Tag: NFL

Week 11 NFL Capsules

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Washington Commanders (3-7) vs. Miami Dolphins (3-7) at Madrid
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Dolphins -2.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: These franchises have met 16 times including twice in the big game. Washington defeated the Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII in January 1983. Miami defeated Washington 14-7 a decade earlier in Super Bowl VII.

De’Von Achane was a problem for the Buffalo Bills last week, piling up 225 total yards (174 rushing) and scoring twice. That included a 59-yard TD run. Explosives in the running game have been common against Washington, which takes the field in Spain without DT Daron Payne (suspended). Jahmyr Gibbs of the Lions had three total touchdowns and averaged 9.5 yards per carry in Detroit’s 44-22 win over the Commanders last week. Washington surrendered at least 145 rushing yards in five of the past six games. But committing to stop Achane opens outside running lanes and gives QB Tua Tagovailoa clean windows to get the ball to WR Jaylen Waddle (46 receptions, team-high five TD catches). With three starters in the secondary hurt, most recently rookie CB Trey Amos, the Commanders don’t match up well with Miami’s vertical speed. And during a five-game losing streak, Washington hasn’t proven capable of playing catch-up. QB Marcus Mariota starts for the injured Jayden Daniels hoping to poke holes in a Miami defense hit for 27 touchdowns (17 passing) this season.

Green Bay Packers (5-3-1) at N.Y. Giants (2-8)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Packers -7, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: This is the third meeting in four seasons. The Giants have won the past two games against the Packers by a total of seven points. The decades-old rivalry includes five NFL Championship games, four of them won by Green Bay.

Green Bay is packing good-luck charm Micah Parsons, who is 8-0 in his career against the Giants from his time with the Cowboys. Parsons can introduce himself to first-game head coach Mike Kafka, who is at the controls of the Giants on an interim basis following the firing of Brian Daboll on Monday. Kafka won’t have rookie QB Jaxson Dart (concussion), but turns to Jameis Winston in their joint debut in new roles. Winston was the No. 3 quarterback behind Russell Wilson, who was demoted by Kafka this week. Now in his fourth season with the Giants, Kafka had the offense performing reasonably well. New York had Chicago down by 10 points last week but fell apart in the fourth quarter. WR Wan’Dale Robinson leads New York with 53 receptions and might get an opportunity to line up across from former Kentucky teammate Carrington Valentine, a corner for the Packers. Winston’s undoing in the past has been turnovers. He has the arm to attack vertically if protection keeps Parsons and Rashan Gary at bay. The Packers have only three interceptions this season. Scoring has been the moving target for the Packers and QB Jordan Love. In losses to the Browns, Panthers and Eagles, Green Bay totaled 30 points. They averaged 30.5 in their other six games (five wins and a 40-40 tie at Dallas) this season.

Carolina Panthers (5-5) at Atlanta Falcons (3-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Falcons -3.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: The Panthers enter having won consecutive games against the Falcons for the first time since 2014-15. Prior to that, Atlanta had won 13 of the last 18 against Carolina and leads the all-time series 37-24.

At seven years apiece, the Panthers and Falcons are tied for the second-longest active playoff drought, shorter than only the New York Jets. This week’s game feels important as both teams attempt to hang on the precipice of postseason contention this season. Atlanta enters on a four-game losing streak, with the last two defeats coming in heartbreaking fashion on a missed extra point at New England and an overtime loss to Indianapolis in Berlin last week. Second-year QB Michael Penix Jr. ranks 31st among qualified passers in completion percentage (58.8), while the offense has converted just 3 of 29 (10.3%) of its third-down attempts across the last three games. Carolina has shown higher highs of late, handing Green Bay just its second loss of the season on the road two weeks ago before laying an egg in Sunday’s 17-7 home loss to the New Orleans Saints, who previously had just one win. Bryce Young ranks 30th in the NFL with 168.2 passing yards per game for a Carolina offense that’s 15th of 16 NFC teams in scoring (17.7 points per game).

Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Steelers -5.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: The Steelers have dominated the all-time series with this AFC North rival, but the Bengals have snatched up the past two wins, including a 33-31 home win last month.

Two AFC North teams struggling for consistency meet for a rematch of a dramatic finish from mid-October. Joe Flacco outdueled Aaron Rodgers and led the Bengals’ game-winning drive in the final two minutes, capturing a 33-31 win on Evan McPherson’s 36-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining. Flacco finished 31-of-47 for 342 yards and three touchdowns, while Rodgers threw for 249 yards and four touchdowns but was intercepted twice. Last week, the Steelers managed just 10 points and 221 total yards in a prime-time flop at the Chargers. “I don’t need a pat on the back,” coach Mike Tomlin deadpanned. “We stunk it up. We’ll be back.” Flacco again practiced only once this week due to a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder, but he’s been the least of the Bengals’ problems. They rank last in the league in total defense, rushing defense and points allowed, and defensive ends Trey Hendrickson (hip/pelvis) and Shemar Stewart (ankle) were pronounced doubtful to play early in the week. Pittsburgh, whose division lead has shrunk to one game, may be without cornerback Darius Slay (concussion) and linebacker Alex Highsmith (pectoral), among others.

Houston Texans (4-5) at Tennessee Titans (1-8)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Texans -5.5, Total 37.5
Series Rewind: After an 0-3 start, the Texans got their first win of the season in shutout fashion, 26-0, over the Titans back in Week 4. Houston has won five of the last six meetings to trim Tennessee’s lead in the all-time series to 24-23.

With a chance to pull itself back to .500 for the first time this season, Houston will again turn to Davis Mills at quarterback, with C.J. Stroud (concussion) ruled out for his second straight game. The good news for the Texans is that Mills sure seemed up to the task last week when he anchored a 19-point fourth-quarter comeback with three late touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) to fuel a 36-29 win over the Jaguars. He’s supplemented by a defense that leads the league in total defense (261.3 yards per game) and scoring defense (16.7 points per game). The Titans are coming off a bye week which they hope has set the stage for a strong finish to a challenging rookie season for No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. He still hasn’t thrown multiple touchdowns in a game this season and has more interceptions (six) than passing TDs (five) through his first nine starts. A return of receiver Calvin Ridley, who has been limited in practice this week after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury, would certainly make things a bit easier for Ward.

Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chargers -3, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: This will be the first time these teams face off since Jacksonville rallied from a 27-0 deficit to stun Los Angeles 31-30 in an AFC wild-card playoff game in January 2023. The Jaguars have won the last two games, but the Chargers lead the all-time series 9-5.

Los Angeles brings a three-game winning streak into Jacksonville as it remains right in the middle of the contested AFC West race, a game behind Denver and two ahead of Kansas City. While the Chargers have done that despite battling injuries, they received good news on that front this week. Star QB Justin Herbert, who is second in the league in passing yards (2,610), has been practicing fully after he was seen limping during last week’s win over Pittsburgh. Jacksonville, which was 4-1 in early October, is 2 1/2 games behind Indianapolis in the AFC South after blowing the largest lead in franchise history (19 points) last week at Houston. The team announced Tuesday that two-way sensation Travis Hunter Jr. was undergoing season-ending knee surgery, and top receiver Brian Thomas Jr. also appears questionable to return this week after he was limited in the team’s first two practices. That could make things hard for Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence, who has two TDs and two interceptions in the last three games.

Chicago Bears (6-3) at Minnesota Vikings (4-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Vikings -2.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: Minnesota has won eight of the past nine meetings, including a 27-24 road victory in Week 1.

Chicago is soaring with six wins in its past seven games after stumbling out of the gate. After Chicago’s opening loss to Minnesota, the Bears were walloped 52-21 by the Detroit Lions. But Chicago has rebounded well under first-year coach Ben Johnson and has scored at least 24 points in all six of its victories. Second-year quarterback Caleb Williams has emerged and has thrown for 2,136 yards and 13 touchdowns against four interceptions. But perhaps the 14 sacks are the most impressive stat. As a rookie, Williams was sacked a league-worst 68 times. Safety Kevin Byard and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (team-best 80 tackles) are tied for the team lead with four interceptions. Minnesota has dropped three of four games and is looking for first-year starting QB JJ McCarthy to get more comfortable. He has been picked off six times in 108 attempts and has a meager 53.7 completion rate. McCarthy has thrown six scoring passes but has been sacked 15 times in four games. Star wideout Justin Jefferson hasn’t had a 100-yard receiving game since Oct. 5 and has ended up with less than 50 each of the past two weeks. He caught four passes for 37 yards with a long of 11 in last week’s 27-19 loss to Baltimore.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) at Buffalo Bills (6-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bills -5.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: Josh Allen passed for two scores and rushed for one as Buffalo defeated visiting Tampa Bay 24-18 in Week 8 in 2023. Baker Mayfield tossed two touchdowns for the Buccaneers.

Two star quarterbacks from the 2018 draft class square off in this contest. Buffalo’s Allen is the reigning NFL MVP, while Tampa Bay’s Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick of their class. Allen was the seventh overall selection and has passed for 2,139 yards and 15 touchdowns against five interceptions this season. However, not all is well for the Bills as they were whipped 30-13 by the lowly Miami Dolphins last week for their third loss in five games. Buffalo running back James Cook has been superb and ranks second in the NFL with 920 rushing yards. Cook and Allen have both run for seven scores. The Buccaneers also have slowed down and are just 3-3 after a 3-0 start. Mayfield has been a high performer and has thrown for 2,192 yards and 16 touchdowns and has been intercepted just twice. Star rookie Emeka Egbuka has been a force with 40 catches for 677 yards and six touchdowns. Tampa Bay could get running back Bucky Irving (shoulder/foot) back after missing the past five games. Buccaneers star nose tackle Vita Vea (back) is responding well to treatments. He was injured in last week’s 28-23 loss to the New England Patriots.

