After an offseason filled with questions about Aaron Rodgers' future in Green Bay, it now sounds like there's nowhere else the Packers quarterback would rather be.Rodgers praised his teammates and coaching staff during his weekly appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" and said he's thankful to still be playing at a high level at 37 years old."I got my best friend in the league (Randall Cobb) back to go to work with every day. I got the funniest dude in the world to drive down to practice with every day in David Bakhtiari. I got a great coaching staff that I love," Rodgers said Tuesday. "I'm still in Green Bay and having the time of my life, and I get fun moments like this every single week."So, life is about perspective and I'm just daily counting the blessings that I have in life and just have so much gratitude for these moments."The Packers have won six straight games following their Week 1 loss to the New Orleans Saints, which Rodgers acknowledged has a lot to do with his happiness."Obviously, winning cures a lot of that," Rodgers said. "We had a rough first week and the world outside the facility was kind of on top of us, and I'm just so proud of our guys to stay the course and to not panic and start pointing fingers and the other bullshit that usually happens when you have a dud like that."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Bears pass-rusher Khalil Mack is not expected to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers due to a foot injury, according to the NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.The Bears could reportedly place the six-time Pro Bowl defender on injured reserve to allow him more time to rehab.Such a move would see Mack miss Chicago's next three contests before becoming eligible to return in Week 12, Rapoport reports. The Bears have a Week 10 bye.Head coach Matt Nagy noted the team hasn't made a decision regarding Mack's status going forward."We're working through everything," he said.The three-time All-Pro hasn't missed a game this season but has had limited availability for practices through seven weeks. Mack, 30, has tallied 19 tackles, six tackles for loss, and six sacks in 2021.Mack's absence would be another devastating blow to a Chicago defense plagued by injuries. Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks has missed two of the last three games due to a groin injury, and outside linebacker Robert Quinn is currently on the team's reserve/COVID-19 list.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Multiple teams are interested in New York Giants tight end Evan Engram ahead of the trade deadline, reports ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.There's reportedly an "affinity league-wide" for Engram's skill set despite the tight end's lack of production this season.Engram has recorded 20 receptions on 29 targets for 171 yards across five games this campaign, including four starts.With Kadarius Toney, Sterling Shepard, and Kenny Golladay sidelined with injuries, Engram led the Giants with six receptions in a 25-3 win over the Carolina Panthers last Sunday.The 27-year-old was named to the Pro Bowl last season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this campaign.The NFL's trade deadline is Nov. 2.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Home-field advantage has been a baked-in NFL trend for as long as there's been an NFL. The familiar surroundings, lack of travel, and crowds howling with full-throated support all are well-known factors that have made it beneficial to play a game in a home stadium. But is that edge going away? If so, why?The 2020 season was the first in NFL history in which home teams finished with a losing record (127-128-1). It was easy to isolate the variable: Due to COVID-19 protocols, most stadiums were either empty all year or limited attendance, which robbed home teams of a clear advantage.Stadiums are full again in 2021. Yet through the season's first seven weeks, home teams are still struggling. Excluding the three neutral-site games (two in London, plus the Green Bay Packers-New Orleans Saints opener that was moved to Jacksonville because of Hurricane Ida), home teams are just 50-54 with roughly 40% of the season already in the books. That's a winning percentage of just .486, which is way below the median seasonal winning clip of .576 that home teams posted from 1970 to 2019.So, what's going on? If screaming fans are back, why has the advantage taken such a dramatic dip? There appear to be several reasons: Offenses are more efficient, teams are being more aggressive on fourth down, referees are calling fewer penalties, and two clubs that were absolutely dominant at home aren't doing so well this year. Betting lines are being affected, too. The big question is whether the trend of visiting teams will continue as the season progresses.Efficient offensesIn a Twitter thread last week, former Philadelphia Eagles assistant coach and analytics specialist Ryan Paganetti discussed the possibility of visiting teams benefiting from being more successful on first and second down, which would lead to shorter yardage in third-down situations. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe numbers bear this out. According to data collected using nflfastR through Week 6, visiting offenses have indeed improved their success rates on early downs from 2019 to 2021 when passing. This is true whether success rate is defined by analyst Ben Baldwin's method (any play with positive expected points added) or analyst Warren Sharp's (gaining at least 40% of yards-to-go on first down, 60% on second down, 100% on third and fourth down).In 2019, visiting offenses had an early-down success rate on passing plays of just 47.2%, according to Baldwin's definition, and 48.9%, per Sharp's. In 2020, those figures improved to 49.7% and 51.5%, respectively, and that trend has continued into 2021: 50.9% (Baldwin) and 52.7% (Sharp).As Paganetti pointed out, an increase in shorter to-go scenarios on third downs means crowds are less involved, which makes it easier for offenses to set protections while also making it less likely for those offenses to face exotic blitzes and pressures.Fourth-down aggressivenessThe notion that it's often better to go for it on fourth down rather than punt or attempt a field goal has long been supported by reams of data. NFL coaches are finally buying in, and that aggressiveness is helping visiting teams level the playing field.Teams are averaging just 3.7 punts per game - the same as in 2020, and roughly half a punt per game less than as recently as 2019. In fact, punts have become increasingly more infrequent for a least a decade: Their usage has steadily declined since 2011, when teams were averaging 4.9 per game.In turn, there are now far more fourth-down scrimmage plays than there used to be. Teams are averaging 2.79 fourth-down scrimmage plays per game. That's an increase of more than 9% from 2020 and a jump of nearly 24% since 2019. It's also another trend that's been gradually on the rise: As far back as 2011, teams were averaging just 1.68 fourth-down scrimmage plays per game - a whopping 44% less than in 2021.This, in turn, has led to fewer possessions per game. In 2018 and 2019, teams averaged a combined 22.4 drives per game. However, in both 2020 and 2021, that number has dipped to 21.7 - a decrease of more than 3%.Why this matters: As Paganetti also noted, fewer possessions can create more variance in a game's outcome.PenaltiesNFL director of data and analytics Michael Lopez shared some info last week that showed delay-of-game penalties by visiting teams and pre-snap defensive fouls were down in 2020 - factors he acknowledged were likely influenced by empty stadiums:

