The Tennessee Titans returned no new positive COVID-19 tests Monday, clearing them to face the Buffalo Bills in the NFL's first Tuesday game since 2010, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown is expected to be in the lineup after missing two games with a bone bruise in his knee, according to Pelissero.Tennessee hasn't seen action since Week 3. The Titans learned after their last game against the Minnesota Vikings that three players and five staffers had tested positive for the virus, and over 20 individuals within the organization eventually tested positive.The NFL is investigating the Titans over the outbreak, as players allegedly broke COVID-19 protocols by working out as a team away from the facility despite orders not to do so.The outbreak led the NFL to postpone the Titans' Week 4 game, moving their clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers to Week 7.Tennessee and Buffalo will partake in the first Tuesday contest since the Philadelphia Eagles faced the Vikings following a blizzard that caused the roof of Minneapolis' Metrodome to collapse.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Vikings don't expect running back Dalvin Cook to be available against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6 due to an adductor strain, a source told The Athletic's Chad Graff.The Vikings will have a bye in Week 7 and can re-evaluate Cook's health coming out of the break.Cook left Sunday Night Football versus the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5 with what the team called a groin injury. The 25-year-old has 489 yards and seven touchdowns - both of which lead the NFL - on 92 carries this season.Minnesota has dropped four of its first five games to open the season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Drew Brees keeps coming through in the clutch in his 20th season, while the Los Angeles Chargers keep squandering the heady play of promising rookie quarterback Justin Herbert.The 41-year-old Brees became the oldest quarterback with more than 32 completions in an NFL game, Wil Lutz kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime and New Orleans’ defense stopped receiver Mike Williams just short on fourth down to preserve a 30-27 victory over the seemingly star-crossed Chargers on Monday night.“This is how you grow as a team. This is how you become battle-tested — and I think it pays dividends as you move along,” said Brees, who rushed for a 1-yard touchdown and hit tight end Jared Cook for a 41-yard score as the Saints rallied from a 17-point, second-quarter deficit.“These are the tests that really bring a team together and give you confidence and give you momentum and really shape you,” Brees continued. “We know if we can put ourselves in position to win, then we can do that.”Figuring that out is proving to be a painful process for the Chargers (1-4), who fell to their fourth straight loss by a touchdown or less, and the second in overtime. They also blew a 17-point lead for a second straight game.“Never thought this team would lose four straight. We’ve put ourselves in position, but we didn’t get it done,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “We have to finish these damn games.”Chargers kicker Michael Badgley, who missed his first career point-after kick wide right in the first quarter, had a chance to redeem himself after Williams’ leaping catch between two defenders put the Chargers on the Saints’ 32-yard line in the final seconds. But Badgley’s 50-yard kick as time expired bounced off the right upright.“The young man has been kicking outstanding. He’s got to do better but we could have done some other things better,” Lynn said.Herbert’s fourth touchdown pass of the game, a 64-yarder to Williams, briefly put Los Angeles back in front before the Saints (3-2) tied it on Taysom Hill’s 9-yard run with 52 seconds left in regulation.Herbert, who was named the starter for the remainder of the season this week, finished 20 of 34 for 264 yards without an turnover. Five of his completions went to Williams for 109 yards and two TDs.“It’s a learning process,” Herbert said. “Losing is horrible, but we are going to turn it around.”FACTS AND FIGURESBrees finished 33 of 47 for 325 yards, including 12 completions to Emmanuel Sanders for 122 yards. Alvin Kamara had 119 yards from scrimmage, highlighted by his leaping, juggling catch along the right sideline over the head of safety Rayshawn Jenkins to set up Hill’s tying TD.Brees improved to 4-0 against the Chargers, the team that drafted him in 2001 and let him go in 2006.The Chargers became the first team to lose 17-point leads in consecutive weeks since the 2003 Atlanta Falcons. For the Chargers, both have come on the road against an NFC South team led by a quarterback older than 40.In Week 4, it was Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady, a six-time Super Bowl winner. This week it was the NFL’s all-time leader in completions, yards and touchdowns.Brees’ dive over a pile of linemen at the goal line made it 20-10 14 seconds before halftime.Lutz, who hit from 48 yards in the first half, drilled a 53-yarder that pulled New Orleans within a touchdown in the third quarter. Then Brees found Cook open behind the Chargers’ secondary on third-and-long to tie it early in the fourth quarter.STRONG STARTIn staking Los Angeles to an early 20-3 lead, Herbert became the first rookie to pass for three TDs in the first half of a Monday night game.His first came when he rolled right away from pressure and fired a 17-yard pass down the sideline to Allen.Herbert’s 49-yard completion to Jalen Guyton set up his 4-yard scoring strike to Williams one play later. The touchdown capped a drive extended by a roughing-the-punter penalty against New Orleans’ Dwayne Washington.Nasir Adderly’s interception of Brees and 39-yard return to the Saints 1-yard line set up Herbert’s 3-yard scoring pass to tight end Hunter Henry, which made it 20-3.ABSENT THOMASSaints coach Sean Payton declined to discuss the absence of star receiver Michael Thomas, who missed the game for punching a teammate during practice on Saturday.