Detroit Lions running back Adrian Peterson has been ordered to pay nearly $8.3 million to a Pennsylvania loan company, per New York State Supreme Court records, according to ESPN's Michael Rothstein.DeAngelo Vehicle Sales, LLC sued Peterson in 2018 after he defaulted on a 2016 loan. Peterson owed an initial sum of $5.2 million, including interest, by March 1, 2017.DVS asked for over $6.5 million from the former All-Pro running back, plus continued interest for every day he didn't pay, when the company filed the case in 2018.DVS requested nearly $8.3 million Wednesday, including continued interest of over $2,200 per day on the loan that hasn't been repaid.The interest rate will be lowered from 16% to 9% percent, which is New York State law, going forward, per Rothstein.Peterson signed an initial settlement agreement in 2019. Per the agreement, he'd have to pay the entire amount of the original loan, plus interest, if he defaulted on the arrangement.The attorney for DVS, Jeffrey Raina, said in court Wednesday that Peterson had only paid back $165,000 of the initial agreement.Peterson didn't make an appearance in court, nor was there any legal counsel representing him, adds Rothstein. His initial attorney in the case withdrew in August 2020.Peterson's earned more than $100 million over the course of his 15-year career. He made $1.05 million in 2020 as a member of the Lions.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Several Alabama stars are officially off to the NFL.Quarterback Mac Jones, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, cornerback Patrick Surtain, and defensive tackle Christian Barmore announced Thursday they will forgo their remaining college eligibility and enter the 2021 draft.The underclassmen revealed their decisions on a joint conference call with head coach Nick Saban.Additionally, senior linebacker Dylan Moses later announced he's also declaring for the NFL draft. The first-team All-SEC defender finished second on the team with 76 total tackles last season.Running back Najee Harris, offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood, and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith are also among those expected to declare for the draft, but they're seniors and weren't included on the call.As has been the case in recent years, the Crimson Tide fielded several talented prospects now in the upcoming class. Waddle is a speedy receiver who's a likely first-round pick, while Jones' breakout campaign could make him a top-50 selection.Defensively, Barmore was only a redshirt sophomore, but he possesses the traits and production to be an early-round selection. Surtain, the son of three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Surtain, is likely to be among the first defenders off the board in April.After another national championship, Alabama is set to lose a number of talented players to the NFL. However, Saban's squad will reset once again with an elite recruiting class and likely returnees Christopher Allen, Josh Jobe, and Brian Robinson.Bryce Young, a 2020 five-star quarterback, is the favorite to take over for Jones next season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.The divisional round features a slew of gunslingers ready to take the big stage. Are bettors in for a boatload of points this weekend, or will the defenses step up?Let's dive into all four over/unders and dish out our best bets.Los Angeles Rams @ Green Bay Packers, Jan. 16 at 4:35 p.m. ETTotal: 45.5The Rams finally went over the total last weekend while beating the Seahawks 30-20, breaking a string of four consecutive unders from a team that's quietly struggling offensively.Los Angeles hadn't posted over 334 total yards during its previous five games. That's especially concerning because the Rams played defenses that rank No. 26, 21, and 16 (twice) in the league in DVOA during that stretch. The Packers' unit ranks just 17th, but it's been lights out recently, allowing over 16 points just once during the club's last five outings.This is a tough matchup for Rams quarterback Jared Goff, who's 0-2 against the spread with zero touchdowns and five interceptions during games played in freezing-cold temperatures. I wouldn't expect a run-filled contest in Lambeau.Pick: UnderBaltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills (50) Jan. 16 at 8:15 p.m.Bills overs are running hot. After needing the hook to hit last week's over against the Colts, Buffalo has cashed three of its last four overs, and seven of the team's last 10. And if you strictly bet Bills team total overs, you'd be a winner in four of the club's previous five matchups.Baltimore's Lamar Jackson and Buffalo's Josh Allen are two of the league's most electrifying players. The pair of third-year QBs can effortlessly orchestrate a track meet, and potential snow in Buffalo could help the offenses stay a step ahead.However, with winds up to 17 mph forecasted and Baltimore netting four of its last five unders as a road 'dog, we'll lean on the defenses.Pick: UnderCleveland Browns @ Kansas City Chiefs (-10, 57), Jan. 17 at 3:05 p.m. ETI'd like to offer my sincere condolences to the Browns' defense. It ranks No. 25 in DVOA pass defense despite playing the easiest slate of opposing offenses, and Cleveland now faces the Chiefs.Kansas City head coach Andy Reid is 21-10 against the spread with an extra week to prepare, and the league's second-ranked offense by DVOA is rested. The home side of the scoreboard will get lit up like a Christmas tree on Saturday.The Browns probably won't be able to run the ball and take their sweet time as 10-point underdogs, but they'll experience success early. Running back Nick Chubb is at or near the top of most advanced metrics, and only the Patriots were worse against the rush than K.C. this season.Don't overthink this one.Pick: OverTampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints (-3.5, 52), Jan. 17 at 6:40 p.m.This is a patented Tom Brady game. His Buccaneers have been outscored 72-26 against the Saints in two regular-season matchups this campaign, but somehow Brady and his red-hot offense will produce a masterpiece here.After all, this unit is trending way up.Tampa Bay is currently No. 3 in DVOA offense, behind only the Chiefs and Packers. The Bucs have cashed four straight team total overs, averaging 38.3 points per game over that stretch. That number is likely to come down against New Orleans' third-ranked scoring defense, but this total could still be a tick too low.Outside of a few questionable players, the Saints are finally healthy on offense. They benefitted from a nice tuneup against a formidable opponent last weekend in the Bears, who rank No. 8 in DVOA defense. New Orleans still put up nearly 400 yards of offense, and the team didn't need that much to earn a 21-9 victory.Two legendary quarterbacks in a dome, and with plenty of offensive firepower to quickly turn this into an arcade game? Let's finish the weekend off with a doozy.Pick: Over(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.The third time's the charm, right? That's what the Buccaneers are hoping for in this week's rematch with the Saints (-3, 51.5). New Orleans won the first two meetings this year by a combined 46 points and is favored to pull off the first three-game sweep of Tom Brady by any opponent in his storied career.Trends and resultsOnly 22 clubs in the Super Bowl era have beaten another team twice in the regular season and faced them a third time in the playoffs, according to ESPN Stats & Information. None of them won the first two meetings as convincingly as the Saints, who beat the Buccaneers by 11 in Week 1 before a 38-3 romp in Week 9.Those previous 22 teams went just 10-11-1 against the spread, and the three that won by the biggest margins in the regular season lost outright as sizable favorites in the playoff rematch. Brady is also 20-12-2 ATS in his career against teams that beat him the previous two times, including 8-4-1 ATS as an underdog in that spot.Can he sustain those trends against his red-hot opponents? The Saints are 9-1 ATS dating back to that Week 9 win and have gone 7-1 ATS this year when Michael Thomas plays, as he did in last week's win over the Bears. That victory snapped an 0-4-1 ATS streak for New Orleans in the playoffs, with all four losses coming as home chalk.Brady is 39-17-1 ATS in his career as an underdog, winning 34 of those games straight up. Yet he's a disappointing 2-5 ATS / 2-5 SU against Drew Brees, his worst record versus any quarterback he's faced at least five times. He's also 4-9-1 ATS in his last 14 contests following a win, including 1-4 ATS in his last five.X-factorBuccaneers' passing attack vs. Saints' defenseAll of the attention this week is on Brady versus Brees, which makes sense from a narrative standpoint. Really, the focus should be on Brady versus the Saints' defense, which forced him into two of his worst games of the season.The 43-year-old has struggled against pressure this year. That was never more evident than in the two contests against New Orleans, which sacked him three times each game - tied for Brady's highest sack count all year - and held him to a combined 448 passing yards, two passing TDs, and five interceptions.Brady has looked like a different quarterback since then, throwing for 2,616 yards and 22 touchdowns to just five interceptions. In fact, he leads the league in passing yards (1,714), passing TDs (14), yards per attempt (9.7), and PFF passing grade (94.3) since Week 14, according to PFF.He's also been sacked just 11 times across those eight games, with three of those coming last week courtesy of Washington's elite pass rush. Can New Orleans turn up the heat this week? The Saints blitzed slightly less than Washington this year but had a higher pressure rate (25.8%) and identical hurry rate (10%), and their defense is ranked No. 2 in total DVOA and weighted DVOA.The Bucs' offense ranks third and second in those categories, respectively, setting up a compelling strength-versus-strength matchup Sunday. Can the Saints fluster Brady for the third time in as many tries, or will he make them pay this time around?Best betBuccaneers +3I bet on the Buccaneers in both of these teams' prior meetings, so perhaps take this with a grain of salt. But I don't see the Saints pulling off the trifecta. Tampa Bay is the NFL's only team with a top-five unit on both sides of the ball, and the elite passing game that we all projected before the year is finally rounding into form.The Saints are hotter, but their offense has enjoyed just one standout performance since that Week 9 win. That's a lot of pressure to put on their defense against the peak form of this Bucs offense. I'll gladly take the points on the team eager to avenge past ills.