Former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer opened up about his brief stint in the NFL.Meyer detailed what it was like to lose so many games after making his league coaching debut during an interview Monday with Outkick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich.""It was the worst experience I've had in my professional lifetime," said Meyer, according to The Comeback's Sean Keeley. "What really got me, I almost don't want to say people accept it, I mean, you lose a game, and you just keep … I would seriously have self-talk."I went through that whole depression thing too where I'd stare at the ceilings and (think), 'Are we doing everything possible?' Because I really believed we had a roster that was good enough to win games. I just don't think we did a great job."The Jaguars fired Meyer (2-11) just 13 games into his rookie campaign. The former collegiate bench boss ran into multiple controversies during his time with the franchise, including run-ins with players and staff that caused tensions within the organization.Additionally, the long-time coach denied an allegation from ex-kicker Josh Lambo that he kicked the player during a practice in August."I certainly did not," Meyer said. "To say I didn't tap him with my foot … To kick someone? Come on. I've done this 37 years. Kick a player? The other players came up to me and said, 'We saw the whole thing.' Because I’d mostly forgotten about it."Looking back at his short spell in pro football, Meyer said, "I tried to train myself to say it happens in the NFL."The 57-year-old initially signed a five-year deal with Jacksonville. The Jags own the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft after concluding their 2021 season with a 3-14 record.Meyer entered the pro ranks with an impressive college football resume, winning two national titles with Florida and one with Ohio State while also producing successful campaigns at Bowling Green and Utah.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Three of the top-four rated teams went down during a furiously chaotic divisional round. Maybe it was the best playoff weekend ever, maybe not, but it definitely wasn't a great time for favorites, with the Chiefs the only one to survive.Does that mean those teams shouldn't have been favored? Of course not. However, as we pointed out last week, either the Bengals and 49ers weren't getting enough credit, or the Titans and Packers were getting too much.Meanwhile, both Sunday games were lined like the coin-flip contests they ended up being, even if they took drastically different routes to get there. If you took the plus-money on both, you at least won a couple of dollars during the drama.With four teams left, we'll look at the opening lines through the lens of the ratings that have guided our best bets, which have been nearly perfect so far this postseason.TEAMRATINGHFAChiefs761.9Rams681.449ers661Bengals591.4Bengals @ Chiefs (-7, 54.5)Any sportsbook that opened Sunday night with Kansas City at -6.5 made a mistake. That's not to say it wasn't the appropriate number - it actually was based on the cumulative closing lines of previous games this season. However, it was a mistake because the appetite among bettors for the Chiefs following their incredible win was always going to be high.Games like Sunday night's contest will reinstitute the Kansas City tax we've seen come into the marketplace for much of the last three seasons. Sure enough, we find ourselves facing a decision on a flat seven.As for the total, it moved in a big way. The Bengals don't have the same defense built to stop the Chiefs like the Bills were supposed to. So, when the total opened at 50.5, it was quickly bet up to 53. And it's only ticked up since, reaching the same area that the Bills-Chiefs matchup closed at.49ers @ Rams (-3.5, 46)The ratings above suggest the Rams should be 2.5-point favorites. On the one hand, the assumption is that San Francisco is running on fumes at this point. On the other hand, the Rams' home-field advantage isn't as valuable in this matchup as it would be in a standard game in Los Angeles.A Week 18 win by the 49ers in a contest they closed +3.5 suggests we'll see this number drop and close at +3. Whether that ends up being the case or not, we're seeing a -120 price tag to take San Francisco with the hook.The total has been less eventful than its AFC counterpart. The Jan. 9 matchup saw the total close at 46.5, meaning oddsmakers have set virtually the same number for the spread and total, and both have held firm in early week betting.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Like his teammate Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski didn't commit to returning for the 2022 season.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end told reporters Monday he wasn't ready to make a call on his future in wake of Sunday's divisional-round loss to the Los Angeles Rams."The process is take some time off, recover ... give it a couple weeks and go from there," Gronkowski said, according to team reporter Carmen Vitali.Should he decide to continue playing, Gronkowski didn't rule out returning to Tampa Bay even if his longtime quarterback decides to retire. The veteran pass-catcher is set to be a free agent this offseason."There could be a scenario like that. I'd never throw anything off the board because you never know how anything's going to play out," he added, per Joey Knight of The Tampa Bay Times.Brady said he was taking his future "day by day" Sunday.The 44-year-old lured Gronkowski out of retirement to join him on the Buccaneers in 2020. The two won Super Bowl LV in their first season together with the club."It was still a very successful season," Gronkowski noted. "To win the Super Bowl last year and get back in the playoffs this year is hard ... just proud to be a part of it these last two years."Gronkowski caught 55 passes for 802 yards and six touchdowns across 12 appearances this season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What a weekend! All four of the NFL's divisional-round games were won on last-second scoring plays. The contests were decided by a combined 15 points, for an average margin of victory of 3.8 points per game - the lowest in NFL playoff history for a round with at least four games. Let's take a closer look at some of what went down and what it means.Bills-Chiefs didn't deserve these overtime rules Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / GettySeriously, did anyone want that game to end? Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes traded haymakers with their arms and their legs all night long then combined to lead both teams to 25 points in the final two minutes of regulation. It was more than one of the most dazzling displays of quarterback play in league history: It was also a perfect example of two great talents pushing each other to strain the boundaries of what can be achieved on a football field.Just look at this win probability chart from ESPN. The end of the fourth quarter onward reads like a seismograph, which is appropriate, considering what an earth-shattering performance that was: theScore/ESPNNeither QB deserved to lose, but that's what happened to Allen even though he had twice given the Bills the lead in the final two minutes. Only the NFL's overtime rules prevented him from getting the opportunity to answer Mahomes' game-winner. Kansas City won the overtime coin flip, and that ultimately proved to be the difference: Mahomes marched the Chiefs up the field in seven plays, and Allen never got the ball again.If you want to contemplate a decisive mistake, it might be that Buffalo opted to kick off for a touchback after Allen's TD pass to Gabriel Davis with 13 seconds remaining. The Bills would have been better off squib-kicking to kill at least a few seconds off the clock. Instead, armed with all three timeouts, Mahomes was able to rifle passes to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce to set up Harrison's Butker's 49-yard field goal as the clock struck zero.But think about how absurd and nitpicky it is to dwell on something like that: The Bills took the lead with 13 seconds remaining, and it still proved to be too much time for Patrick Mahomes. In a just world, these QBs would have kept playing forever. Just a hunch, but that probably won't be the last time we see them going toe-to-toe like this in January.What a weekend!A deliriously wide-open season left us with a divisional-round slate of four games that included what most reasonable observers would agree were the eight best teams in the NFL this year. And then those eight teams treated us to four games that were all decided on the final play.Parity ruled the day in the NFL more than ever this season, and the divisional round packed as much of it as possible into one solitary weekend. What a show.Next Sunday's conference championship games will decide the Super Bowl participants, but after this weekend, Bengals-Chiefs and 49ers-Rams have a tough act to follow.Where do the Bills go from here? David Eulitt / Getty Images Sport / GettyBuffalo fans are all-too-familiar with heartbreak after those four straight Super Bowl losses in the early 1990s. The franchise has found its footing after a generation of aimlessness, but a loss like that has the potential to be a lingering gut punch.The good news for the Bills is that they're set up to sustain their success. Allen alone ought to keep them competitive for years to come, but they also had the NFL's most efficient defense this season. Yeah, it got torched by Mahomes in that spot, but which defense wouldn't have been torched by Mahomes in that spot?General manager Brandon Beane has built a solid roster, and he got ahead of the game by getting Allen signed to the kind of long-term contract that will prove to be a bargain as the salary cap returns to growing exponentially in the years ahead. And head coach Sean McDermott is a forward-thinker whose embrace of data analysis has served the team well: McDermott's decision to go for it on fourth down twice on the opening possession - knowing he wasn't going to win this contest with punts and field goals, a reversal of his approach in last year's AFC title game - is why analytics will continue to influence the way the modern game is played. Those fourth-down decisions were a big reason the Bills still had a chance late.Also, the Bills don't have a lot of big names headed toward free agency: just cornerback Levi Wallace and aging edge rushers Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison.Everything is in place for the Bills to be right back in this spot again next season - and for years afterward. McDermott and these players will likely never get over this defeat. But that doesn't mean they can't overcome that misery in the future. Rams survive, show Stafford's worthThe Rams were the far superior team for the majority of Sunday's game, but with each failed opportunity to put it away, you couldn't help but feel that they were playing with fire. Sure enough, Tom Brady and Co. stormed back with 21 unanswered to tie things up with 42 seconds to play.Unlike the countless victims of Brady's heroics, though, Los Angeles was able to weather the storm. In the end, it was the star players on its top-heavy roster who made the difference.Cooper Kupp racked up 183 yards on nine catches, with his clutch 44-yarder at the end of regulation being the dagger that set up the game-winning kick, and Odell Beckham Jr. chipped in with 69 yards on six receptions. Aaron Donald and Von Miller led the way for a defensive front that made the pocket uncomfortable for Brady throughout the afternoon, each providing consistent pressure and getting to the quarterback for a sack.But the real difference-maker was the play of Stafford - in particular, his willingness to take and deliver on that late deep shot to Kupp just when it seemed like the Rams were going to crumble in historic fashion.That crucial moment, and several big-time plays he made throughout the game, showed the football world exactly why the Rams gave up all the picks they did to dump Jared Goff and hand the offense to Stafford. Les Snead and Sean McVay thought they'd