“Let’s talk about the players that played tonight,” Payton said when asked about how he had to adjust his game plan without the 2019 AP Offensive Player of the Year.Added Brees, “Mike is a big part of this team and he’s going to be a big part of this team moving forward. He had an incident and Sean addressed it and many of the leaders have spoken with Mike as well and we’re going to be all good.”INJURY REPORTChargers: Early in the second quarter, Keenan Allen left the game with a back injury. Defensive end Uchenna Nwosu was helped off with an apparent leg injury early in the fourth quarter. Those losses came on top of previous injuries that sidelined Los Angeles two starting offensive linemen on the right side and top running back Austin Ekeler.Saints: Nick Easton left the game in the first half with concussion symptoms and did not return.UP NEXTChargers: Have a bye in Week 6 before hosting Jacksonville on Oct. 25.Saints: Enter their bye week, followed by a Week 7 home date with Carolina on Oct. 25.___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFLCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen suffered a back injury during Monday's 30-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints.Allen spent most of the first half sidelined while getting stretched out by a trainer and was ruled out for the game after halftime.The star wideout was off to a strong start to Monday Night Football, catching two passes for 29 yards and one touchdown in the first frame.The eight-year veteran battled injuries early in his career but played a full campaign in each of the last three seasons. He's made the Pro Bowl in three straight years.Allen, 28, was leading the Chargers with 32 receptions and 327 yards entering Week 5.In Allen's absence, wide receiver Mike Williams racked up five receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Hunter Henry and running back Justin Jackson were the only other Chargers to catch more than two passes on the night but they were limited to just 23 yards each.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Smith stepped onto the field for the first time in almost two years when quarterback Kyle Allen suffered an injury to his non-throwing arm in Sunday's game, but head coach Ron Rivera says a healthy Allen will remain Washington's starter, according to team reporter Kyle Stackpole.Allen shouldn't miss any game action as the quarterback is expected to play in Week 6 barring any setbacks, sources told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Washington removed Allen from the contest against the Los Angeles Rams after a helmet-to-helmet hit and he was evaluated for both a concussion and an arm injury.The signal-caller was later cleared to return but Washington opted to keep Smith under center. Rivera explained the decision was made out of caution for Allen's health.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield does not believe the rib injury he suffered Sunday will prevent him from playing in Week 6."Oh, yeah. Mama didn't raise no wuss," Mayfield said when asked if he thought he could play next Sunday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.Head coach Kevin Stefanski gave an update on his signal-caller's condition Monday and told reporters Mayfield "is sore, and we'll see how he works through it this week," according to NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano.The 25-year-old was injured when he was hit after making a throw in the second half. He exited the field and headed to the medical tent but returned without missing a snap.X-rays that were taken after the game reportedly came back negative, according to The Fan's Daryl Ruiter.Mayfield's play has helped the Browns jump out to a 4-1 record, with the field general throwing nine touchdowns versus just four interceptions.The Browns are in for a huge divisional matchup in Week 6, heading to Pittsburgh to take on the undefeated Steelers.