Seattle Seahawks (7-2) at Los Angeles Rams (7-2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -3, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: Five of the past six meetings in the rivalry have been decided by six or fewer points, including overtime victories by the Rams (26-20 in Week 9 last season) and the Seahawks (19-16 in Week 18 in the 2022 season).

Seattle’s Sam Darnold (116.5) and L.A.’s Matthew Stafford (114.8) rank third and fourth in the NFL in passer rating, with Stafford leading the league in passing yards per game (269.7) and Darnold ranked No. 1 in yards per completion (14.0) and per attempt (9.9). Darnold’s top targets are longtime Ram Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who just became the third player in NFL history with 75-plus receiving yards in each of the first nine games of a season (Michael Irvin, Antonio Brown). Stafford’s primary weapons are Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, whose next catch will be No. 1,000 of his storied career. All those stars are facing two defenses ranked in the top five in scoring defense, with the Rams allowing 17.0 points per game and the Seahawks 19.1. Seattle has won a franchise-record 10 straight road games, including a 30-25 victory over Los Angeles in the regular-season finale last season at SoFi Stadium.

San Francisco 49ers (6-4) at Arizona Cardinals (3-6)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: 49ers -3, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: The teams have traded season sweeps of late, the 49ers doing the honors in 2022 and 2023 and the Cardinals in 2021 and 2024. San Francisco looks to keep the trend going after its 16-15 win in Week 3.

Barring a late setback with his toe injury, Brock Purdy will make just his third start of the season and first since Week 4 for the 49ers. Purdy is 4-1 against Arizona with a 120.4 passer rating and a 9-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. San Francisco star Christian McCaffrey last week became just the fourth player in NFL history with more than 7,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards, joining Hall of Famers Marcus Allen and Marshall Faulk as well as Tiki Barber. In the 49ers’ 16-15 win in Week 3, no Cardinals rusher or receiver gained more than 44 yards. Arizona QB Jacoby Brissett has passed for at least 250 yards with multiple touchdowns in all four of his starts this season in place of the injured Kyler Murray. Trey McBride is on a historic streak as the first tight end in NFL history with five or more catches in each of his first nine games in a season.

Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) at Denver Broncos (8-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -3.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The Broncos have taken two of the past three meetings after the Chiefs ripped off 16 straight wins in the series. Denver won 38-0 in Week 18 last year with Kansas City resting many starters.

The Chiefs’ streak of nine straight division titles is in jeopardy as they travel to Denver for a game that will either put the Chiefs back in the AFC West race or leave them battling for a wild card. If the Broncos win, they’d open a 3 1/2-game advantage over Kansas City with six games to go. The Chiefs went into their bye after losing by seven at Buffalo on Nov. 2. Patrick Mahomes is utilizing his legs more than previous seasons. Mahomes rushed for a career-high 389 yards in 2023, and this year he has 285 rushing yards in just nine games, on pace for 538 yards. Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs’ leading rusher, missed the Bills game due to a knee injury and didn’t practice Wednesday. The Broncos have stayed stout while missing cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year who missed the past two games due to a pectoral injury. He’s expected back after the Week 12 bye, while linebacker Alex Singleton is out after having surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. Leading rusher J.K. Dobbins sustained a foot injury against the Raiders; backup RJ Harvey would carry more of the load if Dobbins can’t go, as expected.

Baltimore Ravens (4-5) at Cleveland Browns (2-7)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -7.5, Total 39.5
Series Rewind: Jackson threw for four touchdowns when Baltimore blew out Cleveland 41-17 in Week 2. Each of the Ravens’ last three wins in the series have come by 24 or more points.

The Ravens have won three straight games — the last two with Lamar Jackson (hamstring) back as quarterback — and can reach the .500 mark if they finish off the regular-season sweep of the Browns. Jackson surprisingly has never had a 300-yard passing game against Cleveland but he has thrown three or more touchdown passes on four occasions and rushed for two touchdowns three times. Baltimore has outscored Chicago, Miami and Minnesota 85-41 during the three-game winning streak. Derrick Henry has three 100-yard rushing outings but was held to a season-low 23 yards on 11 carries by Cleveland in the mid-September meeting. The Browns are trying to learn as much as they can about rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel and he has topped 200 yards just once in five starts. Gabriel has thrown just two interceptions in 174 attempts but is completing just 58.6% of his throws. He has 869 yards and seven touchdowns. Cleveland star defensive end Myles Garrett is enjoying another big season and is tied for the NFL lead with 11 sacks. Garrett had 1.5 sacks against Baltimore in the first meeting. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger, a second-round pick, has been superb with a team-best 74 tackles.

Detroit Lions (6-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (7-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Eagles -2.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: Dan Campbell and Nick Sirianni have met twice since both became head coaches in 2021. Sirianni’s Eagles defeated Campbell’s Lions in Detroit in Week 8 in 2021 (44-6) and in Week 11 in 2022 (38-35).

Sirianni is 10-0 against the NFC North, including the playoffs, and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is 10-1. In his past 15 regular-season games dating back a full calendar year to Week 11 in 2024, Hurts has accounted for 31 touchdowns (22 passing, nine rushing) with just one interception. In his last appearance on “Sunday Night Football,” Philadelphia star Saquon Barkley racked up 302 scrimmage yards (255 rushing, 47 receiving) with two TDs against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12 last season. A.J. Brown has been quiet this season for the Eagles but has found the end zone in four of his past five Sunday night games. Lions quarterback Jared Goff has completed 77.6% of his passes with 10 TDs and just one interception in five road starts this season. Detroit has the NFL’s No. 2 scoring offense (31.4), powered by running back Jahmyr Gibbs (920 yards and 10 TDs from scrimmage) and wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown (64 receptions, 693 yards and eight scores).

–Field Level Media

Even at 7-2, Rams, Seahawks vie for NFC West lead

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Looking for who has the edge when the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams play this week?

Good luck.

The Seahawks and Rams are tied atop the NFC West with 7-2 records and riding four-game winning streaks into Sunday’s showdown in Inglewood, Calif.

The Seahawks and Rams are the only two teams in the NFL who rank in the top five in scoring offense (Seattle’s 31.4 points per game is third; L.A.’s 27.9 is fifth) and scoring defense (L.A. is second at 17.0 ppg and Seattle is fifth at 19.1).

And both are coming off games in which they scored 40-plus points. The Seahawks defeated visiting Arizona 44-22 last Sunday while the Rams won 42-26 against San Francisco in Santa Clara, Calif.

“Seems like (the Rams are) playing great football in all three phases,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “This is a damn good team, and they are complete. They are excellent in all three phases.”

As for the view from the other side?

“You can’t help but notice how big-time Seattle’s been,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “What a great challenge it’s gonna be.”

Both teams have been getting great quarterback play.

Seattle’s Sam Darnold is averaging 9.9 yards per passing attempt, the best in the league and the fourth highest in NFL history through nine games in a season (minimum 200 attempts). The Rams’ Matthew Stafford has a league-leading 25 passing touchdowns against just two interceptions, just the second QB to accomplish that feat halfway through the season. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes did it in 2020.

“I’ve only gone against him a few times in my career. This is probably the best I’ve seen him compete,” Macdonald said. “They’re really explosive right now in the passing game. He’s playing great football.”

Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba has already eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving and scored on a 43-yard strike from Darnold on Seattle’s opening drive last weekend as it built a 35-0 lead. He leads the league in receiving yards (1,041) by more than 200 over his closest competition, Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase (831).

“I feel great; I’m blessed, man,” Smith-Njigba said. “I’m thankful I’m healthy and can continue this thing going forward next week. … it’s a long season, and we have a lot more games and ways to go. Just focused, locked in, and ready to prepare for L.A.”

The Rams will counter with Puka Nacua, who became the fastest to reach 250 career NFL receptions in just 36 games. Stafford has been on a heater of record-chasing proportion.

Stafford threw four TD passes without an interception against the 49ers to become the first player in NFL history with at least four touchdowns and no interceptions in three consecutive games. Stafford has 402 career touchdown passes and last week became the ninth player ever with at least 400 career regular-season touchdown passes.

Seahawks linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence returned two fumbles for touchdowns last week and Seattle is keeping pressure on opposing quarterbacks with a combined 32 sacks. But Lawrence said the Rams’ balance makes for a steep test, and a chess match of sorts with Macdonald calling defensive plays.

“It’s a well-put together offense,” Lawrence said. “Our system, you never know who’s coming. With the drops, coverages, rush lanes … complete defense.”

Seattle’s running game has improved, with Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III combining for 150 yards against the Cardinals on 14 carries apiece.

“I thought our running backs ran tremendously hard and helped close the game out,” Macdonald said. “They’re doing a great job.”

The Rams’ Kyren Williams rushed for 73 yards and two TDs against San Francisco.

Los Angeles’ winning streak has been helped by McVay’s extended use of three tight-end sets. Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and rookie Terrance Ferguson have all caught passes over the past two games, with Parkinson and Allen scoring TDs against the 49ers.

“The thing that’s cool is it always starts with the players,” McVay said. “The only reason you can do it is because you have four players that are capable of doing it. They’re smart, they’re conscientious, they can play all the spots, and it’s awesome.”

Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (oblique) and defensive tackle Kobie Turner (back) missed practice time this week, but McVay said he’s confident Adams will be ready by Sunday.

Seahawks center Jalen Sundell (knee) is expected to miss multiple weeks after being injured last week against Arizona.