have a Super Bowl contender with this kind of upgrade at quarterback, and they were right.In an era when teams value draft picks like never before, the Rams have been fearless. You see an opportunity, you go for it. They're now two wins away from the ultimate validation.About that play to Kupp Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times / GettyIt's tough to figure out what the Bucs were thinking on that last defensive series after tying the game at 27-27.With 27 seconds on the clock and the Rams on their own 44-yard line with no timeouts, there was no reason for Tampa Bay to dial up a Cover-0 blitz and leave themselves vulnerable over the top, especially when you consider Matt Gay had just come up short from 47 yards on his last field-goal attempt.Sit back, keep everything in front of you, and force L.A. to run out the clock. Get to overtime.Bruce Arians said postgame that the blitz call wasn't communicated to all defensive players, which may explain why Antoine Winfield Jr. so quickly found himself in a trail position on Kupp, but the pressure call feels so unnecessary either way.It's a crushing way for the Bucs' season to end after they mounted such an incredible comeback. And there appears to be a chance that it marks the end of more than just their title-defending campaign.Is this it for Brady?Reports surfaced prior to Sunday's loss that Brady was undecided on whether he'd return for the 2022 season. He indeed seemed noncommittal when he met with the media postgame, saying he hasn't put much thought into it and plans to take his future "day by day."Brady may well decide to return, but it's worth noting that at the conclusion of previous seasons, he was quick to confirm that he'd be back. Until now, there has never been any uncertainty as to whether he might retire.If this is it for Brady, it's an unfortunate way for him to go out. The Bucs' offense was a completely different unit following Chris Godwin's season-ending knee injury and the infamous midgame departure of Antonio Brown. Not having star right tackle Tristan Wirfs on Sunday against Donald, Miller, and the rest of the Rams' defense didn't help matters either.But even with all the missing parts on offense, the Bucs still nearly pulled off the comeback against a wildly talented Rams team. And while it's certainly not the way he would have drawn it up, doesn't that just sum up what Brady has become to football fans over the last two decades?If you're a Bucs supporter, you had to feel confident the game wasn't over until the clock hit zeroes. And if you're a fan of anyone else, even a 27-6 deficit in late in the third quarter wasn't enough to have you feeling comfortable that maybe, just maybe, you'd get to see someone else win a title for once.What's next for Aaron Rodgers? Patrick McDermott / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Packers' swift, sudden exit from the postseason kick-starts a question that's going to dominate the offseason: What does the future hold for Aaron Rodgers?Rodgers spent the entirety of last offseason being passive-aggressive about remaining with the Packers. He eventually reported on time for training camp, but he also convinced the organization to void the final year of his contract - a maneuver that set the stage for a potential trade this offseason. As Green Bay ripped through the regular season with Rodgers again playing like an MVP, it was possible to imagine the two sides living happily ever after. But now?The Packers likely don't want to part with Rodgers, especially after watching Jordan Love in his lone start. But Green Bay also projects to be more than $40 million over the salary cap - a figure that doesn't include wideout Davante Adams, who is not under contract in 2022. Some major roster pruning is coming. Rodgers turns 39 in December. Will he want to stick around for whatever comes next?Rodgers said after Saturday's loss that he'd "take some time" to make his decision. He did not rule out the possibility of retirement, but he also said he did not want to be part of a rebuild. He did indicate he'd make his decision by the start of free agency. In case you're wondering, that's March 14.49ers pass rush does it againSan Francisco's tremendous ability to generate consistent pressure factored into its wild-card win at Dallas. It might have been the biggest factor in the team's upset of the Packers.Yes, Green Bay's special teams - a problem all season long - screwed up in a pair of high-leverage situations. But the Packers' offense - an unstoppable juggernaut all season long - also failed to reach the end zone after its first possession. San Francisco's penchant for getting after Rodgers without blitzing was a huge reason why.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford booked a spot in the NFC Championship Game for the first time in his career after a spectacular 30-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Though the victory wasn't nearly as easy as Stafford hoped, he sure won't forget it anytime soon."I would have loved to have been taking a knee up three scores," Stafford said postgame, according to Jarrett Bell of USA Today. "But it's a whole lot more fun when you've got to make a play like that to win the game and just steal somebody's soul."The Rams dominated the Buccaneers for most of the game and opened a 27-3 lead midway through the third quarter. However, Tampa Bay stormed back thanks to L.A.'s three lost fumbles in the second half, tying the contest with 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter.With only one timeout left, Stafford led a stunning 63-yard drive that included a 44-yard connection to Cooper Kupp in the final seconds, allowing Matt Gay to kick the game-winning 30-yard field goal as time expired."All the guys on the sideline were like, 'Man, you were in a dark place,'" Stafford said. "I said, 'Sometimes, you just have to go to those places and make some plays happen.' I was enjoying the moment. In my mind, I live for those kind of moments."Stafford, who joined the Rams during the offseason after spending his first 12 NFL seasons on the Detroit Lions, finished the afternoon with 366 yards and two touchdowns on 28-of-38 passing. He also added a score on the ground.The 33-year-old won his first two career playoff games this campaign after going 0-3 in the postseason with Detroit.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills produced an instant classic Sunday, going back and forth until the Chiefs scored in overtime to win 42-36 and advance to the AFC Championship Game.The two teams combined to score 25 points in the final two minutes of regulation, including three touchdowns. The Chiefs trailed by a field goal when they took the ball at their own 25-yard line with 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter, yet somehow went on to win.Here are what players and coaches from both sides had to say in the aftermath.Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on the game:"I'll remember this for the rest of my life."Bills quarterback Josh Allen on not having a chance to touch the ball in overtime:"The rules are what they are, and I can't complain about that because if it was the other way around, we'd be celebrating, too."Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on his 25-yard reception at the end of the fourth quarter that set up the game-tying field goal:"I told (Mahomes), I'm probably not going to run the route that's called and I was going to run to the open area. And in his cadence he was yelling to me, 'Do it! Do it!'"Bills center Mitch Morse on the game:"We just ended up on the wrong side of one of the greatest games in NFL postseason history."Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill on where Mahomes sits on the quarterback index:"He top two, and he not two."Bills head coach Sean McDermott on the loss:"What doesn't kill you should only make you stronger and I think this should make us stronger. It's gonna take some time but it should make us stronger."Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on what he told Mahomes with 13 seconds left in the fourth quarter:"When it's grim, be the Grim Reaper and go get it."Bills safety Jordan Poyer on the loss:"It's going to sting for a little while. Sting for a long time, actually."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had advice ready for Patrick Mahomes when the Buffalo Bills scored a go-ahead touchdown with 13 seconds left in regulation of the AFC divisional round."When it's grim, be the Grim Reaper and go get it," Reid said postgame, per CBS Sports. "He did that. He made everybody around him better, which he is great at. He just does it effortlessly. When it gets tough, he's gonna be there battling and the players appreciate that."The Chiefs looked all but dead after Josh Allen threw his fourth touchdown to Gabriel Davis in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter to put the Bills ahead 36-33.Mahomes responded with a quick pass to Tyreek Hill that went for 19 yards before calling the Chiefs' first timeout with eight seconds left. He found Travis Kelce for 25 yards on another short pass before taking their second timeout with three seconds on the clock. The chunk gains set up Harrison Butker for a 49-yard field goal attempt, which he nailed to force overtime.The Chiefs got the first possession of the extra session after winning the coin toss, and Mahomes threw a game-ending touchdown before the Bills could get their hands on the ball."The one thing that I love about this team is they didn't flinch," Reid said, according to the Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala. "They kept focus, nobody threw in the hat and quit. They just kept battling."Kansas City won 42-36 and will host the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is down to its final four.The league announced the schedule for next week's conference finals following the conclusion of Sunday's divisional-round games.AFC Championship GameMatchupDateTime (ET)NetworkBengals at ChiefsJan. 303:00CBSThe AFC's Super Bowl representative will be decided first.Everyone expected Patrick Mahomes and Co. to be here after three straight AFC title game appearances, including two wins. But few saw the Bengals, this year's Cinderella story, coming. Cincinnati took down both the Las Vegas Raiders and the No. 1-seeded Tennessee Titans in dramatic fashion to secure the team's first championship game appearance since 1988.But the Chiefs were unrivaled in terms of drama during a wild divisional-round slate. Kansas City appeared to be down and out after the Buffalo Bills took the lead with 13 seconds to go. But Mahomes had more magic left in him, leading the Chiefs into field-goal range to force overtime and then engineering a game-winning touchdown drive to claim a fourth straight title game appearance for Kansas City.NFC Championship GameMatchupDateTime (ET)Network49ers at RamsJan. 306:30FoxThe West rules the NFC.The division rival San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will face off for a third time this season after securing upset wins over the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively, in the divisional round.The Rams topped the division but lost twice to the 49ers - in overtime in Week 18 and by 21 points in Week 10. Kyle Shanahan appears to have the number of his friend and counterpart Sean McVay, but can San Francisco win when it counts to make its second Super Bowl in the last three seasons?L.A. will be fighting for the right to become only the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl in its home stadium after the Bucs achieved the feat last season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady received the first unsportsmanlike penalty of his career after reacting angrily to a hit from Von Miller in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams.Referee Shawn Hochuli defended the decision, which caused controversy as Miller appeared to lead with his helmet, leaving Brady bleeding from his lower lip."He got in my face in an aggressive manner and used abusive language," Hochuli said. "As for the hit, we did not think that it rose to the level of roughing the passer."