(Odds source: theScore Bet)C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Lions hired Los Angeles Rams director of college scouting Brad Holmes as their new general manager, the team announced Thursday.Holmes agreed to a five-year contract to join Detroit, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He replaces Bob Quinn, who spent the last five years in the role and was fired in November.The executive becomes the third person of color who currently holds a GM position in the NFL, joining Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins and Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns."When we embarked on this process, it was critical that we find the right person to fit our vision for this team," Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp said in a statement. "It was evident early on that Brad is a proven leader who is ready for this opportunity."Los Angeles will be the first team to receive two third-round compensatory draft picks as part of the league's new hiring initiatives, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Holmes was one of at least 12 candidates the Lions interviewed for their opening. He was reportedly also a finalist for the Atlanta Falcons' position, Rapoport notes.As director of college scouting with the Rams, the 41-year-old played a major role in the club's last eight drafts, which featured the selections of Aaron Donald, Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, and Cooper Kupp.Holmes will now be involved in the Lions' search for a new head coach.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay announced Thursday that quarterback John Wolford will not play in Saturday's divisional-round matchup as he continues to battle a neck injury.Jared Goff will start against the Green Bay Packers as a result, with Blake Bortles operating as his backup.Wolford started last week's wild-card game win over the Seattle Seahawks but was hurt when safety Jamal Adams hit him in the head on a run early in the contest.The 2018 undrafted free agent was taken to hospital as a precaution but returned to celebrate his team's win in the locker room.Goff battled an injury of his own to end the regular season. He missed Week 17 after undergoing surgery on his right thumb and was questionable entering the wild-card game.He completed 9 of 19 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown against Seattle after entering the game in place of Wolford.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cleveland Browns may be underdogs this weekend against the AFC's top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs, but wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is predicting an upset in the divisional-round clash.

General manager Chris Ballard believes Philip Rivers is capable of leading the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl if the quarterback returns in 2021."Absolutely I do," Ballard told reporters Thursday at his season-ending news conference.Rivers, 39, is contemplating retirement. He and the Colts will meet in approximately one month to determine their future together. Rivers is set to become a free agent again after playing out the one-year, $25-million contract he signed last offseason."Do we want Philip back? Yes," Ballard said.If Rivers doesn't return, the Colts will have a massive decision to make about the direction of their quarterback room. Indianapolis likely finished with too poor a draft pick to nab one of the top prospects, and Ballard noted that selecting one early wouldn't necessarily solve the problem anyway."We get the importance of a quarterback, but the difference between just taking one and taking the right one is the key in our minds," he said.Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett is also a pending free agent. Jacob Eason, a fourth-round pick in 2020, is the only Colts signal-caller under contract in 2021."We'll figure it out. That's our jobs," Ballard said. "I feel very confident in (head coach) Frank (Reich) and (offensive coordinator) Nick (Sirianni) and (quarterbacks coach) Marcus Brady; we'll task them with some work to do here pretty soon, and we'll move forward."Rivers threw for 4,169 yards with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his debut season in Indianapolis after a storied 16-year career with the Los Angeles Chargers.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There isn't much that Clemson's star quarterback Trevor Lawrence hasn't accomplished at the college level: He won the national championship as a freshman, led the Tigers to the College Football Playoff in three straight seasons, and has rewritten the school's record books since his arrival in 2018.After declaring for the NFL draft earlier in January, the 21-year-old is projected to be selected first overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, a franchise that has finished with a winning record once in the last 13 years.If you ask the man who coached him over the last three years, he's confident that Lawrence is the right player to turn it around."There's not one box you can't check with Trevor Lawrence," Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney told "The Jake Asman Show" on SportsMap. "He's just unique. He is the first Trevor Lawrence. That's the best way I can describe it."The Cartersville, Georgia native leaves Death Valley as Clemson's all-time winningest quarterback. Swinney compared him to another Clemson national champion quarterback who's a generational talent."Really, all of the qualities that I loved about Deshaun (Watson), he and Trevor share those," Swinney said. "It's amazing as far as their poise, their demeanor, their love of preparation, their football IQs, you name it."Lawrence has been successful at every level of the sport, losing just two games in high school and finishing his Clemson career with a 34-2 record, with both losses coming in CFP matchups. In three seasons, Lawrence passed for 10,098 yards, throwing 90 touchdowns to 17 interceptions. He also rushed for 943 yards and added 18 rushing touchdowns."He just makes it look easy," Swinney said, "and I think the expectations have always been so high for him it almost plays against him a little bit. ... It's just kind of just normal to some people what he does. And it's really not normal. ..."But, you know, football people know that and that's why he'll be the first pick. And he's going to win. He's going to win. I know the pro game. Everybody's good and the margin gets even smaller, but just like you've seen the specialness of Deshaun Watson, you'll see the same thing with Trevor ... you'll see it translate to the next level as he takes this next step."For more, check out SportsMapRadio.com streaming live.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.For years, top teams with a bye week locked up entering Week 17 have struggled with the decision of whether to rest their players or not.Since the NFL changed its postseason format in 2002, 18 teams have rested starters for all or a majority of their Week 17 contest ahead of a first-round bye. It hasn't gone according to plan - those teams have gone a remarkable 5-13 against the spread, with nine outright losses in 18 tries.We saw it backfire just one season ago, when the Ravens rested their starters in Week 17 only to get stomped by the Titans in the divisional round. The Steelers (2017) and Cowboys (2016) suffered similar fates in recent years, losing outright as sizable favorites after a long layoff.Despite those failures, the Chiefs (-10) are big favorites against the Browns this week after resting their starters in Week 17 and enjoying a week off in the wild-card round. Could the defending champions be the latest victim to one of the NFL's most alarming trends?Rest vs. rustSince 2002, teams coming off a first-round bye have enjoyed a nearly 70% winning percentage in the divisional round, though they've covered just 46.5% of the time in that spot. Still, that extra week of rest has been worth it for most top teams, who are winning at a better rate than playoff favorites without a bye.When that team has two weeks off, though? It's a different story. Here's a list of the 18 teams that rested their starters before a bye week in that stretch, and how they fared in the divisional round:YearMatchupResultSUATS2019Ravens (-9.5) vs. Titans12-28LL2018Saints (-8) vs. Eagles20-14WL2017Eagles (+2.5) vs. Falcons15-10WW2017Steelers (-7) vs. Jaguars42-45LL2016Cowboys (-5) vs. Packers31-34LL2014Patriots (-7) vs. Ravens35-31WL2011Packers (-7.5) vs. Giants20-37LL2009Colts (-6.5) vs. Ravens20-3WW2009Chargers (-8) vs. Jets14-17LL2009Saints (-7) vs. Cardinals45-14WW2008Titans (-3) vs. Ravens10-13LL2008Giants (-4) vs. Eagles11-23LL2007Colts (-8) vs. Chargers24-28LL2007Packers (-8.5) vs. Seahawks42-20WW2006Saints (-5.5) vs. Eagles27-24WL2005Colts (-9.5) vs. Steelers18-21LL2004Steelers (-8.5) vs. Jets20-17WL2004Eagles (-9.5) vs. Vikings27-14WWOutside of the 2017 Eagles - who won as short home underdogs - the other 17 teams were favored by an average of 7.3 points per contest. Those squads went 4-13 ATS / 8-9 SU and a ghastly 0-6 ATS / 2-4 SU since 2011. Yes, you read that right - more teams have lost outright after an extended rest despite being favored in every game.Since 2017, teams coming off a first-round bye are 8-3-1 ATS in the divisional round. Those three losses? You