–Field Level Media

Take flight or take cover? Lions prepare for worst at NFC-best Philly

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Head coach Dan Campbell warned his Detroit Lions to be prepared for flying objects on and off the field when they visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

On the field, he is concerned about quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles (7-2).

On the sidelines, he sounds worried about his Lions (6-3) getting hurt, period.

“It’s a great place to play,” Campbell, a former NFL tight end, told 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit on Tuesday, prefacing his comments about playing in the City of Brotherly Love.

“I mean, it’s electric. Had batteries thrown at us, spit on. It’s just the classic stuff. It’s probably the most hostile place to play.”

Campbell wants the Lions to tune out the noise at Lincoln Financial Field and focus on each snap of this prime-time showdown between two division leaders. Philadelphia sits atop the NFC East and Detroit enters Week 11 tied with the Chicago Bears for first place in the NFC North.

“I’m going to give them a very good snapshot of what this is going to be like,” Campbell said. “Keep your poise, and man, every play matters. Every play matters. This is a heavyweight match, and one missed step can cost you this game.”

As for Hurts, the reigning Super Bowl MVP has accounted for 21 touchdowns (16 passing, five rushing) and just one interception in nine starts this season.

Hurts improved to 9-1 in the regular season against the NFC North with Monday night’s gritty 10-7 win at Green Bay. His 36-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith with 10:44 remaining held up as the game-winner.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is even better against the NFC North at 10-0, including playoffs. He is 2-0 head-to-head against Campbell and the Lions after notching wins in Detroit in 2021 and 2022.

Philadelphia is currently on a three-game winning streak since suffering back-to-back early October losses to the Denver Broncos and New York Giants. Detroit has alternated wins and losses in its last five games, including last Sunday’s 44-22 road win against the Washington Commanders.

Not everyone has been thrilled with the modus operandi of the Eagles.

Wide receiver A.J. Brown had two catches for 13 yards at Green Bay, the third time in his eight games played in 2025 with two or fewer catches.

Brown said he’s “not apologizing” for criticism of the Eagles’ offense. Sirianni has grown tired of the talking point.

“Guys, I’m close to being done answering these questions about this,” he said.

“He’s working hard, and he is a big part of the game plan and will be going forward. He’s working like crazy when he’s here, and we’re excited to have him.”

The last time Brown faced the Lions, Week 1 of the 2022 season, he caught 10 passes for 155 yards.

Sunday night will be a matchup of two well-coached teams, as the Eagles have committed a league-low four turnovers this season — two fewer than the Lions. Both sides are aggressive on fourth down, with Detroit converting 13 of 18 attempts and Philadelphia 11 of 16. And both are good in the red zone, with the Eagles scoring touchdowns on 17 of 21 trips and the Lions on 26 of 38.

Detroit is averaging 31.4 points per game, second only to the Indianapolis Colts (32.1). Jared Goff has completed an NFL-best 74.0 percent of his passes for 2,235 yards with 20 TDs and just three picks. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have rushed for a combined 1,159 yards and 13 scores, and Amon-Ra St. Brown has 64 catches for 693 yards and eight touchdowns.

Knowing they’d have a shorter week to prepare for the Lions, the Eagles did some advance work during their bye in Week 9.

“This is a really good team that we’re about to play,” Sirianni said on Wednesday. “Really well coached. Really good players. Physical, tough team. I’ve got a lot of respect for this football team that’s been doing it at a really high level for the past three years now. We expect their best.”

As most teams are in mid-November and Week 11, the Lions are banged up. Seven players sat out Wednesday’s practice, including star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson (elbow), tight end Sam LaPorta (back), right tackle Penei Sewell (ankle), cornerback Terrion Arnold (concussion) and safety Kerby Joseph (knee). Eight others were limited, including left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder).

For the Eagles, four starting offensive linemen were limited on Wednesday: right tackle Lane Johnson (ankle), right guard Tyler Steen (oblique), center Cam Jurgens (knee) and left guard Landon Dickerson (quad).

–Field Level Media

Week 10 NFL Capsules

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Atlanta Falcons (3-5) vs. Indianapolis Colts (7-2) (Berlin)
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Colts -6.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: The Colts are 15-3 all-time against the Falcons but Atlanta won the most recent meeting, 29-10 on Christmas Eve 2023, behind QB Taylor Heinicke.

The first ever NFL game in Berlin pits two teams who have done the passport football thing a time or two. The Falcons are 2-2 all-time in international games and the Colts are bringing the league’s No. 1 scoring offense (32.2 ppg) to Germany after previously playing in Frankfurt. Indianapolis arrives with a bit of novelty having added All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline. The Colts also are trying to rebound from a five-turnover showing by the offense in a loss to the Steelers last week. QB Daniel Jones started a November game in Germany with the Giants in 2024 before New York pulled the plug on his tenure with the team. Jones passed for 342 yards last week. He’ll attempt to get more out of his backfield running mate Jonathan Taylor to keep the Falcons’ speed rushers off-balance. When Taylor is clicking, the Colts’ excel with RPO-driven options that demand disciplined reads from a defense and open throwing lanes underneath where rookie TE Tyler Warren is thriving. He’s second in the league at the position with 518 receiving yards. Taylor leads the NFL with 12 touchdowns and is second in yards from scrimmage (1,113). He’s just ahead of Falcons RB Bijan Robinson (1,058), who ranks third in the league. QB Michael Penix Jr. and WR Drake London hooked up for three TD passes in Week 9. London has been used some in the slot, which might take away the potential for a one-on-one matchup with Gardner.

New York Giants (2-7) at Chicago Bears (5-3)
Sunday 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bears -4.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: This is the first meeting since the Giants 20-12 win in 2022 in New Jersey trimmed the Bears’ advantage in the all-time series to 36-25-2, which includes Chicago 5-3 edge in the playoffs.

Forecast-watchers are anxious for a slight chance of snow during the game, but the weather might play a role even without precipitation with wind gusts projected to touch 30 mph and wind chill around 27 degrees. It could be a day for running backs, and a problematic scenario if either team falls behind to be forced into a must-pass gear offensively. The Bears lead the NFL in turnover margin (plus-13) and takeaways (19). They are preparing for rookie QB Jaxson Dart and what is morphing into a two-RB approach with Devin Singletary (151 yards from scrimmage last week) and Tyrone Tracy Jr. WR Wan’Dale Robinson has continued to produce with Malik Nabers (knee) out for the season. Robinson has 18 games with five-plus catches since 2003. The Bears could be using more than one back this week, too, after rookie seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai racked up 198 total yards from scrimmage at Cincinnati last week. D’Andre Swift was out last week with a groin injury. The Bears added former first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka at the deadline on Tuesday in a trade with the Browns. He joins a pass rush anchored by Montez Sweat that opens playmaking alleys for the LB corps. Tremaine Edmunds has four interceptions and S Kevin Byard III has picked off passes in consecutive home games.

New England Patriots (7-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -2.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: In the most recent meeting, Tampa Bay recorded a 19-17 road victory in 2021 to end a streak of four straight New England wins in the series.

New England has excelled under first-year coach Mike Vrabel and holds a half-game lead over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. The Patriots have won six consecutive games, including an impressive 23-20 win at Buffalo on Oct. 5. Second-year QB Drake Maye has stood out, throwing for 2,285 yards and 17 touchdowns against four interceptions. Maye has been highly consistent, never reaching 300 yards and never falling below 200. He leads the NFL in completion rate at 74.1%. The NFC South-leading Buccaneers figure to pressure Maye. He has been sacked 34 times, including six times in each of the past two games. Tampa Bay is coming off a bye and QB Baker Mayfield enjoyed the break since he is still battling knee and oblique injuries. The struggles were evident while Mayfield passed for a season-low 152 yards as the Buccaneers recorded a 23-3 win over the host New Orleans Saints in Week 8. Still, he has 1,919 passing yards and 13 touchdowns against just two interceptions. Tampa Bay will likely be without top running back Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) for the fifth straight game. That could represent a problem since New England allows a league-low 75.4 rushing yards per game. The Buccaneers are seventh (92.6) against the run.

Baltimore Ravens (3-5) at Minnesota Vikings (4-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -4.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: The Ravens are 4-3 all-time against the Vikings, including a 34-31 overtime win in 2021 when Lamar Jackson passed for 266 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 120 yards.

Jackson is back and thriving and slow-starting Baltimore is suddenly full of life. Jackson returned from a hamstring injury last week for his lone appearance in October and he completed 18 of 23 passes for 204 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-6 rout of the Miami Dolphins. That gave the Ravens consecutive victories for the first time this season as they look to dig out a hole that saw them lose five of their first six games. Derrick Henry added 119 rushing yards as both of Baltimore’s main pistons were firing. That was Henry’s third 100-yard outing of the campaign. The Vikings are riding the momentum of a sparkling 27-24 road upset of the Detroit Lions last weekend. J.J. McCarthy (ankle) made his first start since Week 2 and completed 14 of 25 passes for 143 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. McCarthy will likely need an improved performance against star safety Kyle Hamilton and the rest of the Ravens. Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson caught his second touchdown pass of the season in McCarthy’s return and he has 47 catches for 649 yards on the season. Jefferson had 10 receiving scores last year. The Vikings have just three interceptions, two by S Joshua Metellus, and forcing a pick or two from Jackson would help the odds of a victory.

Buffalo Bills (6-2) at Miami Dolphins (2-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bills -9.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: Buffalo has dominated the series during the Josh Allen era, winning 14 of the past 15 meetings with Miami overall, including one game in the AFC wild-card round.