Tom Brady wouldn't commit to a third season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after exiting the NFL playoffs Sunday with a dramatic 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams."I haven't put a lot of thought into it," the signal-caller said postgame. "We'll just take it day by day and see where we're at."A report before the game said Brady was undecided on coming back for a 23rd NFL season, leaving some inside the Buccaneers organization concerned he could retire.Brady quickly committed to playing after leading Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl LIV title last season, and he did the same in previous years with the New England Patriots. He inked a one-year extension before the 2021 campaign, keeping him under contract through the 2022 season.Brady led the Buccaneers back from a 27-3 deficit against the Rams, forcing a tie in the dying moments before falling at the end of regulation on a Matt Gay field goal. The 44-year-old said he wasn't contemplating his future while walking off the field for what could turn out to be the final time of his career."No, I was thinking about winning," he said. "That's my mentality always, to go out there and try to win, give my team the best chance to win."The seven-time champion shut down questions about what he'll consider when determining his future."Truthfully, guys, I'm thinking about this game," Brady said. "I'm not thinking about anything past (or) five minutes from now."Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians confirmed his intention to return following the game, adding that Brady's decision is "up to Tom."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu won't return to Sunday's divisional-round game against the Buffalo Bills after suffering a concussion in the first quarter, the team announced.Mathieu took a knee to the helmet from a teammate while attempting to make a low tackle on Bills quarterback Josh Allen. He briefly went into the medical tent before going to the locker room.The 29-year-old is one of the key players on Kansas City's defense. Mathieu made his second straight Pro Bowl in 2021 after racking up 76 total tackles, three interceptions, and six pass defenses.Daniel Sorensen will likely take on a larger role alongside Juan Thornhill, and Armani Watts should also see more snaps.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Arians isn't going anywhere.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach announced following Sunday's 30-27 divisional-round loss to the Los Angeles Rams that he will return for the 2022 campaign, according to Fox Sports' Sara Walsh.Arians and the Bucs' ambitions for a second straight Super Bowl were spoiled despite a late comeback effort. Tampa Bay rallied from 24 points down to tie the contest before a 44-yard reception by Cooper Kupp set up a game-winning field goal to send the Rams through."Can't say enough about all of them," Arians said. "The guys that stepped in, stepped up, all the receivers, (defensive backs), and everybody else this year that was a part of this journey."It's a shame we didn't complete it."Arians became the oldest head coach to win a Super Bowl when Tampa Bay took down the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV last season. Since taking the Bucs job in 2019, the 69-year-old has accumulated a 31-18 record, with 24 wins coming in the past two campaigns.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams survived a 14-point fourth-quarter rally from the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to earn a 30-27 win in Sunday's divisional-round matchup.The Rams kicked a game-winning field goal after Matthew Stafford hit a downfield shot to Cooper Kupp to respond to a Leonard Fournette touchdown seconds earlier.The Rams will host the San Francisco 49ers in next week's NFC Championship Game.More to come.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams due to an ankle injury, the team announced.However, center Ryan Jensen is active despite dealing with an ankle injury. Jensen and Wirfs both suffered their ankle ailments in the wild-card win over the Philadelphia Eagles and were listed as questionable for Sunday's game.Wirfs earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods for his play in the 2021 campaign. He started all 17 games and didn't miss a single snap before the team's wild-card game.The Buccaneers will be short-handed at wide receiver Sunday with Cyril Grayson Jr. also inactive with a hamstring ailment. Veteran wideout Breshad Perriman was ruled out for the contest Friday due to a hip/abdomen issue.Tampa Bay's offense will look to hold off a Rams defense that notched 50 sacks in 2021.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton hasn't committed to returning to the team for the 2022 season despite having three years left on his contract, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.It's unlikely that Payton coaches a different club in 2022, Rapoport adds. However, if the 58-year-old temporarily steps away from football next season, he reportedly isn't expected to be back with New Orleans following that time off.Payton apparently has also generated interest from at least one TV network for a broadcasting role.Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen would be a top candidate to replace Payton if he leaves, according to Rapoport, citing sources. Allen, who's been with New Orleans since the 2015 season, reportedly has an interview with the Chicago Bears next week for their head coaching job.Payton has been one of the NFL's top head coaches since joining the Saints in 2006. He was named Coach of the Year in his first campaign with the team, and New Orleans is 152-89 during the regular season with him on the sideline. Payton also helped the Saints win their first Super Bowl title in 2010.New Orleans missed the playoffs this season after posting a 9-8 record. Injuries affected the Saints throughout the 2021 campaign, forcing the club to use four different starting quarterbacks.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady plans to take some time after this season to assess his future before committing to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 campaign, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington.The star quarterback has been noncommittal about playing beyond this season, and some inside the Buccaneers organization are uncertain of Brady's future, Schefter adds.The 44-year-old reportedly wants to assess how he feels physically and mentally while gauging his family's desires during the offseason.The possibility of Brady retiring could increase if the Bucs repeat as Super Bowl champions this season, according to Schefter and Darlington, citing sources.Brady has long made it known that playing until age 45 has been his ultimate goal. The seven-time Super Bowl champion, who turns 45 in August, is under contract for one more season with the Bucs after inking an extension last March. He said last February he'd also "definitely" consider playing beyond 45.Brady has shown no signs of slowing down in his age-44 campaign. The reigning Super Bowl MVP led the NFL with 485 pass completions, 5,316 yards, and 43 touchdowns this season while tossing 12 interceptions.The star signal-caller joined the Buccaneers as a free agent in 2020 on a two-year contract after spending his first 20 NFL campaigns with the New England Patriots. He led Tampa Bay to the Super Bowl title in his first year with the team.Brady has started 33 regular-season games over the last two campaigns, posting a 24-9 record.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers once again left his future open-ended after the San Francisco 49ers abruptly finished his season in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs."I'm gonna take some time and have conversations with the folks around here, and then take some time away and make a decision before free agency or anything gets going on that front," he said Saturday after the Packers coughed up a 7-point lead in the fourth quarter and fell 13-10.Rodgers called his future a mystery after the Packers were stunningly bounced from the playoffs a year ago, beginning what turned into a lengthy saga involving him and Green Bay's front office.He wound up leading the Packers to a third straight 13-win season in 2021 but again failed to get back to the Super Bowl. He completed 20 of 29 passes for 225 yards in Saturday's loss while falling to 0-4 against the 49ers in his playoff career."There's a lot of decisions to be made," the 38-year-old said. "There's a lot of players whose futures are up in the air, so it'll be interesting to see which way some of those decisions go."Among those players is Rodgers' top target, pending free agent Davante Adams. The Pro Bowl wideout was the only Packers receiver to finish with more than one catch against the 49ers.Rodgers said he wouldn't be interested in playing through a rebuild in Green Bay, which enters the offseason pressed up against the salary cap. However, he was mum on whether his upcoming decision is more about potentially playing elsewhere or retiring."It's tough to say at this point," he said.Rodgers, who called the loss to the 49ers "shocking," noted his relationship with management improved throughout the season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cincinnati Bengals will head to the AFC Championship Game for the first time in 31 years after knocking off the Tennessee Titans on Saturday, and quarterback Joe Burrow wants his team to get some respect."I'm tired of the underdog narrative," Burrow said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. "We are a really, really good team. We are here to make noise. We are a really good team with good players and coaches."Burrow overcame a fearsome Titans pass-rush as the Bengals took a 19-16 win in dramatic fashion, with kicker Evan McPherson nailing a 52-yard field goal in the final seconds.Tennessee sacked Burrow nine times to tie an NFL playoff record. However, Cincinnati's signal-caller finished the game with 348 passing yards and one interception while averaging 9.4 yards per attempt.Burrow made a clutch 19-yard throw to Ja'Marr Chase to get the Bengals into field-goal range after his defense picked off Ryan Tannehill to kill the No. 1 seed's potential game-winning drive.The 2020 first overall pick has sparked a resurgence for Cincinnati, leading the club to its first playoff win since 1990 by beating the Las Vegas Raiders last week.Burrow's sophomore leap was a major reason for the team's improvement in 2021. He threw for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns against 14 interceptions despite coming off a torn ACL that prematurely ended his rookie year.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cincinnati Bengals intercepted Ryan Tannehill for the third time with 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter, setting up a game-winning field goal to beat the Tennessee Titans 19-16 and reach the AFC title game.Joe Burrow was sacked nine times Saturday, tying the playoff record, but still threw for 348 yards.More to come.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari is inactive for the divisional round versus the San Francisco 49ers after returning from a torn ACL in Week 18.Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is also inactive due to a back injury, while cornerback Jaire Alexander is in the lineup for the first time since Week 4 after rehabbing a shoulder injury.Bakhtiari missed practice Tuesday and Thursday after playing 27 snaps in his season debut against the Detroit Lions. The former All-Pro was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and received a questionable tag on the injury report.Bakhtiari tore his ACL on Dec. 31, 2020, forcing him to miss the playoffs and the first 16 contests of the 2021 campaign. He practiced for several weeks before getting some game action against the Lions.Valdes-Scantling was listed as doubtful on the injury report. A deep threat when healthy, he posted 430 yards and three touchdowns over 11 regular-season appearances.Alexander was one of the top cover corners in the NFL a season ago. The Packers survived his absence with Rasul Douglas and top draft pick Eric Stokes emerging in the secondary.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler announced his retirement Saturday.Butler has been on the Steelers' coaching staff for the last 19 seasons. He joined the staff as a linebackers coach in 2003 and served in the role for 12 seasons before replacing NFL Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau as defensive coordinator in 2015.The Steelers have led the league in sacks in each of the last five seasons under Butler. No team has recorded more sacks than Pittsburgh since the 65-year-old was named coordinator.Pittsburgh has also finished within the top six in yardage allowed four times during Butler's tenure as defensive coordinator. The unit regressed in 2021, placing 24th in yardage and 20th in scoring.Butler won two Super Bowls during his time on the Steelers' staff. He also enjoyed a 10-year playing career with the Seattle Seahawks from 1978-87.