For just the second time in NFL postseason history, only two teams enter the divisional round following a first-round bye week. And, relative to previous years, the market doesn't have much faith in the Packers (-6) or Titans (-3.5) coming off an extra week's rest.Green Bay is the NFC's first No. 1 seed to give fewer than seven points in this spot since the 2017-18 Eagles, who were catching 2.5 points behind backup quarterback Nick Foles. The AFC hasn't seen a No. 1 seed favored by 3.5 points or fewer in this round since, ironically, Tennessee was laying a field goal in 2008-09.That comes despite a dominant run by rested top seeds in recent years - one that signals potential value in this weekend's divisional round.Since the NFL expanded to 12 playoff teams in the 1990 season, clubs coming off a first-round bye are 64-55-3 against the spread (53.8%) and 91-31 straight up (74.6%). Since 2015, those marks have jumped to 13-8-1 ATS (61.9%) and 18-4 SU (81.8%), including a 7-4 ATS / 10-2 SU run for No. 1 seeds.It hasn't been a perfect ride for top seeds, with some spots presenting a greater risk than others. But with two of the more undervalued No. 1 seeds in recent memory taking the field this weekend, is the market overlooking the benefit of an extra week off?Blowouts after a byeTop seeds have been marginally profitable against the spread since the introduction of the first-round bye in 1990-91, but they've been sizzling over the past few seasons. They haven't just been winning, either. They've been dominating.Since 2017, teams coming off a first-round bye have posted a 9-5 ATS record (64.3%) and won 12 of 14 outright (85.7%). Six of those 12 victories came by at least 13 points, and none were decided by fewer than five points. No. 1 seeds have been especially lethal over the past four years, posting a 7-1 record with an average victory margin of 12.3 points in those seven wins.SEASONMATCHUPRESULTMARGIN2020Packers (-7) vs. RamsW 32-18+142020Chiefs (-8) vs. BrownsW 22-17+5201949ers (-7) vs. VikingsW 27-10+172019Ravens (-10) vs. TitansL 12-28-162018Chiefs (-4.5) vs. ColtsW 31-13+182018Saints (-8.5) vs. EaglesW 20-14+62017Patriots (-13.5) vs. TitansW 35-14+212017Eagles (+2.5) vs. FalconsW 15-10+5All of that bodes well for this year's top seeds against the spread, given the conservative lines compared to past seasons. But there may be even more value on the moneyline.That may seem obvious for the Titans (-175), who would only need to win 63.6% of the time to justify backing them against the Bengals. Consider, too, that the Packers (-250) have an implied probability of 71.4%, so anything above that mark would suggest paying the steep price for an outright win over the 49ers.Both of those numbers are lower than the win percentage of No. 1 seeds over the past 30 years (74.2%), but even that understates the recent success of top seeds. Since 2013, No. 1 seeds have won a ridiculous 14 of 16 games (87.5%), all of them coming by more than a field goal. Those laying 3.5 or less are 3-0 SU in that stretch, while favorites of six or more are 11-1 SU.Tough spots for top seedsWhile No. 1 seeds have been particularly tough to beat - especially over the past half-decade - they still haven't been a surefire bet against the spread. And some spots have proven especially tricky.Take the Titans, for example. A short line this week should mean value on the home favorites, but it also suggests that the market views Tennessee as a particularly weak No. 1 seed. Only 10 teams in the last 30 years have laid four or fewer points as a top seed coming off a bye week.Historically, the market has been right. Those clubs went 3-7 ATS and lost five of those games outright, including the last time the Titans were No. 1 seeds.SEASONMATCHUPRESULTATSSU2017Eagles (+2.5) vs. FalconsW 15-10WW2015Panthers (-2.5) vs. SeahawksW 31-24WW2012Falcons (-3) vs. SeahawksL 30-28LW2010Falcons (-1.5) vs. PackersL 21-48LL2008Giants (-4) vs. EaglesL 11-23LL2008Titans (-3) vs. RavensL 10-13LL2003Eagles (-4) vs. PackersL 20-17LW1997Chiefs (pk) vs. BroncosL 10-14LL1994Steelers (-3.5) vs. BrownsW 29-9WW1992Steelers (-1.5) vs. BillsL 3-24LLThis is also a haunting spot for the Packers, who are 2-2 ATS / 3-1 SU off a playoff bye since Aaron Rodgers took over in 2008. Only one of those wins came by six or more points. And that lone loss? A 17-point blowout by the Giants in the 2012 postseason, which marked the third-largest defeat by a No. 1 seed coming off a bye week since the field expanded in 1990.Green Bay could also be too rested after sitting the majority of its starters for the second half of its regular-season finale. That's traditionally been a bad idea. Since 2002, teams that rest their starters ahead of a playoff bye week are 5-14 ATS with nine outright losses in 19 tries.Should you pay the price?The highest seeds in the NFL postseason have long excelled in the win column following a first-round bye, and they've been criminally underrated in the betting market in recent years. That hasn't come without a few massive disappointments, including with the same teams that own this year's top spots.Whether you bet them this week largely depends on your perception of this year's crop of top seeds. If you agree with the market's pessimism of Green Bay and Tennessee, this could be where those recent trends subside. However, If you view those two as undervalued relative to past No. 1 seeds, it's worth riding the wave of recent top seeds dominating after a week off - even if that's on the moneyline.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.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone answers listeners' mailbag questions on a variety of topics.

Charles Omenihu is grateful to the San Francisco 49ers after beginning the season with the Houston Texans."A lot more structure," the defensive end said Wednesday, according to the San Jose Mercury's Cam Inman. "The leadership between coach and GM doesn't seem like a power struggle. They're on the same page, have an understanding what they want, and make it clear.""It's not a circus show here," the 2019 fifth-round pick added.The Texans traded Omenihu to the 49ers in November for a late-round selection in the 2022 draft. He helped San Francisco reach the playoffs and had 1.5 sacks in its wild-card game win over the Dallas Cowboys.While the 49ers surged in the second half of the campaign, the Texans floundered to a 4-13 mark. Houston fired head coach David Culley after one season, citing philosophical differences.The Texans have seemingly suffered from dysfunction for multiple seasons. The franchise made sweeping changes to management, the coaching staff, and the roster after it won only four games in 2020.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield faces four-to-six months of recovery after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, the team announced.Mayfield is expected to begin light throwing in April and should be able to participate in the Browns' offseason program in a limited capacity.The signal-caller had the procedure after laboring through the injury for most of the 2021 season. He threw for 3,010 yards and 17 touchdowns - both career lows - and committed 13 interceptions for a Browns team that fell short of the playoffs and lofty preseason expectations."This is not the end of my story," Mayfield said in a video posted to social media. "It's just going to be one of those little things that I'll look back and remember that it's one of those challenges and adversity that I'm going to try and take advantage of and it'll make me a better person."