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott faces a four-to-six month recovery window after undergoing ankle surgery, reports NFL Network's Jane Slater.Prescott suffered a right ankle compound fracture and dislocation during Sunday's victory over the New York Giants. He was carted off the field and taken to a hospital, and he underwent surgery Sunday night.Dallas will look to Andy Dalton to lead the offense without Prescott. The veteran quarterback finished 9-of-11 for 111 yards and rallied the Cowboys to a game-winning field goal against the Giants.Prescott was off to a blazing start, throwing for 1,856 yards and nine touchdowns.The 27-year-old is only under contract for this season as he's playing under the franchise tag.In a statement Sunday night, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, "We have no doubt that (Prescott) will return to the position of leadership and purpose that he brings to our team."Copyright © 2020 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.Another week, another wild set of results in the NFL. Two undefeated teams lost, a winless team won, and the league's incredible over run came to a screeching halt.Here are five betting takeaways from Week 5.QB injuries shake up NFC EastThe biggest news from Sunday was clearly the injury to star quarterback Dak Prescott, who fractured his ankle and will likely be out for the season. It's a devastating blow to a Cowboys team that took a half-game lead in the NFC East with Sunday's thrilling 37-34 win over the Giants.Despite Prescott's injury, Dallas is still favored to win the NFC East (-125), but it's a distinct long shot to win the Super Bowl (+4400) with Andy Dalton at the helm. The Eagles (+130) are only half a game behind the Cowboys, while Washington (+900) and New York (+3500) are bringing up the rear in the division.Prescott wasn't the only NFC East quarterback injured on Sunday. Kyle Allen was hurt and subsequently benched in Sunday's loss to the Rams (-7), which forced Alex Smith into his first game action since he suffered a gruesome leg injury in 2018. If he can regain even a fraction of his 2017 form, it could make Washington a compelling dark horse in a wide-open division.Chiefs lose in stunning fashionOnly four unbeaten teams remained after the Chiefs (-10.5) were shocked at home by the Raiders, who led by as many as 16 points in the final minutes of a 40-32 win.Kansas City's defense surrendered 490 yards in Sunday's loss, which snapped the Chiefs' 13-game winning streak and 12-1 run against the spread. The defeat was also just Kansas City's third divisional loss in its last 31 tries and only its ninth ATS loss in that stretch.The Chiefs' pass defense ranked No. 1 in DVOA before this week, though Derek Carr had no problem shredding it for 347 passing yards and three touchdowns. Every team has an off game, but it's not wrong to ask whether Kansas City is worth the short title price (+450) with a defense that can't be trusted week to week.AFC North race heats upThe only division with at least three four-win teams is the AFC North, which has become even more interesting after the strong showing over the weekend.The Ravens (-165) are still favorites to win this division after blasting the Bengals (+12) in a 27-3 win, showcasing how dominant this squad is when its blitz-happy defense is clicking. Lamar Jackson looked off for the second time in three weeks, but health surely played a factor this time around.The Steelers (+220) lead the division and are 4-0 for the first time since 1979 following Sunday's win over the Eagles (+7.5). Is it sustainable? Pittsburgh's four opponents have won a combined three games this year, yet the Steelers haven't beaten any of them by more than 10 points.They'll face their first real test next week against the Browns (+500), who have once again showcased their offensive firepower with a 32-23 win against the top-ranked defense of the Colts (+1). Cleveland's defense also pitched in a pick-six and a safety to lead the league in takeaways (12) through five games. Baker Mayfield did take a shot to the ribs and needed an evaluation after the game, so keep that in mind before betting on the Browns in next week's divisional clash.Falcons finally clean houseLast week, it was the Texans who were firing their head coach and general manager as a response to a winless record. This week, it's the Falcons' turn to hand out pink slips.Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff are gone after Atlanta's 0-5 start, which includes two historic fourth-quarter collapses and another loss Sunday after blowing an early lead against the Panthers (+2.5). The Falcons are now the only team below .500 in the NFC South and a distant +6500 to win the division.Could these dismissals be the spark they need to turn their season around? The Texans (-6) easily covered this week against the Jaguars after they made their own moves, but teams that replace their coach midseason are still 17-27-1 ATS since 1989. And none of those 45 teams made the playoffs.Unders strike backEntering this week, the over was 36-22-5 amid a record-breaking scoring surge in the NFL. So oddsmakers hiked up totals to a historic level - and it worked.This week's average combined score of 50.9 was just a tick below the 51.3 average from the first quarter of the season. Yet the under went 7-5 through Sunday - by far the best mark for unders this campaign. The average margin against the total (+0.04) was also the lowest since Week 12 of last year.Will it last in the future? This week's average total of 50.8 was 1.3 points higher than last week's record-high mark, which was a full point higher than the previous record. Oddsmakers can't keep raising totals without exposing themselves to sharp action on the under, so expect overs to make a comeback in the coming weeks.