guessed it: the Ravens, Saints, and Steelers, who all rested their starters in Week 17.This trend has been especially troublesome for rested teams that enter their first game as big favorites. Twelve of those 18 clubs were favored by at least 7 points in the divisional round; they went 3-9 ATS and won just six of those 12 games outright. That's a truly stunning number when you consider all other playoff favorites of 7 or more points won almost 80% of their games in that stretch.Even those that do win after a two-week spell have struggled to do so convincingly. Only four of those 18 teams won by 10 or more points, which is the expectation for Kansas City this weekend as a double-digit favorite.Can Chiefs break the spell?If any team can avoid the curse of the two-week rest, it's the Chiefs, who have won four of their last five playoff games by 10 or more points and have one of the best coaches in the league for this situation.In his 21 years as a head coach, Andy Reid is 21-10 ATS when given an extra week to prepare, including 6-2 ATS in the playoffs. His teams have outscored their opponents by nearly 10 points per game in that spot, while Kansas City is riding a 3-0 ATS run off a playoff bye with a plus-49 point differential in that span.Still, the Chiefs have lost eight straight games ATS and four of their last five as double-digit favorites, and their starters haven't seen the field in three weeks. Can they shake off the rust, or will an extended rest be their undoing?C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't renewing Randy Fichtner's contract and will move on from the offensive coordinator after his third season in the role, the team announced Thursday.Fichtner had been a staple of head coach Mike Tomlin's staff since 2007, debuting as the club's wide receivers coach before moving on to become the quarterbacks coach in 2010.The Steelers also parted ways with offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett and defensive backs coach Tom Bradley."I want to thank all three of the coaches for their commitment and dedication to the Pittsburgh Steelers," Tomlin said. "They have all played integral roles in our success and I am appreciative of their efforts."Personally, Randy and I have been in Pittsburgh since I hired him in 2007, but our relationship began well before that. He has been a friend of mine for years and I wish his family nothing but the best, and I am eternally grateful for our relationship both on and off the field."Fichtner became a lightning rod for criticism this past season as the Steelers' offense morphed into a one-dimensional, dink-and-dunk passing attack. The team finished the year with the league's fewest rushing yards, while quarterback Ben Roethlisberger averaged a career-low 6.3 yards per pass attempt.In his year-end news conference, Tomlin vowed to make "some changes in what we do," both in terms of tactics and personnel.The Steelers won 11 straight games to begin the season, but they lost five of their final six, including on Wild Card Weekend to the Cleveland Browns.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady and Drew Brees are set to face off Sunday in the playoffs for the first time in their respective careers, and the highly anticipated matchup is something the New Orleans Saints quarterback prepared for during the offseason."When Tom Brady signed with the (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and I knew that he was coming to our division, I envisioned this game," Brees said Wednesday, according to John DeShazier of NewOrleansSaints.com."I envisioned this game happening, because I knew our aspirations as a team, to be in the playoffs and beyond, and I certainly knew what he was bringing to the Bucs and that talented roster," he added. "And so, I think this is probably where we all envisioned being at this point in the season."Sunday's game will mark the first playoff contest featuring two starting quarterbacks over the age of 40.Brady recently shared an edited image of himself and Brees, and the latter had some notes for the person who created the "hilarious" picture."They made me look like the dad from 'Family Ties,'" Brees said, according to Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Advocate. "I didn't like the hairline, to be honest ... I would've liked a little more hair on top."

Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is considered the front-runner to become the Atlanta Falcons' next head coach, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports, citing sources.The Falcons have interviewed seven candidates for the job, but Smith is the first to secure a second interview, which took place Wednesday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Smith is a hot commodity, though. He reportedly traveled directly from his Titans interview to a dinner meeting with New York Jets representatives. He'll apparently visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday and the Detroit Lions on Friday.It's a steep rise for the 38-year-old. Smith joined the Titans in 2011 at the age of 29, became the team's tight ends coach in 2016, and has served as Tennessee's offensive coordinator the past two seasons.The Titans owned the league's No. 2 offense in 2020, as well as the NFL's second-ranked running game. They ranked fourth in points scored.Smith has overseen the continued growth of Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill and recently helped running back Derrick Henry record the eighth 2,000-yard season in NFL history.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Both the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens vanquished AFC South foes behind electric - if not a little uneven - performances from their dual-threat quarterbacks. Now, the Bills (-2.5, 50) host the Ravens in a game between two teams that oddsmakers consider virtually equal.Trends and resultsIt's hard to find two hotter teams in the field than these ones. The Bills have won an NFL-best seven straight games since their Week 11 bye and covered eight straight against the spread before the Indianapolis Colts snapped that streak a week ago. Meanwhile, the Ravens covered their seventh consecutive in the wild-card round and have won six straight games by an average of 17.3 points.That narrow win for Buffalo could be a positive sign for Saturday. The Bills have covered in eight straight contests following a victory of three points or less and are 72.7% in that spot this century. Conversely, last week's inspired win at the Tennessee Titans presents a tricky spot for Baltimore. Since 2014, road playoff teams coming off an away postseason win are 6-12 ATS and an alarming 1-17 straight-up, which is tough news for those banking on an upset.Oddsmakers are pricing these two as equals, though, which could be good news for Ravens bettors. Since 2001, playoff road underdogs catching less than three points are 15-3-2 ATS with 13 outright victories in 20 games. Baltimore has also covered an absurd 10 straight as a 'dog and is 24-7-1 ATS on the road since 2017.Will these offenses light up the scoreboard as many bettors expect? The trends are skeptical; the Ravens are 14-4 to the under after holding an opponent to 14 or fewer points. The last 25 playoff games with a total of 50 or higher went 16-9 to the under, including in three straight.X-factorJosh Allen vs. Ravens' blitzThe book on Allen used to be to bombard him with pressure and force him to make throws he simply wasn't comfortable making. Among quarterbacks with at least 250 dropbacks, he ranked last in completion percentage while pressured in 2018 (28.3%) and third-last in 2019 (41.2%), according to PFF, facing an above-average blitz rate in both seasons.In some ways, that's still the recipe. Allen has completed 49.5% of his passes when pressured this year, which ranks 18th among 35 quarterbacks, and he's thrown six of his 10 interceptions under duress. Despite that, he's absolutely skewered teams that blitz him, ranking first in touchdowns (19) and yards (1,850) and third in PFF's "big-time throws" (13) against the blitz.The Ravens are the most blitz-heavy team in the league, sending extra pressure on 45.1% of snaps, according to Pro Football Reference. Yet they rank fifth in pressure rate (25.9%) and are below-average in hurry rate (9.1%), and their sack total (39) is underwhelming given how many pass-rushers they send per play.That leaves a massive window of opportunity for Allen to pick apart an aggressive Baltimore defense, if he can avoid the heat. He's struggled in two prior meetings with the Ravens, combining for 220 passing yards and one touchdown with nine sacks in a pair of losses. Can he make this defense pay this time around?Best betUnder 50I've stared at this game all week and can't confidently put my weight behind either side. Allen could explode against the Ravens' defense and force Lamar Jackson to come from behind for a second straight week. But if Baltimore builds an early lead, the Bills' run defense is ill-equipped to force stops, and the Ravens' unit can pin its ears back and force Allen into uncomfortable spots.The biggest factor could be the weather, which is expected to be near-freezing with a chance of snow. That would change the dynamic of both offenses, which are built on speed and explosive plays. This total is a shade too high for the matchup, so play the under and cross your fingers for snow.(Odds source: theScore Bet)C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.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, theScore's Michael McClymont joins Boone to discuss the biggest fantasy questions heading into 2021 free agency.