The AFC's No. 1 seed returns to action following a week off as the Tennessee Titans host the Cincinnati Bengals at Nissan Stadium. With Derrick Henry's potential return Saturday, and the line settling on Tennessee -3.5 after opening below a field goal, one question looms for this handicap: How valuable is Henry?Although he has a combination of size, durability, and breakaway speed rarely seen before in the NFL, when it comes to betting markets, the answer is a long one.Bengals @ Titans (-3.5, 47)The Titans opened as -2.5 point favorites Sunday night only to see money instantly come in to push the line through the key number of -3.The reasoning is multifaceted, with the Titans having a week of rest, Henry's possible return, and the Bengals suffering a cluster of injuries on the defensive line on Wild Card Weekend.Without all that, this game, which has settled at Titans -3.5, would be under a field goal. Don't believe me? Let's look at the closing line for Tennessee's home games post-Henry injury and what those lines imply about the Bengals.GAMECLOSING LINECOMPARISON TO BENGALSNOTEN -3Saints 0.5 points betterHOUTEN -10Texans 6.5 points worseJAXTEN -8.5Jaguars 5 points worseSFSF -3.549ers 7 points betterMIATEN -3Dolphins 0.5 points betterIs anything in the third column true in your mind? If your answer is no, you can probably conclude that these closing lines suggest some combination of three things:

The NFL fined Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians $50,000 for striking his own player over the helmet during Sunday's game versus the Philadelphia Eagles, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport."I'll appeal it," Arians said Wednesday, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic. "It ain't got nothing to do with the game, so we're good."Andrew Adams caught the ire of his coach, who was trying to prevent the safety from taking a penalty after the Eagles' muffed punt resulted in a pileup.Arians said Monday he didn't regret his actions."No, and I've seen enough dumb," he told reporters, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. "You can't pull guys out of a pile. We just got a big play, great field position and he's trying to pull a guy out of a pile. And I was trying to knock him off that guy so he didn't get a penalty."The Buccaneers dispatched the Eagles with ease to set up a divisional-round matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Head coach Mike Tomlin is looking forward to finding the Pittsburgh Steelers' next franchise quarterback to succeed Ben Roethlisberger."I'm excited about that challenge," Tomlin told reporters Tuesday. "Those of us that are competitors are. It's a challenge. It makes you uneasy."Roethlisberger has led the Steelers over the last 18 seasons, but Tomlin said that the organization is proceeding with the assumption that the quarterback won't be playing in 2022.Tomlin said that backup quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins will have an opportunity to compete for the starting job but added that "all options are on the table" in terms of adding a veteran or rookie passer to the mix.The head coach also denied that he preferred to acquire an everyday starter at quarterback rather than start fresh with a rookie."I have not expressed that," Tomlin said. "As I've mentioned, I think it's proven and appropriate to be open to all of the above."He added: "There's two core ways you improve your team, as I've acknowledged, and that's quarterback position or any position, or the totality of all the positions. You have to weigh what's available to you in the free-agent market and the cost of acquiring it versus what's available to you in the draft."It was previously reported that the Steelers are unlikely to pursue a top quarterback in the trade market and would rather rely on a competition between Rudolph and Haskins in addition to possibly drafting a quarterback.The Steelers secured the No. 20 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild-card round.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is a finalist for two head coaching positions after he earned second interviews with the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The Bears have scheduled their second meeting with Eberflus next week, Pelissero notes. Meanwhile, the Jaguars will reportedly hold their second interview Thursday.Eberflus commanded the Colts' defense for the last four seasons. His unit finished in the top 10 in points allowed in three of those campaigns.The 2021 season arguably marked his finest in Indianapolis - the team's defense ranked ninth in scoring while also recording 33 takeaways, the second-most in the NFL.The Bears fired head coach Matt Nagy at the end of the season while the Jaguars are looking to replace Urban Meyer, whose contract was terminated in December.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jalen Hurts did enough in 2021 to remain the Philadelphia Eagles' starting quarterback next season, general manager Howie Roseman said Wednesday."We talk about Jalen and the growth he had - first-year starter, second-year player - leading this team to the playoffs," Roseman told reporters. "Tremendously impressed by his work ethic, his leadership. The last time we talked was during camp, and we said we wanted to see him take the bull by the horn, and he certainly did that."Hurts steered Philadelphia back to the postseason after a tumultuous 2020, though questions about his proficiency as a passer linger. He ranked near the bottom of the NFL in completion rate (61.3%) and passer rating (87.2).Still, the 23-year-old threw for 3,144 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions, adding 784 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers eliminated Hurts and the Eagles in the opening round of the playoffs after a woeful offensive performance from Philadelphia."We got to do whatever we can to continue to help him develop," Roseman said. "And how do we do that? By surrounding him with really good players. Players continue to grow. That's a huge part of developing, they grow. How they are in their second year is not how they're going to be in Year 4, 5, 6, and 7. They're also products of the people around them, so that's on us to continue to build this team."The Eagles are equipped with three first-round picks in the upcoming draft, allowing them to build around Hurts or chase a high-profile veteran in the trade market. Philadelphia was linked to Deshaun Watson a year ago, but the Houston Texans never moved him."Jalen knows where he stands with us," head coach Nick Sirianni said. "He knows he's our quarterback."The Eagles went 9-8 in the regular season but only beat one team that finished the campaign with a winning record.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The front end looked a little shaky, but last week's teaser got home with ease. We had to get creative by teasing the Raiders through the touchdown zone to +11.5, which was the difference between winning that leg and losing a straight bet on Las Vegas. With that in the bag, we joined the betting universe on the Buccaneers teaser leg, and in a rare twist, everything went smoothly for a sweat-free win.We had to stretch our weekly premise to find the Raiders last week, and that was with six games to choose from. As we whittle our way down to four games this week, it's just as difficult to find a viable duo that makes mathematical sense.Not all teaser legs are created equal. The biggest mistake novice bettors make is teasing through zero because they're wasting valuable price points on a number the game won't land on - a tie. So, how can we maximize the six-point move? How can we get what we're paying for at -270 per leg?The conversation actually starts with the last matchup on the board between the Bills and Chiefs. On the surface, Buffalo +2.5 getting teased to +8.5 is by far the best number move available, on one condition: If the alternative point spread market offers Bills +8.5 at -275 or worse - as it is at Barstool Sportsbook - it's worth making Buffalo +8.5 the core of your teaser this week.For example, Barstool Sportsbook offers Bills +8.5 at -305, but obviously, the -270 leg of a teaser would be better value. If the price ever moved to -270, Buffalo would be worth a standalone bet at +8.5.However, if we have to use a teaser to get the -270 price on the Bills +8.5, we need a second leg, and we'll have to dig into our teaser basket to find one.Teaser basketGAMESPREADBEST LEGCIN@TENTEN -3.5CIN +9.5SF@GBGB -5.5SF +11.5LAR@TBTB -3LAR +9BUF@KCKC -2.5BUF +8.5The Titans have made the slightest of cameo appearances at -4, and if that happens again, the Bengals +10 becomes a contender to pair with Buffalo. However, that seems unlikely with Cincinnati taking money at +3.5, and there's no value to capturing +9.5.The Packers moneyline hovers around -230 right now, so if you like them to win, there's no reason to wait around for the line to move past -6 just so you can get Green Bay outright at -270. On the other hand, like our Bengals leg from a week ago, we can push the 49ers to +11.5. It isn't worth the trouble waiting for that move just to get +12 with a teaser leg.The Rams and Bucs have settled in at Tampa -3, and while we're definitely not teasing through zero, I'm not interested in spending -270 to take Los Angeles to +9 since we might be able to get the Rams at +3.5 later in the week for near -110.In summation, sometimes there just isn't a good teaser to make - especially when two of the four contests in a weekend don't have teaser-friendly spreads. The best one here is BUF +8.5/SF +11.5. However, if we see the Bills +8.5 offered at -275 or better later in the week, you could take that on its own or parlay it with the Packers moneyline for a bet at nearly even money.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.

Interim coach Rich Bisaccia is in the mix to become the Las Vegas Raiders' permanent head coach, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.The Raiders are set to interview Bisaccia on Wednesday for the full-time job, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.The 61-year-old led the club following Jon Gruden's midseason resignation, steering Las Vegas to the postseason.Under Bisaccia, the Raiders rallied to win their final four games of the regular season to punch their ticket to the playoffs, though they were defeated by the Cincinnati Bengals in the wild-card round. It was only the Raiders' second playoff berth since 2003.Players such as Derek Carr and Maxx Crosby have also vouched for Bisaccia. Crosby called Bisaccia "the best man for the job" Tuesday during an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show."Las Vegas has also reportedly requested an interview with New England Patriots assistant Jerod Mayo for the head coaching gig.The Raiders enter the offseason looking to find a permanent head coach and new general manager after firing former GM Mike Mayock on Monday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott apologized Tuesday for comments he made regarding the officials after Sunday's wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers.When informed that fans were throwing debris at officials postgame, Prescott said, "Credit to them." He opted against clarifying his remark when a reporter offered him the chance."I deeply regret the comments I made regarding the officials after the game on Sunday," Prescott wrote in a series of tweets Tuesday.