It appears the Carolina Panthers aren't in the running for Deshaun Watson, after all.The Panthers are not expected to pursue a trade for the Houston Texans quarterback, who has only waived his no-trade clause for a move to the Miami Dolphins, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Although Panthers head coach Matt Rhule denied last week that his team is interested in Watson, subsequent reports indicated Carolina would be involved in trade talks for the signal-caller.The NFC South club benched Sam Darnold in the fourth quarter of Sunday's defeat to the New York Giants, further fueling speculation that the Panthers could pursue Watson.Carolina acquired Darnold from the New York Jets for a second-round pick and fourth-round pick in 2022 and a sixth-round pick in the 2021 draft. The 24-year-old performed well as the Panthers started the season 3-0, but he's since struggled amid the team's slide to 3-4.Watson, 26, faces lawsuits from 22 women who say he sexually assaulted them or committed sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Ten women have filed criminal complaints against Watson.The NFL hasn't placed Watson on the commissioner's exempt list. He has been a healthy scratch for the first seven weeks of the season.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday the league doesn't currently have the "necessary information" to decide Watson's status.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters Tuesday that the league is lacking the necessary information to decide whether Deshaun Watson should go on the commissioner's exempt list.Goodell said the NFL doesn't have "all the access" to the information obtained through legal inquiries and the police investigation regarding Watson."We pride ourselves in not interfering in that, being (as) cooperative as we can to make sure we get all the facts," Goodell said."That process is still ongoing and until ... we have enough data and enough information to be able to make a determination of whether he should go on commissioner exempt (list) - we don't feel we have that necessary information at this point."Watson is facing lawsuits from 22 women who say he sexually assaulted them or committed sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Ten women have filed criminal complaints against Watson.The Texans quarterback has been frequently linked in trade talks since asking out of Houston at the beginning of this past offseason. The Miami Dolphins are reportedly front-runners to land Watson. He has a no-trade clause, giving him the final say over his destination.The expectation is that Watson, who's been made a healthy scratch through all seven weeks of the 2021 campaign, will be able to play as the civil cases and investigations by police and the NFL go on, barring new evidence or a criminal charge, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.However, Watson is subject to discipline under the NFL's personal conduct policy upon the conclusion of the investigation.The NFL's trade deadline falls on Nov. 2.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.With Halloween right around the corner, we're uncovering a scary stat for each team that will leave fans trembling in fear.1. Arizona Cardinals (7-0) Chris Coduto / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 1There's not much to be spooked about when it comes to the undefeated Cardinals. One minor concern is Kyler Murray's ball-handling ability. An early MVP candidate, Murray has committed a league-leading six fumbles this season, though none have been recovered by the opposing defense.2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1)Previous Rank: 2The reigning champs have been devastated by injuries to the back end of their defense. Not surprisingly, the patch-up job isn't holding up too well. The Bucs have surrendered 31 pass plays of 20 yards or more while opposing quarterbacks are completing 70% of their passes.3. Los Angeles Rams (6-1)Previous Rank: 3The Rams look defensively stout as usual, but the unit is still leaving a lot of yardage on the field. Offenses have racked up 1,030 yards after the catch on Los Angeles' defense this season, third most in the NFL. The culprit for this issue? Tackling. The Rams also rank in the bottom 10 with 48 missed tackles.4. Buffalo Bills (4-2)Previous Rank: 5The Bills are charging through the AFC and lack a true weakness on either side of the ball. However, the offensive line can still improve. Josh Allen has only been sacked eight times, but he's being pressured on 26% of his dropbacks.5. Green Bay Packers (6-1) John Fisher / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 6It's been a one-man show at wide receiver, as Davante Adams has shouldered the load for the Packers. With Adams on the COVID-19 list, the team's shortcomings at wideout could be on grand display. The four-time Pro Bowler is the only player on the team averaging more than 30 receiving yards per game.6. Dallas Cowboys (5-1)Previous Rank: 7Hats off to Trevon Diggs for his league-leading seven interceptions. However, Diggs' ball skills may be hiding the true flaws of the Cowboys' defense. Clubs are averaging an NFC-best 6.3 yards per play and 295 passing yards per game against Dallas.7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)Previous Rank: 13The Bengals are looking to establish themselves as the kings of the jungle. However, to be a true apex predator, they'll have to be more calculated. Joe Burrow is lighting it up, but he's got eight picks, with four coming in the fourth quarter.8. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)Previous Rank: 8There's no doubting the Chargers' secondary and pass rush, but their inability to stop the run could cost them down the stretch. They've allowed 180-plus yards on the ground on four occasions this season. No other team has allowed that to happen more than twice.9. Tennessee Titans (5-2)Previous Rank: 10The Titans made major offseason splashes by bringing in Julio Jones and Bud Dupree, but both have failed to consistently make their presence felt thus far. Jones has put up just 17 receptions for 301 yards, both career lows through Week 7. Meanwhile, Dupree has recorded just one sack.10. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious Rank: 4If the Ravens want to make a deep postseason run, their secondary will have to step up. Baltimore is the third team all time to allow three 400-yard passers through the first seven games of the season, according to Elias Sports.11. Las Vegas Raiders (5-2)Previous Rank: 14There's no quit in these Raiders. They've battled to 5-2 despite some crazy finishes and the aftermath of Jon Gruden's departure. One has to imagine just how much better the Raiders could be if they didn't have to overcome 53 penalties called against them, which only trail the Eagles for the most in the NFL.12. Cleveland Browns (4-3)Previous Rank: 12With numerous key offensive contributors banged up, the Browns' defense will need to pick up the slack. Cleveland's third-down defense ranks in the bottom five in the NFL, allowing a 45.2% conversion rate.13. New Orleans Saints (4-2)Previous Rank: 11Sean Payton has Jameis Winston playing mistake-free football, though it's come at the price of a conservative offense. New Orleans has produced just seven plays of 25 yards or more, tied for the fewest in the NFL.14. Indianapolis Colts (3-4)Previous Rank: 19The Colts have found a way to revive Carson Wentz. Next up is figuring out how to bring life to their pass rush. Indianapolis is generating pressure on just 16.3% of quarterback dropbacks, which is the worst mark in the league.15. Kansas City Chiefs (3-4) Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 9The Chiefs are in crisis mode, and it seems that Patrick Mahomes can no longer bail them out. Kansas City has lost three of its last eight games by 18 or more points (including the playoffs). Additionally, no quarterback has thrown more interceptions than Mahomes (9) this year.16. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)Previous Rank: 18Bashaud Breeland has been a gigantic weak spot through the first six games. He's already allowed four touchdowns while giving up a 113.5 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks.17. New England Patriots (3-4)Previous Rank: 20There's no such thing as an easy win in the NFL, but the Patriots have greatly benefited from facing inexperienced competition. All three of their wins have come against rookie passers, while they're a concerning 0-4 versus the rest of the NFL.18. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)Previous Rank: 17The Steelers' dink-and-dunk offense is a byproduct of Ben Roethlisberger's declining abilities. His arm strength isn't what it used to be, while his accuracy is below average at best. The veteran has attempted 29 deep passes but only completed eight.19. San Francisco 49ers (2-4)Previous Rank: 16Offensive mastermind Kyle Shanahan hasn't been able to extract much from the 49ers' offense. They rank 19th in scoring and 18th in yardage. Making matters worse, Jimmy Garoppolo has clearly regressed since his Super Bowl run. The veteran is 5-6 with 13 touchdowns to 12 turnovers since 2020.20. Denver Broncos (3-4) Emilee Chinn / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 21It's been all downhill since the Broncos started 3-0. Now losers of four in a row, a lot of blame can be pinned on Denver's defense. The club has recorded just one takeaway while allowing an average of 399.8 yards over its four-game slide.21. Chicago Bears (3-4)Previous Rank: 15Perhaps Matt Nagy was right when he advocated for patience with Justin Fields, who's looked overwhelmed behind a poor offensive line. The rookie was responsible for five turnovers Sunday, the most by a Bears quarterback since Week 16 of the 2016 season.22. Atlanta Falcons (3-3)Previous Rank: 26The Falcons seemed to have missed the memo about finishing strong. Atlanta is allowing a league-worst 18.5 points in the second half of games this season.23. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)Previous Rank: 23Russell Wilson can't come back soon enough. The Seahawks averaged 24 points per contest, 6.5 yards per play, and converted 34.7% of third downs in games that Wilson started. That's plummeted to 15 points per contest, 4.3 yards per play, and a 25% third-down rate in two starts with Geno Smith.24. New York Giants (2-5)Previous Rank: 28Daniel Jones threw his first red-zone touchdown pass of the season Sunday, highlighting the Giants' struggles to finish drives. New York currently owns the NFL's worst red-zone offense after converting just nine of its 20 trips into touchdowns.25. Carolina Panthers (3-4) Al Bello / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 22Arguably no quarterback has gone from hero to zero more dramatically this season than Sam Darnold. Since Week 4, he's thrown a league-leading seven interceptions, while his 61.2 passer rating during that stretch is the lowest among all quarterbacks (minimum 75 pass attempts).26. Philadelphia Eagles (2-5)Previous Rank: 24Quarterbacks have hardly broken a sweat against the Eagles' defense lately. Philadelphia's secondary has only forced 39 incompletions since Week 3. Additionally, the Eagles have allowed the highest completion percentage (77.5%) in the NFL during that span.27. Washington Football Team (2-5)Previous Rank: 25The Washington Football Team's once daunting defense has vanished into thin air. Opponents are scoring on over 50% of their drives (50.7%) against Washington.28. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5)Previous Rank: 27Can the Jaguars' defense please give Trevor Lawrence a hand? The rookie quarterback hasn't had the benefit of starting on any short fields, as Jacksonville is creating turnovers on just 3.1% of opponents' drives, the worst mark in the NFL.29. Miami Dolphins (1-6)Previous Rank: 30After storming to 10 wins last season, all eyes were on the Dolphins in 2021. Well, Miami has so far only provided reasons to look away. The Dolphins rank in the bottom five in points for (18.1 points per game) and points allowed (29.6 points per contest).30. New York Jets (1-5) Maddie Malhotra / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 29Odds are if you've missed the beginning of a Jets game, you haven't missed much. Robert Saleh's club is the only team this season that hasn't scored a single point in the first quarter.31. Detroit Lions (0-7)Previous Rank: 32A change of scenery hasn't helped Jared Goff. The former first overall pick is now 0-10 over his last 10 starts (including the postseason), recording eight interceptions and four lost fumbles.32. Houston Texans (1-6)Previous Rank: 31It's tough to expect much from the Texans considering they entered the season intending to rebuild. But is it too much to ask of them to put up a fight? Houston has a league-worst -122 point differential since its season-opening win.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair issued an apology Tuesday for making an anti-Asian remark during a team charity golf tournament in May."My comments at the event last May included an inappropriate choice of words," McNair said in a statement, according to Michael Silver of Bally Sports. "I immediately apologized to people who approached me then and I apologize again now. I know how important it is to choose my words carefully. I would never want to offend anyone."Those in attendance at the event said McNair told the crowd they couldn't get together in 2020 "because of the China virus."McNair has been the chairman of the Texans since 2018. He previously served as vice chairman with the club.Copyright © 2021 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.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and has finished among the top seven each of the last seven years. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 8.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are set off a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.Quarterbacks Al Bello / Getty Images Sport / GettyDaniel Jones, GiantsNext UpRosteredFABat KC28%$1Aside from an injury-shortened Week 5 appearance against the Cowboys and a four-turnover day versus the Rams a week later, Jones has been a decent streaming option this season.A big part of his fantasy value is derived from his rushing stats; he's recorded at least 27 yards on the ground in every game, except the aforementioned losses to Dallas and Los Angeles.Fortunately for Jones, his next opponent is one of the easiest matchups for quarterbacks. The Chiefs have allowed multi-touchdown days to five of the last six passers they've faced. They've also shown vulnerability to dual-threat passers like Lamar Jackson (107 rushing yards, 2 TDs), Jalen Hurts (47 rushing yards), Josh Allen (59 rushing yards, TD), and Ryan Tannehill (6 yards, TD).Additionally, it's possible Jones could get reinforcements in the form of Kadarius Toney or Sterling Shepard, with an outside shot to have either Kenny Golladay or Saquon Barkley back as well.Streaming options: Teddy Bridgewater vs. WAS (20% rostered), Trevor Lawrence at SEA (41% rostered)Risky streaming options: Carson Wentz vs. TEN (37% rostered), Tua Tagovailoa at BUF (48% rostered), Ben Roethlisberger at CLE (20% rostered), Taylor Heinicke at DEN (14% rostered)Trade deadline stashes: Deshaun Watson (18% rostered)Long-term stashes: Trey Lance (21% rostered)2QB/Superflex streaming options: Case Keenum vs. PIT (3% rostered), Geno Smith vs. JAX (6% rostered), Mac Jones at LAC (31% rostered), Jimmy Garoppolo at CHI (12% rostered), Joe Flacco vs. CIN (0% rostered)2QB/Superflex injury stashes: Baker Mayfield (39% rostered), Tyrod Taylor (4% rostered)2QB/Superflex long-term stashes: Cam Newton (1% rostered)Running backs Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyKenneth Gainwell/Boston Scott, EaglesNext UpRosteredFABat DET21%/2%$14/$7With Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni calling Miles Sanders week-to-week, fantasy managers can feel more confident bidding on Gainwell and Scott.The duo split time after Sanders left with an ankle injury Sunday. Gainwell played more snaps (34-23), ran more routes (21-12), and saw more targets (7-1) in the game, but Scott outcarried him (7-5).Both backs will have value in a matchup with the Lions, who've given up the most fantasy points to running backs in 2021, including at least 70 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown to six different runners.You can deploy Gainwell as a low-end RB2 and Scott as a flex option in Week 8.Marlon Mack, ColtsNext UpRosteredFABvs. TEN17%$5We've listed Mack as a pre-emptive pickup for multiple weeks now, as rumors continue to highlight him as a potential trade candidate before the NFL's deadline Nov. 2.

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson believes the team will figure things out soon.Johnson said Tuesday that he has "unwavering, steadfast confidence" in general manager Joe Douglas and first-year head coach Robert Saleh despite New York's 1-5 start, according to the New York Daily News' DJ Bien Aime.The 74-year-old executive also isn't worried about rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, who leads the league with nine interceptions in 2021."We will get it right," Johnson said. "Just a very young team with a 22-year-old quarterback. He's seeing things for the first time."The Jets and Wilson lost 54-13 to the New England Patriots on Sunday. New York ranks dead last in scoring and 29th in points allowed."Last week (was) frustrating," Johnson said. "But now we turn the page and we're off to the (Cincinnati) Bengals."New York will try to snap its two-game losing streak without Wilson, who suffered a PCL injury and will miss two-to-four weeks. The injury led the Jets to acquire veteran quarterback Joe Flacco in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday. Flacco is the favorite to start until Wilson returns, with Mike White serving as the backup.Douglas joined the Jets in 2019. He's put together two draft classes for New York, selecting Wilson, offensive linemen Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker, and wide receivers Denzel Mims and Elijah Moore, among others.Douglas and Co. are coming off a busy offseason that saw the Jets hire Saleh as Adam Gase's replacement and trade quarterback Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers.The Jets are 3-19 since last season's Week 1.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin left his press conference Tuesday angrily after firmly squashing rumors linking him to USC's vacant head coaching job.