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.One question we've asked all year is who could give the Chiefs a run for their money. At one point during the season, the Browns were a popular candidate.Now it's time to put up or shut up.Cleveland meets Kansas City (-10, 57) in Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday with a trip to the conference championship on the line. But the Browns must overcome the largest point spread of the weekend if they want to stun last year's Super Bowl winner.Can they pull it off, or will they become the latest victim of a Chiefs rout? Let's dig into the preview for Sunday's divisional matchup.Trends and resultsThe best teams in the league don't always make bettors the happiest. Kansas City is a prime example.The Chiefs finished the regular season 14-2, yet have covered just one game since Nov. 8! The club is currently on a dreadful 1-7 run against the spread despite their win-loss record being the exact opposite over that span. Makes sense.However, this is usually when head coach Andy Reid and Co. turn it up. Kansas City has covered four of the last five home games, and although the stadium won't hold maximum capacity, getting any sort of noise in those confines could make it tricky for a Cleveland squad that's just 3-12 ATS the last 15 versus the AFC.The Browns enter the weekend No. 9 in DVOA offense a year after clocking in at No. 20. The franchise is certainly a suitable shootout partner: Cleveland's gone over the total in each of the last four against teams with winning records and four of the last five as 'dogs.X-factorNick Chubb vs. Chiefs rush defenseChubb's a tricky pick - if Kansas City goes up big early, he potentially becomes a moot point. The second-year back will have to leave his fingerprints on the game at some point, whether it's by making a statement on the ground in the opening drive or icing a win late with his ability to move the chains and eat up the clock.The Chiefs can score at will, but their rush defense has been horrible in 2020. Only the Patriots were worse in this department, per DVOA.Meanwhile, Chubb ranks No. 1 in rushing yards over expected per attempt, No. 2 in average rushing yards, and No. 4 in broken tackles for running backs this season. If Cleveland can stay within striking distance, Chubb is in for a monster day.Best bet Chiefs team total over 34.5I can't wait to see what Reid has schemed up for this one. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his supporting cast have had an extended period to prepare for this matchup, and the Browns are just formidable enough for Kansas City to take things seriously.Cleveland's defense is in for a rude awakening. The Browns played the easiest schedule of opposing offenses this campaign and only finished No. 25 and 19 in DVOA pass and rush defense, respectively. What's going to happen against the league's fastest offense?Another factor to consider here is tempo. Cleveland prefers to go slow on offense, ranking only No. 21 in the NFL in pace. However, when the Browns trail by seven or more, they rank No. 14. Expect a lot of back and forth.The Chiefs are at home, with rest, and matching up against a defense that's due for some serious regression. We might be in for a patented Kansas City crooked number to cap off Sunday night.(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano has decided to retire, he confirmed Wednesday.Pagano has coached 18 seasons in the NFL, including a six-year stint as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He finished his time in Indianapolis with a 53-43 record (3-3 in the playoffs) after the team fired him following the 2017 season.The 60-year-old missed 12 games of his first season with the Colts after he was diagnosed with leukemia. Bruce Arians served as interim head coach for the majority of that campaign, with Pagano returning in Week 17 after his cancer went into remission.Pagano earned the top job with the Colts after leading the Baltimore Ravens' defense for one season in 2011 following three years as Baltimore's secondary coach. He also worked for the then-Oakland Raiders and the Cleveland Browns.The coach returned to a defensive coordinator role with the Bears in 2019 after working as a consultant for the league in 2018, taking over a unit that finished No. 1 in scoring defense the year prior.The Bears' defense regressed slightly to finish fourth in 2019 before dropping to 14th this season.Chicago head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace appear likely to return following an 8-8 season and a wild-card berth, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Pagano's replacement, therefore, will be the Bears' biggest personnel decision of the offseason.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Denver Broncos hired George Paton as their new general manager, the team announced Wednesday.The former Minnesota Vikings assistant general manager agreed to a six-year deal, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Paton spent 14 years with the Vikings working closely alongside general manager Rick Spielman. He had been offered other GM positions over the years, but Denver stood out, Schefter adds. As part of the interview process, Paton reportedly also met with Broncos vice president of strategic initiatives Brittany Bowlen."I feel like this team is a sleeping giant," said Paton. "For me, it is the right place and the right time for this opportunity."Paton was key in helping Minnesota draft future Pro Bowlers Harrison Smith, Eric Kendricks, Dalvin Cook, and, more recently, Justin Jefferson.The Denver job became available after John Elway gave up the position and final say on roster management a week ago. The Broncos legend spent the past 10 seasons as the team's GM.With the role filled, the Broncos can begin to address some key offseason issues, such as whether to exercise the team option on star linebacker Von Miller and their plan at quarterback.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Bears acknowledged Wednesday their quarterback room could undergo an overhaul during the upcoming offseason."We definitely need more out of that position, we know that," general manager Ryan Pace told reporters. "What does that entail? That's what this whole offseason is about."The Bears had Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles split starts in 2020, with neither making much of an impression. While Chicago made the playoffs for the second time in three years, its offense ranked 26th in yards and 22nd in points.Inconsistent quarterback play contributed to a six-game losing streak in the middle of the season. The Bears were eventually trounced by the New Orleans Saints in the wild-card round."It's pretty clear we need better production from the quarterback position in order to be successful," said chairman George McKaskey, who confirmed that Pace and head coach Matt Nagy will return in 2021.The Bears have Foles, who they acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a fourth-round pick last offseason, under contract for two more years. Trubisky is set to become a free agent after four underwhelming seasons. Pace famously traded up to No. 2 in the 2017 draft to select Trubisky ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson."Everything's on the table right now," Pace said of Trubisky's future in the Windy City. "The first step is, everyone take a deep breath. We got evaluations coming in from our own coaches and scouts on all our players."The Bears, who have spent decades searching for a legitimate franchise quarterback, went 8-8 in 2020 for the second consecutive season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Tomlin has yet to make any decisions regarding his 2021 quarterback room.The Pittsburgh Steelers head coach addressed Ben Roethlisberger's future with the organization Wednesday during his season-ending press conference and lauded the veteran's ability to return from the major injury he suffered in 2019."I don't have a clear assessment of the overall depth of the cap ramifications, but I think it's reasonable to assume there's a chance (Roethlisberger will) be back, certainly," Tomlin told reporters, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor.He added: "We haven't made any decisions about any (of) our personnel along those lines," per NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano.Entering the final year of his current contract, Roethlisberger has a $41.25-million cap hit in 2021, but Pittsburgh would incur $22.25 million in dead money if it moved on from the quarterback this offseason.Tomlin acknowledged that certain adjustments, whether on his roster or staff, are necessary for the Steelers to compete."I understand we better make some changes in what we do - schematics, personnel," the head coach said, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I'm committed to doing it.""I'm not going to maintain the status quo and hope it changes," he added. "That's the definition of insanity."The Steelers started 11-0 before dropping five of their last six games to end the campaign, including a wild-card loss to the Cleveland Browns.Roethlisberger, who turns 39 in March, completed 65.6% of his passes for 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2020 but averaged a career-low 6.3 yards per attempt.