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This week's soundtrack for scanning the player prop menu included a modern Tennessee rock band, classic rock you know the words to, and 90s boy band pop that you wish you didn't know as well as you do. For the divisional-round finale, we'll turn to a lesser-known group, Kansas City's alt-punk rock band, The Get Up Kids, to maintain the playoff intensity after a long weekend."Action & Action"We'll start with two bets for the price of, well, two bets. We've come so far in our player prop betting this season that I won't choose between the top wide receivers on the Bills and Chiefs but instead bet on both getting loose deep.If your sportsbook offers a long pass completion for the game, that's a far simpler proposition, but we're betting on this game to feature quarterbacks making long throws against defenses that aren't really capable of stopping them.The Chiefs' secondary has struggled against the deep ball and was victimized numerous times by Josh Allen in their Week 5 matchup. Meanwhile, this is the first time that the Bills will feel Tre'Davious White's absence since they gave up 363 yards to the Buccaneers in a Week 14 game that ended with a long touchdown pass. No one on the respective defenses can cover Tyreek Hill or Stefon Diggs.Pick: Tyreek Hill over 70.5 receiving yards / Stefon Diggs over 71.5 receiving yardsA TD that's definitely going to happenIt took less than "Ten Minutes" for Dawson Knox to give us "Something To Write Home About" for our round-robin touchdown parlay last week. We're not getting quite the same price with Knox this time around, but we want players who are certain to be on the field near the goal line and can also score from distance.Knox scored the first touchdown in the AFC Championship Game last year on a 3-yard pass designed specifically for him. In Week 5, he scored a 53-yarder on a broken play that Allen created. If he can do either, or anything in-between, "I'll Catch You" at the window.Pick: Dawson Knox anytime touchdown (+175)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it doesReggie and the Full Effect was a Get Up Kids side project. With Patrick Mahomes at the helm, the Chiefs' red-zone offense is one big side project for Andy Reid. There are numerous running backs to choose from, a group of capable receivers led by Hill, and of course, Travis Kelce. However, those weapons are all priced accordingly. The Chiefs have a pair of other tight ends who get significant snaps in Blake Bell (342/1260) and Noah Gray (306/1260).Depending on your sportsbook, these two are priced anywhere from the same (at 10-1) to drastically different. As always, shopping for the best price on each is a good practice, with an eye on taking a half-unit on each at the highest payout available. Having even one of these two find the end zone would make for a "Red Letter Day."Pick: Blake Bell anytime touchdown / Noah Gray anytime touchdown (play down to +1000 on each)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette has been activated off injured reserve ahead of Sunday's divisional-round game against the Los Angeles Rams, the team announced.The Buccaneers waived veteran running back Le'Veon Bell to make room for Fournette.Fournette has been sidelined since Week 16 due to a hamstring injury. His return comes at a much-needed time as Tampa Bay already ruled out running back Ronald Jones due to an ankle injury. Jones also missed the wild-card win over the Philadelphia Eagles.Fournette earned the nickname "Playoff Lenny" for a string of dominant performances in the Buccaneers' 2021 Super Bowl run. He recorded 448 yards from scrimmage in four postseason appearances last season.The 27-year-old finished the 2021 regular season as the team's leading rusher with 812 yards.Veteran wideout John Brown was also elevated from the practice squad for Sunday's game.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Less than two years after a group came together in central Florida, a rival squad was hand-picked to compete at the highest level. And I'm not referring to Tom Brady gathering Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, Leonard Fournette, Ndamukong Suh, and Jason Pierre-Paul to join him in Tampa Bay for a Super Bowl run, with Los Angeles acquiring Jalen Ramsey, Matthew Stafford, Odell Beckham Jr., Sony Michel, and Von Miller to follow in their footsteps.No, I'm referring to the boy band factory that was mid-90s central Florida, which thrusted the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC upon society. Like the Tom Brady version of the Buccaneers or the veteran-laden Rams, we didn't specifically ask for it, but we got it anyway. However, like a late-90s MTV Video Music Awards show, we're getting both L.A. and Tampa Bay on the brightest stage."I Want It That Way"We faded a Buc-street Boy future Hall of Famer last week in Brady, but he won't be so comfortable this week. With some concerning injuries on the offensive line and up against the Rams' defensive strength, Tampa will need extra protection to keep the offense in sync.Historically, that means keeping the Bucs' best blocking tight end in to create a strong pocket. Thin on the offensive line and at wide receiver, Tampa is actually quite deep at tight end with Cameron Brate, O.J. Howard, and Gronkowski. For his ample offensive prowess, "Gronk" is the best blocker of the bunch.Brate and Howard can replicate Gronkowski's threat in the passing game, and Brady will spread the ball around to his running backs out of the backfield as well. Giovani Bernard had nine receptions in this season's first meeting with L.A., so there will be outlets aplenty, but keeping his friend clean will be Gronkowski's priority, "This I Promise You."Pick: Rob Gronkowski under 64.5 receiving yardsA TD that's definitely going to happenOn Monday night, Cam Akers showed that he's Sean McVey's go-to guy, "No Strings Attached." However, they turned to the reliable Sony Michel when the ball was near the goal line. Even though the Cardinals held Michel out of the end zone, he showed that he's still an option in close, and we're getting twice the payout this week as was offered seven days ago.Maybe Michel is wondering what he did to deserve getting the short end of the carries against Arizona (17-13 for Akers), but when it comes to closing out a game or securing the ball near the goal line, McVey will "Quit Playin' Games" and give Michel a shot to do what he did against his current squad in Super Bowl LIII - score a touchdown.Pick: Sony Michel anytime touchdown (+230)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it doesIf you're looking for someone who's up for a longshot touchdown play, "It's Gonna Be Me." We may be saying "Bye Bye Bye" to the double-digit odds plays, but as mentioned above, Cameron Brate should be a tight end of choice in pass routes."Everybody" on the Rams defense, especially Ramsey, will be focusing on Mike Evans, Gronkowski, and whichever Bucs running back is on the field when the ball is in the red zone. With rush yards hard to come by, Brady can find Brate standing in the back street of the end zone humming, "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely."Pick: Cameron Brate anytime touchdown (+450)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Deebo Samuel could be cashing in after a terrific 2021 season.The San Francisco 49ers and the wide receiver are interested in looking at a potential blockbuster deal in the offseason, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.Samuel put together a breakout campaign in 2021 as both a pass-catching and rushing option, accumulating 1,405 receiving yards and 365 yards on the ground. His 1,770 yards from scrimmage ranked third in the NFL.The 26-year-old put up 110 yards from scrimmage in the 49ers' wild-card victory over the Dallas Cowboys, with his 26-yard rushing touchdown being instrumental in securing the 23-17 win.Samuel, who San Francisco drafted in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, has one more season left on his rookie contract. He is due to make a base salary of just over $1.9 million in 2022, according to Spotrac.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants hired Buffalo Bills executive Joe Schoen as their new general manager, the team announced Friday."Throughout our search, Joe impressed us with his ability to communicate a progressive and comprehensive vision for our team," Giants president John Mara said in a statement. "His philosophy and collaborative approach to building a roster and coaching staff align with what we were looking for in a general manager."Schoen had been the Bills' assistant general manager since 2017 and was an important member of GM Brandon Beane's staff. The 42-year-old Schoen previously spent several years with the Miami Dolphins, serving as the team's director of player personnel for four seasons before joining Buffalo.Kansas City Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles and San Francisco 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters were finalists for the job along with Schoen.The Giants began looking for a new GM after Dave Gettleman retired on Jan. 10. New York posted a 19-46 record with zero playoff appearances and no winning seasons during Gettleman's four-season stint with the club.Schoen's main challenge with the Giants will be hiring a head coach to replace Joe Judge, who was fired after the 2021 campaign."My immediate focus is to hire a head coach, with who I will work in lockstep with to create a collaborative environment for our football operations," Schoen said. "We will cast a wide net; it can be former head coaches, first-time head coaches but, more importantly, it has to be a person who possesses the ability to lead an organization and the ability to motivate and develop players."New York interviewed Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll on Friday night, hours after hiring Schoen. It'll also interview Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier on Saturday, reports ESPN's Jordan Raanan.The Giants are expected to interview former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores as well, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The team reportedly also intends to speak with Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL sent a memo to its remaining playoff teams stating it'll discontinue daily COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated players, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert.The NFL tested unvaccinated players every day throughout the season. It stopped daily testing for vaccinated players in December, as most of the cases popping up were asymptomatic.For the rest of the playoffs, the league will test vaccinated and unvaccinated players when they show symptoms or get included in random testing."This comprehensive, symptom-based approach to testing reflects our recent experience with the Omicron variant and conforms to current public health recommendations and best practices employed in healthcare, and offers the best opportunity for identifying and treating cases promptly and avoiding spread within the facility," the memo states.The NFL Players Association approved the change as part of the league's amendments to its COVID-19 protocols.