The Seattle Seahawks parted ways with defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., the team announced Tuesday.Seattle is also moving on from passing game coordinator Andre Curtis as part of the overhaul of the defensive coaching staff.Norton, 55, has been the Seahawks' top defensive assistant for the past four seasons, overseeing a unit that fared well in terms of points allowed but often struggled with total yardage.Seattle's defense finished the 2021 campaign 11th in scoring and 28th in yards, giving up 379.1 yards per game. The aerial attack particularly caused problems for the Seahawks, ranking 31st in the NFL after allowing 265.5 passing yards per contest.Seahawks assistant head coach/defensive line coach Clint Hurtt and Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ed Donatell are among the candidates to replace Norton next season, Bob Condotta and Adam Jude of The Seattle Times report.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a reason Joe Burrow wasn't as excited as Cincinnati Bengals fans expected following the team's first playoff win in 31 years Saturday: the quarterback believes postseason success will be Cincy's new standard moving forward."The fans were very excited, but I tried to downplay it and all that because this is how it's gonna be from here on out," Burrow said Tuesday, according to Local 12. "It was a great win for us. But now this is the standard for the bare minimum every year going forward."The Bengals edged the Las Vegas Raiders at home Saturday, clinching their first postseason victory since the 1990 season. Burrow went viral during his postgame press conference, saying "it felt good" to break the 31-year drought.The 25-year-old was Cincinnati's first overall pick last year, but his rookie campaign ended prematurely after he suffered a torn ACL in Week 11."I thought (snapping the playoff win drought) would happen last year, but unfortunately I got hurt," Burrow said. "We weren't super good last year. This year this is the expectation."Big games aren't new to Burrow, who also led LSU to an undefeated campaign and the national title in January 2020 before turning pro.The Bengals, who went 4-11-1 and finished last in the AFC North in 2020, went from worst to first this season, winning the division with a 10-7 record.Burrow led the NFL in completion percentage (70.4) and yards per pass attempt (8.9) while tossing 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns against 11 interceptions through 16 appearances.Cincinnati will try to clinch a spot in the AFC title game on the road against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Four blowouts and two crazy finishes later, eight teams remain in the hunt to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February. As was the case throughout the regular season, there aren't any "elite" teams separating themselves from the pack - but two clubs are still clear front-runners to meet in the Super Bowl.The Packers and Chiefs entered the postseason as title favorites and, unsurprisingly, haven't seen any movement following a mostly predictable wild-card round that saw five of six favorites advance. The Bills and Buccaneers are the only other teams priced shorter than 7-1 and round out the group of divisional round favorites at theScore Bet:TEAMODDSGreen Bay Packers+350Kansas City Chiefs+400Buffalo Bills+500Tampa Bay Buccaneers+550Los Angeles Rams+700Tennessee Titans+850San Francisco 49ers+1100Cincinnati Bengals+1300Despite the short price, there may never be a better time to buy the Packers (+350), who are -5.5 favorites against the 49ers - the biggest spread of the weekend - and will almost certainly be favored the rest of the way. Green Bay went 3-1 in the regular season against the remaining postseason field, with its lone loss coming against the Chiefs with Aaron Rodgers sidelined.Kansas City (+400) owns the second-shortest title odds but is currently the weekend's shortest favorite (-2.5) ahead of a rematch with the Bills (+500), who smoked the Chiefs in Week 5 and are coming off one of the most dominant playoff wins we've ever seen. The winner will almost certainly be a sizable favorite in the AFC title game, so if you like either team's chances on Sunday, now may be your best value opportunity to buy into a Super Bowl run.Speaking of that side of the bracket, the Titans (+850) and Bengals (+1300) are both title long shots despite one of them being guaranteed a win this weekend. That shouldn't come as a surprise: these two teams are the worst in the field by power rating and virtually any advanced metric, though Tennessee could see a bump with Derrick Henry (foot) expected to return this week.It may seem peculiar to price these two clubs so differently to win the Super Bowl given that Tennessee (-3.5) is a slim favorite on Saturday. Two key factors are at play: home-field advantage and matchups. The Titans would host either Buffalo or Kansas City next week and have a clear advantage in the run game, which has been an Achilles heel for those defenses this season.It's a much closer split in title prices between the Bucs (+550) and Rams (+700), who are both coming off dominant wild-card wins ahead of their clash on Sunday. The weekend was costlier for Tampa Bay (-3), which is favored this week despite a rash of injuries along the offensive line. That could spell trouble against Los Angeles' terrifying pass rush, which sacked Tom Brady three times in a 34-24 win in Week 3.Even if you like the Rams to win again this week, there may not be a ton of value betting their title price. Los Angeles went 0-3 in the regular season against its potential NFC title opponents and will likely be an underdog in each of its remaining games barring a home rematch with the 49ers (+1100).That matchup should raise concern, too: San Francisco has won six straight against its division rival and dominated the season series. The Niners should have also beaten Green Bay in Week 3 and looked every bit like a Super Bowl contender in last week's statement win over the Cowboys, which spells potential value on this group's modest title price.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.

Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Malik McDowell was arrested on charges of exposing himself in public, resisting arrest with violence, and battery on a law enforcement officer in Florida on Monday, according to an arrest report obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel's Lisa J. Huriash and Chris Perkins.Deputies received a call that a naked man was walking near a school, per the police report. It was actually a learning center for children, not a school, but it was in session at the time, Assistant State Attorney Eric Linder told a judge Tuesday. Linder said surveillance video shows McDowell on the property naked.According to police, McDowell charged at a deputy in a "violent attack" that left the officer "dazed" and then fled. The officer used a Taser on McDowell in order to handcuff him, the report said.The 25-year-old McDowell was previously arrested on a DUI charge in September 2017 and a disorderly conduct charge in December of that same year. He was also arrested in February 2019 for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, resisting arrest, and assault.The Seattle Seahawks drafted McDowell in 2017 but released him in 2019 before he played in a single game with the franchise. He signed with the Browns in 2021.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Star defensive lineman J.J. Watt gave a blunt assessment of the Arizona Cardinals' 34-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round."It was a massive failure," Watt said, according to team reporter Darren Urban. "From what we were capable of doing, to what we showed we could do, to today. There is no other way to describe it."The five-time All-Pro made an improbable return for the playoff matchup, his first game action since suffering a shoulder injury in a Week 7 contest against the Houston Texans.Quarterback Kyler Murray echoed Watt's sentiment after the lopsided defeat. "I agree," he said. "I play to win the Super Bowl."The two-time Pro Bowl passer struggled in his playoff debut, throwing for just 28 yards and tossing two interceptions by halftime. Murray finished the night passing for 137 yards, two interceptions, and having a passing rating of 40.9.Murray shouldered the blame for the Cardinals' offensive woes."I put a lot on my shoulders," he said. "I put a lot on myself. My first game in the playoffs and to play the way I did, to play the way we did, it was disappointing."Monday's performance was a far cry from the 7-0 start to the season for the Cardinals. Despite sporting a 10-2 mark toward the final stretch of the regular season, they dropped five of their final six contests, including the wild-card game.Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said that "overall, as an offense, we were out of sync."The coach added that more experience will only help Arizona moving forward and stated that the club will examine ways to be more formidable late in the season, an issue for the Cardinals the past two years."We've got to keep looking at it," he said. "Keep trying to find new ways to improve later on in the season, whatever that may be. That's definitely a priority of the offseason."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders have reportedly begun searching for a new general manager and potential head coach.Las Vegas requested permission to interview New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo for its head coaching position, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Mayo is the first external candidate to emerge in the team's coaching search. Interim head coach Rich Bisaccia is also expected to garner consideration.The 35-year-old Mayo, who earned two Pro Bowl nods while playing for the Patriots from 2008-15, has been on New England's sideline since 2019.Additionally, the Raiders requested permission to speak with Patriots director of player personnel Dave Ziegler for their vacant general manager job, per Schefter. The club is also expected to ask for a meeting with Indianapolis Colts executive Ed Dodds, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Ziegler has been with the Patriots for 10 years. He was a member of the Denver Broncos' scouting department for three seasons before joining New England.The Raiders are looking for a new executive to replace Mike Mayock, who was fired Monday after three seasons with the club.Former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden named Maycock the club's general manager at the end of the 2018 season. Las Vegas compiled a 25-24 record over the last three campaigns and has been widely criticized for its draft decisions in recent years.Bisaccia took over for the final 12 games of the 2021 regular season after Gruden resigned. The Raiders went 7-5 in those contests, ultimately earning their first playoff berth since 2016. However, they fell short against the Cincinnati Bengals in the wild-card round.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders have fired general manager Mike Mayock following his third season, the team announced Monday.Reports surfaced shortly before news of Mayock's dismissal that Las Vegas had started requesting interviews for potential general managers, signaling the end of his time at the helm.Mayock joined the Raiders one year into former head coach Jon Gruden's tenure, replacing Reggie McKenzie.Though the 2021 campaign saw the Raiders make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, Mayock appeared to be on borrowed time following Gruden's midseason resignation.Mayock, a former NFL Network analyst, had several high-profile draft misses, most notably selecting pass-rusher Clelin Ferrell fourth overall in 2019 and cornerback Damon Arnette in the first round in 2020.The Raiders have reportedly requested to interview New England Patriots director of player personnel Dave Ziegler and are expected to request a meeting with Indianapolis Colts executive Ed Dodds.Las Vegas is also searching for a new head coach, with Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo reportedly the first external candidate to get an interview.Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia is expected to be in the running to earn the job permanently.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a right shoulder sprain during Sunday's win against the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Monday, according to The Athletic.Shanahan expects Garoppolo to practice this week before San Francisco visits the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round Saturday.