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears the Jacksonville Jaguars aren't the only team interested in potentially bringing Urban Meyer to the pros.As the spotlight shines on Meyer and the Jags, the Los Angeles Chargers continue to explore the former Ohio State boss as a head coaching candidate, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The two sides spoke recently but have yet to conduct a formal interview, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo added.Meyer has been heavily rumored as a top candidate to replace the recently fired Doug Marrone on the Jaguars' sideline. Meyer reportedly told those close to him he expects to land the job.However, rumors surfaced on Tuesday the three-time college football national champion was still undecided on becoming an NFL head coach and was weighing his options.The Chargers, who fired Anthony Lynn after four years on the job, have been the only other team linked to Meyer.Los Angeles interviewed a number of potential candidates over the last two weeks, including Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, San Francisco 49ers DC Robert Saleh, and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Even a rash of quarterback injuries couldn't derail the Rams from upsetting the Seahawks on Wild Card Weekend. They'll face a much stiffer test against the Packers (-7, 45.5), who are the favorites to emerge from the NFC but could struggle to match up with Los Angeles.Trends and resultsGreen Bay enters the contest with just three losses on the year and a six-game winning streak to close the regular season. Both teams ended the campaign on a 4-2 run against the spread, but the Packers are 6-2 ATS in their last eight playoff games and could benefit greatly from a first-round bye.Teams coming off a first-round bye are 6-2 ATS over the last two postseasons, while touchdown favorites have covered five of their last seven games after a cold spell in the years before. Similarly, Aaron Rodgers is 11-6-1 ATS in the playoffs and 4-2 ATS when favored by more than a field goal.The Rams are 4-2 ATS this year as underdogs but could be due for a letdown spot this week. Playoff teams coming off an outright win as a 'dog have gone 6-12-1 ATS since 2016, including 3-6-1 ATS in the last two postseasons. NFC West teams have particularly struggled in the playoffs, going 1-8-1 ATS since 2014 when catching points against non-divisional foes.X-factorRams defensive front vs. Packers offensive lineThere are numerous compelling matchups and X-factors in this game: Davante Adams versus Jalen Ramsey; Cam Akers versus the Packers' suspect run defense; Los Angeles' revolving door at QB. Yet the one that will decide this game is the Rams' elite front against Green Bay's stout offensive line.Since Rodgers took over as a starter in 2008, the Packers are 117-74-2 ATS (61.3%) when allowing four or fewer sacks, the best mark in the NFL. When they've allowed five or more? They're 6-26 ATS (18.8%), with those 26 losses ranking second among all teams.The Rams sacked Russell Wilson five times last week and ranked second in sacks (53) during the regular season despite blitzing at a below-average rate (27.3%). Some of that is raw talent up front, but some is creative scheming by first-year defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, the mastermind behind the NFL's top defense in yards (281.9) and points (18.5).Green Bay has one of the league's best O-lines, but it's struggled this year against creative pressure schemes - and that's only exacerbated by the loss of All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, who suffered a season-ending injury two weeks ago. Do the Packers have an answer for Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd, and the onslaught of pressure coming their way?Best betRams +7 (-120)The trends love Green Bay. The quarterback matchup screams Green Bay. I still love the Rams, whom I think pose a matchup nightmare for the Packers in this one.Los Angeles' front should give Rodgers fits, and his top target faces a stiff test against Ramsey. The Rams' rushing attack also faces a plus-matchup against Green Bay's inconsistent defense, which is magnified by what should be near-freezing conditions Saturday. It all adds up to a brutal spot for the Packers, who could easily lose this one outright.(Odds source: theScore Bet)C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Bears have retained head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace for the 2021 campaign.Chicago finished 8-8 in 2020 but snagged the NFC's final wild-card spot before falling to the New Orleans Saints 21-9 in the first round of the playoffs.The NFC North club will see a significant personnel change this offseason, as defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano reportedly intends to retire after 18 seasons in the NFL.The Bears are also expected to seek a new starting quarterback, with the team reportedly unlikely to re-sign Mitchell Trubisky following the final year of his rookie deal.Chicago hired Nagy in 2018, and he won Coach of the Year honors as a rookie. Pace has been the Bears' general manager for six seasons.While Chicago backed into the playoffs thanks to the Los Angeles Rams' win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17, the futures of Nagy and Pace were uncertain after the Bears lost seven of their last 10 games - including their regular-season finale against the Green Bay Packers - following a 5-1 start.Nagy led Chicago to a 12-4 record in 2018 before the team lost in the wild-card round. The Bears finished 8-8 in 2019 to miss the playoffs.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets may be closing in on their next head coach.New York is focused on Robert Saleh, and the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator is considered the frontrunner to land the job, ESPN's Rich Cimini reports.Saleh is set to meet with the Jets' brass for a second time on Wednesday, and the club could try to pounce on the 49ers assistant soon since his services are in demand from other teams, Cimini adds.Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and Buffalo Bills OC Brian Daboll are two other candidates the franchise is considering. Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson appears to be a fallback option at this point, according to Cimini.New York fired Adam Gase following a disappointing 2020 campaign and has since interviewed several candidates for the position.Saleh has led San Francisco's defense for the last four seasons, consistently fielding strong units. The 41-year-old was a key part of the Niners' Super Bowl run last year.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lamar Jackson is keeping an eye on the weather forecast for Saturday's divisional playoff game against the Buffalo Bills."Saturday would be my first time playing football in the snow if it does (snow). Hopefully, it don't," the Baltimore Ravens quarterback said, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley.Saturday's forecast is currently calling for a 40% chance of snow in Buffalo and as much as an inch of accumulation.After growing up in South Florida, spending his collegiate career at Louisville, and playing his first three NFL seasons with the Ravens, Jackson hasn't yet had to test his passing and rushing abilities in the snow.Still, the 24-year-old isn't a total stranger to snow. He saw it for the first time during his time at Louisville."We had a snowball fight, so that's totally different from playing in it," Jackson said.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On the same day the Seattle Seahawks retained their general manager, they moved on from their offensive coordinator.The Seahawks dismissed Brian Schottenheimer on Tuesday, just days after a 30-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Wild Card Weekend."Brian Schottenheimer is a fantastic coach, and we thank him for the last three years. Citing philosophical differences, we have parted ways," the team said over social media.Head coach Pete Carroll, quarterback Russell Wilson, and receiver DK Metcalf were vocal about their displeasure with the offense in the Seahawks' home playoff loss Saturday.Seattle was 2-for-14 on third downs, and Wilson completed just 11 of 27 pass attempts for 174 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The Rams ran an interception back for a touchdown when cornerback Darious Williams jumped the route on a wide-receiver screen."The game kind of felt stale for us in a way - we kind of flatlined," Wilson said postgame. "We needed to get going and make that happen. And the next thing you know, we didn't."Carroll instead took issue with the team's running game."We have to run the ball better, and not even better, we have to run it more," Carroll said the day after the postseason exit. "We have to dictate what's going on with the people that we're playing, and that's one of the ways to do that. I know the fans aren't real jacked on hearing that, but Russ knows it, too. We need to be able to knock those guys into the scheme that we want to throw at."The Seahawks' offense seemed to have two different seasons. Wilson began the year as an MVP favorite, throwing for 300-plus yards in five of Seattle's first eight contests. In the second half of the year, his completion percentage and passer rating plummeted.The quarterback tweeted a goodbye message to his offensive coordinator:

Retired former Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson isn't hiding his thoughts about the franchise amid Deshaun Watson's reported dissatisfaction with management.Johnson, who spent 12 years of his career with the Texans, advised Watson not to back down if he's angry with the organization. He said the franchise has a history of holding back its players."If I'm (Deshaun Watson), I will stand my ground. The Texans organization is known for wasting players' careers. Since Jack Easterby has (walked) into the building nothing good has happened in/for the organization and for some reason someone can't seem to see what's going on. Pathetic!!!" Johnson tweeted Tuesday.Johnson has served in off-field roles with the Texans since his retirement. He spent time as a special assistant to the general manager but stepped away before the 2020 season. He was then brought in as part of an advisory committee to help find the next head coach and general manager. It's that process that Watson is reportedly frustrated with.The signal-caller was reportedly unhappy after the club ignored his input on the hiring process despite telling him he'd be involved. Watson learned about the hiring of Nick Caserio as general manager through social media, and his push for Eric Bieniemy as a head coaching candidate was ignored until recently.The turmoil inside the organization has led to reports that Watson could force a trade this offseason. Houston owner Cal McNair said he hasn't been able to communicate with the quarterback.Watson has been vocal about the need for a culture change in the organization. The Texans have made a number of questionable personnel decisions in recent years, including the trade of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who also chimed in on the ongoing saga.