It's hard enough to beat Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes, two of the best quarterbacks of our generation. Good luck beating them twice.That's the task facing the Rams and Bills, respectively, with both teams winning earlier this season against their divisional-round opponents. The Buccaneers (-3) and Chiefs (-2) are each favored to win the encore Sunday, but the market has moved toward the underdogs throughout the week.As of Friday, both favorites were dealing under a field goal at some shops with more money pouring in on the road 'dogs as kickoff nears. Not only does that suggest Brady and Mahomes represent the inferior side on a neutral field, but also that the reigning Super Bowl finalists are susceptible to an outright upset Sunday.Historically, that's a bet you don't want to make.Revenge of the G.O.A.T.Brady's playoff heroics have been discussed ad nauseam at this point, and rightfully so. He's 25-20-1 against the spread over his postseason career, including 4-1 ATS with the Buccaneers (or 4-0-1 ATS, depending on the book).When he's facing a defense that he's already seen that season? Good luck. Brady is 15-11 ATS in his career with a 17-9 record outright when facing a team in the playoffs for a second (or third) time - including 4-0 ATS with three blowout wins since joining Tampa Bay.SEASONMATCHUPRESULTATSSU2020Buccaneers (+2.5) @ Saints30-20WW2020Buccaneers (+3.5) @ Packers31-26WW2020Buccaneers (+3) vs. Chiefs31-9WW2021Buccaneers (-7.5) vs. Eagles31-15WWBrady is especially lethal against teams that beat him in their prior meeting that season. He's 15-7 ATS in that spot, outscoring opponents by 8.2 points in those 22 revenge spots. He's 5-5 ATS in that spot in the playoffs but a convincing 2-0 ATS with the Bucs, blowing out the Saints and Chiefs a year ago.Unsurprisingly, Brady is nearly unbeatable in the postseason at home, and that rings true in playoff rematches, too. He's 10-5 ATS in that spot with a stellar 12-3 record straight up, which could be relevant for those looking to back the Bucs (-145) to win outright Sunday.Mahomes is unstoppableWe've only seen four campaigns of Mahomes as a starter, but he's excelled in the playoffs in that stretch, posting a 6-3 ATS record with seven outright wins in the postseason.Then, it should come as no surprise that he's nearly unbeatable when facing a team for the second time. The Chiefs passer is an impressive 4-2 ATS in playoff rematches, with all four wins coming by at least 10 points. As for those two losses? Both came against Brady in games that you'll likely remember well.SEASONMATCHUPRESULTATSSU2018Chiefs (-3) vs. Patriots31-37LL2019Chiefs (-10) vs. Texans51-31WW2019Chiefs (-7.5) vs. Titans35-24WW2020Chiefs (-3) vs. Bills38-24WW2020Chiefs (-3) vs. Buccaneers9-31LL2021Chiefs (-13) vs. Steelers42-21WWIf you toss out the two contests against Brady - who, as we've discussed, is the king of playoff rematches - the Chiefs are 4-0 with a plus-16.5 scoring margin in those other games, averaging a ridiculous 41.5 points in Mahomes' second shot against those defenses.In fact, we've seen nearly this exact scenario play out before. Kansas City beat the Bills by two touchdowns as a short home favorite in last year's AFC title game, a rematch of their Week 6 meeting. Buffalo won the first matchup this time around, but that's hardly a benefit. Mahomes is 3-2 ATS / 4-1 SU in revenge spots in his career, including 2-1 ATS/SU in the postseason.If the favorites hold on in the AFC, the Chiefs would again face a familiar foe in the Titans, who blasted Kansas City by 24 points in Week 7. Again, Mahomes has been here before: his team lost to Tennessee in 2019 before dominating the rematch in the AFC title game.Will Brady, Mahomes flip the script?We've already seen these two quarterbacks handle their business in playoff rematches this season, winning by a combined 37 points in the wild-card round against the Eagles and Steelers, respectively.This time, it's personal. Both quarterbacks were on the wrong end of double-digit losses in their regular-season meetings with Sunday's opponents. Since 2005, teams that lost by 10-plus points in the regular season have gone 28-17-3 ATS (62.2%) in the postseason rematch.That trend underscores just how difficult it is to beat a team twice in a season, especially if the first matchup was lopsided. Brady is 2-0 ATS in the playoffs when avenging a double-digit loss; Mahomes is new to this spot. If history is any indication, it'll be tough to foil either of them this weekend.C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Don "Wink" Martindale won't return to the Baltimore Ravens in 2022 for a fifth season as the defensive coordinator, the team announced Friday."After several productive conversations, Don and I have agreed to move forward in separate directions," head coach John Harbaugh said. "We have had a great run on defense, and I am very proud of what has been accomplished and the work he has done."Don has been a major contributor to the success of our defense since 2012, and especially since he became defensive coordinator four years ago. He has done a great job. Now it is time to pursue other opportunities. Sometimes the moment comes, and it's the right time. I am personally grateful for our friendship and for everything he has done in Baltimore."Martindale spent six seasons as the Ravens' linebackers coach before being promoted to coordinator in 2018. His unit ranked near the top of the league in yards and points allowed over his first three seasons but slipped in 2021 amid a heap of injuries.Ravens' defense under MartindaleYearYards RankPoints Rank20181220194320207220212519Martindale, 58, garnered some consideration for head coaching jobs last year but stayed in Baltimore after coming up empty. He signed a three-year deal in February 2020 that made him the NFL's highest-paid defensive coordinator.Martindale and former Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio figure to become the two most coveted defensive assistants in the league.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In Week 14, the Cincinnati Bengals lost an overtime heartbreaker at home to the San Francisco 49ers. It was their fourth loss in six games.The 2021 season had offered so much promise: Joe Burrow's successful return from ACL surgery, Ja'Marr Chase's emergence as a big play in waiting, a sweep of the hated Pittsburgh Steelers, a blowout of the Baltimore Ravens on the road. But it seemed doomed to end in disappointment, just as so many other Bengals seasons did in the 31 years since the franchise last won a playoff game. Even in the wide-open AFC, Cincinnati entered Week 15 with a 7-6 record and just a 30% chance of making the postseason, according to ESPN.So much for all that. The Bengals won their next three - finishing a sweep of the Ravens and holding off the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs - to wrap up the AFC North title. They did it with a week to spare, too. Then the Bengals defeated the Las Vegas Raiders to secure their first playoff victory since the 1990 season. And now here they are, gearing up to face the top-seeded Tennessee Titans in the divisional round as just 3.5-point underdogs (as of Friday).What happened? Two years ago, Cincinnati was a league-worst 2-14, which allowed it to select Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. But just last season, the Bengals were 2-6-1 when Burrow's rookie campaign ended because of a knee injury. Matthew Stockman / Getty ImagesBurrow's ascension this year - aided by the addition of Chase as his wingman - is an obvious place to start. But the Bengals' front office hit on several other draft picks in recent years. An uncharacteristic aggressiveness in free agency last offseason likewise paid significant dividends, and a late-season schematic flourish by offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and head coach Zac Taylor also helped.Let's start with the recent drafts. Nine of Cincinnati's 11 offensive starters from last week's wild-card win are homegrown, including eight draft picks. Six of those eight were selected in the first two rounds:The defensive starters feature four more draftees: defensive end Sam Hubbard, linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt, and safety Jessie Bates III. The other seven defensive starters are all free-agent additions from the past two offseasons, including five players from 2021:Cincinnati has three other players in its defensive-line rotation - end Cameron Sample, plus tackles Josh Tupou and B.J. Hill - who have played at least 27% of the snaps. Sample is a 2021 fourth-round pick, Tupou was a 2017 undrafted free agent, and Hill was acquired via an August trade with the New York Giants. One of those tackles will draw into the starting lineup Saturday after Ogunjobi was placed on injured reserve this week.The Bengals' front office has remained the same for a long time. Owner Mike Brown, the 86-year-old son of the team's founder, has also held the general manager's title since 1991. And another executive on the football side, director of player personnel Duke Tobin, has been on the job since 1999.Despite its run of futility across the last 30 years - only the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions have a lower winning percentage since Brown took over for his old man as GM - Cincinnati has had its share of successes. All of them just happened to be short-lived.The Bengals won the AFC North in 2005 and 2009 when Carson Palmer - another first overall pick - was their quarterback. And from 2011-15, with Andy Dalton at the controls, Cincy made the playoffs five straight times, including division titles in 2013 and 2015. All seven of those postseason appearances under head coach Marvin Lewis ended with losses in the wild-card round.There was some crummy luck involved. In 2005, the Bengals' offense was fifth in DVOA during the regular season, but Palmer was knocked out of their playoff game when Steelers defensive tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen rolled into his knee just as he completed a 66-yard strike to Chris Henry on his first pass attempt. The 2015 Bengals finished third in overall DVOA and second in offensive DVOA, but Dalton broke his thumb in Week 13 while trying to make a tackle after an interception. With rookie A.J. McCarron at QB, Cincy overcame a 15-0 fourth-quarter deficit against Pittsburgh in the playoffs, only to blow the game in the waning seconds because of an unfathomable meltdown of penalties.It wasn't all luck, though. In 2011, Palmer refused to play again for the Bengals and eventually forced a trade. In a podcast appearance years later, he told former NFL scout John Middlekauff that he was frustrated the organization wouldn't spend money on the pieces the Bengals needed to build on what they had - and to sustain that success. Joe Robbins / Getty Images"I had gone to the organization and was like … we need a couple players here, a couple players there … and then of course the offseason comes, and nothing happens. Nothing changes," Palmer told Middlekauff on "3 and Out.""And it was year after year. In order to win in the NFL … you've got to be desperate to win a championship. You've got to be all in. The financials and the money side of it are very important, obviously, to owners, and to everybody that's invested in the organization. But if the most important thing is the financials and the second-most important thing is winning, then you don't have a chance. And it's so important that ownership is willing to do what it takes to win."That's the part that's changed a bit recently. Look again at the list of free agents added in the last two years. The Bengals committed $64.75 million in practical guarantees to sign Reader, Bell, Hendrickson, Hilton, and Awuzie, according to Over the Cap. It was by no means a reckless spending spree: Cincy used signing bonuses and rolling guarantees to structure those contracts, and it's not on the hook for any back-breaking cap consequences if it moves on from any of those deals.But it was still a substantial outlay that's had a significant impact.

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa has cleared concussion protocols and will play in Saturday's matchup against the Green Bay Packers, the team announced Friday.Bosa suffered a concussion during the first half of San Francisco's 23-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round and didn't return to the game.The defensive end's 2020 season was cut short due to a torn ACL, but he returned to Pro Bowl form for San Francisco in 2021.During the regular season, Bosa tallied 40 solo tackles, four forced fumbles, and 15.5 sacks - the fourth-most in the NFL. He had one tackle and 0.5 sacks in one half against Dallas before exiting with the injury.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tennessee Titans activated Derrick Henry from injured reserve Friday, putting the star running back on track to start Saturday's playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the team announced.Henry underwent foot surgery in November and hasn't played since Week 8.The 2020 Offensive Player of the Year was expected to return for the postseason. Because Tennessee finished with the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Henry had an extra week to recover.Henry was leading the league in every major statistical rushing category before suffering the injury. Despite appearing in only eight games, he still ranked ninth in the NFL with 937 yards and seventh with 10 touchdowns.The 28-year-old previously led the NFL in carries, yards, and touchdown runs in 2019 and 2020.Tennessee is 6-2 with Henry on the field this season. Though its offensive production dropped, the team posted a 6-3 record without the star rusher en route to winning the AFC South at 12-5.The Bengals' defense was one of the NFL's best against the run during the regular season, allowing 102.4 rushing yards per contest.