The Dallas Cowboys expect head coach Mike McCarthy to return for a third season in 2022 despite their disappointing first-round playoff exit."Absolutely," executive vice president Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan when asked if he was confident McCarthy will be back. "Very confident."McCarthy guided the Cowboys to a 12-5 mark and an NFC East title, but Dallas fell 23-17 to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday to end its season unceremoniously.The 58-year-old owns an 18-15 record over two seasons in Dallas. The Cowboys led the NFL in penalties in 2021 and suffered from a lack of discipline against the 49ers with 14 flags coming back to bite them.McCarthy has faced heavy scrutiny throughout his tenure for a perceived lack of attention to detail. He replaced Jason Garrett in 2020.The Cowboys have won just four playoff games since winning their last Super Bowl in 1996. McCarthy won Super Bowl XLV with the Green Bay Packers in 2011.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The schedule is set for the divisional round, and there isn't a bad matchup to be found. We're at the ready with an early look at the opening point spreads for the NFL's best weekend of the year.Since the league has given us the twist of wild card Monday Night Football, we have to include both options to visit Tampa Bay, the Cardinals and Rams, in an updated look at the ratings we've been keeping all season. The only team to get a bump this week are the Bills who not only performed on both sides of the ball in their best game of the campaign, they did so right from kickoff and left the contest unscathed.The following table includes my end-of-year ratings for each remaining playoff team and the net points assigned for home-field advantage.TEAMRATINGSHFAChiefs761.9Buccaneers741.7Bills732Packers722Rams681.449ers661Cardinals601.5Bengals591.4Titans581.6Bengals @ Titans (-3.5, 47)We've got a spicy one off the top as the Titans opened as an under-a-field goal favorite, only to see early money come in on the AFC's top seed. Other than having a week off, what did the Titans do to be rated this high?I was with the opening line, as I have this game as Titans -2. The debate will be whether the week off and the prospect of Derrick Henry returning are enough to appropriately push this through the key number of -3.There's nothing from any previous point spread this season that indicates the Titans should be giving the Bengals 3.5 points. They closed as three-point favorites at home to the Dolphins in Week 17 and three-point home underdogs to the 49ers the week before that. Tennessee closed as 8.5-point favorites to the Jaguars a month ago. Are the Bengals just five points better than Jacksonville?49ers @ Packers (-5.5, 47.5)The Packers opened in no man's land between -4.5 to -5.5, depending on where you looked. While that may seem low, market-based power ratings have the Packers -5 at home. My ratings have this contest slightly tighter. Like the game above, how much extra credit do the Packers get for having the week off?Even more relevant, the 49ers saw their two most important defensive players leave Dallas with injuries, as both Nick Bosa and Fred Warner took scary hits leaving them writhing on the field. An injury update on those two will result in a shift one way or another to this point spread and will dictate how we'll bet the game.Bills @ Chiefs (-2.5, 55)This is the round's easiest point spread for oddsmakers to make. The Chiefs were -2.5 when the Bills traveled to Kansas City earlier this year. The Chiefs were -2.5 in the AFC Championship Game last season. With no significant changes to either side, that's where it is again for Sunday.Bettors buying into the Chiefs' turn-key approach will happily lay under a field goal, while those looking to back Buffalo after the weekend's most impressive showing will patiently wait to see if, only for a moment, +3 becomes available. If so, expect significant buyback on the underdog.Projections, pending MNF:Cardinals @ Buccaneers (-6, 47.5)If the Cardinals beat the Rams on the road, the betting public will be back on Arizona next week - a team many loved to overrate for much of the season. Would that be enough to see this game open lower than -6?My ratings have this slightly lower, and I'll be paying close attention to injury updates regarding the Buccaneers' offensive line. Tampa Bay built a lead and its defense dominated an overwhelmed Eagles outfit Sunday, but the O-line became a glaring weakness once Tristan Wirfs hobbled off the field.Rams @ Buccaneers (-3.5, 48.5)If the Rams win, the line will be dictated by the manner in which they beat the Cardinals. Unless it's a blowout, bettors should be able to get Los Angeles at over a field goal. Anything higher than 3.5 points is an automatic buy.My ratings make +3.5 the right number, but the matchup between Tampa Bay's banged-up offensive line against Von Miller, Leonard Floyd, and Aaron Donald makes the Rams enticing, especially with L.A. beating Tom Brady twice in the last two seasons.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 right tackle Tristan Wirfs has a chance to play in the divisional round Sunday despite being in a walking boot, head coach Bruce Arians announced Monday, according to team writer Scott Smith.Wirfs sprained his ankle early in the Bucs' wild-card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He briefly returned before halftime but limped off the field after just one drive.Arians added that the decision on Wirfs and center Ryan Jensen will likely come Friday. Jensen also appeared to suffer an injury in the wild-card matchup, but he didn't miss a snap.Additionally, the Buccaneers are awaiting the return of running backs Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones after they missed Sunday's win. Arians said both backs are uncertain to suit up, according to The Athletic's Greg Auman. The team has to see if Fournette can run full speed on his injured hamstring, while Jones still isn't cutting due to an ankle ailment, Arians added.Tampa Bay will face the winner of Monday's night wild-card game between the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Five of the NFL's six Super Wild Card Weekend games are in the books. The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Las Vegas Raiders, the Buffalo Bills thumped the New England Patriots, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made easy work of the Philadelphia Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers held off the Dallas Cowboys, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. Let's take a closer look at some of what went down and what it means.Cowboys press self-destruct button Tom Pennington / Getty Images Sport / GettyFrom Randy Gregory's neutral-zone infraction on the first snap to ... whatever that Fail Mary quarterback sneak was on the final play, the Cowboys presented a master class in self-sabotage in their nail-biting loss to the Niners.Choose your favorite:

More than a few players may have played their final game for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. JuJu Smith-Schuster hopes he's not one of them."Honestly, it would be a blessing (to return)," Smith-Schuster told reporters, including Dejan Kovacevic of DK Pittsburgh Sports, following the Steelers' wild-card game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs."I love the city. I love the fans. I love Coach (Mike) Tomlin. I love the coaches and my teammates, players, everyone from the media side to the training room. It's been unbelievable. My career here has been amazing. It would be nice to stay here and play with these guys again and the same coaches. It would be nice to stay for another four years."Smith-Schuster made a surprising return from a shoulder injury to play in Sunday's 42-21 defeat. The wideout revealed he was given a six-month recovery timeline following his surgery in early October but told himself he'd make it back in three months, according to The Athletic's Mark Kaboly. He added he was advised by his agent not to play.The 25-year-old is slated to hit free agency this offseason. Smith-Schuster explained he came back in part to show potential suitors that he's healthy but also wanted one final chance to play with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is expected to retire, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo."It meant so much to me," he said, according to Jenna Harner of WPXI. "I knew it was a big risk but there was no hesitation, no doubt I wanted to be out there with No. 7."Smith-Schuster turned down other clubs to return to the Steelers last offseason. He's recorded 3,855 receiving yards on 323 catches since entering the league in 2017.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With one game left in Super Wild Card Weekend, the NFL announced the schedule for next week's divisional round.AFCMatchupDateTimeNetworkBengals at TitansSaturday4:30 p.m. ETCBSBills at ChiefsSunday6:30 p.m. ETCBSNFCMatchupDateTimeNetwork49ers at PackersSaturday8:15 p.m. ETFoxCardinals or Rams at BuccaneersSunday3 p.m. ETNBCThe Bengals kicked off the wild-card round with a close win over the Raiders -the franchise's first playoff victory in 31 years - to book a date with the No. 1 seed Tennessee Titans, who earned the lone AFC bye to the divisional round.The Buffalo Bills exorcised their demons in the late Saturday game by beating down the New England Patriots thanks to a near-perfect offensive performance from Josh Allen and Co.Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers held off a late rally from the Dallas Cowboys to earn a shot at taking down the NFC's top team, the Green Bay Packers.The Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes put together a master class against the Pittsburgh Steelers in what could be Ben Roethlisberger's final career game, with the former MVP throwing five touchdowns and 404 yards to conclude Sunday's slate.The Los Angeles Rams will host the Arizona Cardinals in the inaugural Monday night playoff game.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones left AT&T Stadium with a particularly sour taste in his mouth Sunday after Dak Prescott and Co. once again failed to deliver in the postseason."The hump is advancing in the playoffs," Jones said after the Cowboys' 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round, according to the Dallas Morning News' Michael Gehlken. "There's been some good quarterbacks that haven't advanced in the playoffs. I'm just sick we're one of them - really sick. I'm surprised and sick."The Cowboys cruised to an NFC East title in the regular season before stumbling when the pressure ramped up. Prescott, who signed a $160-million contract before the season, was a pedestrian 23 of 43 for 254 yards with a touchdown and an interception against the 49ers.His heralded weapons on offense - Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb - combined for only 116 yards after each enjoyed strong regular seasons. The Cowboys were hindered by 14 penalties, many of which were especially untimely."When you get this combination of players together, you need to have success," Jones said, courtesy of The Athletic's Jon Machota. "Because we all know how it goes in the NFL - the whole thing is set up to take away from the best and add to the ones who need improving. And personnel-wise, I think we had one of the best."Jones declined to address questions about Mike McCarthy's job security as head coach, saying, "I don't even want to discuss anything like that at this particular time."Instead, the 79-year-old conceded he couldn't recall another loss that stung so strongly."Extraordinarily disappointed," he said. "Very disappointed. Disappointed for our fans … This is quite a letdown."The Cowboys haven't advanced beyond the divisional round since 1996 when they won Super Bowl XXX.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott revealed he was playing through a partially torn PCL in his knee following his team's wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.Elliott added he won't need to undergo surgery in the offseason.Despite his injury, Elliott carried the ball 12 times for 31 yards against San Francisco. Tony Pollard, meanwhile, had four carries for 14 yards.Dallas lost in dramatic fashion Sunday.With the Cowboys driving for a potential game-winning touchdown in the dying seconds of the game, Dak Prescott took off for a 17-yard run. But the quarterback was unable to get the snap off for a chance at a Hail Mary after colliding with an official as time expired."Shit, it hurts. All of us are hurting," said Elliott.It's unclear how long Elliott was dealing with a knee issue, but the veteran didn't appear to be himself for much of the campaign. He rushed for over 70 yards in just one of Dallas' last 12 regular-season games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa suffered a concussion during Sunday's 23-17 wild-card win over the Dallas Cowboys.The 24-year-old's status will be a major storyline heading into next week's divisional-round matchup with the Green Bay Packers.Bosa took a shot to the helmet in a collision with a teammate and headed to the locker room just before the end of the first half. He had half a sack and one quarterback hit prior to exiting the game.

