Dec 10, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) singles to the referees during the second half in a game against the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yannick Peterhans-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers star WR Keenan Allen (heel) ruled out vs. Bills

Star receiver Keenan Allen will miss his second straight game with a heel injury when the Los Angeles Chargers host the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.

Allen didn’t practice all week and the team formally ruled him out on Thursday.

Allen also missed the club’s humiliating 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 14.

The 31-year-old has enjoyed a big season in his 11th NFL campaign. Allen has a league-high 108 receptions while accumulating 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns.

Cornerback Deane Leonard (heel) is doubtful for the Chargers.

For Buffalo, safety Micah Hyde (neck stinger) was ruled out. He is missing his second straight contest.

–Field Level Media

Former Indiana Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen is reportedly joining Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin (left) as defensive coordinator Penn State won 24-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Penn State picks former Hoosiers coach Tom Allen as DC

Tom Allen is set to join Penn State as the new defensive coordinator after the Nittany Lions lost Manny Diaz to Duke.

Multiple reports indicated Allen’s hire would be official Sunday after final details were sorted out, including salary ramifications owed by Indiana.

The head coach at Indiana, Allen was fired at the end of the regular season, while Diaz was named head coach of the Blue Devils.

The Hoosiers parted ways with Allen after seven seasons. Indiana was 3-9 overall and 1-8 in the Big Ten in 2023.

Under Allen, Indiana was 3-24 in Big Ten games since the Hoosiers went to bowl games in 2019 and 2020.

Allen, 53, posted a 33-49 overall record and 18-43 mark in Big Ten play.

His high-water marks came after posting an 8-5 record in 2019 and a 6-2 mark during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

According to reports, Allen’s deal with Indiana included a buyout of $20.8 million at the time he was fired, which was Nov. 26.

–Field Level Media

Oct 1, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) celebrates his touchdown scored against the Las Vegas Raiders with wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers WR Keenan Allen ruled out vs. Raiders

A bruised heel will sideline NFL-leading receiver Keenan Allen for Thursday’s game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders.

Allen leads the NFL with 108 receptions for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns. He will be sidelined along with quarterback Justin Herbert, who had finger surgery Tuesday. Defensive back Deane Leonard will also miss Week 15 with ankle and heel injuries.

Allen had 35 receptions during a three-game stretch in November and has been targeted 150 times in 2023.

Running back Austin Ekeler is second on the team with 58 targets.

–Field Level Media

Nov 25, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA;  Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0) runs with the ball as quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) puts a block on Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Jack Henderson (20) at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

Braelon Allen sparks Wisconsin in win over Minnesota

Braelon Allen rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns to lead Wisconsin to a 28-14 win over host Minnesota in a Big Ten matchup Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis.

Tanner Mordecai completed 14 of 22 passes for 145 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for Wisconsin (7-5, 5-4 Big Ten). Mordecai also rushed nine times for 69 yards.

Athan Kaliakmanis completed 16 of 28 passes for 167 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Minnesota (5-7, 3-6). Jordan Nubin finished with 93 yards and a rushing touchdown, and Daniel Jackson had nine catches for 121 yards and a score.

The Badgers handed Minnesota its fourth straight loss. The Golden Gophers failed to secure bowl eligibility in what turned out to be their final game of the season.

Wisconsin took charge with two touchdowns in the third quarter to go ahead 28-14.

Allen gave the Badgers their first lead on a 4-yard touchdown run that made it 21-14 with 9:24 left in the third quarter. It was Allen’s second rushing touchdown of the game, his 12th of the season and the 35th of his career.

In the final minute of the third quarter, Wisconsin scored again to seize a 14-point advantage. Mordecai hit Riley Nowakowski for a 5-yard touchdown.

Minnesota opened the scoring on its first possession of the game. A 30-yard pass from Kaliakmanis to Jackson set up first-and-goal at the 4-yard line, and Nubin finished the drive two plays later with a 1-yard touchdown run.

Wisconsin pulled even at 7-7 with 13:04 left in the second quarter. Allen scored on a 5-yard run to cap off an 11-play, 86-yard drive.