There was a basket of goodies in last week's teaser collection, as our mathematically correct legs went 5-1, and we knew to avoid the loss with the Ravens, as the Bengals were live to win that game. Now we turn our attention to the Halloween slate to see if there are more treats available in the sportsbooks' tricky format: the teaser.On a two-team six-point teaser priced at -115, each teaser leg has a price of -270. There are places where that -270 price becomes more valuable than just betting a moneyline or an alternative spread on its own. Let's use the upcoming AFC South tilt between the Titans and Colts as an example.SPREADODDSIND +1.5-115IND +2-120IND +2.5-125IND +3-145IND +3.5-163IND +4-175IND +4.5-185IND +5-190IND +5.5-195IND +6-210IND +6.5-230IND +7-270IND +7.5-280Here, you can take the Colts at +7 -270 on the alternative spread market, or for the same price, you can get IND +7.5 as part of a tease, which allows you to take another game and manipulate that spread in your favor.Not all teaser legs are created equal. The biggest mistake novice bettors make is teasing through zero - you're wasting valuable price points on a number the game probably won't land on. So how can we maximize the six-point move? How can we get what we're paying for at -270 per leg?We've seen some scary teaser slates this season, but this one is a true horror show:Teaser basketTEAMSPREADTEASER LEGPanthers+2.5+8.5Colts+1.5+7.5Yep, that's the list. Here's why:The Cardinals are -6, but the moneyline is -260 as of this writing, so you'd be better off just betting that, instead of teasing with them.The Bengals, Rams, Bills, and Chiefs are all double-digit favorites, and you should have no interest in paying -270 to drop their already large spreads down to -4, -8.5, -7.5, and -4, respectively.The Lions, Steelers, Bears, Jaguars, Washington, and Vikings are all somewhere between +3 and +3.5. If you like any of those teams enough to stay within +9 or +9.5, you might as well just bet them on the point spread at -110 than pay that much more, at the teaser price of -270, given that each team could very well get blown out if you're wrong.Lastly, the Chargers are -5.5 at home to New England, and Tampa Bay goes to New Orleans as 4.5-point favorites. Since rule No. 1 of teasing is "don't tease through zero," the only side to tease is the underdog up to +11.5 and +10.5.In the first game, I think there's an unusually large range of options for the final score. The Chargers could blow out the Patriots, and you likely wouldn't be shocked, but would you be at all surprised if the Patriots won outright?Meanwhile, are you looking to pay -270 that the Bucs won't blow out Jameis Winston and the Saints? Neither am I.That leaves our lone teaser, but like any good scary movie, there's a twist. While right now you can tease the Colts up to +7.5, I'm not ruling out the possibility of Indianapolis becoming a short favorite by kickoff. If that were the case, I'd happily tease up the Titans to get us the same full touchdown.Here's how I'll play it - bet CAR +8.5/IND +7.5 now. Wait. If the favorite flips in Indianapolis, I'll pair the Panthers with the Titans. I'm fine with having the focal liability on the Panthers at +8.5 against the Falcons, who will keep any team in the contest late. Should they cover that number, then we can perhaps catch a middle with the Titans and Colts in what should be a competitive game.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 © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Players have set countless records in the NFL's storied history. In no particular order, here are five achievements that no one else will likely ever match or surpass, even with an additional regular-season game added to the schedule moving forward.Tom Brady's career TD passes Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / GettyWe don't know how many touchdown passes Brady will accumulate before retiring, as he's currently midway through his 22nd NFL season. Still, it's safe to assume we won't ever see another quarterback tossing as many as the seven-time Super Bowl champion. Brady has recorded 602 career passing TDs in the regular season - 685 total when including the playoffs - and he's shown no signs of slowing down at age 44. Brady's combination of longevity and high production is just unmatchable.Bills' 4 straight Super Bowl losses Focus On Sport / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt's still hard to understand how the Buffalo Bills earned a spot in four consecutive Super Bowls from 1991-94. And it's even more impressive that they lost all of those games. Since Buffalo's last Super Bowl loss, only six teams have reached the big game in back-to-back years, and they all won at least one of those contests.Brett Favre's 336 career INTs Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyWe still see some gunslingers like Favre these days, but it's tough to imagine any other passer playing for as long as the Hall of Famer. Fave's 298 regular-season starts throughout his career only trail Brady. Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger has thrown the most picks (205) among active quarterbacks, and it's safe to say that Big Ben - who's averaging under 6.5 yards per pass attempt since 2019 - will likely call it a career soon.Jerry Rice's career receiving yards - / AFP / GettyRice leads virtually every meaningful receiving category in NFL history, and his most outstanding record is for career yards. The San Francisco 49ers legend retired with a whopping 22,895 receiving yards under his belt, a number that puts him in a league of his own. Larry Fitzgerald, who hasn't officially retired but didn't return to the Arizona Cardinals for his age-38 campaign in 2021, ranks second all-time with 17,492 receiving yards. Rice also holds the records for career catches (1,549) and TD receptions (197).Emmitt Smith's career rushing attempts PAUL BUCK / AFP / GettySmith is the Jerry Rice of running backs. The former Dallas Cowboys runner tops the NFL with 18,355 career rushing yards and 164 touchdowns. But perhaps his most unbreakable accomplishment is his 4,409 career rushing attempts, which is 571 more than what Hall of Famer Walter Payton, No. 2 on this list, compiled throughout his NFL journey. Frank Gore, who remains unsigned in 2021, leads all active players with 3,735 career carries.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks and left tackle Laremy Tunsil are not expected to be dealt ahead of the NFL's Nov. 2 trade deadline, according to Aaron Reiss of The Athletic.Both players are considered assets to the club, which currently finds itself sitting at 1-6 and last in the AFC South through seven weeks.Tunsil, 27, is considered one of the premier blockers in the league. The two-time Pro Bowler is currently on injured reserve after undergoing thumb surgery. He has started 33 contests since he was acquired by Houston in a 2019 blockbuster deal with the Miami Dolphins.Cooks leads the Texans with 45 receptions for 502 yards and one touchdown. The 28-year-old accounts for 31.2% of Houston's passing targets.The veteran pass-catcher has become accustomed to being a trade target after being dealt by the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, and Los Angeles Rams during his career.Meanwhile, the club is reportedly entertaining offers for star quarterback Deshaun Watson ahead of the deadline.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We went 2-1 on our total plays in Week 7, but we're still below .500 on the year after a bad couple of weeks to start October. Here's to another winning week to close out the month:Dolphins @ Bills (-13.5, 48), 1 p.m. ETI had high hopes for the Dolphins' defense entering this season. Instead, the unit ranks dead last in yards allowed per game (414.9) and has given up the second-most points per contest (29.6) through seven weeks. A key issue has been Miami's wholly ineffective pass rush, which owns the fifth-highest blitz rate (32.2%) but is tied for the NFL's worst hurry rate (4.8%).The best way to frustrate this dynamic Bills offense is to pressure Josh Allen, but bringing extra defenders without success is a death knell against the MVP favorite, who's averaging 318.5 yards and three passing TDs over his past four games. That doesn't include a Week 2 showdown with these very Dolphins, who surrendered 35 points to Buffalo's offense and were held scoreless in Jacoby Brissett's season debut.Since 2007, teams that have scored at least 31 points in five consecutive games - as the Bills have done entering this week - have gone 13-8 to the over (61.9%), including 8-2 as a home favorite. If Tua Tagovailoa can continue his improved play since returning from injury for the 'Fins, this game should fly past its modest total.Pick: Over 48Panthers @ Falcons (-2.5, 46), 1 p.m.After a 3-0 start to the season, the Panthers have lost their luster as a weekly side bet following four consecutive losses. That said, they're still cash cows for the under, hitting in five of seven weeks thanks to a stout defense and toothless offense.Start on the defensive side of the ball, where Carolina still ranks first in yards allowed per drive (23.5), fifth in points allowed per drive (1.6), and seventh in points allowed per game (20.9) through the first seven weeks. The bonus for under bettors has been the Panthers' ineffective offense, which is averaging 19.3 points since losing star back Christian McCaffrey to injury.The Falcons' offense has feasted on three of the NFL's four worst scoring defenses over its last three contests, but Atlanta managed just 16 points per game against competent foes in the first three weeks. These two teams are 13-3 to the under in their last 16 meetings and are headed for another on Sunday.Pick: Under 46Rams (-14.5, 48) @ Texans, 1 p.m.We bet the Rams to go under last week as big favorites against the Lions despite the obvious mismatch they enjoyed on offense. Sure enough, Los Angeles attacked the short-to-intermediate range of the field, completing just one pass of 25 yards or more in a methodical (but low-scoring) win.That's consistently been the story for the Rams, who rank fifth in points per game (29.6) despite scoring 35 points just once in seven tries. The key is their talented and remarkably consistent defense, which has allowed 25 or more points just once this season and held their last three opponents below 20 points.The Texans will be lucky to approach that number after scoring fewer than 10 points in four of Davis Mills' five starts. Tyrod Taylor's potential return is an interesting subplot, but the injured journeyman isn't enough to deter me from betting on another low-scoring affair for the heavy favorites.Pick: Under 48C 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 © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NFL coach Jeff Fisher is in the mix for USC's head coaching vacancy, a source told Brett McMurphy of The Action Network.A USC alum, Fisher last coached in the NFL in 2016 with the Los Angeles Rams, who fired him during the campaign.Fisher owns a wealth of coaching experience, spending 22 years with the likes of the Rams and Tennessee Titans. His career accolades include a Super Bowl appearance and career winning percentage of .512 (173-165-1 record).The Trojans are looking for their next head coach after firing Clay Helton earlier this season. Helton spent six-plus seasons with USC, posting a 46-24 record. His tenure ended after a 42-28 home defeat to Stanford.Donte Williams is serving as the club's interim head coach.