The Dolphins took a dismal loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 30, which led right into a tumultuous few days for the organization. Miami fired longtime general manager Chris Grier the next day and promoted Champ Kelly to interim general manager. Kelly then orchestrated the Dolphins’ lone trade before the league deadline last Tuesday when Miami sent OLB Jaelan Phillips to Philadelphia for a 2026 third-round draft pick. Miami’s defense could be further depleted against the Bills as edge rusher Chop Robinson has yet to clear concussion protocol. Without Phillips and Robinson, Miami might be in trouble against Allen, who has consistently performed well against the Dolphins in his career. Allen is 13-2 as a starter against Miami, throwing for 3,950 yards and 40 touchdowns. The Bills’ offense flourished last week, with tight end Dalton Kincaid racking up six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown in his second game back from an oblique injury. Bills RB James Cook is dealing with ankle and foot injuries. Cook ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards (867) behind only Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor (895), and his seven rushing touchdowns are tied with Allen for fourth.

New Orleans Saints (1-8) at Carolina Panthers (5-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Panthers -5.5, Total 39.5
Series Rewind: The Saints have won three of the last four and lead this division series 32-29, but it’s tied 4-4 over the last eight.

The Carolina Panthers continue to be a surprising contender in the NFC South. They enter this week’s game coming off their best win of the season, a 16-13 win at previously 5-1-1 Green Bay on a last-second field goal. While quarterback Bryce Young hasn’t thrown for 200 yards since Week 2 at Arizona, the Panthers offense has been sparked by running back Rico Dowdle, who ran for 130 yards and a career-high two TDs in last week’s win. Carolina now has the NFL’s fifth-best rushing offense (139.8 yards per game). Dowdle (quadriceps) didn’t practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday. Saints QB Tyler Shough was not able to spark one of the league’s worst offenses (31st in scoring offense, 29th in total offense) in a challenging first start at the Los Angeles Rams. He did throw his first career touchdown, but only after New Orleans was in a 20-3 hole. Standout RB Alvin Kamara had just 14 yards on six carries last week after being limited with an ankle injury. He’s again been limited this week.

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) at Houston Texans (3-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -1.5, Total 37.5
Series Rewind: The Texans lead the all-time series 31-16 and have won 12 of the last 15 over Jacksonville. The Jaguars are going for their first season sweep of Houston since 2017 after a 17-10 Week 3 victory.

C.J. Stroud’s streak of 29 straight starts comes to an end this week after he sustained a concussion in last week’s loss to Denver. Backup quarterback Davis Mills will be called upon to make his first start for Houston since January 2023. He has 35 career touchdowns to 25 interceptions in 40 games (26 starts), completing 17 of 30 passes for 137 yards last week in relief of Stroud. Even with Stroud, the Texans have limped to a tie for 24th in the league in scoring offense (21.0 points per game) under first-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley. Jacksonville heads to Houston off a chaotic 30-29 overtime win at Las Vegas which felt important as it prevented a three-game losing streak that would have turned a 4-1 start into a 4-4 record. The Jaguars’ receiver room is a bit beat up, most notably with Travis Hunter Jr. placed on injured reserve with a knee injury sustained last week in practice. To address this, Jacksonville traded for Jakobi Meyers from the Raiders before Tuesday’s trade deadline. He had a career-high 1,027 yards last year for Las Vegas.

Cleveland Browns (2-6) at N.Y. Jets (1-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Browns -2.5, Total 37.5
Series Rewind: The Browns took a 15-14 lead in the all-time regular-season series with a 37-20 victory in their last meeting in 2023. Five of the last seven meetings were one-score games.

For a game between two teams with a combined three wins, there are so many questions. How will the Jets respond to the trade-deadline sell-off of defensive stars Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams? Can the Browns win their first game outside of Cleveland since Week 2 of last season? Which Jets quarterback will be Myles Garrett’s prey as he attempts to add to his AFC-leading 10 sacks? Both teams are coming off bye weeks following very different results. New York racked up 502 yards of offense at Cincinnati in Week 8 to earn head coach Aaron Glenn’s first win. Cleveland gave up a season-high 422 yards in a Week 8 loss at New England. The Browns are 3-2 after a bye week under coach Kevin Stefanski. Cleveland’s Quinshon Judkins leads all rookies with 486 rushing yards but will have to deal with New York linebacker Jamien Sherwood, who has double-digit tackles in three of his last four home games.

Arizona Cardinals (3-5) at Seattle Seahawks (6-2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -6.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The Seahawks have swept the last eight meetings, including a 23-20 win at Arizona on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 4 on a game-ending 52-yard field goal by Jason Myers.

The Seahawks are a mediocre 2-2 at home and the Cardinals are 2-2 on the road entering this NFC West showdown. Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold is 4-0 in his career against Arizona and leads the NFL with 18 games with a 100-plus rating since the start of 2024. Counterpart Jacoby Brissett is 0-2 against Seattle and makes his fourth straight start for the Cardinals in place of the injured Kyler Murray. Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a season-low 79 receiving yards in the first meeting this season against Arizona and needs just 52 to reach the 1K mark for the second straight season. Speedy wideout Rashid Shaheed, acquired Tuesday from the Saints, makes his debut for the Seahawks and gives Darnold another weapon on the outside as Cooper Kupp tries to get healthy. Cardinals star Trey McBride is just the third tight end in NFL history (Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelce) with five-plus catches in 10 straight games.

Detroit Lions (5-3) at Washington Commanders (3-6)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Lions -8.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: Dan Quinn won the first encounter with Dan Campbell, leading his Commanders to a stunning 45-31 win at top-seeded Detroit in last season’s divisional playoff round.

Despite having a banged-up offensive line and more losses already than last season (15-2), the Lions chose to stand pat at Tuesday’s trade deadline. Coach Dan Campbell says he has “the dudes” he needs to make a run in the second half of the season. That starts with QB Jared Goff, who has thrown for at least 200 yards and a touchdown in all four road games this season, and RB Jahmyr Gibbs, who had 175 scrimmage yards and two scores in January’s playoff loss to Washington. Gibbs is chasing a rebound effort after being bottled up by the Vikings last week. Remember, Detroit did not have $180 million defensive end Aidan Hutchinson in that game and big No. 97 will be looking to pad his sack total against Marcus Mariota, who makes his fourth start of the season following Jayden Daniels’ elbow injury. Mariota will have to lean on RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt and WR Deebo Samuel with Terry McLaurin (elbow) missing practices this week.

Los Angeles Rams (6-2) at San Francisco 49ers (6-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -4.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: After the Rams won three of the four games over the last two seasons, the 49ers won the first game between the two in Los Angeles Oct. 2. San Francisco leads 8-4 this decade and leads the all-time series 79-71-3.

Led by 37-year-old Matthew Stafford, the Rams have one of the best passing offenses in the league this season. Stafford has a league-high 21 touchdowns and ranks second in the NFC with 2,147 yards. He’s been on a remarkable hot streak of late, throwing nine touchdowns over his last two games and 16 over his last five. His last interception came in Week 3. A depleted San Francisco defense which ranks 21st in the league in passing defense (223.7 yards per game) will be tested by the surprise MVP candidate, who is expected to get star receiver Puka Nacua (rib) back this week after he exited last week’s game. On the other side, Mac Jones has been San Francisco’s starting quarterback since the last time these teams faced off in Week 5. He threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns in that road win and is expected to make his sixth straight start this week with Brock Purdy (toe) still limited. The 49ers lost another defensive player, defensive end Mykel Williams, to a season-ending injury in last week’s win at the Giants. LB Tatum Bethune is one of a handful of players stepping up, posting a career-high 16 tackles last week. Since Week 6, he leads the NFL with 50 tackles.

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) at Los Angeles Chargers (6-3)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chargers -2.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The Steelers won 20-10 last season for their 11th win in the past 15 meetings, including the postseason.

Aaron Rodgers wasn’t the least bit unnerved when Tuesday’s trading deadline came and went without the AFC North-leading Steelers adding a receiver. Now comes prove it time for the four-time NFL MVP with 520 career touchdown passes. The Steelers rank 21st in passing offense at 200.9 yards per game despite having the future Hall of Famer at the controls. Rodgers’ season high for passing yardage is just 249 and his season output of 1,692 yards is less than erratic Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward (1,760). Offseason acquisition DK Metcalf leads the team with a modest 29 receptions, 467 yards and five scoring catches. The Pittsburgh defense helped a bunch in last weekend’s taming of the Indianapolis Colts by recording five sacks and forcing five turnovers. The Steelers caused a sixth turnover on special teams. The Chargers look to attack that defense with Justin Herbert, who ranks second in the NFL with 2,390 yards. Ladd McConkey (524) and Keenan Allen (520) are both having solid seasons. The offensive line is beat up and that caused a deadline-beating trade for Trevor Penning from the New Orleans Saints. Penning worked out at both tackle spots on his first day in town. Joe Alt (ankle) joined fellow star tackle Rashawn Slater (knee) on injured reserve. Linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (team-high 7.5 sacks) would like to cause issues for Rodgers.

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks on from the sideline during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

NFL fines Ravens $100K for violating injury report policy

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The NFL fined the Baltimore Ravens $100,000 on Friday for violating the league’s injury report policy by incorrectly listing quarterback Lamar Jackson’s practice participation status last week.

The Ravens released a statement saying they would not appeal the ruling.

“It is critical that the Baltimore Ravens always operate with integrity and in full accordance with NFL guidelines. We clearly made an error regarding player injury reporting and cooperated transparently with the league’s investigation,” the statement said. “We accept the decision by the NFL that we violated the policy and have taken steps to ensure that we will be compliant moving forward.”