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers activated edge rushers Za'Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus from injured reserve for Saturday's divisional-round matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, the team announced.Smith hasn't seen action since Week 1 after undergoing back surgery. Green Bay designated him for return from IR on Jan. 12. The 29-year-old led the Packers in sacks in 2019 and 2020, earning Pro Bowl nods each season. He tallied one tackle during a 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints in his lone appearance this campaign.Mercilus collected three sacks over six appearances for the Packers before going down with a torn biceps. The 31-year-old began the season with the Houston Texans, who waived him in October.Preston Smith and Rashan Gary stepped up for Green Bay in light of its absences at the edge position, combining for 18.5 sacks this season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wisconsin music legend Les Paul is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame for the creation of the solid-body guitar. Aaron Rodgers is headed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but his attempt at broadcasting glory as host of "Jeopardy!" won't result in another enshrinement for him.Paul was the godfather to Steve Miller, who grew up in Milwaukee but moved to the Bay Area to create his eponymously-named band. With this classic matchup between the 49ers and Packers, and Rodgers mirroring Miller's move, we'll turn back the clock to the Steve Miller Band for a classic rock theme for our player prop picks on Saturday night."The Joker"You might think I'm kidding, but I'm going to fade Davante Adams with my best player prop play in this game. That sounds crazy when you look at the box score from Week 3 and see that Adams had 12 catches for 132 yards the last time versus San Francisco. However, that was against a secondary that had Josh Norman, Dontae Johnson, and Deommodore Lenoir play a collective 95 total snaps opposite of Emmanuel Moseley. Meanwhile, K'Waun Williams played just six snaps.By comparison, that trio played a total of seven snaps last week - all Johnson - while a healthy Williams played 62 and rookie cornerback Ambry Thomas played all 72. Thomas didn't play at all until Week 14, but the 49ers have now sorted out the personnel in their secondary.We'll take the under on Adams, hoping that Rodgers' pinpoint downfield accuracy will be affected by the cold of January at Lambeau Field and that the 49ers can keep the wideout's average yards per catch down - allowing us to "Take The Money And Run."Pick: Adams under 94.5 receiving yardsA TD that's definitely going to happenWe can't talk all week about the 49ers' ability to take advantage of the Packers' porous run defense, as we did in the game preview, and then ignore Elijah Mitchell's odds of scoring a touchdown. While Deebo Samuel is San Francisco's "Space Cowboy" with outside runs near the goal line, Kyle Shanahan is fine with having Jimmy Garoppolo hand the ball off for a run through the line where Green Bay is vulnerable.Pick: Mitchell anytime touchdown (+130)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it doesShanahan can be a play-calling magician from the sideline, and Rodgers can be one on the field. We're looking for some "Abracadabra" in a long shot touchdown scorer, and if we had seen the 49ers' "Number 5" on the field recently, I'd try Trey Lance (+600) to score like he did with no time left in the first half the last time these teams met.At his age, he doesn't "Fly Like An Eagle," but Green Bay's veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis does get looks in the end zone from Rodgers. San Francisco is required to focus on Adams and the Packers' tailbacks near the goal line, which should allow Lewis to use his ample size in one-on-one situations to get position in the end zone.Pick: Lewis anytime touchdown (+650)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams will be without starting left tackle Andrew Whitworth and safety Taylor Rapp for Sunday's divisional-round game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Sean McVay announced Friday, per ESPN's Lindsey Thiry.Whitworth suffered a knee injury during Monday's wild-card victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Rapp, meanwhile, remains in concussion protocol after sustaining the ailment in Week 18.Whitworth, 40, started 15 games during the regular season. The four-time Pro Bowler has spent the past four campaigns with the Rams after playing his first 11 NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.Joe Noteboom will likely start in place of Whitworth. Safety Eric Weddle could also see his second appearance this postseason while filling in for Rapp after coming out of retirement earlier this month.L.A. did receive some good news Friday. The Rams announced they've designated running back Darrell Henderson, defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day, and defensive back Robert Rochell to return from injured reserve. The team will have 21 days to activate each player.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's safe to say Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones isn't pleased with the coaching staff after last week's disappointing playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.Jones expressed frustration Friday with Cowboys coaches and how the team's 2021 season unfolded."I don't like this, 'Well we've got to work on this in the offseason. We got to work on this.' I don't go for that," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. "I want those things recognized and addressed after we play Tampa (in Week 1), after the first game, or after we play the sixth game. I don't want to wait until we're sitting here with no season left to address these things we're doing or not doing."Jones declined to answer whether he's spoken to head coach Mike McCarthy about his status with the team in 2022."I'm not going to get into any conversations that I've had with anybody relative to the staff," Jones said. "I understand the interest in it, but there's nothing compelling me. I've got everyone under contract that I want to have under contract, so that's where we are."Jones said he fully believes Dallas' roster is talented enough to win a Super Bowl, starting with quarterback Dak Prescott."It's hard to pinpoint the skill that makes it happen," Jones said. "It's hard to pinpoint that, but Dak Prescott has the skill to make it happen. ... (Running back Ezekiel) Elliott has the skills to make it happen. We've got the offensive line talent to make it happen."Jones' comments come days after Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said he "absolutely" expects head coach Mike McCarthy to remain with the team in 2022.The Cowboys' home loss to the 49ers in the wild-card round marked their 11th consecutive postseason appearance without reaching the NFC title game. Dallas is 18-15 in two seasons under McCarthy.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Panthers are expected to hire Ben McAdoo as offensive coordinator, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.McAdoo spent the 2021 season as a consultant for the Dallas Cowboys after serving as the Jacksonville Jaguars' quarterbacks coach in 2020.The 44-year-old is best known for his stints with the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants. McAdoo gained national recognition after acting as the Packers' quarterbacks coach from 2012-13. He then became the Giants' offensive coordinator for two seasons before being promoted to head coach in 2016.McAdoo went 13-15 as head coach in New York and was fired before the end of the 2017 campaign.Carolina began searching for a new offensive coordinator after parting ways with Joe Brady midway through the 2021 season. The 5-12 Panthers struggled offensively, averaging just 17.9 points per game. The club scored at least 30 points in a game only three times during Brady's tenure, which lasted less than two seasons.Head coach Matt Rhule finished the 2021 campaign on the hot seat, but the Panthers are reportedly expected to bring him back for another season.McAdoo will inherit a talented offense in Carolina highlighted by running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver D.J. Moore. However, the offensive unit enters the 2022 offseason with plenty of questions.Injuries have limited McCaffrey to only 10 games over the last two seasons. Additionally, the Panthers have a major issue at quarterback after Sam Darnold, Cam Newton, and P.J. Walker struggled in 2021.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Music City's crooning contingent can consider this a dare. We dropped some Kenny Chesney last week as we plundered the Eagles-Buccaneers game for treasure. If you want more country as the soundtrack for our player prop bets, then a Titans win will earn you that next week. However, with personal preference being the name of the game when scouring the ample prop menu, we'll turn to royalty in Derrick Henry's return to get the vibes right. He's Nashville's own King(s) of Leon."Use Somebody"Last week's yardage props started slowly on Saturday but rallied back for a 3-3 split. This week, we're going to use Henry's return to frame a handicap for our favorite yardage prop.Maybe it's "Because of the Times" we live in, but the excitement in the market for Henry might lead us to bet under his yardage total. While there isn't a number up as of this writing, anything near the century mark is worth a fade.In our game preview, I pointed out that Tennessee is capable of running the football well with any of its armada of tailbacks. Also, the Bengals' defensive line injuries point to a high-volume rushing approach for the Titans, using a combination of backs with Henry amid his "Comeback Story." If that's the case, what reason do the Titans have to put the ball in Ryan Tannehill's hands?Pick: Tannehill under 237.5 passing yardsA TD that's definitely going to happenNormally we'd like to be "Closer" to even money with our tongue-in-cheek touchdown guarantee, but we'll go back to the well with Tee Higgins this week. Thankfully, Jerick McKinnon and Rob Gronkowski got us into the black by scoring on Super Wild Card Weekend after Higgins failed to reach the end zone.Even though Higgins didn't score, that doesn't mean it was a bad bet. He almost hauled in one at the pylon, and his quiet day means we're getting a better payout this week. The Bengals' best chance at winning is using their strong receiving corps to take advantage of a Titans secondary that lacks depth.As always, Ja'Marr Chase will be the center of attention for Tennessee's defense, making it likely the big-bodied Higgins will get at least one end zone target. Hopefully, he doesn't "Waste a Moment" to help us cash this bet.Pick: Higgins anytime touchdown (+210)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it doesIf you have a "Notion" for a long-shot touchdown scorer, this is where you thrive. Last week, the best we did was Boston Scott's late-game score in Tampa as our big payout attempts left us with "No Money."This is usually the space to bet either the quarterback to run one in or a little-known tight end to find the end zone. With Tannehill priced a bit short, we'll look to a tight end that's consistently on the field. Since the bye week, Geoff Swaim has played between 63-90% of the Titans' offensive snaps. Fellow tight end Anthony Firkser finished the season with a touchdown in each of the last two games, but with Swaim playing more and the "Beautiful War" in the trenches causing all attention to go to Henry, I'll try Swaim at some generously long odds.Pick: Swaim anytime touchdown (+650)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's a testament to how excited football fans are for this game, that with all the other great contests this weekend, the Bills-Chiefs rubber match is the crown jewel. That extensive anticipation usually comes from familiarity between the teams, knowing that both are contenders and that a January meeting is something of an inevitability. That's certainly the case here. The bad news for bettors is there are no secrets in the market, with this game being lined the same as it was both in Week 5 of this season and in the AFC Championship Game last year.Bills @ Chiefs (-2.5, 54.5)How much have things changed since Week 5? At the end of Buffalo's convincing win over the Chiefs, Al Michaels asked: "Who do you like right now - the Bills or the Chargers?" Yes, like dog years, a lot can change perception-wise in NFL time. The previous matchup between these two teams was so long ago that the Chargers were considered one of the best teams in the AFC. The Chiefs were in a downward spiral at that point but have since piled up wins against the Raiders, Broncos, Steelers, and the entire NFC East.You could argue that the Bills spent the first four weeks of this season just waiting for their return trip to Kansas City, with the idea that a regular-season win would give them home-field advantage for the playoff rematch. While it didn't work out that way, it's worth comparing the two games to determine whether the Bills made the appropriate adjustments to compete with the AFC's king of the castle.GAMETEAM YARDS PER PLAY RED ZONE CONV.TURNOVERSAFC Champ. (38-24 KC)Bills5.22/51Chiefs6.95/61Week 5 (38-20 BUF)Bills8.12/30Chiefs5.02/54The