1987 against Bo Jackson and the Raiders. Hat tip to Sam Adams for that gold nugget.As Adam Malnati and I said on the latest MHR Radio Podcast: Bring on the Chargers ... we guess?! Denver (3-6) comes off its bye having lost six of its last seven games and playing a team in Los Angeles (7-2) that is on a six-game winning streak. Not to mention all of the trends mentioned above.Offensive RankingsDenver: Eleventh in overall offense (377.1 yards), ninth in rushing (126.7), 17th in passing (250.4) and 19th in points (22.8).LA Chargers: Eighth in overall offense (392.1 yards), seventh in rushing (127.1), 13th in passing (265.0) and tied for 10th in points (26.7).Defense RankingsDenver: Twenty-first in overall defense (364.0 yards), 26th in rushing (131.6), 10th in passing (232.4) and 15th in points (23.7).LA Chargers: Fourteenth in overall defense (356.6 yards), 17th in rushing (112.6), 17th in passing (244.0) and eighth in points (20.7).Here are our keys to the game.Limit the damage from coaches The last time we saw the Broncos in action, the result was all due to Joseph’s incompetence. It’s not possible for Denver to correct the issues in two weeks, so limit the damage. The best way for that to happen: If Joseph and his coaching staff get the urge to do something, do the opposite. — Ian St. Clair Play to players’ strengths In the Broncos last game against the Houston Texans, Case Keenum had his best game of the season and I think a big part of that was due to Bill Musgrave calling a heck of a lot more play-action, while sticking to the ground game more. Unfortunately, Denver still isn’t finding the end zone enough and that is the key to winning games down the stretch. Keep up the momentum with Keenum by doing the things that make him successful with play calling and working on figuring out some good plays to use down in the red zone to get more touchdowns in games. While my expectations are low for this team now, it would be nice to see them continue battling and getting some wins down the stretch to give the team some confidence heading into next season. — Tim Lynch Let the Orange Rush looseThe Chargers are quietly having themselves a very good season, and a big part of that is Philip Rivers having what looks to be a career season. He’s on pace for a career high in touchdowns and a full-season career low in interceptions. He’s maintaining the second-highest completion rate of his career and will very likely enjoy a sixth-consecutive 4,000-yard season. On top of that, he’s one of the least sacked quarterbacks in the NFL.All of that to say that if the Broncos want to win this game Bradley Roby Color Rush Jersey , they have to flip that script on Rivers. It’s on Von Miller and Bradley Chubb to step up and shine in this division game. They need to be getting to Rivers early and often. Get some grass stains on his jersey, keep him off balance, and force him to make risky passes under pressure. If Los Angeles gets to operate however it likes on offense, the Broncos will find that nearly impossible to overcome. But if the pass rush can force Rivers and his offense out of their comfort zone, Denver has a chance to capitalize on it and steal a win. — Taylor Kothe Ninth home game Broncos Country has to travel like they always use to when the Chargers were in San Diego. They need to turn Carson, California into Denver West (not the mall) and give a true home field advantage to the Broncos. While I’m unsure whether this will actually help Denver win, especially seeing that Rivers loves to piss off the opposition’s fans, it’s the only realistic shot the Broncos have at hanging with the Chargers in California. We’ve seen Denver play better teams close at home (the Kansas City Chiefs and Rams), so my key to the game is for Broncos Country to represent! Let me check on flights to ... dammit, it isn’t San Diego anymore. Screw it, who’s going to the game with me? Muscle Beach is in Santa Monica! Let’s do it! — Pete Baron Stop Melvin Gordon If the Broncos want to win, they have to figure out a way to prevent Gordon from taking over. He is a top three running back in the NFL. The only way to slow the Chargers offense down is to eliminate Gordon from the game plan. Not an easy task. The secondary will need to lock up the receivers, so that the linebackers can get in the box. If they can accomplish that, Denver has a shot at a win. — Adam Malnati The MHR Radio Podcast is now on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Acast, Stitcher, TuneIn and a few other podcast hosts. Please subscribe to the one that fits your fancy, and also rate and review what you hear.What are your keys to victory for the Broncos?

ET Mark Barron Color Rush Jersey , CBSInteresting game here. The Pats are riding a three-game winning streak while the Bears look to continue one of the better turnarounds from 2017. At home, it’s certainly going to set up well for the Bears to pull for the upset. Would make perhaps for more of an interesting setting were the weather befitting of a Pats-Bears matchup...Buffalo Bills (2-4) at Indianapolis Colts (1-5)1:00pm ET, CBSWoof.Reminder: the Bills beat the Minnesota Vikings in Minnesota in Week 3, 27-6. The NFL is very NFL.Detroit Lions (2-3) at Miami Dolphins (4-2)1:00pm ET Rob Havenstein Jersey , FOXThe Dolphins have a chance to start 5-2, but the odds have swung against it entirely. The Fins opened as four-point favorites, but the Lions are now favored by a field goal.Minnesota Vikings (3-2-1) at New York Jets (3-3)1:00pm ET, FOXThis might be the game of the early slate with both teams trying to stay in mix of the developing playoff settings. After a season in which they reached the NFC Championship Cory Littleton Jersey Black Friday , the Vikes have gone without a win in three of their first six games. Meanwhile, the Jets have really picked up their game in 2018. While I’m skeptical of how long they can sustain this level of play, defending home field against the Vikings would be an impressive statement.Carolina Panthers (3-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)1:00pm ET, FOXAnother captivating matchup that might be less about who wins and more about who loses.Cleveland Browns (2-3-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3)1:00pm ET https://www.ramsfanstore.com/John-Kelly-Jersey , FOXThe Browns have been a fun team early on if only for escaping the absolute bottom of the barrel that they’ve occupied in recent years. Still...they’re 2-3-1 and well beyond the mark right now. If they can get a road win here though, things get really fun with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs up the next two weeks. The Bucs on the other hand are on a three-game losing streak with QB Jameis Winston now two games removed from his suspension.Houston Texans (3-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)1:00pm ET, CBSYES PLEASE. Time For The First Semester FinalOur Los Angeles Rams are at the halfway point during the 2018 season as the only undefeated team at 8-0. They head out on the road to face-off against the 6-1 New Orleans Saints in Week 9 headed up by Head Coach Sean Payton, a offensive guru with future Hall of Famer QB Drew Brees leading his offense.The collective wisdom of most national pundits has the Rams losing this game. Why? Is it the fact the Saints are the second best team in the NFC Conference having run up six straight victories against opposition the pundits do respect?Is it that they’re at home?Is it simply that many expect the Rams to lose a game at some point and this is as good as any?I’m requesting for this exam that we put ours feeling aside for moment and take hard look at this game based on football knowledge. I’m giving students the chance in the comment section to answer four easy questions for our halfway through the year exam. Grades will be assessed not on the conclusions as to whether your picking the Rams or Saints to win Troy Hill Color Rush Jersey , but on the analysis which led to the conclusion.Here’s the four easy questions:Is the Saints offense better then the Rams? Why or why not?Is the Saints defense better then the Rams? Why or why not?Is the Saints special teams better then the Rams? Why or why not?The final question is on the X-factor. Correct answers will be given extra credit:Is the fact that the Rams will playing a road game in the Dome against the Saints that much different from the Rams playing at home before hostile crowds in the Coliseum?I’m looking forward to reading your comments/answers because I believe that an appropriate analysis will get you the right answer on who wins this game and most importantly, why.