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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Atlanta Falcons named defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as the interim head coach following Dan Quinn's firing on Sunday, the team announced Monday.Morris has head coaching experience, leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011. He owns a 17-31 career record.The Falcons also parted ways with longtime general manager Thomas Dimitroff after an 0-5 start to the campaign.Quinn amassed a 43-42 record across five-plus seasons in Atlanta. The NFC South team has finished 7-9 in each of the last two seasons, failing to take the next step after a Super Bowl appearance in 2016 and a playoff berth in 2017.Morris received widespread praise for helping Atlanta rebound from a 1-7 start last year.The 44-year-old was reassigned from receivers coach to working with the secondary and took over Quinn's play-calling duties during the squad's bye, sparking a 6-2 finish that arguably saved the head coach's job.Morris will look to guide the Falcons to their first win of the season against the Detroit Lions in Week 6.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook will undergo an MRI after suffering a groin injury in his team's 27-26 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football, head coach Mike Zimmer said postgame.After going to the locker room and being listed as questionable, Cook returned to the field for one drive before being sidelined for the remainder of the contest.The 2019 Pro Bowler racked up 65 yards and one score on 17 carries prior to suffering the injury. He also caught five passes for 24 yards.Cook, who's scored at least one touchdown in every game this season, was leading the NFL in rushing yards through the first four weeks.Alexander Mattison carried the load at running back for the Vikings with Cook unable to play. The second-year back recorded 20 rushing attempts for a career-high 112 yards.Since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2017, Cook has yet to play a full season. After missing 17 games through his first two NFL campaigns, he appeared in 14 contests last year.The 25-year-old inked a five-year, $63-million contract extension last month.Copyright © 2020 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 the significance of those events moving forward.Dak's brutal injury Tom Pennington / Getty Images Sport / GettyDak Prescott's right ankle injury is awful in so many ways. There's the obvious physical pain for Prescott, along with the likelihood of a long recovery and extended rehab. But the Dallas Cowboys quarterback is also playing this season on the franchise tag, an artificial device owners use to control labor costs on the basis that a player is too valuable to lose, but simultaneously not valuable enough to receive a market-level, multi-year contract.Prescott sustained a compound fracture dislocation and reportedly underwent surgery in hospital Sunday night. More details will emerge in the days and weeks ahead, but the tag leaves Prescott potentially exposed financially if the injury is serious enough to threaten his career.There's also a sad irony to Prescott's injury, considering it came on the same day as ...Alex Smith's return Patrick McDermott / Getty Images Sport / GettyAlex Smith provided a feel-good moment when he returned to action for the Washington Football Team nearly two years after breaking both bones in his lower right leg, an injury so severe it required 17 surgeries.It was less than ideal for Smith to come back against Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams. Smith entered the game late in the second quarter. He was sacked six times as Washington lost its fourth in a row.Washington head coach Ron Rivera said Kyle Allen would remain the starter as long as he's healthy. Allen had been cleared to play in the second half, but Smith remained in the game anyway. Whether Smith gets to play again seems less important than the fact he made it all the way back to play in the first place.There's a sad irony to Smith's return, too, considering it came after Allen had to leave the game late in the second quarter because of a brutal helmet-to-helmet shot from Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey that officially resulted in an arm injury.Falcons clean house Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Atlanta Falcons probably should have fired head coach Dan Quinn after last season, their second consecutive 7-9 finish. But with six wins in Atlanta's final eight games, the organization saw reasons for optimism. The team also opted for continuity, a staple for many of the league's most consistently successful franchises.But the Falcons had been on a downward trend in recent years, their defense never able to hold up the high end of the bargain set by an offense featuring Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Calvin Ridley. That trend became a freefall with this year's 0-5 start, which included a pair of huge blown leads made worse by a series of self-inflicted mistakes. Sunday's home loss to the rebuilding Carolina Panthers was the last straw. Now both Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff - the team's general manager since 2008 - are out.Atlanta will ride out the rest of the season with a to-be-determined interim coach, but its next GM will have a lot to fix. Dimitroff built the team that reached the Super Bowl four years ago with a lot of cheap rookie contracts. But as the Falcons paid big money to retain their veteran core, they failed to keep drafting well enough to develop a well-rounded roster.Competition in the AFC West? Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / GettyJust when the Kansas City Chiefs were about to establish another strangehold on their division, the Las Vegas Raiders rolled into Arrowhead Stadium to hang 40 on them in an upset. Kansas City had won 28 of its last 30 games against the AFC West, and it had a chance to build a three-game lead just five games into the season. Instead, that lead is now just one game.Derek Carr threw for 347 yards, and he did it by attacking the Chiefs' defense with the deep ball. Carr had four completions of 40 yards or more, including two to Henry Ruggs that totaled 118 yards and a touchdown.Carr had attempted just nine passes of 20-plus air yards in Vegas' first four games, according to PFF; he was 4-for-6 for 219 yards on deep balls in this one. It was the sort of field-stretching performance the Raiders had been hoping to get from Carr this year, and it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time: in a divisional game against the defending champs on the road.A thought on the Chiefs Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / GettyKansas City is 4-1, and this was its first loss since Nov. 10 of last year, but the Chiefs haven't exactly been cruising. Yes, they thumped the Baltimore Ravens on the road, but they also struggled to beat the Los Angeles Chargers and needed to pull away late from the Cam Newton-less New England Patriots. Now this. And Kansas City travels to face the Buffalo Bills next week.Another sensational Steelers WR Justin K. Aller / Getty Images Sport / GettyMike Wallace. Emmanuel Sanders. Antonio Brown. JuJu Smith-Schuster. And now ... Chase Claypool.For more than a decade, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been terrific at finding playmaking receivers in the draft without having to reach for one in the first round. It looks like they've done it again with Claypool. The second-round rookie torched the Philadelphia Eagles for four touchdowns - three receiving, one rushing - as Pittsburgh improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1979, a stat that seems hard to believe.Claypool had a TD taken away because of a phantom pass-interference call. He also had a circus catch wiped out after a review revealed his second foot came down on a defender rather than the ground. Whatever. He's proving to be another fast target for Ben Roethlisberger, who has now posted a passer rating of at least 98.7 in all four of his starts since coming back from elbow surgery.It’s still hard to know exactly how good the Steelers are, though. Their opponents have a combined record of 2-14-1.More Wentz struggles Justin K. Aller / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt might be time to seriously start worrying about Carson Wentz as the Eagles’ quarterback, though most of the Delaware Valley has undoubtedly been doing just that since Week 2 or so. But it's also more complicated than that.Wentz threw two more interceptions in Philadelphia's contest against the Steelers, though one came on a prayer in garbage time. He now has a league-high eight picks - more than he's thrown in any full season in his five-year career. He also was sacked five times and has now been dropped 19 times on the season. But the Eagles have a ton of injuries to both their offensive line and receiving corps. And even though head coach Doug Pederson has a well-earned reputation as a play-caller, the Eagles don't seem to be doing much to help their quarterback.Instead of utilizing lots of quick throws and screens, the Eagles often call plays that tend to leave Wentz sitting in the pocket and throwing downfield. Against a Steelers defense that blitzes more than any in the league, Wentz's average time to throw was 2.85 seconds; his average intended air yards of 13.6 is the highest total for any QB in Week 5 so far, according to Next Gen Stats. Wentz is certainly not playing well, but his personnel isn't great and his team isn't calling the plays to help him succeed.The Fitzcoaster rolls on Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyRyan Fitzpatrick's just going to keep doing this until he's eligible for Social Security, isn't he?Good Fitzpatrick showed up for the Miami Dolphins' road blowout of the San Francisco 49ers: He went 22-of-28 for 350 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 154.4 passer rating. It was his third game with a plus-100 rating this season.Bad Fitzpatrick showed up in the other two games, throwing for a combined zero touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 55.5. It's what he does, and he's been doing it for so long there's absolutely no telling how he'll fare next Sunday against the winless, sad-sack New York Jets.What happened to Jimmy G?The quarterback Fitzpatrick defeated, Jimmy Garoppolo, returned to the 49ers after missing two-and-a-half games because of a sprained ankle. Garoppolo was dreadful in the first half - he was 7-of-17 for 77 yards and two interceptions - and head coach Kyle Shanahan yanked him after halftime in favor of C.J. Beathard. Was it because of performance or injury?