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson is out two-to-four weeks after an MRI confirmed he suffered a sprained PCL in Sunday's 54-13 loss to the New England Patriots, Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced Monday.The rookie signal-caller injured his PCL on a low hit in the second quarter and said after the game he heard a "pop" in his knee.Mike White took over at quarterback for New York, making his NFL debut. White was 20-of-32 passing for 202 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions.The Jets acquired veteran passer Joe Flacco on Monday in the wake of Wilson's injury.Wilson, 22, has struggled through the first seven games of his NFL career. The 2021 No. 2 pick is tied for most interceptions in the league with nine and has thrown just four touchdown passes. He also has the third-worst completion percentage and passer rating at 57.5% and 63.5, respectively.New York's blowout loss to the Patriots dropped the Jets to 1-5.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance is on pace to practice Wednesday but Jimmy Garoppolo will remain the starter for Week 8, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.Lance started in Week 5 with Garoppolo injured but missed Sunday night's game against the Indianapolis Colts due to a knee injury. Garoppolo struggled against the Colts in a rain-filled contest, finishing with a season-low 60.9 passer rating and one touchdown to two interceptions.Shanahan was asked if Garoppolo will continue to start following the 30-18 loss to Indianapolis and initially said he'd "guess so." However, he clarified Monday that the veteran was never in serious jeopardy of losing his starting role."That was not a game where if Jimmy has one bad game, Jimmy loses his job," Shanahan said, according to Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury. "We know Trey is the future here. He's coming off a pretty big injury. We'll do all we can to help him prepare if he needs to come in."The 49ers have used Lance in a situational role in addition to his lone start, with the rookie totaling three passing touchdowns to one interception. Meanwhile, Garoppolo is 2-3 as a starter this season with six touchdowns to four interceptions.San Francisco is 2-4 and in the midst of a four-game losing streak.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders is considered week-to-week after sustaining an ankle injury in Sunday's 33-22 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, coach Nick Sirianni said Monday."It's a stretch for him to be up this week, but we're not ruling anything out yet," Sirianni added.The third-year tailback exited the contest after linebacker Denzel Perryman tackled him in the second quarter, and he did not return.Sanders, 24, rushed 30 yards on six carries before leaving the game. The Eagles split carries between rookie Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott, who combined for 44 rushing yards. Quarterback Jalen Hurts led the way with 61 yards on the ground.The injury to Philadelphia's feature back comes while the team is emphasizing its commitment to the run game after Sanders had just nine rushing attempts in Week 6's 28-22 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.The Penn State alum's status will remain up in the air ahead of Sunday's clash against the winless Detroit Lions, who allows 120 rushing yards per game.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets are acquiring veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Philadelphia Eagles in wake of Zach Wilson's injury, the Eagles announced Monday.The Jets are parting with a conditional sixth-round pick for the veteran. It can turn into a fifth-rounder based on Flacco's playing time, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Wilson is expected to miss two-to-four weeks after suffering a PCL injury Sunday against the New England Patriots, leaving the Jets in need of a stop-gap quarterback.The trade will mark Flacco's second stint with the Jets after he spent the 2020 campaign with the club. The veteran went 0-4 with six touchdowns to three interceptions in New York last year before signing with the Eagles this offseason, though he departs Philadelphia without logging a snap.The 36-year-old will join Mike White as the only healthy quarterbacks on the Jets' roster. A fifth-round pick in 2018, White made his first NFL appearance on Sunday in relief of Wilson. He threw for 202 yards and one touchdown to two interceptions in the 54-13 loss to New England.Flacco was most notably named Super Bowl MVP in the Baltimore Ravens' 2012 title win. He's accumulated a 98-77 record as a starter in his career.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's a rare Monday when we're well-rested after an especially dull NFL Sunday. I'm setting the total number of naps at 1.5 per football fan.But how does that affect our ratings? With six teams on a bye, it's important to note how few teams should move up or down heading into Week 8.TEAMRATINGRANGEBuccaneers7965-85Bills7760-80Rams7260-75Ravens7155-75Chargers6950-80Cowboys6945-80Cardinals6950-70Browns6755-75Packers6655-75Chiefs6445-80Titans5950-70Bengals5835-70Patriots5740-70Vikings5645-70Saints5645-7049ers5650-65Colts5535-65Raiders5335-55Steelers4740-65Washington4440-55Eagles4430-55Broncos4340-60Panthers4335-60Bears4235-55Seahawks4040-75Dolphins3935-55Falcons3925-50Giants3730-50Jaguars3530-50Lions3220-40Jets2520-40Texans2320-40Quoth the Raven nevermore?The Baltimore Ravens had folks shaking their heads when they got trucked by the Cincinnati Bengals a week after putting it on the Los Angeles Chargers. Does that mean the Bengals would automatically blow out the Chargers? Of course not. So what do we do with each team's rating? I'll move the Bengals up a fair amount, but the focus needs to be on the range of each club. Cincinnati showed it can play to a level higher than we previously thought (60/100), whereas the Chargers and Ravens have enough back-credit results for us to brush off their losses as low-end performances on their range.You may wonder why the Bengals aren't ahead of the Ravens. The answer is the small sample size; would the Ravens or Bengals be favored in a neutral-field matchup tomorrow?Running out of excusesWe've heard the same thing all year: the issue for the Kansas City Chiefs is the defense.However, if you can muster just three points against the Tennessee Titans' defense, you could lose to anyone in the league. That means the back end of the Chiefs' range has to drop, which pulls their average state down, as well. We're running out of reasons to think we'll see them play their best for 60 minutes.Meanwhile, the problem for the San Francisco 49ers is the injuries.Eventually, though, a team reaches a point when it is what its record says it is, whether those losses come due to rain, misfortune, quarterback injuries, or defensive penalties. Every game, there's a gaffe from the head coach, a turnover by the quarterback, and a few flashes of offensive brilliance.The 49ers can now give Trey Lance all the starts he can handle for the rest of the season since they're pretty much toast in the NFC West. As a result, we drop San Francisco's rating down further, into the mix with the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, and New England Patriots.The gap from averageIt's becoming difficult to figure out who our standard-bearer is for league average (50/100) in the NFL.The Titans are healthy on offense, and the injuries to the secondary didn't cause them issues against Kansas City, so there's good reason to move Tennessee up from 50/100 and over the other teams in the middle tier.The Las Vegas Raiders followed up an emotional win over the Denver Broncos with an equally impressive showing at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, and it's hard not to wonder if they're better without their former head coach. Derek Carr found it nearly impossible to throw an incompletion, so they cross over 50 after a rare second straight quality performance.Going the other way are the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Eagles, and Broncos, who need to be dropped further away from 50 after some very bad losses.Cheesy coverThe Green Bay Packers did it again. Though their straight-up record is fairly legit, their ATS record is something of a Lambeau Leap in its legitimacy. The Washington Football Team racked up 430 yards on offense to the Packers' 304 but seemed to be playing its own perverse game of seeing how close it could come to scoring without actually doing so. As usual, we leave Green Bay right where it always was, in a tight range of expectations.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 © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers placed receiver Davante Adams on the COVID-19 list ahead of Thursday night's game against the Arizona Cardinals, the club announced Monday.Adams, who is vaccinated, must test negative two days in a row to play Thursday, according to The Athletic's Matt Schneidman.The Packers entered intensive COVID-19 protocols earlier Monday after defensive coordinator Joe Barry tested positive for the virus. Under the strengthened protocols, all individuals in the organization will take daily tests and wear masks in the facility.Adams is tied for second in the league with 52 receptions, while his 744 receiving yards rank third among all receivers.The highly anticipated prime-time bout pits the 6-1 Packers against the undefeated Cardinals.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams are trading linebacker Kenny Young and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Denver Broncos for a 2024 sixth-round pick, the teams announced.With four inside linebackers on injured reserve, Denver needed to bolster the defensive unit as it attempts to end a four-game losing skid.Young started all seven matchups for the Rams this campaign, racking up 46 total tackles and two sacks. However, his playing time dipped over the last three weeks.Ernest Jones will likely take over the starting role in L.A.Young, the Baltimore Ravens' 2018 fourth-round pick, will become an unrestricted free agent this coming offseason.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers intensified COVID-19 protocols ahead of Thursday Night Football to guard against the fear of a spread, head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Monday.Earlier, Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry tested positive, likely rendering him unavailable for the upcoming contest. LaFleur said "there are potential other issues with the staff," according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky.Under advanced protocols, everyone in the organization will take daily tests and have to wear masks in Green Bay's facility regardless of vaccination status.LaFleur said the club conducted virtual team meetings Monday but expects to return to in-person meetings over the next two days with masks and physical distancing enforced.The one-loss Packers will face the undefeated Arizona Cardinals to open Week 8.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced Monday.Nagy, who is vaccinated, joins four players on the team's COVID list. Robert Quinn, Jimmy Graham, Elijah Wilkinson, and Caleb Johnson are currently in quarantine.The Bears are now in enhanced mitigation protocol due to the rise of positive cases, The Athletic reports. All players and staff must wear masks at all times while in the team facility and will be subject to daily testing, regardless of vaccination status.Nagy's status for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers is uncertain.The 43-year-old said he feels good and the team doesn't have any other positive tests in the building, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.The coach will need to return two negative tests at least 24 hours apart before being allowed to rejoin the team.Special teams coordinator Chris Tarbor will run any meetings the coach can't take part in.Copyright © 2021 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, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone discusses the latest injuries and top players available on the waiver wire.