The Ravens initially listed Jackson as a full participant in practice last Friday despite the two-time NFL MVP being relegated to taking reps with the practice squad as he dealt with a hamstring injury.

The following day, Jackson was ruled out of the Ravens’ game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, with the team retroactively downgrading his practice status to limited.

“Lamar Jackson was present for and participated fully in our entire Friday practice ahead of Sunday’s game against the Bears,” the Ravens said in a statement last Saturday. “Upon further evaluation today and after conferring with the league office, because Lamar didn’t take starter reps in practice, we updated our report to reflect his practice participation.”

Per ESPN, the NFL believed the Ravens’ listing of Jackson as a full participant was a result of negligence, not an attempt to gain a competitive advantage.

Jackson, 28, returned from a three-game absence on Thursday night and threw four touchdown passes to lead the Ravens (3-5) to a 28-6 win at Miami.

–Field Level Media

Jan 5, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) attempts to pull in a pass in front of Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during the first half at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images

Week 9 NFL Capsules

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Week 9 NFL game preview capsules for Sunday games:

Atlanta Falcons (3-4) at New England Patriots (6-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -5.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: New England has won its last seven games against Atlanta and leads the all-time series 10-6. The Patriots have won the last two regular-season games since rallying from down 28-3 to beat the Falcons in overtime of Super Bowl LI.

The Patriots are riding high on their longest winning streak in four years entering this week’s game. Drake Maye has thrown 10 touchdowns to one interception over New England’s five-game winning streak, playing his way into the MVP conversation in his second season. He’s been helped by the league’s fourth-best scoring defense (18.3 points per game) and having this level of offensive success despite the fact that the Patriots still don’t have a 300-yard rusher this season. The Falcons are feeling low after last week’s 34-10 home loss to Miami when QB Michael Penix Jr. was sidelined due to a bone bruise in his left knee. It was the team’s second straight loss coming out of its bye week. Penix and leading receiver Drake London (hip) have both been limited through the team’s first two practices of the week. Atlanta coach Raheem Morris labeled them as “day-to-day” while Penix said he’s trending in the right direction. That’s badly needed for an offense which has generated 20 points the last two weeks.

Indianapolis Colts (7-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Colts -3, Total 50.5
Series Rewind: The Colts have won the past two meetings after Pittsburgh prevailed in the previous eight matchups.

Colts running back Jonathan Taylor might be the best overall player in the league. Taylor has scored three touchdowns four separate times this season and leads the NFL with 850 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. He has 14 total touchdowns, giving him a chance to challenge the total touchdowns record of 31 set by then-San Diego Chargers great LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006. Taylor’s touchdown count is more than the grand total of four different teams and is tied with another. Indianapolis has topped 30 points in each of the past four games and quarterback Daniel Jones is excelling with 2,062 passing yards, 13 touchdowns through the air and three interceptions. Pittsburgh is looking to rebound after back-to-back setbacks against the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers. Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers lost 35-25 to his former club (the Packers) while completing 24 of 36 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns. The Pittsburgh defense featuring stars such as outside linebacker T.J. Watt and defensive tackle Cam Heyward has allowed more than 30 points in consecutive games and four times overall. The Steelers sustained a huge blow when safety DeShon Elliott was carted off with a hyperextended left knee against Green Bay and later placed on injured reserve. Pittsburgh traded for New England safety Kyle Dugger on Wednesday to help soften the loss.

Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) at Tennessee Titans (1-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chargers -9.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: The Chargers have won four of the past six meetings, including last season’s 27-17 home triumph.

The Chargers looked great at the outset of the season with three straight victories and were dominant while crushing the Minnesota Vikings 37-10 last week. But in between, they lost three of four games so who knows which team makes up the real Chargers. Quarterback Justin Herbert has thrown three touchdown passes in back-to-back games and is tied for third with 16 scoring passes. He also leads the league with 2,140 passing yards. Unsung Kimani Vidal has saved the running back position by rushing for 117 yards against the Vikings, 11 days after collecting 124 against the Miami Dolphins. He became the starter after injuries to Najee Harris (Achilles) and rookie Omarion Hampton (hamstring). This is the first of four straight home games for the Titans but that gift from the schedule makers isn’t going to vault Tennessee into the playoffs. The Titans have a bunch of injuries to deal with and rookie quarterback Cam Ward is experiencing weekly growing pains while surrounded by minimal talent. However, interim coach Mike McCoy surely would like to deliver some payback against the organization that fired him following the 2016 campaign after four seasons. Star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (4.5 sacks), the best overall player on the squad, is in danger of missing his second straight game. Simmons (hamstring) sat out last week and hasn’t practiced yet this week.

Minnesota Vikings (3-4) at Detroit Lions (5-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Lions -8.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: The Lions buried the Vikings, 31-9, in the regular-season finale last season to win the NFC North title. Detroit took six of the past seven games in the series.

A QB carousel the Vikings appeared to have resolved last season with Sam Darnold has spun once more with J.J. McCarthy returning to the QB1 role and Carson Wentz hitting injured reserve. McCarthy was hurt in this second career start but has practiced for two weeks to prove his health while recovering from a high ankle sprain. This is his first division game since a miraculous comeback for Minnesota at Chicago in Week 1. Keeping up with the Lions might require another gear. Chief concerns for the Vikings start with protecting McCarthy. Starting tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill are banged up and lead blocker C.J. Ham (hand) was limited all week. Building a wall in front of McCarthy could spare him an unceremonious introduction to Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson has three sacks and five tackles for loss in two games in Detroit against the Vikings. If he has time to throw, McCarthy can dial up Justin Jefferson, who has 72 catches and averages 120.6 yards per game in 10 career meetings with Detroit. Lions QB Jared Goff thrives in this matchup, too. In 10 career games, he averages 288.4 passing yards with 18 TDs, five INTs and a 105.1 passer rating.

Denver Broncos (6-2) at Houston Texans (3-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Texans -1.5, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: Houston recorded a 22-17 home victory last season after the Broncos won four of the previous five matchups.

Both teams have excelled on the defensive side this season so a low-scoring contest won’t be a surprise. The Texans lead the league in scoring defense (14.7) and total defense (266.9) and Denver ranks fifth in both categories – 18.9 and 281.4, respectively. Houston has allowed more than 20 points just once this season and features star pass rushers in Will Anderson (five sacks) and Danielle Hunter (four) as well as standout cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (two interceptions). Denver has allowed 17 or fewer points on four occasions but has got the offense cranked up during its current five-game winning streak. The Broncos scored 33 fourth-quarter points to rally past the New York Giants by one point two weeks ago and torched the Dallas Cowboys 44-24 last week. Denver quarterback Bo Nix threw four touchdown passes for the third time in his two-year career in the win over Dallas. The bad news is that cornerback Patrick Surtain II (pectoral) was hurt against the Cowboys and could miss multiple games. Surtain is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw is back after a one-game suspension for berating referee Brad Allen after the comeback win over New York. Houston will get back Nico Collins (concussion) after a one-game absence while fellow wideout Christian Kirk (hamstring) might be back after missing two games. Collins topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons.

Chicago Bears (4-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bears -3, Total 50.5

Series Rewind: Chicago has three consecutive wins over the Bengals. The last meeting (September 2021) featured 27 total fourth-quarter points; the Bears won 20-17, sacked Joe Burrow five times and intercepted three passes.

Cincinnati’s run defense is the worst in the league, yielding 151.9 yards per game. The Bears are determined to attack weaknesses, which could mean more of rookie seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai in an expanded role. D’Andre Swift has been fighting a groin injury. Head coach Ben Johnson noted the importance of setting up a defense with success on the ground to ease the burden and simplify the pre-snap process for the skill-position group. Caleb Williams has 11 touchdowns and three interceptions in his past eight road games. The Bengals are thriving on downfield throws since Joe Flacco jumped into the lineup. Flacco is dealing with a shoulder injury but has pushed to play. WR Ja’Marr Chase had 12 catches for 91 yards last week and leads the league in catches. He has 38 receptions in his past three games, tied for the most in a three-game span in league history. Even if Flacco makes the start, there is a chance he won’t be able to finish the game given the severity of his shoulder (AC injury) issue. Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson has a QB sack in each of his three career games against the Bears. He’s still dealing with a hip injury suffered at Green Bay on Oct. 12.

San Francisco 49ers (5-3) at New York Giants (2-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: 49ers -2.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: San Francisco has won three of the last four meetings to take a 22-21 lead in the series, including a 4-4 split in the playoffs. New York won both NFC Championship clashes (1990 and 2011 seasons).

Both teams are 2-3 in their last five games, the 49ers following a 3-0 start and the Giants after an 0-3 start. It could be a big day for 49ers star Christian McCaffrey, as the Giants are giving up a league-high 5.7 yards per carry and have allowed 10 rushing touchdowns this season. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said he can’t name a starting quarterback until he sees how Brock Purdy’s troublesome toe fares in practice this week, but here’s one interesting stat of note: Mac Jones is 0-5 against NFC East opponents in his career and Purdy is 6-0. Whoever starts better keep both eyes on Giants linebacker Brian Burns, who has sacks in seven of his past eight games. New York rookie Jaxson Dart has won both of his home starts so far (versus the Chargers and Eagles) but won’t have sparkplug running back Cam Skattebo, handing the ball instead to erstwhile starter Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Carolina Panthers (4-4) at Green Bay Packers (5-1-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel Odds: Packers -13.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: Green Bay beat the Panthers on Christmas Eve at Carolina in 2023, 30-13, and the Packers have won three in a row in the series.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said it’s fair to view TE Tucker Kraft as the team’s No. 1 receiver after his 7-143-2 performance last week in QB Jordan Love’s 10th career game with three TD passes. Kraft has a TD catch in three home games in a row and the Panthers are committed to the ground game to prevent engaging in a shootout at Lambeau. Carolina’s wide receivers gain only 3.2 yards after the reception this season, forcing the offensive line to create push for the tandem of Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard on early downs. Dowdle has 364 rushing yards on first down since Week 5, which is the most in the league. Shifting away from ball control always sparks the Packers’ potent pass rush featuring Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary, who have combined for 14 sacks. The Packers have given up on six points in the first quarter and leads the NFL with an average of 7.3 points allowed in the first half in 2025.