The San Francisco 49ers survived a near fourth-quarter collapse to upend the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round, prevailing Sunday with a 23-17 victory at AT&T Stadium.More to come.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers right tackle Tristan Wirfs suffered a sprained ankle in Sunday's 31-15 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, head coach Bruce Arians announced postgame, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine.Wirfs headed to the locker room on the team's opening drive before making a brief return late in the second quarter. However, Wirfs soon limped off the field before the end of the half and was ruled out shortly after.The 2020 first-round pick has been an iron man for the Buccaneers this season. Wirfs didn't miss an offensive snap all season prior to Sunday's contest. He earned his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods during the 2021 campaign.Wirfs was part of a Buccaneers offensive line that allowed just 23 sacks this season. Tampa Bay entered the postseason with a 13-4 record looking to defend its Super Bowl championship.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Defensive end Josh Sweat was admitted to the hospital Tuesday night and underwent an emergency procedure to address a life-threatening issue, the Philadelphia Eagles announced Sunday.As a result, Sweat was unable to play in the team's wild-card loss Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers."Josh and our medical team did everything possible to help him return to play," the Eagles said. "He improved every day, but it was determined by the doctors today that he was not quite ready."Philadelphia listed Sweat as questionable Friday. The team said his procedure wasn't for a ruptured appendix, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.Sweat, 24, racked up 45 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks during the regular season.The budding pass-rusher signed a three-year, $40-million contract extension last September.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As we wrap up Super Wild Card Weekend in Los Angeles, we've used the Godfather of Soul, Buffalo's biggest musical export, the country crooning of Kenny Chesney, a powerful dual threat in Dallas, and some Kansas City Jazz to help us find the right vibes for some player prop profits. We're going to pick up the pace in a big way to finish up the week with L.A.-based Metallica."Hero Of The Day"Since becoming the lead tailback in Week 13, Rams running back Sony Michel had ran for at least 74 yards until last week's game against the 49ers. Cam Akers returned last week and got 20% of the snaps, and while no one likes Akers more than me, there's no reason for Michel to take a back seat to someone coming off Achilles tendon surgery.This is the playoffs, and it's all about winning. "Nothing Else Matters." We might be getting a lower number on the assumption that Michel won't get the workload he's grown accustomed to.Meanwhile, the Cardinals have been gashed in the run game during the latter half of the season.GAMECARRIES-YARDSvs. CAR31-146@ SEA17-84@ CHI25-106vs. LAR20-79@ DET33-121vs. IND30-119@ DAL12-25vs. SEA25-195When teams took a high-volume running approach against the Cardinals, they went 5-2. If the Rams run the ball 25 times and the carry split is just 18-7 in favor of Michel, he can clear this number by averaging less than four yards per carry.Pick: Michel over 56.5 rushing yardsA TD that's definitely going to happenTyler Higbee found the end zone twice in Week 18, but they were just his fourth and fifth touchdowns of the season. That's why this number has a bigger payout than we usually see in our tongue-in-cheek guarantee. Maybe Sean McVay is looking to "Ride The Lightning" that Matthew Stafford found with Higbee last week.More importantly, when healthy, Higbee plays every snap for the Rams, who are thin at tight end. On five occasions this season, Higbee's played 100% of the offensive snaps. At +250, the "Memory Remains" from last week, and we can't pass it up.Pick: Higbee anytime touchdown (+250)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it doesKliff Kingsbury is never going to be accused of being a "Master Of Puppets," but he excels in calling an offense. Even though a late-season collapse will make Kingsbury "The Unforgiven," he still has a proven ability to put the tools at his disposal to good use.Demetrius Harris missed the last two regular-season games with a shoulder injury but was a full participant in Friday's practice. That means he'll likely be available Monday night. While he's not a household name, Harris played in close to a third of the Cardinals' offensive snaps after their bye week before getting hurt. As a 6-7 target in the red zone, he may get a chance for a score. When it comes to a long shot's value, all it takes is "One."Pick: Harris anytime touchdown (+1500)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.

J.J. Watt is back.The Arizona Cardinals defensive end is expected to play Monday against the Los Angeles Rams, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.Watt, 32, underwent what was thought to be season-ending surgery after tearing his labrum, bicep, and rotator cuff in addition to dislocating his shoulder in October. He's been sidelined since Week 7.The Cardinals, who've yet to officially activate Watt, opened their 21-day window to remove the veteran defender from injured reserve last week.Watt racked up 16 tackles, 10 quarterback hits, and one sack before being sidelined.The three-time Defensive Player of the Year's return is a big boost to Arizona's front four, which will face a tough matchup against Los Angeles' offensive line. The Rams allowed only 31 sacks during the regular season, the NFL's sixth-lowest mark.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With Pittsburgh preparing for life without Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers are "highly unlikely" to offer multiple first-rounders in an attempt to acquire a big-name quarterback like Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Roethlisberger is expected to retire after the team's postseason run. However, general manager Kevin Colbert, who's also likely to retire following April's draft, has only dealt a first-rounder for a player once - safety Minkah Fitzpatrick - and has traded up into the first round just three times during his tenure.Instead of adding a veteran signal-caller, Pittsburgh is expected to let Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins, an impending restricted free agent, compete for the starting job next season, Rapoport adds.The Steelers are also reportedly expected to draft a quarterback in April, with Rapoport mentioning Pitt passer Kenny Pickett as a potential option.Pittsburgh inked Rudolph to a one-year, $5-million extension last offseason. The 26-year-old signal-caller has started two contests over the past two campaigns. He led the Steelers to a tie against the Detroit Lions in Week 10.Haskins, meanwhile, has been a healthy scratch for most of the season. However, he's reportedly caught the eye of head coach Mike Tomlin while running the scout team. The 2019 first-rounder joined Pittsburgh in 2021 after being waived by the Washington Football Team in December 2020.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots fans don't have to worry about Bill Belichick leaving following the team's 47-17 wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.When asked if he wants to coach in 2022, Belichick, who's led the Pats for 22 seasons, responded, "I'd say that would be accurate," according to The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn.But after the most lopsided playoff loss of the Belichick era, the legendary coach questioned whether it revealed what kind of team New England really is."Is that what we are or is that a bad night?" Belichick said. "We'll see when we start playing next year, I guess."Regardless, Belichick believes the Patriots need to improve everything this offseason, from coaching to playing to adjustments, per Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal.The Bills scored a touchdown on all seven of their offensive drives before kneeling to close out Saturday's victory. They're the first team in NFL history to never punt, commit a turnover, or kick a field goal in a contest, according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.Additionally, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen tormented the Patriots' defense, throwing for 308 yards and five touchdowns while adding 66 rushing yards."We just couldn't keep up with them tonight," Belichick said, per Fairburn.He added: "They played well. We didn't. They deserved to win."However, Belichick praised rookie Mac Jones for his efforts. The signal-caller threw for 232 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in the loss."Mac helped us a lot," Belichick said, according to Daniels. "Look forward to working with him next year. There are things we have to work on. That goes for every player."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson wants to explore his options to see what is available to him this offseason, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The seven-time Pro Bowler is willing to investigate other destinations to see if another team would put him in a better position to win a championship and establish a legacy, Rapoport adds.Wilson previously said he hopes to remain with Seattle for the foreseeable future."We've always thought I would be here," he said earlier this season. "That's been always my goal - to win multiple Super Bowls, and my plan is to be here and do that."Wilson's reported desire to explore his options comes after the Seahawks missed the postseason for just the second time since 2012 and a regular season in which he missed three games due to injury.The star passer has been the subject of trade rumors dating back to last offseason after expressing frustration with the number of hits he has taken during his Seahawks tenure.Wilson has two years remaining on a contract that features a no-trade clause.Seattle head coach Pete Carroll hinted that changes may be on the horizon following his end-of-season meeting with team owner Jody Allen and general manager John Schneider."Whatever is there, (we've) got to exhaust the opportunities for our club, and right from the owner, Jody wants us to take a look at every single opportunity to better the franchise," Carroll told KCPQ FOX 13 Sports' Aaron Levine. He also said the Seahawks have the "nucleus" of a championship team in place.Seattle reportedly doesn't intend to trade Wilson and is operating as though he will return under center for his 11th season with the franchise.The 33-year-old signal-caller threw for 3,113 yards, 25 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 2021, leading the Seahawks to a 6-8 record in his starts.