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule encouraged Sam Darnold to step up a day after benching the quarterback during a lifeless loss to the New York Giants."I think I made the right decision yesterday, to be quite honest with you," Rhule said Monday. "(Darnold's performance) wasn't good enough. When you're the quarterback, it has to be good enough, and it wasn't good enough."The Panthers pulled Darnold in the fourth quarter while trailing 15-3, summoning P.J. Walker to finish the contest. Darnold went 16-for-25 for 111 yards and an interception against a Giants defense that had previously been struggling.Darnold, 24, has thrown for 796 yards with four touchdowns and seven interceptions over his last four games, owning a 56.3% completion rate and 61.2 passer rating over that span. Carolina has lost all four of those contests, souring its 3-0 start.While Rhule confirmed Darnold will start again versus the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, he hinted his patience with the 2018 No. 3 pick is diminishing."He needs to have a great week, and he needs to play better," Rhule said. "I'm sure he'll be the first to say that to you. I'm sure he didn't like yesterday. Hopefully, it makes him stronger and a better quarterback."The Panthers acquired Darnold from the New York Jets in the offseason for second- and fourth-round picks in the 2022 draft.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is expected to return from a calf injury in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers barring a setback, a source told NFL insider Josina Anderson.Chubb, who ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing yards, has missed two games with the injury. The 25-year-old ran for 523 yards and four touchdowns over his first five outings while averaging a whopping 5.8 yards per carry.The Browns turned to Kareem Hunt in Chubb's absence before Hunt went down with his own calf injury in Week 6. D'Ernest Johnson started in the backfield in Week 7, rushing for over 100 yards in his first career start.Cleveland is 1-1 without Chubb and 4-3 overall following a Thursday Night Football victory over the Denver Broncos.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor will return to practice Wednesday after missing the last five games with a hamstring injury, head coach David Culley announced Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Culley has reiterated Taylor will regain the starting job from rookie Davis Mills when healthy. Houston will play the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8.The Texans have lost six straight contests, with the first-year passer producing inconsistent performances.Mills threw for three touchdowns and 312 yards in a close Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots, but he also has three games of under 170 yards passing, including an 87-yard, four-interception game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.Taylor led Houston to victory in the team's season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, racking up 291 yards and two touchdowns.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It doesn't sound like Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was at all affected by the loud crowd at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday.In an interview with Peter King of NBC Sports following the Bengals' 41-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens, Burrow explained that his time at LSU helped prepare him for playing on the road in the NFL."We knew that they were gonna be jacked up for us to come in, and expecting to beat our ass. But we were ready for it," Burrow said. "Playing in the SEC definitely, definitely helped. Gets way louder in the SEC than in any of these NFL stadiums."Burrow completed 23 of 38 passes for a career-high 416 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the win. The Bengals now sit atop the AFC North with a 5-2 record.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver DJ Chark will miss the rest of the season with a fractured ankle, Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer announced Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Chark suffered the injury at the end of September and previously had no timetable for return.The 25-year-old led the Jaguars in receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, racking up 53 catches for 706 yards and five touchdowns in 2020 and 73 catches for 1,008 yards and eight scores in 2019.Chark had a slow start to the season before getting hurt, making just seven catches on 22 targets for 154 yards and two touchdowns in four games.Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault have taken up the leading roles in Jacksonville's passing attack.Chark will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Jones sat out Sunday's win over the New York Jets after appearing in the first six games of the season. The 28-year-old played 54% of New England's defensive snaps through the first six weeks and served as the team's top cover man in the slot.The Patriots began the season with plenty of depth in the secondary, but they now find themselves thin after reportedly losing Jones and trading Stephon Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers. J.C. Jackson and Jalen Mills sit atop the depth chart, with less established options such as Joejuan Williams, Myles Bryant, and Shaun Wade behind them.Jones, who stood out on special teams early in his career with New England before carving out a consistent role on defense, posted 18 tackles and one interception in 2021. The sixth-year pro missed only one game over his first five NFL seasons.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.Bengals make big statement Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport / GettyCincinnati rolled into Baltimore and laid a bona fide beatdown on the red-hot Ravens. The Bengals piled up 520 total yards and had 10 plays of 21 or more yards, highlighted by Ja'Marr Chase's 82-yard catch-and-run score and touchdown throws from Joe Burrow to tight end C.J. Uzomah that covered 55 and 32 yards. This offense is a big play waiting to happen.Cincy was already up 10 by the time Joe Mixon dashed 21 yards for a score and Samaje Perine followed with a 46-yard TD gallop to make it a laugher.Burrow, Chase, and Uzomah have been making notable plays all season - and Chase is proving to be one of the best wideouts in the league. But the Bengals' defense also continues to have a solid year. The unit came in ranked fifth in DVOA and seventh in EPA/play, but then it limited the Ravens to 6-for-20 on third and fourth down, had five sacks and seven QB hits on Lamar Jackson, and totaled eight tackles for loss. And the Bengals did it largely by getting a push from their front four without blitzing. Also, Jackson might have rushed for 88 yards, but no one else on the Ravens had more than 14.At 5-2 with a trip to the New York Jets on deck, the Bengals already have road victories within the division against Pittsburgh and Baltimore. They're in first place in the AFC North. It's safe to say they're for real.OK, it's time to worry about the ChiefsPatrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the gang have been able to cook up enough of a quick-strike charge in recent years that it's been easy to avoid overreacting to any letdowns. But after getting whipped by the Tennessee Titans to fall to 3-4, it's obvious the Kansas City Chiefs have plenty of problems.Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce still provide lots of potential firepower, but the rest of the roster is lacking and can't compensate when the offense has an off-day. The defense, which came in ranked next-to-last in DVOA, just flat-out stinks.Mahomes has been victimized by some bad bounces, but he's also been too impatient to take what defenses give him as they keep defending him with two deep safeties. He's taken too many unnecessary risks, and he's been careless with the ball at times, as he was with one of his two fumbles against the Titans.The Chiefs have played the league's hardest schedule thus far, per Football Outsiders, and their remaining slate ranks 21st. But after a home date next Monday night with the New York Giants, they've got the Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys on the calendar. In the weeks ahead, there's little margin for error.What do the Bears do with Justin Fields? Douglas P. DeFelice / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Chicago Bears got drilled by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Fields had another dreadful outing: He threw three interceptions, took four sacks, and averaged 5.8 yards per attempt. The Bears have not had 200 net passing yards in any of their first seven games this season, notes ESPN's Field Yates - a streak of futility that hasn't happened in the NFL since 2008.So, now what? The Bears could hand the reins back to Andy Dalton to let Fields develop, or they could keep running Fields out there and risk ruining him forever. There really isn't an easy answer.The contrast between Chicago's and Tampa Bay's offensive line and skill players was plain to see. And then there's stuff like this from head coach Matt Nagy and the rest of the staff:

The Carolina Panthers are expected to be involved in trade talks for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, reports The Athletic's Joe Person.The report comes just days after Panthers head coach Matt Rhule dismissed the idea that Carolina was interested in acquiring Watson. Rhule added that he believes Sam Darnold will be a great player for his team.However, Carolina benched Darnold in the fourth quarter of Sunday's defeat to the New York Giants. The Panthers are currently on a four-game losing streak.The Miami Dolphins are reportedly considered front-runners for Watson. They're heavily engaged in trade talks for the signal-caller, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.It was reported in August that Watson would waive his no-trade clause for Miami and Carolina.Watson, who's been a healthy scratch for the first seven weeks of the season amid police and NFL investigations, is facing lawsuits from 22 women who say he sexually assaulted them or committed sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Ten women filed criminal complaints against Watson.The trade deadline is Nov. 2.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was helped off the field after taking a knee to the head late in Sunday's 27-3 blowout loss to the Tennessee Titans.