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Jaguars -3, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The Raiders won 19-14 last season in their first matchup in Las Vegas since the team’s relocation. Jacksonville leads the all-time series 6-5, last beating the Raiders in 2016.

Jacksonville is hoping the bye week it just concluded can be a reset of sorts for the final 10 games of the regular season. After jumping out to its first 4-1 start since 2007, the Jaguars limped into their bye week with a home loss to Seattle followed by an uncompetitive 35-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London. The Jaguars could be limited at receiver against the Raiders, with Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) and Tim Patrick (groin) both limited in the first two practices. Two-way sensation Travis Hunter Jr. (knee) was also limited in Thursday’s practice after he had no designation on Wednesday. Las Vegas, also coming out of a bye, will be playing its first game since co-owner Carol Davis, The First Lady of Raider Nation, passed away on Oct. 24 at the age of 93. The offense, shut out the last time out by Kansas City, should get a spark with the return of All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, who will return after missing the last three games and been out of the starting lineup since Week 1 with a knee injury. Standout defensive end Maxx Crosby (back) didn’t practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday.

New Orleans Saints (1-7) at Los Angeles Rams (5-2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -14.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: Los Angeles leads the all-time series 45-35 and has won four of the last five games against the Saints, including each of the last two years.

After throwing for five touchdowns last time out vs. Jacksonville in London, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford remains tied for the NFL lead in touchdown passes (17) coming out of the team’s bye week. He did that without leading receiver Puka Nacua, who missed the game with an ankle injury, but it appears that will be just a one-game absence as Nacua was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. That’s timely for Los Angeles, which remains in a tightly contested NFC West race, with three of the four teams either 5-2 or 5-3. New Orleans made a quarterback change midway through last week’s 23-3 home loss to Tampa Bay, bringing rookie Tyler Shough off the bench. After completing 17 of 30 passes for 128 yards and an interception, Shough’s first start will be a steep challenge against a Los Angeles team which ranks third in scoring defense (16.7 points per game), second in sacks (26) and eighth in takeaways (10). It remains to be seen if Shough will have either of his top two running backs available, as both Alvin Kamara and Devin Neal have been limited in practice with ankle injuries.

Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) at Buffalo Bills (5-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -1.5, Total 52.5
Series Rewind: Josh Allen’s Bills are 4-1 in the regular season vs. Patrick Mahomes, but Mahomes’ Chiefs are 4-0 vs. Allen in the postseason. Their teams have won a combined 14 division titles since 2016.

Kansas City has won three straight and five of six since an 0-2 start to the season. Buffalo snapped a two-game slide with a 40-9 pounding of the Panthers last weekend. Mahomes is looking for his fourth straight game with three or more touchdown passes, while Allen is looking for his sixth straight game at home with two or more TD passes and a 100-plus passer rating. Mahomes actually leads the two quarterbacks in rushing, 280-261, although Allen holds a 5-4 edge in rushing TDs. Chiefs star Travis Kelce needs 26 yards to become the fourth tight end in NFL history with 500-plus yards in 12 seasons. Bills running back James Cook is coming off a career-high 216-yard game against the Panthers and has scored at least one rushing TD in seven of his last eight home games. Kansas City is the only team that has not lost a fumble this season.

Seattle Seahawks (5-2) at Washington Commanders (3-5)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -3, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: The last four regular-season meetings (since 2017) were all decided by five or fewer points, with each side winning once at home and once on the road.

The Seahawks are 3-0 away from home this season and have won nine straight road games under second-year coach Mike Macdonald, while the Commanders are 9-3 at home under second-year coach Dan Quinn. Future Seahawks Ring of Honor member Bobby Wagner is in his second season with Washington and is the only NFL player with eight or more tackles in eight games this season. Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba is trying to become the first WR since 2018 (Adam Thielen) with 100-plus receiving yards and a TD in four straight games. Commanders fans are excited about the expected return of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has thrown for at least 200 yards and two TDs in three straight prime-time games. Counterpart Sam Darnold threw four TD passes in his only previous appearance against Washington (2019 with the Jets). The Seahawks are 2-0 under the lights so far this season and the Commanders are 0-3.

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Rested Rams ready for rookie QB, Saints

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ready or not, Tyler Shough, the Los Angeles Rams are waiting.

Saints coach Kellen Moore broke the glass in Week 8, bringing rookie second-round pick Shough off the bench in relief of starting quarterback Spencer Rattler last week in a loss to the Buccaneers that dropped New Orleans to 1-7.

“Tyler’s starting. We’re not looking back on that,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said Wednesday. “Obviously, the goal is to let Tyler play and get going. Spencer knows that his role is to be the backup and he’s there to help Tyler in any possible way. He did an excellent job today running the scout team, preparing just like he would be as the starter any other week. The good thing we’ve got going is that (quarterbacks) room is a bunch of A-plus people, and they handle it awesome.”

This week, Shough makes his first NFL start at Los Angeles (5-2), and solving the Rams’ defense is no easy task. They’re third in the NFL allowing 16.7 points per game and are tied for eighth with 10 takeaways in 2025. Only the Tennessee Titans (13) have more giveaways this season than the Saints (12), who are 29th in the NFL in scoring (16.0 points per game).

Given their record and corresponding chances to pick near the top of the 2026 draft, the Saints might not trumpet the plan but clearly need to know what they have in Shough.

“It was a good feeling (being named starter) but in the same breath, we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Shough said. “That’s my mindset. Nothing changes process-wise, but the sense of urgency does. We’re just going to have fun. We’ve got to go out there and put points on the board and go out there and win.”

At 26, Shough is seasoned for a rookie. He’s one year older than Rattler and three years older than 2024 first-round picks Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. Moore said the plan is to give Shough enough runway to develop.

“We’re not doing this back-and-forth thing,” Moore said. “That’s the whole objective and plan of this thing, is let Tyler go and let him have a ton of success and navigate the things he has to navigate.”

As Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford can attest, you’re only as old as you feel. The 17-year veteran makes career regular-season start No. 230 on Sunday and pilots the NFL’s third-best passing offense (256.7 yards per game) with 17 touchdown passes and two interceptions. According to Next Gen Stats, Stafford has been pressured at the fifth-lowest rate among qualified quarterbacks (28.5%) and his time to throw (2.69 seconds) is the sixth-fastest.

He was able to enjoy the bye week and attend the 18-inning World Series win by the Dodgers — Stafford admits he exited in the 10th inning — in what he called the most restful week off in a long time.

“Obviously, I didn’t take any hits last week, so that definitely feels better,” Stafford said. “But to be honest with you, our guys have been doing such a great job of keeping me clean. I mean, I felt pretty good, knock on wood, most weeks coming into the week.”

While the Saints are fighting largely for future success, the Rams remain in win-now mode. Locked in a tight race atop the NFC West, Los Angeles has won every game in which it allowed 20 or fewer points. New Orleans has put up 20 or more only twice in 2025.

One of the Rams’ losses still gnaws at head coach Sean McVay, who pointed the finger at himself for the Rams not holding onto a lead against the 49ers. Those teams are set for a rematch in Week 10.

Before getting there, the Rams were introspective on their week off. McVay doubled down on a self-scouting process to define strengths, weaknesses and processes for improvement the second half of the season.

“You better know yourself before you know your opponent. That’s been a consistent approach that we’ve really leaned into the last handful of years. You don’t wait until the bye,” he said. “You might have a little bit more time, but we expect to be in tune with the things that we need to be aware of. What are the opponents looking at? We better know ourselves better than our opponents.”

In the win over Jacksonville in London before the bye, wide receiver Puka Nacua (ankle) was out. He was limited in Wednesday’s practice but progressing, according to McVay. Without him, the Rams have kept the offense rolling. Nacua left two previous games this season — Week 1 and Week 6 — before the final whistle.

Davante Adams, signed in free agency prior to the season, caught three TD passes from Stafford in London. He was anxious to get back on the field to build on what they started overseas.

“Oh, hell yeah,” Adams said Wednesday. “I told Sean, I was like, ‘I wish we could keep rolling at this point.’ And then the other part is seeing that people keep playing and then they keep doing this, and you’re like, ‘Damn, I just had to sit around for a week.’”

The Rams are still adding to the roster and McVay said they would consider other moves after trading for cornerback Roger McCreary in a deal with the Titans.

Wide receiver Tutu Atwell (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve. The Rams are optimistic he’ll be back by the end of the month.

–Field Level Media

–Field Level Media

Oct 25, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks out of the lockerroom prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Texas’ Steve Sarkisian calls report on NFL interest ‘absolutely ridiculous’

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was not all smiles Saturday after the No. 22 Longhorns rallied from a 17-point, fourth-quarter deficit to win 45-38 at Mississippi State in overtime.

After a report from The Athletic was published early Saturday that Sarkisian’s representatives have let NFL decision makers know that he would be interested in potential head coaching openings, he took time in his postgame press conference to passionately deny the claim.