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We had a lot of fun with our weekly NFL betting lottery ticket. It helped that we had a sweep in Week 1 and five other cashing cards throughout the season. But there are only six games on the slate this weekend, so picking five 'dogs on the moneyline is a bit of a stretch.Instead, we'll try something different in our search for a low-investment, high-reward ticket: using the anytime touchdown market to create a series of big-payout parlays.How it worksWe parlay five anytime touchdowns together in 10 different three-leg parlays. Using every combination of a three-leg parlay is known as a round robin, so we're going to use a total of 1.1 units to make 11 different bets: 10 three-leg parlays and one five-leg parlay, each for 0.1 units. If three players score, we'll likely double our money. If four score, we'll connect on four parlays and be very pleased with the return. If all five players score? We go diving in gold doubloons like heirs to the McDuck fortune.Who to playDarren Waller +180We'll start with a value play, which is often the case with tight ends. Waller missed a handful of games to end the season, then returned against the Chargers only to find Derwin James hounding him for much of the game. Waller will have an easier matchup against the Bengals and should be re-adjusted to the speed of the game. He should have more than one legitimate chance to score for the Raiders and kick off our gambit in a nice way Saturday.Dawson Knox +210We know about the weather, so when it comes to pass-catchers, we want players for whom teams will run plays in short yardage near the goal line. Knox is capable of catching a long one against the Patriots, but at the very least, the Bills will draw up some run option for Josh Allen and keep Knox in mind as an outlet.Amari Cooper +150We targeted a pair of 49ers tight ends to score in our 49ers-Cowboys prop preview, so we'll look to the other side for a value play here. Cooper is a nice price at +150, as Ezekiel Elliott and CeeDee Lamb have shorter odds. Dak Prescott trusts Cooper, and I like the quarterback's favorite target to score in a game that should see the Cowboys try to stretch the field.Byron Pringle +260There are questions around Tyreek Hill's foot and very short payouts on Travis Kelce and the Chiefs' running backs. Relying on the Steelers to score, meanwhile, has cost me good payouts on Chase Claypool and Pat Freiermuth. What's left is a juicy price on a receiver who plays roughly 70% of Kansas City's offensive snaps.Kyler Murray +210This spot almost went to Tyler Higbee, but a +210 payout on the Cardinals' star quarterback finding the end zone is too good to pass up. Murray can score from distance or through the read-option keeper near the goal line. Even if I expect the Rams to win and cover, I'll still try Murray here. I'll have a Higbee ticket, too, however, just in case.Here's how the odds look:PLAYERODDS (Approx.)Waller+Knox+Cooper+3000Waller+Knox+Pringle+3000Waller+Knox+Murray+3000Waller+Cooper+Pringle+2500Waller+Cooper+Murray+2500Waller+Pringle+Murray+3000Knox+Cooper+Pringle+3000Knox+Cooper+Murray+3000Knox+Pringle+Murray+3500Cooper+Pringle+Murray+2800Waller+Knox+Cooper+Pringle+Murray+30000Who are your five touchdown scorers for a football betting lottery ticket?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 Houston Texans completed head coaching interviews with former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward and Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, the team announced Saturday.Ward is currently Florida Atlantic's wide receivers coach and special assistant to head coach Willie Taggart.The 45-year-old was an offensive intern for the Steelers during the 2017 season. He then spent two seasons as an offensive assistant with the New York Jets (2019-20) before joining Taggart's staff.The Steelers legend retired after the 2011 season, spending his entire 14-year NFL career with the AFC North club. His 1,000 receptions rank 14th in league history, while his 12,083 receiving yards rank 27th.Meanwhile, Lombardi is coming off his first year as the Chargers' offensive coordinator.The 16-year NFL coaching veteran previously held the same role with the Detroit Lions (2014-15) and had two stints as the New Orleans Saints' quarterbacks coach (2009-13, 2016-20).Houston has also interviewed former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores for its vacancy.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won't activate running back Leonard Fournette off injured reserve for Sunday's wild-card game against the Philadelphia Eagles, the team announced.The Buccaneers did activate linebacker Lavonte David and running back Giovani Bernard, clearing them to return.There was initial optimism that all three players would return after Tampa Bay designated them to practice earlier this week. Fournette has been sidelined since Week 15 due to a hamstring injury, David missed time with a foot ailment, and Bernard was out due to a knee issue.With Fournette still on IR and Ronald Jones already ruled out for Sunday's contest, the Buccaneers are expected to rely on Bernard, Ke'Shawn Vaughn, and Le'Veon Bell.Fournette, 26, finished the season as the team's leading rusher, totaling 812 yards and eight touchdowns.Tampa Bay ended the regular season as the NFC's No. 2 seed with a 13-4 record.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The biggest point spread on the board gets the NFL's high-profile time slot on Wild Card Weekend. Given the game's blowout potential, this would've been an odd choice if not for the lure of the Chiefs' offense and its modern version of Kansas City jazz.12-bar bluesAlmost a century ago, KC jazz musicians picked up the pace, ushering in the 12-bar blues structure that we know today. After seemingly struggling early in the season, Patrick Mahomes has found a way to re-invent his play and overcome adapting defenses.Earlier this season, the secret was apparently out and NFL teams managed the Chiefs' offense with nickel-and-dime defenses and two-high safeties - until Mahomes changed his tune.The Chiefs thrive on playing outside of the structure. However, with Tyreek Hill potentially hobbled and Travis Kelce last seen writhing on the field in Denver, Mahomes may need to be "In The Mood" to do it himself Sunday night.The Steelers will put pressure on Mahomes - T.J. Watt matched the official sack record this season and will look to continue his run. Keeping an extra tight end to block may help KC, but it'd also mean fewer targets down the field. Moreover, any time pressure gets through, Mahomes can look to scramble.Mahomes didn't have a rushing attempt in the teams' first meeting because he didn't need to in what was an easy win. However, Mahomes has cleared the 20-yard mark in four of his last six playoff starts.Pick: Mahomes over 18.5 rushing yardsA TD that's definitely going to happenThe most likely candidate for the role in our sarcastic touchdown guarantee is Darrel Williams at even money. However, while he's likely the goal-line carrier, the Chiefs run plays that involve a "Kansas City Shuffle" pass to Kelce, direct snaps to their star tight end, speed end-arounds to Hill, and other seemingly extraneous methods of scoring from close.Clyde Edwards-Helaire is ruled out so, like last week, I want to find a skillful pass-catcher replacement out of the backfield who can score from distance. Jerick McKinnon flashed last week with eight touches for 50 yards and a touchdown. That was his second-most snaps played this season, and Andy Reid will make a point to get the ball in his hands.Maybe a touchdown isn't definitely on the cards but even getting a third of the snaps at running back - and not for the purpose of blocking - is enough for me to think McKinnon may score again.Pick: McKinnon anytime touchdown (+260)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it doesThe rule of thumb for these long-shot touchdown bets is: If you're on the field, you can score. Noah Gray was on the field for 50 snaps when Kelce missed the first game against the Steelers, but even when Kelce was available, Gray averaged 26% of the snaps.The Chiefs may need another tight end on the field for pass protection, and while Blake Bell is the better blocker, Gray will have a chance to slip out undetected on a pass route.Pick: Noah Gray anytime touchdown (+1800)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.

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has emerged as an early favorite in the Denver Broncos' search for a head coach, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.Quinn is set to interview with Denver next week. He worked alongside Broncos general manager George Paton with the Miami Dolphins from 2005-06. Quinn served as a defensive line coach while Paton was director of pro personnel.The Broncos submitted interview requests for numerous candidates. Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett reportedly had a strong meeting with the club, according to Pelissero.The Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings are the other clubs reportedly interested in speaking to Quinn.Quinn spent six seasons as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons prior to joining the Cowboys in 2021. He took the Falcons to a Super Bowl in 2017, though they were defeated. He has a 43-43 record as a head coach.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster announced he will return for Sunday night's wild-card game against the Kansas City Chiefs after making a quick recovery from shoulder surgery.The Steelers made the move official by activating the wideout from injured reserve later Saturday.Smith-Schuster was thought to be lost for the season after undergoing surgery in early October. But Pittsburgh surprisingly designated him to return to practice Thursday.The 25-year-old has been a prominent feature in the slot for the Steelers and is among Ben Roethlisberger's favorite targets. He hauled in a team-high 97 receptions on 128 targets last season and caught 15 passes for 129 yards across five games in 2021 before his injury.Pittsburgh mainly opted to use wideout Ray-Ray McCloud in the slot while Smith-Schuster was sidelined. McCloud has 39 receptions for 277 yards this season.Running back Najee Harris is also expected to play after being removed from the injury report Saturday.Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs could be the final game of Roethlisberger's NFL career should the Steelers lose.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Derek Carr's future with the Las Vegas Raiders will likely be impacted by who the franchise hires as its next head coach, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The Raiders and Carr will come to a mutual decision in the offseason, which could be impacted by general manager Mike Mayock's future, according to Rapoport.Carr has just one season left on his five-year, $125-million deal and is set to earn a modest base salary of around $19.78 million in 2022, per Spotrac. His deal's average value ranks 14th out of all quarterbacks.The 30-year-old would likely command interest from many NFL teams, Rapoport notes.Raiders owner Mark Davis will embark on a full coaching search once the team's campaign concludes. The club takes on the Cincinnati Bengals in a wild-card game Saturday.Carr and Co. rallied to earn a postseason appearance under interim head coach Rich Bisaccia. Carr tossed 23 touchdowns against 14 interceptions and put up a career-high 4,804 passing yards this campaign.