The Golden Gophers regained a 14-7 lead when Kaliakmanis connected with Jackson for a 7-yard touchdown with 4:30 remaining in the first half.

On the following possession, the Badgers answered once again to even the score at 14. Will Pauling hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Mordecai.

–Field Level Media

Nov 13, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) runs with the ball after making a catch against the Denver Broncos during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Bills WR Gabe Davis on OC change: ‘Behind Dorsey 100 percent’

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis openly defends fired coordinator Ken Dorsey and takes offense to suggestions he was to blame for the team’s downturn in production.

“It’s on us players to go out there and play at a high level and execute,” Davis said Thursday.

Davis said the “offense is the offense” and there are no major changes coming after the Bills decided to move on from Dorsey and install Joe Brady as the coordinator on Tuesday. He said he’s in a “weird space” and is trying to find answers in “harsh truth.”

“If anyone tries to blame one guy, they definitely don’t know what they’re talking about,” Davis said. “He put me in the best position last week to go and catch a runner. It went through my hands. Where in that does that get put on Dorsey? There are things out there that we created. … In reality, we’re just going through a little adversity. It’s just been tough. I definitely have defended Dorsey 100 percent. It takes a team. You ask any of these guys, and we’re behind him 100 percent.

“We’re 5-5. We’ve lost five games (by) 23 points totals. With the amount of bad plays, the amount of turnovers. There’s been games we’ve made a lot of mistakes and yet we’re still in it.”

Quarterback Josh Allen leads the NFL with 11 interceptions and had two picks Monday in a 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos (4-5). Allen said Dorsey would still be the coordinator if he was performing to his own expectations.

“I take that very personally,” he said. “It hurts a lot to see someone you care about go through a situation like that and to know that if I could have done more, if this offense could have done more, we wouldn’t have had to do something like that.”

Davis said all of the questions asked by media and other pundits are questions they’re asking themselves.

“There’s some accountability we all have to take that we are where we are. We all have hands in it,” said Davis, who has 33 catches for 490 yards and five scores. “We all have to figure out how we can do better.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs with the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Bills QB Josh Allen limited Wed. due to shoulder injury

The Buffalo Bills plan to limit quarterback Josh Allen in practice Wednesday in order to give his injured right shoulder time to heal.

Head coach Sean McDermott said the injury is lingering from last week’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Allen finished the game and had 324 passing yards, 41 rushing yards and three total touchdowns.

“Just where he is,” McDermott said Wednesday, denying Allen has experienced a physical setback.

The Bills examined Allen in the medical tent on the sideline after he landed hard on his shoulder escaping pressure running outside of the pocket.

Allen has 22 total touchdowns in 2023 and said after the 24-18 win against the Buccaneers his shoulder wouldn’t be an issue.

“I mean, took a little fall on it, and just felt a little funky about it, but you know, just trying to keep it warm and keep it loose,” Allen said Thursday. “I’ll be sore for a couple days, but we’ll be fine.”

The Bills play at Cincinnati on Sunday night.

–Field Level Media

Sep 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA;  Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) drops back to pass against the Denver Broncos in the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Sportsbooks place Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa back atop MVP race

Tua Tagovailoa ended Week 3 of the 2023 season with precisely the same standing he had the season before: red-hot and running ahead of the competition in NFL MVP futures odds.

Tagovailoa is +325 to win MVP this season at BetMGM and +350 at FanDuel after his Miami Dolphins put up 70 points in a 50-point win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The effort pushed Tagovailoa ahead of reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes (+440 at FanDuel, +550 at BetMGM) and Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

Allen (+750 at FanDuel, +800 at BetMGM) and Tagovailoa face off Sunday in Buffalo for the first of two scheduled meetings this season.

Thanks to six TD passes in Week 2 at Baltimore and a win over the Bills the following week, Tagovailoa jumped to the top of the MVP futures market entering Week 4 last season as well.

His numbers one year ago are identical to his start this season: 3-0 record, eight TD passes, completion percentage of 71.