“I’d love to touch on this, so bear with me for a second, because it really pisses me off that one person can make a report that, in turn, the entire media and sports world runs with as factual, to the point that my agency and my agents had to put a statement out, which they’ve never done historically,” Sarkisian said. “CAA, Jimmy Sexton, Ed Marynowitz have never done that. But I had to do it to protect my locker room and my team, and I thought it was absolutely ridiculous.

“I thought it was completely unprofessional of that person to put that report out, and the fact that everybody ran with it is borderline embarrassing for the media. … I’ve got a small circle when I make decisions on what I do and what I don’t do, and nobody would ever speak on my behalf without me knowing. So, where that report came from — I’d love to talk to that person, because it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Sarkisian’s agency, CAA, put out a statement on social media Saturday afternoon.

“Any reports regarding communications on coaching opportunities with NFL teams are patently false and wildly inaccurate,” Jimmy Sexton and Ed Marynowitz of CAA said in the statement. “Sark is solely focused on coaching the University of Texas football team.”

After beginning the season as the No. 1 team, the Longhorns are 6-2 (3-1 SEC) after consecutive road overtime wins over Mississippi State and Kentucky, who are a combined 0-9 in SEC games this season.

Sarkisian, unlike many college coaches tied to NFL openings, has coaching experience at that level. He was the Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator in 2017-18 before he was fired and returned to the college ranks as Alabama’s offensive coordinator.

He is in his fifth season as Texas head coach and has a 44-19 record, leading the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff each of the last two seasons.

–Field Level Media

Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian arrives at the stadium before the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Report: Texas coach Steve Sarkisian explores NFL interest

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is exploring a jump to the NFL, The Athletic reported Saturday.

The report said Sarkisian has let NFL decision makers know he is interested in any head coaching vacancies, including the Tennessee Titans’ opening.

Sarkisian reportedly declined interviews with multiple NFL teams in the last hiring cycle prior to agreeing to a new seven-year deal with Texas this winter. The agreement boosted his salary to $10.8 million and locked him in with the Longhorns through the 2031 season.

In a statement issued later Saturday, Sarkisian’s agents disputed the report.

“Any reports regarding communications on coaching opportunities with NFL teams are patently false and wildly inaccurate,” read the statement from Jimmy Sexton and Ed Marynowitz from CAA Football. “Sark is solely focused on coaching the University of Texas football team.”

Sarkisian, 51, previously worked in the NFL as a quarterbacks coach with the then-Oakland Raiders in 2004 and as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017-18.

Having opened as the preseason No. 1 team in the country, Sarkisian’s squad suffered a season-opening loss at Ohio State and a defeat at Florida on Oct. 4.

The 22nd-ranked Longhorns (5-2, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) play Saturday at Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3).

Last season, Sarkisian guided Texas to the College Football Playoff semifinals, where the Longhorns fell to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.

Now in his fifth season at Texas, Sarkisian is 43-19, including a Big 12 title win in 2023. Including stops at Washington (2009-13) and USC (2014-15), he is 89-54 as a head coach.

The Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan earlier this month after a 1-5 start. Mike McCoy is the interim coach.

–Field Level Media

Former Packers teammates (pictured in 2022) meet Sunday in Pittsburgh. Current Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers (12) takes on Green Bay and his replacement at quarterback Jordan Love (10). Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Week 8 NFL Capsules

Posted on | by Field Level Media

NFL Week 8 preview capsules:

Miami Dolphins (1-6) at Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Falcons -7.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: This is the first meeting since a 30-28 shootout won by the Falcons at Miami in 2021. The Dolphins lead the all-time series 9-5. Tua Tagovailoa threw four TD passes and two picks but Matt Ryan had 336 yards and moved Atlanta down the field for a late field goal to win it.

For the second time in two weeks, Tua Tagovailoa opposes another southpaw starting quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. The lefties are trying to consistently find the passing lane but offensive gridlock is hitting Miami hard. Tagovailoa has thrown six interceptions the past two games and 10 total this season. Both teams want to lean on dual-purpose backs to move the chains. Dolphins RB De’Von Achane and Falcons RB Bijan Robinson are two of the NFL’s three backs with at least 450 rushing yards and 200 receiving (49ers RB Christian McCaffrey is the third). Finding a run-pass balance early is a priority for Miami to keep Tagovailoa out of obvious passing situations. He’s operating without Tyreek Hill the rest of the season, TE Darren Waller landed on injured reserve this week and Jaylen Waddle is fighting a hamstring injury. Atlanta’s skill-position stars are in better shape. Robinson is only 86 yards shy of 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season and the Dolphins are being trampled by effective running games to the tune of 159.3 yards per game. But Penix has been limited by a knee injury this week and is questionable. If healthy, he could also have a field day. If not, Kirk Cousins would be making his first start in nearly a year. Miami’s back seven has been inconsistent and opposing quarterbacks have a completion percentage of 74.6% this season. The Dolphins allowed six or more points in eight of the past 11 quarters.

New York Jets (0-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bengals -6.5, Total 44.5
Series Rewind: The Bengals have won four of the past five in the series, most recently a 27-12 victory in 2022 that featured six total field goals and three Joe Burrow TD passes.

The Jets are the only winless team in the NFL, while the Bengals appear resurrected since installing Joe Flacco — who had two previous stints with the Jets — as their starter. Points and almost all positives have been a challenge to define for the winless Jets, compounded by owner Woody Johnson sharing his critique of embattled QB Justin Fields two days after head coach Aaron Glenn turned to Tyrod Taylor in the second half of a 13-6 loss to the Panthers. Cincinnati rolls into Week 8 rested, coming off a 33-31 last-second victory over the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 16. The win rekindled visions of Cincinnati competing for the division title, with games against the Jets and the Chicago Bears coming to finish a three-game homestand. The Bengals could have the services of Trey Hendrickson again on Sunday after the star pass rusher missed the Steelers game with a hip injury. The Jets are dealing with injury issues and are without CB Sauce Gardner, who entered concussion protocol after getting hurt in the second half against Carolina last week. Not helping the offensive ineptitude, WR Garrett Wilson missed last week’s game with a knee injury and was ruled out Friday. Without Gardner, the Jets are likely to use multiple corners to attempt to slow Ja’Marr Chase. He had career-high 16 catches for 161 yards last week and has 10-plus receptions in three consecutive games.

Cleveland Browns (2-5) at New England Patriots (5-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Patriots -7, Total 40.5
Series Rewind: The Patriots have won nine of the past 10 against the Browns. Cleveland’s last win was in 2010 (34-14). Browns RB Peyton Hillis scored a pair of touchdowns and QB Colt McCoy ran for a score. Tom Brady threw two TDs to Aaron Hernandez to account for both New England scores.

Expectations appeared to be trending downward again for New England following a Week 1 home loss to the Raiders. But the Patriots are rolling with four consecutive wins and a full-blown coming-out party for QB Drake Maye. Maye leads the NFL with a 75.2 completion percentage (152 of 202). Only former Saints QB Drew Brees had a completion percentage of 75-plus in his team’s first seven games of a season (77.4 %, 188 of 243, in 2018) among passers with at least 200 attempts. The defense is getting it done, too. The Patriots have allowed 20 or fewer points in all four games in the current win streak, and Cleveland averages only 16.1 points per game. But the Browns arrive having scored more than 17 points for the first time this season in a 31-6 beatdown of the Dolphins last week. Rookie QB Dillon Gabriel hasn’t thrown an interception in three starts since supplanting since-traded veteran Joe Flacco. Flacco was leading the NFL in turnovers at the time of his demotion. The emergence of a strong running game hasn’t hurt a defense-first approach. Rookie Quinshon Judkins has 467 yards and five touchdowns this season, including a three-TD performance against Miami.

New York Giants (2-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Eagles -7.5, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: The Giants look to sweep the Eagles for the first time since 2007. New York has won the first leg of the NFC East derby four times (2008, 2011, 2016, 2021) since then but settled for a split each time.

Jaxson Dart has experienced the highs and lows of NFL life in back-to-back games. After stunning the Super Bowl champion Eagles in Week 6, his Giants blew a 19-0 fourth-quarter lead in last weekend’s shocking collapse at Denver. Instead of looking back, the rookie quarterback looked ahead to “the hostility in the air” in Philadelphia for this rematch. He ran for a score and threw a touchdown in a 34-17 win in the first meeting, with fellow rookie Cam Skattebo scooting for three TD runs. The Eagles bounced back with an impressive win at Minnesota, where Jalen Hurts (326 passing yards) and receivers DeVonta Smith (183) and A.J. Brown (121) all set season highs. Brown (knee) was ruled out on Friday after not practicing this week. The Eagles have only turned the ball over three times this season, with two of them coming in the loss to the Giants — including Hurts’ only interception in his last 13 regular-season starts. The Giants are working through injuries on defense. CB Paulson Adebo (knee) is out, S Jevon Holland (knee) is doubtful and edge rusher Brian Burns (hip) is questionable.

Chicago Bears (4-2) at Baltimore Ravens (1-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -6.5, Total 49.5
Series Rewind: While the Ravens won the most recent meeting in 2021, Chicago prevailed in each of the previous two on overtime field goals.