Bills scored two red-zone touchdowns in each game but actually had fewer attempts in their win this season. Why? Because they scored from distance the second time around, regularly attacking Chiefs' safety Daniel Sorensen down the field. Those downfield shots are reflected in Buffalo's 8.1 yards per play.Whether it's the better red-zone conversion percentage or the pair of long touchdowns, the Bills weren't compelled to kick field goals the way they were in the title game. In the previous playoff matchup, Bills coach Sean McDermott decided to kick on fourth-and-3, fourth-and-goal at the 2-yard line, and fourth-and-3 at the 8-yard line. He also opted to kick a PAT late instead of going for two to make it a two-score game. The Bills barely kicked in the rematch because they never found themselves on fourth down in positive territory.Where the Bills have adjusted their offensive game plan is their use of Josh Allen. In the first game, the box score will tell you he rushed for 88 yards on seven carries, but those were almost entirely via scrambles. His running backs only had 32 yards on nine carries.In the rematch, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll stole a page from the Ravens' playbook by using designed inside runs with backside offensive linemen pulling for misdirection to gash the Chiefs. It helped Devin Singletary and Zack Moss run for 62 yards, and more importantly, get enough carries (17) to make the Bills multi-dimensional on offense.When the Chiefs have the ball, only they can stop themselves. Kansas City had no chance earlier this season after turning the ball over four times against Buffalo, including a Patrick Mahomes pick-6 when Tyreek Hill dropped an easy pass. That wasn't an outlier this season, as the Chiefs had 1.8 giveaways per game against teams other than the Raiders and Broncos. Meanwhile, the Bills finished the year with 1.8 takeaways per game, the third-most in the league.If you rewatch the AFC Championship Game and then the Week 5 game, the change in the Bills' collective maturity jumps off the page. Last January, the size of the stage felt new for the Bills when the game started going against them, as exemplified by Allen taking deep sacks, unable to throw the ball away. In October, when the Chiefs pushed back, the Bills stuck to their game plan to counterpunch en route to a victory.This game will be closer than each of the previous two matchups, and the Chiefs' second-half success against the softer part of their schedule doesn't fool me into thinking they're notably better than Buffalo. In a coin-flip game, I'll take the plus money.Pick: Bills moneyline (+110), Bills +8.5 (teaser leg No. 2)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We fell short on our best bets for the Wild Card Weekend but came tantalizingly close in a few markets - including falling a yard shy on one of our favorite receiving targets. Can we close the deal this time in the divisional round?Most passing yardsPLAYERODDSTom Brady+400Patrick Mahomes+450Aaron Rodgers+450Matthew Stafford+500Josh Allen+550Joe Burrow+550Ryan Tannehill+1000Jimmy Garoppolo+1000Unlike the wild-card round, which featured a few clear mismatches through the air, this week's slate largely pits elite quarterbacks against elite pass defenses. This market favors Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes despite their matchups with arguably the two best pass defenses remaining.Only two defenses left in the field rank below league average in DVOA, and both are well below that mark. The Chiefs (23rd) are just three weeks removed from allowing 415 yards through the air in Cincinnati, and they surrendered 315 yards to the Bills in their Week 5 meeting. The Bengals (24th) ranked 26th in the regular season in average passing yards allowed (248.4) and were gashed for 310 yards by Derek Carr in the wild-card round.That spells value on Josh Allen and Ryan Tannehill this weekend - albeit at vastly different prices with varying risk. Allen is the safer play to light it up Sunday, but Tannehill's got the weapons to make Cincinnati's suspect secondary pay. It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Titans quarterback rack up yardage through the air if Derrick Henry isn't quite right in his long-awaited return.Best values: Josh Allen (+550), Ryan Tannehill (+1000)Most rushing yardsPLAYERODDSDerrick Henry+175Elijah Mitchell+400Joe Mixon+600Devin Singletary+850Cam Akers+1000Aaron Jones+1400Josh Allen+1500Leonard Fournette+1600Jerick McKinnon+1800AJ Dillon+1800Sony Michel+2000Ke'Shawn Vaughn+2500D'Onta Foreman+2500Deebo Samuel+2500Clyde Edwards-Helaire+3000Giovani Bernard+3500Patrick Mahomes+4000Ryan Tannehill+5000Darrel Williams+5000The clear story in this market is Henry, who seems likely to make his return from injured reserve after breaking his foot in Week 8. Are we sure he's healthy, though? He managed a season-worst 2.4 yards per carry in that game - albeit on a broken foot - and originally wasn't expected to return at all. If the Titans want to spark a deep run, they'd be smart not to overload him right away.Elijah Mitchell paced the field last week despite managing just 96 yards on 27 carries (3.6 YPC), which is hardly the efficiency you'd hope to bet into. Still, could he repeat this weekend? The 49ers lead back faces a Packers front that ranked 28th in rush defense DVOA and 30th in yards per carry allowed (4.7) in the regular season. Game script could be an issue if Green Bay's offense is in rhythm. Still, Mitchell was the only back with more than 17 carries in the wild-card round and feels like the safest bet to see heavy volume this week, too.If you're angling for a play at longer odds, Allen's also worth a look in this market. The Bills quarterback ranked fifth in rushing yards (66) a week ago and managed a team-high 59 yards against the Chiefs in Week 5. Kansas City allowed the sixth-most rushing yards to opposing QBs (389) in the regular season and should have its hands full again on Sunday.Best values: Elijah Mitchell (+400), Josh Allen (+1500)Most receiving yardsPLAYERODDSCooper Kupp+500Davante Adams+550Ja'Marr Chase+800Tyreek Hill+1300Stefon Diggs+1300A.J. Brown+1300Mike Evans+1400Travis Kelce+1400Deebo Samuel+1600Rob Gronkowski+2000Odell Beckham Jr.+2000Tee Higgins+2000Brandon Aiyuk+2200George Kittle+2200Tyler Boyd+2500Randall Cobb+3000Julio Jones+3500Van Jefferson+3500Tyler Higbee+3500Marquez Valdes-Scantling+3500Allen Lazard+3500Dawson Knox+4000Gabriel Davis+4000Jerick McKinnon+4000Cam Akers+4000Cole Beasley+4500C.J. Uzomah+4500Leonard Fournette+5000Giovani Bernard+5000Breshad Perriman+5000Josiah Deguara+5000Tyler Davis+5000Jauan Jennings+5000Emmanuel Sanders+5000Mecole Hardman+5000Isaiah McKenzie+5000Byron Pringle+5000This is easily the most difficult market to handicap and also the most emotionally devastating to bet - at least for those holding tickets on Ja'Marr Chase (116 yards) instead of Mike Evans (117) in the wild-card round. If only that one catch wasn't called back by a holding penalty ... but who's counting?Chase is a solid bet once again, this time facing a Titans defense that allowed the second-most yards per game to wide receivers (188.8) and the sixth-most deep TDs (7) in the regular season. The Bengals speedster tallied 115 or more yards in three of his last four games. If Tennessee can't get pressure on Joe Burrow, the quarterback will find his favorite target on a handful of deep shots Saturday.Also, have we forgotten about Tyreek Hill? The Chiefs star hasn't been as lethal as you'd expect in recent weeks, but he did explode for 172 yards when these teams last met in the postseason. With Tre'Davious White sidelined, the Bills don't have a true No. 1 corner to match up with Hill - as if any team truly does. At these odds, I like my chances for a Hill takeover.Best values: Ja'Marr Chase (+800), Tyreek Hill (+1300)C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Houston Texans interviewed former NFL quarterback Josh McCown for their head coaching vacancy Thursday, the team announced.McCown interviewed for the position last season but was beaten out by David Culley, whom the Texans fired last week.The 42-year-old has no prior coaching experience. The Texans apparently considered surrounding him with at least one former NFL head coach after meeting with him last year.McCown finished the 2020 campaign on Houston's roster after the team signed him from the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad. He didn't appear in a game last season and most recently saw action during the playoffs with the Eagles in 2019.The Texans have also interviewed former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, and former NFL wide receiver Hines Ward.McCown spent time with 10 NFL franchises across 18 seasons, starting 76 games and appearing in 26 more.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL handed Dak Prescott a $25,000 fine after the Dallas Cowboys quarterback applauded fans who threw debris at officials following Sunday's wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, sources told Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.When informed postgame that spectators had thrown objects at the referees and not Cowboys players, Prescott said, "Credit to them, then."Prescott said he "deeply" regretted his comments in an apology Tuesday."I was caught up in the emotion of a disappointing loss and my words were uncalled for and unfair," tweeted Prescott.The Cowboys-49ers playoff matchup ended in controversy. Prescott ran a draw play with 14 seconds remaining in the game but was unable to spike the ball for a chance at a Hail Mary after his collision with an official attempting to spot the ball caused a crucial delay.Dallas also received a playoff-record tying 14 penalties in the 23-17 defeat.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is doubtful for Saturday's divisional-round game against the San Francisco 49ers due to a back injury, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky.Cornerback Jaire Alexander is questionable after being out since Week 4 because of a shoulder injury. Left tackle David Bakhtiari was also listed as questionable due to a knee injury.The Packers could get reinforcements in the form of two pass-rushers.Head coach Matt LaFleur said Za'Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus could still be activated Friday after extended stints on injured reserve due to back and bicep injuries, respectively.Bakhtiari, who missed nearly all of the regular season after tearing his ACL late in the 2020 campaign, returned in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions and played the first 27 snaps. However, he sat out practice Tuesday and Thursday.LaFleur didn't reveal if the Pro Bowler was dealing with a setback."He's working his tail off," LaFleur said. "And we'll see where he's at."While the Packers' offense will likely be missing Valdes-Scantling, it'll get a boost with the return of Randall Cobb, who was activated from injured reserve Thursday following core muscle surgery.Right tackle Billy Turner, who missed the last month of the regular season with a knee injury, has also been cleared to play.