The Houston Texans are seeking an interview with Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for their head coach position, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.The window to examine head coaching candidates from playoff teams has closed, forcing Houston to wait until Kansas City is eliminated or the postseason has ended to interview Bieniemy, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Houston is the last team with a head coaching vacancy (prior to the Philadelphia Eagles firing Doug Pederson) to express interest in Bieniemy. The Chiefs coordinator is reportedly one of the top choices quarterback Deshaun Watson advocated for during the hiring process.The Texans' interest in Bieniemy could signal an attempt to reconcile with Watson. The field general was reportedly frustrated with the franchise after it did not consult him on the decision to hire Nick Caserio as general manager, among other issues.Bieniemy has been a hot name during the NFL's coaching carousel this offseason due to his influence on the Chiefs' offense. Kansas City has led the league in yardage in two of his three years at the helm.The Texans recently conducted several interviews but then restarted the search for their next sideline boss after Caserio's hiring, Rapoport adds.The organization also put in requests to speak to Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Baltimore Ravens wide receivers coach David Culley.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks signed general manager John Schneider to a contract extension through the 2027 draft, squashing the Detroit Lions' reported plan to pursue him.Schneider had one year left on his contract prior to the new deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network."For the last decade, John and head coach Pete Carroll have formed a tremendous partnership and the Seahawks have established a successful, unique, and truly winning culture respected throughout sports," Seahawks chair Jody Allen said in a statement Tuesday. "I know we are all excited to see that continue."Schneider has spearheaded football operations in Seattle for the last 11 seasons, and has built nine playoff teams - including one Super Bowl champion - over that time.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians doesn't envision Tom Brady joining his line of work in the future.Arians was asked Tuesday on "The Dan Patrick Show" about the possibility of Brady becoming a coach. Arians compared him to Peyton Manning, saying a desire for perfection would make it difficult to play for Brady."I think he is probably, like Peyton, if they were (coaches), you wouldn't want to work for them 'cause they're perfectionists," Arians told Patrick. "They wouldn't accept anything but perfection and every now and then, you gotta give a little."Arians, who coached Manning in Indianapolis, noted that the two quarterbacks are "very, very similar" when it comes to preparation."I used to call Peyton a piranha because if I had a 20-minute meeting, I'd have to have an hour and a half worth of shit just to keep him occupied. And the poor other quarterbacks, they couldn't take notes fast enough," Arians said. "But Tom's the exact same way. Their attention to detail is unbelievable."Brady has said he has no desire to coach after retiring. Manning has also expressed hesitation about coaching, telling USA Today Sports in 2019, "Just because you were a good quarterback doesn’t necessarily mean you'd be a great coach."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders have hired former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley for the same role, the team announced Tuesday.Bradley is coming off a four-year stint with the Chargers when his defenses never ranked in the lower half of the league in yards allowed. The 54-year-old was permitted to seek employment elsewhere after the Chargers fired head coach Anthony Lynn at the end of the season.Bradley, who was head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2016 and defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks before that, will look to turn around a Raiders defense that seemed inept for most of 2020. He'll presumably install his well-known Cover 3 scheme, which would be a switch from the Paul Guenther era that featured various coverages.

Indianapolis Colts left tackle Anthony Castonzo announced his retirement Tuesday after 10 seasons with the franchise."Anthony was a pillar of this team for the last 10 seasons," general manager Chris Ballard said in a statement. "He played one of the toughest positions in the game at an extremely high level for a long time."Anthony was a veteran leader in our locker room and will be greatly missed. We're thankful for all of his contributions to the Horseshoe. We love AC and know he will thrive in the next stage of his life."Castonzo suited up in 144 regular-season games and eight playoff contests, all with the Colts. Indianapolis drafted him 22nd overall out of Boston College in 2011, and he gradually developed into one of the NFL's most reliable blindside protectors.The 32-year-old anchored a unit in Indianapolis that allowed the second-fewest sacks in the league this season, though he finished the campaign on the sideline with an ankle injury.Castonzo contemplated retirement last year, but he ultimately signed a two-year, $33-million contract to return to the Colts. Indianapolis will get $16 million in cap space back following his retirement, according to Spotrac.The Colts are coming off an 11-5 season, but they now face major question marks at left tackle and quarterback - where Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett own expiring contracts - heading into the offseason.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Bills are adding former New York Giants running back Devonta Freeman to their practice squad, Freeman's agent told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Bills expect Freeman to bolster the team's depth after losing halfback Zack Moss for the remainder of the postseason. Moss was carted off the field during Buffalo's wild-card game against the Indianapolis Colts due to an ankle injury.Freeman spent the 2020 season with the Giants but only suited up for five games due to injuries. New York cut the 28-year-old from injured reserve following the regular season after he battled ankle and hamstring ailments throughout the year.The veteran back totaled just 172 rushing yards this campaign and averaged a career-low 3.2 yards per carry.Freeman is eligible to be called up from the practice squad to play in the Bills' postseason contests.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien is expected to sign a deal to become Alabama's new offensive coordinator within the next few days, reports Bruce Feldman of The Athletic.O'Brien would be the latest ex-head coach to serve as the Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator under Nick Saban, replacing Steve Sarkisian after Sarkisian leaves for Texas following Monday's national championship game. O'Brien would inherit the county's No. 1 offense at the Power 5 level, but the unit is also expected to see stars DeVonta Smith, Najee Harris, Jaylen Waddle, and Mac Jones depart for the NFL.The 51-year-old has experience at the college level, previously posting a 15-9 record in two seasons as head coach at Penn State before joining the Texans.O'Brien amassed a 52-48 record in seven seasons with the Texans before the team fired him after an 0-4 start to the 2020 campaign. The 2012 Big Ten Coach of the Year has experience as an offensive coordinator at both the collegiate and NFL levels, previously serving in the role for Georgia Tech, Duke, and the New England Patriots.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick announced Monday he won't accept an invitation to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.It was reported Sunday that President Donald Trump intended to bestow the highest civilian honor in the United States to Belichick on Thursday.However, the Patriots head coach said "the tragic events of last week" led him to decide "not to move forward with the award."

Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn has reached a deal to become the Dallas Cowboys' new defensive coordinator, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.Quinn met virtually with the Cowboys over the weekend and was set to travel to Dallas for an in-person interview Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.Quinn has worked extensively on the defensive side of the game over his coaching career, serving as the Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014. Both of those defenses finished first in the NFL in yardage and points allowed. He also worked as a defensive line coach.The 50-year-old last served as Atlanta's head coach but was fired after a 0-5 start to the 2020 season. He accumulated a 43-42 record during his six-year tenure. Quinn has also reached three Super Bowls, winning one and losing one as the Seahawks' defensive coordinator and dropping another with the Falcons.The Cowboys have been on the lookout for a new defensive coordinator after firing Mike Nolan after just one season. Dallas' defense struggled heavily in Nolan's lone year, allowing the most points in franchise history.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Offensive lineman Jared Veldheer may go from retirement to playing in the NFL playoffs for two different teams.The veteran stepped in for injured left tackle Anthony Castonzo in the Indianapolis Colts' wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. Now, Veldheer is signing with the Green Bay Packers ahead of their divisional-round matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.He'll become the first NFL player to play in two playoff games for two different teams in the same postseason.The Colts signed Veldheer to their practice squad Dec. 31. They promoted him to the active roster for their matchup against the Bills with Castonzo on the shelf due to a season-ending ankle injury. After the game, Veldheer reverted back to the practice squad and was thus allowed to be poached by the Packers.Green Bay also lost its star left tackle, David Bakhtiari, to a season-ending knee injury.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is among the hottest head coaching candidates of this hiring cycle. But that was also the case last year, and Bieniemy ended up back with the Chiefs.If NFL teams decide to again pass on the 51-year-old assistant, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be left incredulous."I think (he will be hired)," Mahomes told 610 Kansas City's "The Drive" on Monday. "His track record speaks for itself. The type of man he is, the way he can control and be a leader of the locker room, and the way that he coaches and schemes he brings to us. If he doesn't, people are crazy."The New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, and Jacksonville Jaguars thus far interviewed Bieniemy for their head coaching vacancies.The Houston Texans were the only team with an opening - prior to the Philadelphia Eagles firing Doug Pederson on Monday - not to meet with Bieniemy, a decision that reportedly contributed to Deshaun Watson's anger toward team ownership."I've known Deshaun a while now and we just talked about coach Bieniemy," Mahomes said. "Wasn't me trying to get him a job or anything, I just told him who coach Bieniemy is and what kind of coach he is, what kind of man he is and how I think that he handles himself."As he gets a job over the next few weeks, months whatever it is, the type of man he is will carry him to where he needs to be at and that will put him in the best situation possible at the end of the day."Bieniemy has been the Chiefs' offensive coordinator since 2018 after acting as the running backs coach for the prior five seasons. He's received widespread praise for his role in developing Mahomes into an MVP-caliber player.Kansas City finished first in scoring in 2018 (35.3 points per game), fifth in 2019 (28.2), and sixth this year (29.6). The unit also starred on the Chiefs' way to a Super Bowl win last season, averaging 39 points."For us, obviously we want to have him here," Mahomes said. "But we know he deserves that opportunity to lead his own franchise and his own team."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles announced Monday that they have parted ways with head coach Doug Pederson after five seasons with the franchise.The move comes following a disappointing 4-11-1 campaign and reported recent meetings with owner Jeffrey Lurie regarding Pederson's future with the organization."Coach Pederson and I had the opportunity to sit down and discuss what that collective vision would look like moving forward," Lurie said in a statement. "After taking some time to reflect on these conversations, I believe it is in both of our best interests to part ways."Despite the Eagles' record, Pederson's offseason plans apparently had as much to do with his firing as Philadelphia's on-field performance. Lurie didn't agree with Pederson's proposed staff changes for 2021, which reportedly included a number of internal promotions, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The Eagles become the seventh team with a head coaching vacancy. However, a number of attractive assistants have interviewed for jobs over the last two weeks.One name Philly may consider for the position is former NFL passer and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka, per Rapoport.The Eagles hired Pederson in 2016. He found success early on, leading them to their first Super Bowl in franchise history in the 2017 season. Philadelphia won four playoff games during the 52-year-old's tenure, a mark only topped by the New England Patriots in that span.However, things took a major turn for Pederson in 2020. His roster was ravaged by injuries, Carson Wentz battled through the worst season of his career, and a rift between Pederson and Lurie had reportedly been growing since last offseason.The sideline boss even threatened to quit in September after being pressured to fire former offensive coordinator Mike Groh, sources told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.Pederson's firing significantly increases the chances of Wentz staying in Philadelphia, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Now a free agent, Pederson could be a candidate for the New York Jets' coaching position given his strong relationship with general manager Joe Douglas, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.Pederson wraps up his time in Philadelphia with a 42-37-1 record and a 4-2 postseason mark.Responding to questions about the status of Howie Roseman, Lurie stood by his general manager."I have real confidence our football operations, led by Howie, can not only repeat the performance of 2016 to now but also create a dominant football team," Lurie said.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cleveland Browns won their first playoff game since 1995 on Sunday but were without head coach Kevin Stefanski, who was forced to stay home after testing positive for COVID-19.Stefanski spoke Monday about the experience of watching the game from his basement, noting it gave him a new perspective on what it's like to be a fan."I have a newfound respect for all of our fans and how they watch those games," he told reporters. "I like it better when I have some control."On top of the stress, Stefanski also dealt with some technical difficulties. The sideline boss said he paused his television for 45 seconds before kickoff and forgot to hit fast-forward, not realizing the game was delayed until he heard his kids celebrating Cleveland's first touchdown upstairs."My kids were going crazy upstairs," he said. "I had an inkling something good was going to happen on that first play."Stefanski is expected to rejoin the Browns in time for their divisional-round matchup against the Chiefs.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Chargers are searching for answers and looking to turn their fortunes around this offseason following a disappointing 7-9 campaign.Los Angeles fired Anthony Lynn on Jan. 4 after the head coach posted a 33-31 record across four seasons. The Chargers submitted requests to interview several of the hot candidates on the block, including San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady.Chargers legend Nick Hardwick offered his top choices to become the 17th head coach in team history on "The Jake Asman Show" on SportsMap Radio."I really like Eric Bieniemy," he said. "And I tell you because being in the division with Andy Reid for so many years now ... his staff, his approach to the players, the kind of liberties that he gives his players - but also the system that he has them operate in. It's amazing to me that you can really have the best of both worlds."Bieniemy remains one of the most popular names in the head coaching rumor mill over the past couple of seasons given the success of the Kansas City Chiefs' offense. The offensive coordinator has interviewed with several teams, including the Chargers, during the Chiefs' bye week ahead of the divisional round of the playoffs.Hardwick didn't limit his search to a well-known commodity, however. He also mentioned Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub and stressed the importance of creative thinking while the Chargers carry out their search."I know special teams isn't a glamor head coach hire, but I don't necessarily think the head coach needs to be your play-caller," he said. "I don't think he needs to be your defensive coordinator. Look outside the box and look at somebody who has great connections, who really understands football."Teams around the league appear to be giving more consideration to special teams personnel. The New York Giants recently hired Joe Judge as head coach after he served as the New England Patriots' special teams coordinator in 2020. The Baltimore Ravens brought on current boss John Harbaugh after his stint as the Philadelphia Eagles' special teams coach."Look at a special teams coordinator ... they're the one coach outside the strength coach who has to coach every player, other than the quarterbacks, on a daily basis," Hardwick added. "And they stand in front of a room and they command attention. I think you can really tell the skill of a coaching staff based on how well their special teams is coached."Hardwick, who spent his entire 10-year career with the Chargers, believes "atrocious" play on special teams contributed to Lynn's demise as head coach in Los Angeles.For more, check out SportsMapRadio.com streaming live.