The Carolina Panthers replaced quarterback Sam Darnold with P.J. Walker in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the New York Giants.Darnold left the contest with Carolina trailing 15-3. He completed 16 of 25 passes for 111 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. The Panthers converted only eight first downs while amassing 137 total yards versus the Giants with Darnold under center.The 24-year-old passer entered Week 7 with a 61.2 completion percentage and recorded 1,573 passing yards for seven touchdowns against seven interceptions.Carolina started the 2021 season with three consecutive wins but has since lost three straight.Walker didn't attempt a pass through the first six games of the year after appearing in four contests (one start) in 2020. The 26-year-old signed with the Panthers last season following a strong stint in the XFL.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson left Sunday's game against the New England Patriots in the second quarter with a knee injury.Wilson went to the locker room and was eventually ruled questionable to return. Mike White took over at quarterback for the Jets and tossed his first career touchdown moments later.More to come.Copyright © 2021 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.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and has finished among the top seven each of the last seven years. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 7.Half PPR

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is expected to be sidelined until Week 9 with a low ankle sprain after initially hoping to miss just one game, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.Barkley, who the Giants ruled out of Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers, reportedly has an "outside chance" of playing in a Monday matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8.The 24-year-old spent the offseason rehabbing from a torn ACL that ended his 2020 campaign.Barkley has missed time every season since playing all 16 games and winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018. He expressed frustration with his health struggles after injuring his ankle in Week 5."It doesn't make sense why it's happening," Barkley said.Devontae Booker and Elijhaa Penny will continue to lead New York's backfield in Barkley's absence.Injuries have hit the Giants' offense hard lately. The team ruled out wide receivers Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, and Kadarius Toney for Week 7 and placed left tackle Andrew Thomas on injured reserve this week.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Football Team will continue to rely on Taylor Heinicke for the foreseeable future.Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who entered the season as the club's starter, is still weeks away from returning from a hip injury suffered in the season opener, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.The 38-year-old isn't expected to return until after the Week 9 bye, added Rapoport. Washington reportedly hoped Fitzpatrick would be ready to play by now, but the veteran remains on crutches.Heinicke helped the NFC East team to a 2-2 start while putting together several impressive performances. But the 28-year-old has struggled over the past two weeks, completing just 55% of his passes for one touchdown and three interceptions while averaging 5.38 yards per attempt as Washington has slipped to 2-4.Kyle Allen is the only other quarterback on the roster. He started 13 games from 2018-19 for the Carolina Panthers under Washington head coach Ron Rivera and made four starts for Washington in 2020.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff isn't in immediate danger of being benched despite strong public criticism from head coach Dan Campbell, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Campbell said Goff "needs to step up more than he has" following Detroit's sixth straight loss last Sunday. He added that all Lions players have to be better to end the losing streak.Goff had a solid start to the season following his trade from the Los Angeles Rams, completing 68.8% of his passes for 584 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions in his first two games with Detroit.But he's quickly regressed over the last month, throwing for just two scores while committing four turnovers. He's also averaged just 6.35 yards per passing attempt while being sacked 11 times.Complicating Goff's status as Detroit's starter is money and a lack of experienced alternatives.The 27-year-old has $26.15 million guaranteed for 2022 and can't be cut or traded after the season without the Lions incurring a significant dead-money hit.David Blough, meanwhile, is the only other quarterback on the Lions' roster. The 26-year-old has made just five NFL starts, all of which came during the 2019 season. Blough lost all five games while throwing four touchdowns against six interceptions.Goff will get a chance to turn his season around Sunday in a homecoming game against the Rams and Matthew Stafford, whom L.A. acquired in the offseason move that sent Goff to Detroit.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL trade deadline often fails to deliver significant moves, but a handful of veterans could be on the block ahead of Nov. 2.Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher Melvin Ingram, Denver Broncos cornerback Kyle Fuller, Seattle Seahawks pass-rusher L.J. Collier, Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Andre Dillard, and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Andy Isabella have received trade interest or are expected to garner calls, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.Ingram and Fuller joined the Steelers and Broncos, respectively, this offseason on one-year deals. But the veteran defenders have both struggled to secure playing time.Ingram, 32, has only one sack and is being outplayed by Alex Highsmith.Fuller, 29, has fallen behind first-rounder Patrick Surtain and Bryce Callahan on Denver's depth chart.Collier, Dillard, and Isabella are all former high draft picks looking for fresh starts after failing to secure a place with the franchises that selected them.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers come out of the bye with some ground to make up in the NFC playoff picture and host an Indianapolis Colts team facing the same situation in the AFC South. It's Carson Wentz vs. Jimmy Garoppolo on prime time - let's go!Here's how we're betting Colts-49ers:C Jackson Cowart: Garoppolo over 202.5 passing yardsIt's become trendy to bash Garoppolo as the 49ers' starting quarterback, but this line is simply too low. The eight-year veteran has surpassed this mark in 12 of the last 15 games he's finished - averaging 184.7 yards in the other three - and was on pace for over 300 yards in Week 4 before leaving halfway through with an injury.He's back under center in Week 7 against a Colts defense that has allowed four of six opposing QBs to throw for at least 240 yards this season, with the other two posting 197 and 199 yards. Even beleaguered Texans rookie Davis Mills threw for 243 yards last week against Indianapolis' defense, which is still battling through myriad injuries on all three levels. There's always a risk Garoppolo doesn't finish this game, but if he does, he should surpass this yardage total comfortably.Alex Moretto: Pittman over 48.5 receiving yardsThis is a gift. Pittman had a quieter game last Sunday, and as a result, we're getting a drastically suppressed total this week, dropping from the mid-60s to below 50. The matchup is a bit tougher, sure, but he has two things going for him he didn't have last week: a better game script, and no T.Y. Hilton.I'm on 49ers -4 as well, so I expect the Colts to have to throw the ball with regularity here. When they do, Pittman is going to be the focal point. Hilton's return from injury last week significantly cut into Pittman's target share, but it was short-lived as Hilton will miss this game with a quad injury. Parris Campbell is also out. The pair combined for 131 of Wentz's 223 yards last week and just shy of 50% of his total completions.Wentz only attempted 20 passes in a blowout win last week, by far his lowest tally of the season. He's had at least 31 in every other start this season, and that's more in line with what we should expect here. A thinning depth chart plus an increase in passing volume will result in a bounce-back game for Pittman, who averaged 84.8 yards per game and went over this number in each of his last four contests before a quiet Week 6.Matt Russell: Colts +4This game is my upset of the week. San Fran can't turn opponents over, and I will reiterate that Wentz has turned the ball over just twice in six games this season. Ultimately, he's been turnover-free since Week 2.The Colts get their best player back here in Quenton Nelson, while the 49ers' injury report is littered with interior defensive lineman. The play-calling of Frank Reich, and the ball-control style of the league's most underrated running back, Jonathan Taylor, will allow the Colts to keep this close, if not win it outright.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We warned you last week about the difference between win/loss record and unit plus/minus because we expected to lose on a pair of touchdown bets. But lo and behold, Demarcus Robinson found himself in the end zone and cashed our +400 anytime touchdown bet. Now we give the same lesson but in reverse.Thanks to Robinson's big score, we stayed hot last week by going 6-4, with the +4.55 units netting a better gain than the recent 7-3 and 6-3 weeks. There's more than one way to cash in this game.Kyle Pitts over 48.5 receiving yardsGuess who's back. Back again. Pittsy's back. Tell a friend.We passed on our favorite prop - Kyle Pitts over - in London last week because his number went up due to missing Falcons receivers. It's back under 50, but the Atlanta staff has now seen the power of Pitts and should be willing to feed him the ball against the Dolphins this week. Miami can limit Matt Ryan's outside options with Xavien Howard and Byron Jones returning, which means the Falcons quarterback will be looking at Pitts again, early and often.O.J. Howard anytime touchdown +300Tom Brady will be searching for a security blanket in the red zone with Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown out Sunday, and Howard has slowly come back from an injury that cost him the 2020 season. He had six catches and a touchdown last week, and I'd expect the same type of production against the Bears.Sam Darnold under 235.5 passing yards