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay was arrested Wednesday in Overland Park, Kansas, and charged with misdemeanor criminal property damage of less than $1,000, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office said, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher.Gay spent the night in a local detention center and was awaiting bond as of Thursday morning, per Shain Bergan of KCTV5.The 23-year-old pleaded not guilty during his court appearance Thursday, according to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star.Police documents state Gay damaged a vacuum cleaner, wall, and door frame during a confrontation with a woman, according to Bergan. The charge is being classified as a domestic violence offense.Agent Maxx Lepselter said Gay broke the vacuum during an argument with his son's mother at her home."Willie was at his son's house visiting," Lepselter said in a statement, according to Harold R. Kuntz of FOX4. "He and the mother got into an argument during which he broke her vacuum. No one was touched, nothing happened beyond broken appliance. She called cops about it and they took him in on misdemeanor destruction of property of less than $1,000."Likely just pays a fine and replaces vacuum. Nothing more, all should be resolved today with no further issues."The Chiefs said they are aware of the incident, per Teicher.Kansas City faces the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round on Sunday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In our betting preview for Bengals-Titans, we discussed the cause for a quick line move from the projected line of TEN -2.5 to -3.5, and what drove that change. For Sunday's NFC matinee between the Rams and Buccaneers, we have something of an opposite situation.Rams @ Buccaneers (-3, 48)Unlike the Bengals and Titans, the projected or "lookahead" line for this game had the Buccaneers favored by more than a field goal, only to see it open on the short side of -3 and not cross back.Why the big adjustment before bettors could weigh in? The collective health of both teams, for starters. These teams matched up in Week 3, and comparing snap counts back then to Wild Card Weekend tells an interesting story.TEAMPLAYERWEEK 3 SNAPSWILD-CARD SNAPSLARCam Akers0%53%LARRobert Woods88%0%LAROdell Beckham Jr.0%67%LARVon Miller0%59%TBMike Evans84%81%TBChris Godwin96%0%TBTyler Johnson47%77%TBBreshad Perriman0%49%TBLeonard Fournette36%0%The Rams had to replace Robert Woods in the middle of the season with Odell Beckham Jr., but that's like replacing an apple with an orange. It wasn't as simple as Beckham doing the same things within the Rams' offense. It took time to integrate. Meanwhile, the Rams saw the true return of Cam Akers last week, as their incumbent starting tailback saw more snaps than Sony Michel in only his second week back from a preseason Achilles tear.Both Beckham and Akers make the offense better than it was through much of the season. Meanwhile, you can plainly see how Tom Brady has had to adjust to the change in his personnel. On top of that, Brady spent much of the second half against the Eagles on his back after right tackle Tristan Wirfs hobbled off the field. His replacement, Josh Wells, frequently found himself in trouble on passing downs long after the Bucs had the game won. Both tackles are listed as questionable for Sunday, as is center Ryan Jensen.The last two matchups ended 27-24 and 34-24 in favor of the Rams, with both teams moving the ball with relative ease. A quick look at the running stats from those matchups with these teams as close to currently constructed shows it might be tough sledding in Tampa.GAME RAMS RUSHING BUCS RUSHING@TB (2020)3742@LAR (2021)7635Apparently learning their lesson from the first meeting last year, the Bucs handed the ball off just 10 times in L.A. this season, resulting in a former Michigan Wolverine becoming their leading rusher. Brady's not looking to tote the rock three times for 14 yards as he did that day and will be looking to throw early and often. Unfortunately, without a full complement of targets, and his line in suspect condition, will that work?With the Bucs' defensive line hyped as a collective unit that defends the run well, it's the Rams who have given up fewer yards per rush this season at 3.9 compared to 4.4 for Tampa.The Rams have been systematically built to beat the Bucs, adding Von Miller to Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd in the pass rush. Matthew Stafford's four touchdowns and 343 yards in September hinted he may be the answer, but with +3 costing Rams bettors -120, they're not getting a deal on that bet.I expect something of a shootout with more possessions than usual as both teams look to throw first and ask questions later. In what should be a back and forth affair, the total is more attractively priced.As for the side, I'll be waiting until Sunday afternoon. If a market correction comes that moves this game to a flat Rams +3 (-110) or better, I'll back Los Angeles. Otherwise, I'll tease them up to at least +8.5 with the Bills +8.5 and hope we have a pair of classics to set up the conference championships.Pick: Over 48 / Rams +9 (Teaser leg No. 1)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson has cleared concussion protocol and will play Saturday against the Tennessee Titans, head coach Zac Taylor announced Thursday, according to Ben Baby of ESPN.Hendrickson suffered the concussion during last week's win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the Bengals' first playoff victory in 31 years. He finished the contest with one tackle and one sack.The 27-year-old was Cincy's best pass-rusher during the regular season, leading the team with 14 sacks through 16 appearances. The Pro Bowl defender had at least 0.5 sacks in all but three games he played this campaign, including the playoffs.Hendrickson joined the Bengals in the offseason on a four-year, $60-million contract after breaking out with 13.5 sacks for the New Orleans Saints in 2020.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

George Kittle is looking forward to being on the road for the San Francisco 49ers' divisional round playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.Speaking to reporters Wednesday, the 49ers tight end expressed excitement about returning to Lambeau Field for the first time since the 2018 season."Lambeau's gonna be awesome," Kittle said. "A historic stadium, haven't played there since 2018 - very excited to go there. It's really kind of a dream come true, so looking forward to that experience playing a night playoff game at Lambeau, zero degrees. What more could you ask for?"The current weather forecast in Green Bay is calling for a high of 21 degrees and a low of one degree Saturday, with a chance of snow. That's relatively mild compared to some of the other cold-weather games Kittle has played in before."I've played in a couple below 10, below like 15 degrees games, and it's very fun," he said. "I had a couple games - I remember my redshirt freshman (year) where I didn't play, but I had to dress, and they didn't have enough coats for everybody. So I literally stood there on the sideline, and I wasn't allowed to wear sleeves, either. So you just see the 215-pound George Kittle standing there on the sideline shivering. It was really fun."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 49ers were the lone underdogs to survive the wild-card round. Can they do it again?There's no suspense here since last week I recommended the start of a rollover moneyline parlay instead of a 49ers future. I did so knowing full well that the next opponent would be the Packers, barring an unexpected Eagles upset.49ers @ Packers (-6, 47.5)The question we need to answer for this game isn't, how can the 49ers win? Instead, we need to ask, how can Aaron Rodgers - the NFL's scariest quarterback - and the Packers lose?It starts by remembering no team is perfect. Despite sitting atop the standings, the Packers lost a couple of times this season, though their 13 wins were enough to earn them a precious bye. Still, it doesn't make a playoff win automatic. So how do they lose? Or, at the very least, how do they not cover the spread?It starts with finding comparable games with comparable opponents to see if there's a way in which the Packers are vulnerable. Just who are the 49ers? They're a run-centric team that uses misdirection and play-action to create long passing plays. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo works best with defined assignments on a play-to-play basis, but he's not someone you want in charge when the play design breaks down.It might come as a surprise that San Francisco's pass offense actually averages a full yard more per pass attempt than Green Bay (8.6 to 7.6). However, it isn't a secret the 49ers can take advantage of the Packers' vulnerable run defense, which has allowed a whopping 4.7 yards per attempt this season.A run-first offense designed to limit quarterback decision-making sounds like the Colts, Broncos, Titans, Eagles, Browns, and Vikings. Defensively, the Colts, Titans, Eagles, and Browns are comparable to the 49ers as units with low blitz rates. Of those four teams, only the Browns were on the Packers' schedule.Here's a sample of a few of the many comparable metrics between the 49ers' and Browns' defensive schemes:TEAMBLITZ %KNOCK DOWN %PRESSURE %Browns22.1%9.2%24.3%49ers19.8%9.5%24.1%Both teams feature star defensive ends and are versatile in coverage, with their linebackers able to drop back into the secondary. Despite owning the fourth-lowest blitz rate, the 49ers are third in the league in sack percentage.Maybe you think it's an insult to San Francisco to compare it to Cleveland, but that's the point. The Browns visited the Packers for a high-profile Christmas night game in Week 16 and lost by just two points despite four interceptions from Baker Mayfield. If the 49ers are better than the Browns - who won the yardage battle that night 408-311 - why can't they win this game?Of course, San Francisco was on Green Bay's schedule, as this game will be a rematch of the Packers' 30-28 win at Levi's Stadium in Week 3. The 49ers came back from 17 points down to take a late lead in that contest, only to see Rodgers lead a game-winning field goal drive with less than a minute left.San Francisco profiles as a tough matchup for Green Bay and have proven it once already this season, but the 49ers' injury report has helped keep this spread at +6 - roughly a point and a half higher than previous market-based projections. Garoppolo, Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner are all banged up, though all are expected to play. They're going to need to suit up for San Francisco to have a chance here. Outside of Deebo Samuel, those three are the most important pieces on this roster.Meanwhile, the Packers appear to be getting healthier with regulars David Bakhtiari, Za'Darius Smith, and, most critically, Jaire Alexander on track to return. However, with hardly any game action under their belts this season, will they be up to playoff speed?The pickTo beat Rodgers, the 49ers need to turn threes into sevens. Things got dicey for them in Dallas last week when they opted to kick on fourth downs. With the No. 1 red zone touchdown conversion rate in the NFL this season (67.3%), San Francisco can certainly keep pace with the Packers, who rank a pedestrian 18th in converting red-zone trips.The 49ers' strong run defense will take the starch out of the Packers' play-action game, but the secondary needs to limit the penalties which killed them in the first matchup.But the key here will be Elijah Mitchell and Samuel, who combined for just two carries in the Week 3 loss to Green Bay. The pair will help control Saturday's game, which comes down to another last-minute drive.Bet: 49ers +6, rollover moneyline parlay (+215)Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to play in Saturday's divisional-round game against the Green Bay Packers despite thumb and shoulder injuries, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.However, Garoppolo, who has a torn ligament and bone chip in his thumb, reportedly won't be 100% for the playoff matchup.The veteran suffered the shoulder injury in the second quarter of Sunday's wild-card win over the Dallas Cowboys but managed to finish the game.Garoppolo sat out Week 17 after injuring his thumb."Yeah, we'll feel it out throughout the week, but yeah, just feeling good right now," he said Tuesday when asked about his status.Garoppolo returned to practice Wednesday and was seen throwing.

Coach Mike McCarthy believes he's the man to end the Dallas Cowboys' championship drought despite a first-round playoff exit in his second season with the team."I understand what goes on here every day," said McCarthy, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "I know how to win. I know how to win in this league. I know how to win playoff games. I know how to win a championship."So I have great confidence in that. What we've built here in two seasons, I feel very good about, and I think with that you just stay true to that. The hard part is the personal (aspect). We all have kids, so that's the part that I don't like. I would hope people are respectful to that."The Cowboys quickly shot down speculation that McCarthy's future was in doubt following the wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday that he was "very confident" the head coach would return."We had very positive conversations and, just, the focus is on the evaluation process," McCarthy said.Dallas went 6-10 last season after quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury early in the year. The club bounced back in 2021, earning a 12-5 record and its first NFC East title since 2018.Despite the improvement, McCarthy's team has continued to garner criticism for its poor discipline and lack of preparation. Both issues were at the forefront of the loss to the 49ers.The Cowboys had a playoff-record tying 14 penalties in the contest and missed out on a chance at a Hail Mary when Prescott ran out of time to spike the ball after rushing for 17 yards on a draw play.McCarthy defended the play once again, arguing it was the right decision but an unlucky outcome as Prescott collided with the official who was attempting to spot the ball, causing a crucial delay."We had great confidence in that situation because we were just trying to get inside the 30-yard line to change the play-call for the final play. So, it's the right call based on our preparation," McCarthy said, according to NFL.com's Chase Goodbread. "It's a 13-second threshold is the call. So, that 14 seconds, in my view, that's the right call."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.