Chicago could corral a five-game winning streak for the first time since 2018. Baltimore already has five losses and the Ravens are mired in a four-game slide as part of the worst six-game start in the 30-season history of the franchise. The Ravens will have a lot more optimism with QB Lamar Jackson back from a hamstring strain. Baltimore has scored a total of 13 points over the past two games with understudy Cooper Rush at quarterback. He threw for a grand total of 72 yards in a 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams prior to last week’s bye. Two-time NFL MVP Jackson was injured during a 37-20 Week 4 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs. Ravens LB Roquan Smith (hamstring) will return from a two-game absence to go up against the Bears, the club he spent 4 1/2 season with before being traded to the Ravens in 2022. The Chicago defense has been superb with a league-high 16 takeaways to help the team sport a league-best plus-11 turnover margin. Injuries are likely to impact the secondary. While Bears S Kevin Byard III is tied for the NFL lead with four interceptions and has three picks in four career games at Baltimore, CBs Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder) and Kyler Gordon (groin/calf) are out. Offensively, quarterback Caleb Williams has passed for 1,351 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions in his second NFL season and running back D’Andre Swift (419 yards, three touchdowns) also is playing well. Swift (groin) is questionable, which could push rookie Kyle Monangai into his first career start.

Buffalo Bills (4-2) at Carolina Panthers (4-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bills -7.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: The Bills are 6-2 all-time against the Panthers. However, Carolina won 9-3 the last time these teams played in Charlotte in 2017.

The Bills lost their last two games before their bye last week while the Panthers enter the game on their first three-game winning streak since 2021, which was also the last time they were above .500. Buffalo hopes recent history continues at Carolina as the Bills have won their last eight games coming out of a bye dating back to 2017. They’re also hoping to come out of the bye week a bit healthier, potentially getting tight end Dalton Kincaid and linebacker Matt Milano back from injury. Carolina is expected to be without starting QB Bryce Young. He left last week’s win over the Jets with an ankle injury and was limited in practice this week. If he’s unable to go, the Panthers tag in Andy Dalton, who started six games for Carolina over the 2023-24 seasons and has 168 career starts and 254 touchdown passes to his name. Buffalo’s injury list this week is significant with Jordan Poyer stepping in for Taylor Rapp, who was placed on injured reserve. LB Matt Milano (pectoral) is questionable.

San Francisco 49ers (5-2) at Houston Texans (2-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Texans -2.5, Total 41.5
Series Rewind: This will be just the sixth time these teams have played since Houston’s expansion season in 2002. San Francisco is 4-1 and has won the last three over Houston.

The Houston Texans have dug themselves quite a hole in the AFC South. Division winners each of the last two seasons, they trail Indianapolis by 3 1/2 games seven weeks into the season. Things won’t get any easier this week against a San Francisco win that keeps piling wins despite being down multiple key contributors on both sides of the ball. 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey is coming off his best game of the season, amassing 201 yards from scrimmage and scoring twice in last week’s 20-10 win over Atlanta. Starting QB Brock Purdy (toe) has made gradual improvement but not enough to be cleared to play, and Mac Jones will make his sixth start of the season. The 49ers play the Rams next week in a potential fight for first place in the NFC West. Jones would be making his fourth consecutive start if Purdy doesn’t play. He has filled in admirably, anchoring the NFL’s best passing offense (271.3 yards per game) despite having a limited receiver room due to injuries. The Texans are down top pass-catchers Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) this week, which will test QB C.J. Stroud, who hasn’t yet thrown for 250 yards in a game this season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) at New Orleans Saints (1-6)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -4.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: New Orleans has handled Tampa Bay historically, holding a 40-27 lead in the all-time series. However, the Buccaneers have dominated of late, with five wins in the last six matchups.

The Buccaneers, who began the season with an impressive run of close-game wins, were humbled Monday night in a 24-9 loss at Detroit. A matchup against lowly New Orleans could be just what the doctor ordered to get on the right track. But speaking of doctors, the Buccaneers are a few levels beyond banged up. Tampa Bay ruled out RB Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder), WR Chris Godwin (fibula), OG Luke Haggard (shoulder) and LB Haason Reddick (knee, ankle) with Mike Evans out for the foreseeable future with a broken collarbone sustained in the loss to the Lions. Rookie WR Emeka Egbuka continues to tear it up and figures to be used as a No. 1 option for QB Baker Mayfield. Egbuka’s 527 receiving yards are nearly 100 more than any other rookie and rank seventh in the NFL entering Week 8. Mayfield also has a good track record in New Orleans, throwing 3-plus TD passes in each of his two road starts against the Saints. Saints QB Spencer Rattler is coming off a four-turnover performance (three picks, one fumble) in last week’s 26-14 loss at Chicago. However, he’s thrown four touchdowns with no interceptions in his last three home starts. New Orleans’ struggling offense will be without center Eric McCoy (biceps) and running back Kendre Miller (knee) the rest of the way due to season-ending injuries sustained last week.

Tennessee Titans (1-6) at Indianapolis Colts (6-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Colts -14.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: The Colts and Titans have split the last 10 meetings — five wins in a row for Tennessee from 2020-22 and five wins in a row for Indianapolis since the start of 2023. Four of the last five were one-score games.

The Colts lead the NFL with an average of 33.1 points per game and have scored at least 30 points five times, while the Titans are last in the league with 13.7 points per game and have scored at least 20 only twice. Hence the massive point spread. Indianapolis cruised to a 41-20 victory in the first meeting in Nashville in Week 3, led by Jonathan Taylor with 102 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He is the third player in the past 20 seasons with three games of three or more rushing TDs in a season: LaDainian Tomlinson (2006) and Derrick Henry (2021). The Titans are coming off a 31-13 loss to former coach Mike Vrabel’s Patriots, spoiling the debut of interim coach Mike McCoy. Making things tougher for Tennessee against the Indy offense, CB L’Jarius Sneed was placed on IR this week and DT Jeffery Simmons won’t play because of his hamstring injury. Both Titans RBs — Tony Pollard (ankle) and Tyjae Spears (concussion) — are on the injury report and Spears was ruled out. Pollard is officially questionable.

Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1) at Denver Broncos (5-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Broncos -3.5, Total 50.5
Series Rewind: Denver coach Sean Payton was the assistant head coach and QBs coach in Dallas (2003-05) before taking the reins in New Orleans. It’s the first time his Broncos have faced the Cowboys.

The Broncos have won eight straight home games since Week 8 of last season, the longest active streak in the NFL. Second-year QB Bo Nix made history in last week’s instant-classic comeback to beat the Giants, becoming the first player in league history with two passing TDs and two rushing TDs in the fourth quarter. Now he’ll get to attack a Dallas secondary down multiple starters. CB Trevon Diggs (concussion) and S Donovan Wilson (shoulder) are out. The Denver D leads the NFL in sacks (34) and ranks third in total defense (273.1 yards per game) and fourth in scoring defense (18.1 points per game). Dallas counters with a unit that ranks No. 1 in total offense (390.6) and No. 2 in scoring (31.7). Cowboys star Dak Prescott is 0-2 vs. the Broncos in his career but heads to the Mile High City on quite a roll, just the third player ever with four straight games of three or more TD passes and a 120-plus rating (Russell Wilson in 2015 and Andrew Luck in 2018). The Broncos’ pass rush and talent in the secondary presents an intriguing chess match and strength-vs-strength showdown, including All-Pros potentially locking horns with Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb covered by Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II.

Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Packers -3, Total 45.5
Series Rewind: The Steelers have won six of the past seven regular-season meetings, including a 23-19 victory during Jordan Love’s first season as a Green Bay starter in 2023. Also, Aaron Rodgers’ lone Super Bowl victory came against Pittsburgh following the 2010 regular season.

Rodgers insists he harbors no grudges against his former team of 18 seasons as he competes against the Packers for the first time in his storied career. Of course, he felt much differently when he left the organization following the 2022 season. You could picture NBC executives saying, “No, don’t say that!” when Rodgers said “this is not a revenge game for me.” The bulletin board material may be gone but you can bet Rodgers would like to beat former coach Matt LaFleur on the Sunday Night stage. Rodgers has played solidly for the Steelers (4-2), completing 68.6% of his passes for 1,270 yards, 14 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Packers ruled out DL Lukas Van Ness (knee) and WR Dontayvion Wicks (calf) after neither player practiced this week. Love, who backed up Rodgers for three seasons, has passed for 1,438 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions this season. Love has thrown 67 touchdown passes in 38 regular-season games since taking over the full-time starting role in 2023. One player Rodgers hopes to avoid is Green Bay playmaker Micah Parsons, who recorded a career-high three sacks versus the Arizona Cardinals last week. Parsons shares the team lead of 5.5 sacks with fellow defensive lineman Rashan Gary. Packers star running back Josh Jacobs (414 rushing yards, eight TDs) will play after being limited by a calf injury the past two weeks. Pittsburgh star linebacker T.J. Watt is dealing with a hip injury but also plans to play. His four sacks are second on the team behind fellow linebacker Nick Herbig (4.5).

Washington Commanders (3-4) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -11.5, Total 47.5
Series Rewind: The Chiefs have won the past eight meetings and are 10-1 all-time against Washington.

Kansas City is above .500 for the first time this season after winning four of the past five games. The Chiefs demolished the Las Vegas Raiders 31-0 last weekend when they began taking kneeldowns with 2:36 left in the game. The shutout was Kansas City’s first in the regular season since 2011. Kansas City allowed just 95 yards and three first downs to the overmatched Raiders. Patrick Mahomes passed for 286 yards and three touchdowns and he has 11 TD passes against one interception over the last four contests. The Chiefs had Rashee Rice on the field for the first time this season after he completed a suspension and he caught seven passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns against the Raiders. The Commanders will be operating without star quarterback Jayden Daniels (hamstring), who was injured in last week’s 44-22 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Marcus Mariota will draw the start for the third time this season. Washington split his first two starting assignments. Mariota has thrown 100 touchdown passes in his 11-year career. Commanders top wideout Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) could return after missing the previous four games. He was a full practice participant on Thursday. Washington’s defense has been a problem — the Commanders ranks 27th in total defense (364.3 yards per game) and 25th against the pass (238.3).

–Field Level Media