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As we evaluate our trio of player props for the 49ers' visit to the Cowboys - the most anticipated game of Super Wild Card Weekend - we'll continue our habit of looking to famous local musicians for inspiration, even if Dallas native Michael Lee Aday isn't a household name."Bat Out Of Hell"Few defenders in the NFL want a piece of TyShun Samuel. More commonly known as "Deebo," the 49ers' hybrid running back/receiver is a dual threat in the same vein as Aday; the singer/actor better recognized as Meat Loaf is renowned - like Samuel - for powerful physical performances.A combined yardage prop would be the ideal way to bet Samuel and his versatility, but I'm expecting this game to be a track meet featuring several big downfield plays from each team. While the 49ers will happily toss the ball to Samuel in the run game, Jimmy Garoppolo can also target his top weapon in open space in the middle of the field, allowing him to weave through the Cowboys' secondary like a "Bat Out of Hell."Pick: Samuel over 64.5 receiving yardsA TD that's definitely going to happenLike Meat Loaf's performance in the 1999 film "Fight Club," Samuel's receiving yardage is being slept on. But -115 is a pretty price to bet that he scores. Fortunately, San Francisco has another major weapon that can be dangerous at any time - and that weapon is priced at something of a discount.George Kittle's six touchdowns in 14 games suggest a 43% chance he scores in any given contest, which is only a slight value on the 40% implied by the current price. But it's been a while since the Cowboys faced a premier tight end.The last top tight end Dallas saw was Darren Waller, who exited in the first half of the Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day clash with the Raiders. Here's how Dallas did against top-15 teams at the position before that game:GAMEPLAYERSTATS@ TBRob Gronkowski8 recs / 90 yards / 2 TDvs. PHIZach Ertz + Dallas Goedert6 recs / 119 yards / TDvs. ATLKyle Pitts4 recs / 60 yards@ KCTravis Kelce5 recs / 74 yardsPitts didn't find the end zone for the Falcons in a blowout loss, but that was par for the course in a season that saw the rookie rack up yards while scoring just once. Kelce got his usual work in during the Chiefs' 19-9 win and was that game's lone touchdown scorer, taking a direct snap for a 4-yard run.Desperate for a touchdown and its accompanying affection, Kittle "Would Do Anything For Love," even carrying defenders into the end zone to put points on the board for San Francisco.Pick: Kittle anytime touchdown (+150)A TD that probably won't happen ... but maybe it doesKittle is practically always on the field, playing 94% of the 49ers' offensive snaps. He - along with Samuel - gets primary focus from opposing defenses, which creates opportunities for his teammates.As San Francisco's second tight end, Charlie Woerner has played just under a quarter of the team's offensive snaps this season. With only five catches on the year, he's the perfect candidate to sneak free undetected in a goal-line situation while others draw attention. At 14-to-1, even one route run in the paint makes it possible to cash this bet, which would feel like "Paradise By The Dashboard Light."Pick: Woerner anytime touchdown (+1400)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 Miami Dolphins intend to move forward with Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback for the 2022 season, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The Dolphins, who fired former head coach Brian Flores after the 2021 campaign, are hoping to replace Flores with someone who can maximize Tagovailoa's talent, Rapoport adds.With Flores gone, the chances of Miami pursuing or acquiring Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson have greatly diminished, if not disappeared completely, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Dolphins showed interest in acquiring Watson throughout last offseason and ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, but a move never materialized. Flores was interested in acquiring Watson, while team owner Stephen Ross and other members of the franchise were not, reports Schefter.Miami reportedly dismissed Flores due to his strained relationships with Tagovailoa and general manager Chris Grier.Tagovailoa, 23, finished the 2021 campaign with 16 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. The fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft won six of his last seven starts to help the Dolphins finish 9-8.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL playoffs kick off with this weekend's super wild-card round. Let's take a look at one big storyline for each of the three AFC games. The NFC storylines can be found here.Raiders at BengalsLas Vegas' pass rush vs. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr ChaseThe Burrow-Chase connection has looked a lot like it did when they were LSU teammates in 2019, which is another way of saying it's been everything Cincinnati could have hoped for when it drafted Chase fifth overall last spring.Chase is a big play waiting to happen. He piled up 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns, including a combined 18 catches (on 22 targets) for 391 yards and three TDs in a pair of late-season wins against the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. He's as much of a downfield threat as he is underneath: Chase's average depth of target (13.6 yards) was sixth among qualified wideouts, per PFF, and he also ranked third in yards after the catch per reception (8.1).But Cincinnati likes to run a lot of plays out of empty backfields, which can create a feast-or-famine dynamic because it leaves Burrow exposed to taking hits. All quarterbacks are worse under duress, but Burrow tossed six interceptions when pressured, per PFF, which tied for sixth-most in the league. He was also sacked 51 times, four more than any other QB. Matthew Stockman / Getty ImagesAs it happens, Vegas has as solid a pass-rushing duo as the playoff field can offer. Edge rushers Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue both finished the season with 10 sacks. Crosby racked up more pressures (101) than anyone in the league, per PFF, while Ngakoue (62) ranked 15th.In the teams' Week 11 meeting, the Raiders sacked Burrow three times, limited Chase to three catches for 32 yards and a touchdown, and forced four long field goals. But the Bengals rolled to a 32-13 win, pulling away with 16 unanswered points by handing the ball to running back Joe Mixon. Before Cincinnati started killing the clock, he had 10 carries for 52 yards in the fourth quarter, including a game-sealing 20-yard TD.Patriots at BillsCan Buffalo's defense make Mac Jones uncomfortable?In Mac Jones' rookie season, the Patriots did all they could to guide the wheel and work the pedals for him. The result was a seven-game winning streak that culminated with a Week 13 victory at Buffalo when Jones attempted a mere three passes in snowy and windy conditions.After that, New England lost three of its last four games - including a defeat in a rematch against the Bills at home - and things have been tougher for Jones, in large part because he still struggles when he needs to make a play.During the Pats' seven-game win streak, Jones ranked fifth among QBs in expected points added per play on third downs in non-garbage-time situations (plus-0.353). But in those last four games, which included a blowout of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones ranked 33rd in the same situations (minus-1.124). Boston Globe / Getty ImagesNew England was the league's second-most efficient team when throwing on first down, per Football Outsiders. The Patriots also finished the season ranked 10th in DVOA when running the ball on third and fourth down, but they were just 20th when they threw it.Buffalo finished the season first in defensive DVOA against the pass. In their Week 16 win at Foxboro, the Bills intercepted Jones twice and limited him to a completion rate of 43.8% and a completion percentage above expected of minus-20.9%, according to Next Gen Stats. Safety Micah Hyde had both picks, and both came on throws over the middle.Steelers at ChiefsCan Pittsburgh make Kansas City play ugly?Ben Roethlisberger joked this week that the Steelers have "no chance" in this game, and it's frankly kind of hard to argue with the sentiment. But there is a way for Pittsburgh to pull the upset.It doesn't take much digging to conclude that the Steelers are the worst team in the playoff field. Pittsburgh's offense, which involves Roethlisberger mostly playing hot potato behind an inexperienced line, is an eyesore. The defense features three stars in edge rusher T.J. Watt, tackle Cameron Heyward, and free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. But as a unit, it's pretty meh: The Steelers allowed four teams to rush for more than 200 yards this season. Jamie Squire / Getty ImagesThe key for Pittsburgh is getting the Chiefs to turn the ball over: Pittsburgh is 4-1 when opponents have two or more giveaways, and Kansas City - for all its firepower - turned it over 25 times during the regular season. Many of those were weird bounces off the hands of receivers, too.In all likelihood, of course, this game will closely resemble KC's 36-10 beatdown of the Steelers at Arrowhead three weeks ago. The Chiefs did not turn the ball over that day, and Patrick Mahomes completed passes to nine different receivers. Byron Pringle, of all people, led the way with six catches on seven targets for 75 yards and a pair of touchdowns. And Kansas City did that without tight end Travis Kelce, but he'll be in uniform for this one.Dom Cosentino is a senior features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL playoffs kick off with this weekend's super wild-card round. Let's take a look at one big storyline for each of the three NFC games. The AFC storylines can be found here.Eagles at BuccaneersPhiladephia's rushing attack vs. Tampa Bay's run defensePhiladelphia's midseason shift toward a run-heavy approach - which allowed quarterback Jalen Hurts to use a ton of run-pass options behind one of the league's best offensive lines - is the biggest reason the Eagles made it to the postseason. Now they'll face a Bucs front seven that's getting healthy just in time for a run at a title repeat.Inside linebacker Lavonte David (foot) and edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul (shoulder) missed Tampa Bay's last three games, while edge rusher Shaquil Barrett (knee) was out for the last two. All are expected to play Sunday. Philly should be at full strength as running back Miles Sanders is expected to play for the first time since injuring his hand in Week 16.Keep an eye on how frequently Philly leans on its run game. When these teams met in Week 6 - a 28-22 Bucs win - the Eagles were still pass-happy, particularly on early downs. In fact, 27 of their 40 first- and second-down plays that day were throws. But from Weeks 8-17 (Philadelphia rested its starters last week), the Eagles passed on early downs at the third-lowest rate in the league. G Fiume / Getty ImagesHow aggressive will Tampa Bay be in response? Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, as per usual, dialed up blitzes at a rate of 40.8% during the regular season - the highest mark in the league. But Hurts is fully recovered from a late-season ankle injury, and his 368 rushing yards on designed runs were second only to Lamar Jackson. That means the Bucs will likely have to change their approach to rein him in.One other key factor: The Bucs' Devin White posted PFF's third-worst run grade among inside linebackers. The Eagles certainly have their work cut out for them because of some dude named Tom Brady, but Philly has a shot at staying in this one if it can get that run game going.49ers at CowboysSan Francisco's unheralded defense vs. Dallas' explosive offenseHead coach Kyle Shanahan's offense gets most of the attention, but the 49ers quietly had a terrific defensive season under first-year coordinator DeMeco Ryans. The outcome here ought to be determined by a chess match between that unit and a Cowboys offense that's alternately dynamic and capable of disappearing.Unlike in 2020, the 49ers benefited from having edge rusher Nick Bosa healthy this season. San Francisco blitzed just 19.8% of the time - the NFL's fourth-lowest mark - but Bosa nonetheless tied for fourth among edge rushers with 75 pressures, per PFF. As a team, the Niners were fifth in ESPN's pass-rush win rate. These are signs that San Francisco can get to the quarterback without having to sacrifice coverage personnel.The 49ers won seven of their final nine games, and their improved defense was a big reason why. From Weeks 1-9 - culminating in a disastrous loss to Arizona Cardinals backup Colt McCoy - the Niners' D ranked 26th in expected points added per play (0.109) and 18th in successful play rate by the opposing offense (45.6%), according to Ben Baldwin's database. In the nine games that followed, San Francisco was fifth in EPA/play (minus-0.112) and seventh in success rate (40.7%). Thearon W. Henderson / Getty ImagesOne notable schematic shift: Arik Armstead lined up on the edge quite infrequently in the season's second half, per PFF, with Samson Ebukam largely filling the role of left edge.Dallas' offense - with Dak Prescott flinging the ball to Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb in offensive coordinator Kellen Moore's whizbang scheme - finished sixth in both total DVOA and passing DVOA. But it was also 23rd in variance, a measure of consistency. The Cowboys were penalized 14 times in a loss to the Raiders and 10 times in a loss to the Cardinals, and nothing went right in their bizarre blowout loss to the Broncos. Which version of the offense will show up against San Francisco?Cardinals at RamsCan Arizona stop Aaron Donald?Wouldn't everyone love to stop Rams all-world defensive tackle Aaron Donald? The Cardinals actually did it the first time they met L.A. back in Week 4.In that meeting - a Cardinals victory - Donald accounted for just two pressures on 39 pass-rush snaps, according to PFF. But when the teams met again at Arizona in Week 14, Donald totaled a season-high 14 pressures. The Rams won.That loss, incidentally, was the first of four defeats in five games to end the season for the Cardinals - a run that included getting blown out by the Detroit Lions. Norm Hall / Getty ImagesAn Arizona offense that hummed along for the season's first 13 weeks, when it ranked third in EPA/play and second in both dropback EPA/play and dropback success rate, has cratered. Starting with that Week 14 loss to L.A., the Cardinals have fallen to 20th in EPA/play, 22nd in dropback EPA/play, and 19th in dropback success rate.The trend of those struggles - plus the presence of Donald - spells trouble unless quarterback Kyler Murray and head coach Kliff Kingsbury can find a way to get the most out of their RPO- and play-action-heavy approach.Dom Cosentino is a senior features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts bench boss Jim Caldwell expects to be interviewed for the Chicago Bears' head coaching position, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Several NFL officials believe Caldwell, who's been out of the league since 2019, is a candidate for the job, Fowler reports.The Bears have interviewed two candidates since firing Matt Nagy, meeting with former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.Caldwell has ties to the Bears via Bill Polian, the Hall of Fame executive who is assisting Chicago with its search. Caldwell and Polian worked together in Indianapolis.Caldwell, who won Super Bowls as an assistant with Indy and the Baltimore Ravens, went 62-50 across six seasons as a head coach with the Colts and Lions. Detroit moved on from him after he went 9-7 in 2017, replacing him with Matt Patricia.The 66-year-old Caldwell last worked in the NFL in 2019, briefly serving as the Dolphins' quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach. He took a leave of absence before the season and never returned.Caldwell has already interviewed for the Jacksonville Jaguars' opening in the ongoing cycle of coaching changes.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On Thursday, we broke down the best bets to lead Wild Card Weekend in passing, rushing, and receiving yards. This time, we're finding values to lead the entire postseason, which introduces a key element into the hunt for value.While per-game totals are still crucial, betting on a player whose team makes a deep run is as important, if not more so, than targeting high-impact stars. If, say, Aaron Rodgers throws for 350 yards per contest but the Packers lose in the NFC Championship Game, he's a worse bet than a wild-card passer with a modest 250-yard average whose team goes all the way.With that in mind, here are the best value bets to lead the NFL postseason in each of the main statistical categories. (All odds listed are 50-1 or shorter.)Most passing yardsPLAYERODDSPatrick Mahomes+225Tom Brady+275Matthew Stafford+800Joe Burrow+800Dak Prescott+800Josh Allen+800Aaron Rodgers+1000Kyler Murray+2500Ryan Tannehill+2800Jimmy Garoppolo+2800Derek Carr+4000Mac Jones+5000It should come as no surprise to see Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady - the two passing leaders from last year's postseason - with the shortest odds this year. At these prices, I'd much rather bet their respective teams to win the conference than to hope for a stellar run in fewer games from either quarterback.The Rams are among my best bets to win the Super Bowl, so naturally, I'm high on Matthew Stafford's chances to lead this market, as well. He's plenty qualified to do so - he finished the regular season ranked third in passing yards (4,886) and yards per completion (12.1), and he's already shown success against the Cardinals (283.5 YPG), Packers (302), and Buccaneers (343) this year.I'm also a believer in Mac Jones at this price, which is mostly tied to the Patriots' upside as a Super Bowl long shot. It's not as if we haven't seen Jones succeed through the air, either. If he can average 250 yards - a mark he bested in seven games this season - amid a deep playoff run, that should be enough. Why not have a go at a distant long-shot price?Best values: Matthew Stafford (+800), Mac Jones (+5000)Most rushing yardsPLAYERODDSDerrick Henry+600Leonard Fournette+700Joe Mixon+800Darrel Williams+1000Aaron Jones+1000Ezekiel Elliott+1100Elijah Mitchell+1200Devin Singletary+1400A.J. Dillon+1400Sony Michel+1800Damien Harris+2000Josh Jacobs+2500D'Onta Foreman+2500Clyde Edwards-Helaire+2500Cam Akers+2500James Conner+3000Jerick McKinnon+3500Josh Allen+4000Dak Prescott+4000Chase Edmonds+4000Ronald Jones+4000Najee Harris+4000Kyler Murray+4000Miles Sanders+4000Jeff Wilson+5000Jalen Hurts+5000Ryan Tannehill+5000Tony Pollard+5000Le'Veon Bell+5000Rhamondre Stevenson+5000Historically, this market has been a lot more about opportunity than efficiency. Since 2012, every postseason leading rusher has played at least three games, and all but one had at least 60 carries. That heavily suggests backing a player with the potential for 20-plus carries per contest and a trip to the Super Bowl, or the conference title game for a wild-card team.Derrick Henry will get some love from casual bettors, but if you like the Titans' chances to play three games, you're better off betting their futures than backing a rusher coming off foot surgery. Leonard Fournette has paced this market in two of the last four seasons and isn't a bad bet at this price, especially with serious potential for a four-game run.The best value on the board, though, is Damien Harris. The Patriots' leading rusher logged 100-plus yards in each of his previous matchups with the Bills, whom he'll face this week, and he'd likely see the Titans' subpar rush defense in the following week. The path is there for massive yardage totals for Harris if you can stomach the risk on New England's title path.Best values: Leonard Fournette (+700), Damien Harris (+2000)Most receiving yardsPLAYERODDSTyreek Hill+800Travis Kelce+800Davante Adams+800Cooper Kupp+800Stefon Diggs+1000Mike Evans+1200Deebo Samuel+1200Ja'Marr Chase+1400A.J. Brown+2000Rob Gronkowski+2000CeeDee Lamb+2000Amari Cooper+2500George Kittle+2500Tee Higgins+2500Brandon Aiyuk+2500Odell Beckham+3500Cole Beasley+3500Cedrick Wilson+3500Allen Lazard+4000A.J. Green+4000Jakobi Meyers+4000Van Jefferson+4000Hunter Renfrow+4000Diontae Johnson+4000Darren Waller+4000Julio Jones+4000Christian Kirk+4000Tyler Boyd+5000Gabriel Davis+5000Emmanuel Sanders+5000Devonta Smith+5000Marquez Valdes-Scantling+5000Dallas Goedert+5000Chase Claypool+5000Byron Pringle+5000This is easily the most volatile market of the three, and it's also the least tied to a deep run: Two of the last eight postseason receiving leaders played in just two games, which opens up the field quite a bit when looking for long-shot values.Much of this does come down to opportunity, though. If you like the Cowboys to go on a run (as I do), there's value on CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper at long odds. A long-shot run by the Raiders or Steelers likely means big games from Diontae Johnson and Hunter Renfrow, respectively, which could be enough to carry their yardage total even without a full title run.Still, my money is on Cooper Kupp, who is miraculously tied with three other players as frontrunners despite leading the NFL in receiving yards per contest (114.5) by a country mile. He torched the Cardinals for 123 yards in Week 14 and will be a fulcrum of the Rams' attack for as long as they stay alive in the postseason. If that's for three or four games, his stat line will be tough to beat.Best values: Cooper Kupp (+800), CeeDee Lamb (+2000)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.