The course of the season and Tagovailoa’s health took a turn for the worse in Week 4 last season. The Dolphins lost at Cincinnati, 27-15, and Tagovailoa left the game with a head injury. He missed the next two games and by the time he returned to form with three consecutive three-TD games from Oct. 30-Nov. 13, Mahomes’ MVP candidacy was nearing victory lap stages.

Tagovailoa has been sacked only once this season and he’s averaging a league-leading 10.14 yards per attempt.

–Field Level Media

Jul 29, 2022; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Devon Allen (39) during training camp at NovaCare Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Eagles activate WR Devon Allen from non-FB injury list

The Philadelphia Eagles activated wide receiver Devon Allen from the non-football injury list on Tuesday.

He had been rehabbing a calf injury sustained while competing in the 110-meter hurdles at last month’s USA Track & Field championships in Eugene, Ore.

Allen, 28, is a two-time Olympian and three-time U.S. national champion in the event. He originally signed with the Eagles in 2022 but has yet to appear in an NFL game.

The Eagles also signed wide receiver Johnny King and released offensive tackles Chim Okorafor and Trevor Reid.

Philadelphia opens the preseason on the road Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens.

–Field Level Media

Jan 14, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) and wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) celebrate after a play during the second quarter a wild card game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers restructure WR Keenan Allen’s contract to save $9M

Wide receiver Keenan Allen saved the Chargers $8.9 million in cap space by agreeing to a restructured contract as Los Angeles scrambles to shed money and comply with the 2023 salary cap.

NFL Network reported Allen, 30, met with general manager Tom Telesco to iron out details of the deal. Telesco was adamant rumors of a potential trade or a release of Allen weren’t options for the Chargers.

Before the restructure, Allen had a $21.7 million cap charge. Fellow wide receiver Mike Williams also agreed to restructure his contract, saving $5.46 million, NFL Network reported.

Telesco said last week that Allen “isn’t going anywhere,” and repeated his desire to keep “all of our good players.”

“He’s our Andre Reed. He’s our Charlie Joiner,” Telesco said.

A third-round pick in 2013, Allen is entering his 11th NFL season. He has 796 career catches for 9,287 yards with 52 career touchdowns. He ranks second in franchise history in receptions, is third in receiving yards and is fourth overall in touchdown catches.

But next year could be a crossroads for the Chargers and Allen, whose new cap charge for 2024 becomes $24 million. At that point, the Chargers can sign Allen to a new deal to spread out the cap hit, or decide to separate.

Telesco knows the clock will start ticking on a contract extension with quarterback Justin Herbert, who is eligible for a fifth-year option at just over $20 million in 2024. But his salary could easily double for 2025 to be in line with recent deals. New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will make $40 million next season on his new four-year deal, which matches the an annual average salary of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Rams quarterback Matt Stafford.

–Field Level Media

Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods keeps an eye on OTA workouts on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 in Berea.

Browns Ota 5

Reports: Saints to hire Joe Woods as DC

The New Orleans Saints are hiring Joe Woods as their defensive coordinator, NFL Network and ESPN reported Monday.

The move would reunite Woods with Saints head coach Dennis Allen. Woods was the defensive backs coach under Allen in 2014, when Allen was head coach of the then-Oakland Raiders.

Woods also would coach the defensive backs in New Orleans, per the reports. Allen will remain the defensive play caller.

The Saints lost co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen to the Atlanta Falcons and then parted ways with co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach Kris Richard last week. Nielsen is the Falcons’ new defensive coordinator.

Also, Saints assistant coach Cory Robinson is a free agent after his contract expired, NFL Network reported. He ran the defensive secondary room in 2022.

ESPN also reported that the Saints are expected to hire Todd Grantham as a defensive assistant. Grantham was a defensive analyst at Alabama in 2022. Grantham last coached in the NFL with Dallas in 2009 as defensive line coach. He’s been in the college ranks since.

The Browns fired Woods in early January after three seasons as defensive coordinator and replaced him with Jim Schwartz.

–Field Level Media