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians is unsure if running back Ronald Jones will return for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, according to NFL Network's James Palmer.Jones missed the wild-card game against the Washington Football Team due to a quad injury suffered in warmups. Arians says the club will take a "wait and see" approach to gauge how Jones progresses, The Athletic's Greg Auman reports.Leonard Fournette, who took the majority of carries against Washington, would likely start once again if Jones is unable to play. Fournette totaled 132 yards from scrimmage during the bout, with 93 coming via the run. Arians praised his halfback's performance, calling it his best game as Buccaneer, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.Fournette rushed for 367 yards this season while Jones led the team with 978 yards on the ground.Tampa Bay will not have guard Alex Cappa for the divisional-game against the Saints after the 25-year-old fractured his ankle, and Aaron Stinnie is slated to start in his place, Arians added.The franchise also activated linebacker Devin White off the COVID-19 list, and he's scheduled to play Sunday after missing the wild-card game.The Buccaneers will be looking for their first win against the Saints after two losses to Sean Payton's side during the regular season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams expect defensive tackle Aaron Donald to play in Saturday's divisional-round game against the Green Bay Packers, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.Donald suffered a torn rib cartilage against the Seattle Seahawks, according to Rapoport, and should play through the injury for the remainder of the playoffs.Rams head coach Sean McVay said Sunday he's "hopeful" his star defensive tackle would be available for the next round. X-rays on Donald's rib issue apparently came back clean following Saturday's win.The two-time Defensive Player of the Year injured himself after landing awkwardly while taking down Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. The 29-year-old was otherwise dominant before exiting, racking up two sacks and two tackles for loss.Despite gaining some clarity about Donald, Los Angeles has yet to finalize its quarterback situation. John Wolford, who started versus Seattle, suffered a stinger, and the team will examine his status moving forward.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Allen Robinson is keeping his options open after playing out the final year of his current contract.The Chicago Bears wide receiver told reporters on Monday "everything is on the table" as he looks toward free agency for the second time in his career, according to 670 The Score's Chris Emma.Despite being happy in Chicago, Robinson admitted he was frustrated the two sides were unable to work out a long-term deal over the last year."I personally feel like we had an opportunity to be able to get something done over the past 365 days," Robinson said, via ESPN's Jeff Dickerson."I do have a great fondness for this city and for this organization," he added, per Emma. "Unfortunately, in a (contract) situation like this, that's not the only thing that matters ... There are more things that weigh out than just the fondness of something."It's currently unknown how aggressively Chicago will pursue re-signing Robinson, but the team could also use the franchise tag on him. The 27-year-old wasn't intent on revealing his feelings on the tag."I plead the fifth on that," Robinson said.The veteran wideout signed a three-year, $42-million contract with the Bears in 2018. He enjoyed his most productive season since 2015 this past year, catching 102 passes for 1,250 yards and six touchdowns.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster called out the Cleveland Browns before their wild-card matchup, and Sunday's upset loss at home didn't make the wideout recant."I don't regret saying what I said. They came out ... today wasn't our night," Smith-Schuster said following the Browns' 48-37 victory, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. "Hopefully, the same Browns show up against the next opponent and do what they did tonight and have a great game."Smith-Schuster on Thursday appeared unimpressed by Cleveland making the playoffs, saying the Browns remained the same team that has struggled mightily in recent years.But Cleveland stunned Pittsburgh on Sunday, handing its divisional rival a demoralizing loss that included a 28-0 Browns run in the first quarter.After going to the locker room trailing 35-10, the Steelers scored 27 points in the second half but failed to complete the comeback."It was, 'What more bad things can happen to us?' It was, 'We've got to make a play,'" Smith-Schuster said of his first-half mindset. "(Quarterback) Ben (Roethlisberger) was calling plays to make it happen ... we couldn't make it happen. Our guys did not quit. We fought to the end of the whistle. We played our ass off."Several Browns players addressed Smith-Schuster's pregame comments after the tilt, including star defensive end Myles Garrett, who said his team felt "disrespected" ahead of the contest.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL's elite eight is set.The top seeds in the AFC and NFC will jump back into action in next weekend's divisional playoffs. Here are the matchups, dates, and times for all four games.AFCMatchupDateTime (ET)NetworkRavens at BillsSaturday8:15 p.m.NBCBrowns at ChiefsSunday3:05 p.m.CBSThe two hottest teams in football go head to head in Buffalo. The Baltimore Ravens will put their six-game winning streak up against the Bills, who have won seven consecutive games. Quarterbacks Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are playing at elite levels, but only one of them will make it to the conference championship.After the Cleveland Browns' shocking upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night, they've earned a date with the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs next weekend. It'll be a matchup of styles as the Browns own the league's third-best running game and the Chiefs have the NFL's No. 1 offense and passing game.NFCMatchupDateTime (ET)NetworkRams at PackersSaturday4:35 p.m.FOXBuccaneers at SaintsSunday6:40 p.m.FOXThe Green Bay Packers are ready and rested after enjoying a first-round bye, and they'll go up against the Los Angeles Rams and the NFL's No. 1 defense. Even with injuries to two quarterbacks, the Rams managed to knock off the NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks 30-20 on Saturday. Los Angeles will look to stop MVP favorite Aaron Rodgers and All-Pro wideout Davante Adams. The duo combined for 18 touchdowns during the season.The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will meet for the third time this season after both NFC South squads won their wild-card matchups. The rivalry has been one-sided as the Saints handled the Bucs 34-23 in Week 1 and dismantled them in primetime 38-3 in Week 9. Bucs QB Tom Brady is relishing another shot at New Orleans.Both conference championships will take place on Sunday, Jan. 24 with Super Bowl LV to follow on Feb. 7.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Led by a whopping 28-point first quarter, the Cleveland Browns stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, winning 48-37 to advance to the divisional round.The win marks the Browns' first playoff victory since the 1994 season.More to come.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints are off to the divisional round after securing a 21-9 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.New Orleans' defense dominated against a struggling Bears scoring attack, limiting Chicago to 239 total yards and Mitchell Trubisky to 199 yards through the air.More to come.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's fair to say Mike Vrabel wasn't thrilled with the officiating during Sunday's wild-card loss to the Baltimore Ravens.The Tennessee Titans head coach told reporters after the game that the referees "were clearly not calling any penalties," instead looking to stick around and earn spots for later in the playoffs, according to Paul Kuharsky.Vrabel admitted he was frustrated throughout the contest, but referred specifically to Marcus Peters' game-sealing interception off quarterback Ryan Tannehill.The head coach wanted Baltimore to be called for pass interference on the play, but he said the referees told him that a penalty wasn't called because wide receiver Kalif Raymond ran into Peters during his route, per ESPN's Turron Davenport.Though Vrabel had issues with the officiating, he refused to comment on Ravens players celebrating on the Titans' logo late in the contest."I coach the Titans, not the Ravens," he said, via team writer Jim Wyatt.Tennessee finished with more than 10 wins for the first time since 2008, though it failed to repeat last year's run to the AFC Championship Game.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lamar Jackson earned his first career playoff win Sunday, leading the Baltimore Ravens to a 20-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the wild-card round.More to come.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.