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton will miss Sunday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers due to a quad injury, the team announced Saturday.The Colts previously designated Hilton as questionable Friday.However, Indianapolis' offense will receive a boost with the return of All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson. The Colts activated him from injured reserve after he missed the first three contests of his career with an ankle injury, snapping a 51-game starting streak.Hilton made his season debut in Week 6 after sitting out with a neck ailment. He caught four passes for 80 yards in a blowout win over the Houston Texans but was hurt late in the game.Indianapolis' wide receiver group also lost Parris Campbell to a potential season-ending foot injury in Week 6, meaning Zach Pascal and Ashton Dulin will see expanded roles behind Michael Pittman in the prime-time matchup.Veteran Chris Reed started in Nelson's absence. The Colts said this week Reed will split time with right guard Mark Glowinski moving forward after impressing at left guard.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Although the Dallas Cowboys have won five straight games and boast the NFL's highest-scoring offense, fans shouldn't be surprised if the team has an aggressive approach prior to the Nov. 2 trade deadline."We're open for business year round," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Friday, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. "On the other hand, we got a unique situation because we've got players coming that we're gonna have to have roster spots for. We got a little bigger problem than trading for somebody right now."The Cowboys currently have several players on injured reserve who are expected to return to the active roster soon, including wide receiver Michael Gallup and defensive tackle Neville Gallimore.Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said Thursday he'd welcome a trade, but Dallas currently doesn't have anything in the works with the deadline around the corner."It's always nice if there's an opportunity out there," he said. "But at the same time, we have a lot of confidence in this roster."The Cowboys are among the NFL's most impressive teams after six weeks. Dallas currently ranks first and 21st in overall offense and defense, respectively, according to PFF, and could look for help on the defensive side of the ball.This is the first time Dallas has started a season 5-1 since the 2016 season. The Cowboys, winners of five Super Bowls, haven't played in the big game since the 1995 campaign. The team has won only two playoff games since 2009.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Denver Broncos lost their fourth consecutive game in disappointing fashion Thursday, failing to beat the injury-riddled Cleveland Browns, who started backup quarterback Case Keenum and third-string running back D'Ernest Johnson in the 17-14 victory.Denver head coach Vic Fangio, who's under heavy pressure amid his team's skid, acknowledged poor coaching has been a factor in the Broncos' losing streak. However, he's not concerned about being on the hot seat."I'm not worried about my coaching status," Fangio said Friday. "What I'm worried about is this team and doing anything and everything we can to get our guys coached up to play better. That's my only focus."Fangio is also taking responsibility for Denver's recent struggles."What's most concerning is our fundamentals were lacking in that game, particularly on the defensive side of the ball," he said of Thursday's loss. "When that's lacking, that's poor coaching on our part, and that starts with me. We have to do a better job of getting the fundamental things taught and executed."The Broncos currently rank 24th in points scored per game and second in points allowed. Those numbers came against opponents with a 0-9 combined record through the first three games of the season:2021 BroncosOpp. RecordPoints per gamePoints allowedRecordWeeks 1-30-925.38.73-0Weeks 4-78-51625.20-4Fangio and Co. now have a long week ahead before they take on the Washington Football Team on Oct. 31.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We got back on track last week with a 2-1 record on our best bets, riding the Bengals and Rams to comfortable wins as undervalued road favorites. Can we keep it rolling in a week highlighted by bye weeks and big favorites?Falcons (-2.5, 47.5) @ Dolphins, 1 p.m. ETThis is the type of play I typically avoid, as I don't have a ton of faith in the Falcons as favorites in any game. That said, there are simply too many factors working against the Dolphins to not fade them here.First, the schedule makes this a brutal spot for Miami, which played in London last week but didn't receive the bye week that most teams enjoy after a trip across the pond. Teams coming off the London game were a dreadful 0-8 against the spread in 2019 - the last time teams played there - and were outscored by more than 20 points per game. And that was with a bye week to recover from the overseas trip.Meanwhile, the Falcons come into this game off of their bye, having beaten the Jets in Week 5 in a breakout game for their passing attack. Tua Tagovailoa is back for the Dolphins but wasn't exactly sharp in his return from injury last week, and rumors about his potential replacement linger over this contest.Pick: Falcons -2.5Chiefs (-4.5, 57.5) @ Titans, 1 p.m. ETAre we sure these Chiefs are good? The offense leads the NFL in yards per drive (47.2) and points per drive (3.2), but their defense ranks dead last in both categories, and they've turned the ball over an NFL-worst 14 times.Kansas City coughed it up three times last week in an uninspiring win against Washington and four times in a blowout loss to the Bills. That simply won't fly against the Titans, who rank sixth in average time of possession (excluding overtime) and will simply squeeze the Chiefs' offense off the field if given the opportunity to do so.That'll be of particular concern for Kansas City if Derrick Henry gets rolling early, allowing Tennessee to protect an early lead and keep Patrick Mahomes on the bench. Don't be surprised to see it play out that way; Henry leads the NFL in rushing yards per game (130.5) and rushing touchdowns (10), while the Chiefs rank 30th in yards allowed per attempt (5.2) and 31st in rushing TDs allowed (nine).Pick: Titans +4.5Lions @ Rams (-16, 50.5), 4:05 p.m. ETThis is an obvious mismatch on paper. The Rams rank third in net yards per play (+1.2) after crushing the Giants by 27 points in Week 6, while the Lions rank 31st (-1.5) after losing to the Bengals by 23 points at home. It's also a strong spot for Matthew Stafford to pad his MVP case against his former team.Stafford leads all active quarterbacks in yards per attempt (9.2), yards per completion (13.2), passer rating (116.6), and QBR (74.9) in his first year in Los Angeles. He should have a field day against a Detroit defense ranked dead last in yards allowed per attempt (9.8) and passer rating against (113.8).If you're concerned about laying this many points, don't be. Since 2013, teams favored by at least 16 points are 17-8 ATS and have outscored opponents by 20 points per game. The Rams are also 7-3 ATS as double-digit favorites under coach Sean McVay. All of those wins came with Jared Goff at quarterback, who is a marked downgrade from Stafford. We'll see that gap on Sunday.Pick: Rams -16C 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 © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jimmy Garoppolo is back under center for the San Francisco 49ers.The veteran quarterback is set to start Sunday night's game against the Indianapolis Colts after being removed from the injury report, the team announced Friday.Garoppolo missed San Francisco's Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals due to a calf injury. He had extra time to recover for Week 7 with the 49ers coming off a bye.Rookie Trey Lance, who replaced the veteran passer versus Arizona, is dealing with a knee sprain and has been ruled out for Sunday's contest, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Nate Sudfeld will serve as the 49ers' backup against Indy.The 29-year-old Garoppolo is 2-2 this season and completed 66.1% of his passes while posting a passer rating of 96.9 before being sidelined.Lance, who only logged situational appearances through the first four games of the season, threw for 192 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in his lone start against the Cardinals.Garoppolo likely won't have his best offensive lineman available on Sunday Night Football, as left tackle Trent Williams is listed as doubtful due to ankle and elbow injuries.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.