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott underwent surgery Sunday after suffering a right ankle compound fracture and dislocation versus the New York Giants, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB.The procedure went "very well," a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.A devastated Prescott was carted off the field with tears in his eyes, and he was taken to the hospital for further evaluation. Longtime Cincinnati Bengals starter Andy Dalton replaced him.Prescott was injured while scrambling. His legs tangled with Giants defensive back Logan Ryan, whose knee came down hard on Prescott's ankle as he made the tackle.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones offered Dak Prescott his sympathy and support Sunday after the quarterback fractured and dislocated his ankle versus the New York Giants."We are all heartbroken for Dak and this very disappointing injury," Jones said in a statement. "The outpouring of messages that I have received regarding his setback speaks volumes to the respect and admiration that he has earned from his teammates, former Cowboys players, and Cowboys supporters everywhere."Prescott was enjoying another productive outing in Week 5 when his legs tangled with defensive back Logan Ryan, who landed on the quarterback's ankle at the end of a scramble.The passer immediately called to his sideline for the medical staff, and he was carted off the field with his foot out of place. He was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery."I know this young man very well," Jones continued. "I know the personal hardship and strife that he has faced, dealt with, and overcome in his young life."And I know no one is more prepared, from the perspective of mental and emotional toughness and determination, than Dak Prescott to respond and recover from this challenge that has been put in front of him."Prescott led the NFL with 1,690 passing yards through four games, and he had recorded nine touchdowns against three interceptions. The 27-year-old went 14-of-21 passing for 166 yards with an interception against the Giants before the injury.Veteran Andy Dalton relieved Prescott, helping the Cowboys defeat the Giants for their second win of the campaign.Jones called Prescott "an inspiration to everyone he touches." He added that the Cowboys have "no doubt" the signal-caller "will return to the position of leadership and purpose that he brings our team."Prescott is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the season. He agreed to play under the franchise tag in 2020 after failing to strike a long-term deal with the Cowboys over the offseason.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Atlanta Falcons have fired head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff following an 0-5 start to the season, the team announced Sunday.Quinn spent five-plus seasons roaming the sidelines for Atlanta, amassing a 43-42 record. Dimitroff ran the front office for over 12 years, building six playoff teams."Decisions like these are very difficult, but the previous two seasons and start to this one have been especially hard for me because of the deep love, admiration, and respect I and my family have for Dan, Thomas, and their families," said Falcons owner Arthur Blank."For many years, they have represented me, our team, organization, and Atlanta with class, commitment, and all the passion you would want in the leaders of the team. But as everyone knows, this is a results business and I owe it to our fans to put the best product we can on the field."We have poured every resource possible into winning and will continue to do so, but the results of late do not meet our standard or what I've promised our fans."Quinn led the Falcons to an appearance in Super Bowl LI in his second campaign. But Atlanta infamously blew a 28-3 lead in the second half against the New England Patriots, and the franchise has trended downward ever since.Though they returned to the postseason in 2017, the Falcons did so after winning fewer games and were bounced in the divisional round. They've played to a 14-23 record since 2018. Atlanta blew multiple double-digit leads in its five-game skid to start the 2020 campaign, evoking memories of its Super Bowl meltdown.Quinn was on the hot seat after starting last season 1-7, but a 6-2 finish bought him another chance to lift the Falcons back to contention."Our finish in 2019 earned an opportunity to show that momentum could be continued and built upon, but that has clearly not happened," Blank said. "And overall, the last three-plus seasons have fallen short of my commitment to Atlanta and to our fans everywhere."I want them all to know that my commitment to winning has not wavered and I will continue to provide every resource possible to that end."Quinn arrived in Atlanta with a strong defensive reputation after holding a coordinator job with the Seattle Seahawks, but the Falcons ranked in the top 15 in points allowed just once during his tenure.Longtime Falcons executive Rich McKay will lead the Falcons' front office on an interim basis. An interim head coach was not named immediately.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers replaced Jimmy Garoppolo with C.J. Beathard at halftime Sunday after the starter threw two interceptions against the Miami Dolphins in his first action since Week 2.San Francisco trailed 30-7 after two quarters."You could tell he was affected by his ankle," head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game, according to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. "I know he doesn't normally throw the ball that way, and he was struggling because of it."Garoppolo returned to the lineup after missing two games with an ankle injury and went 7-for-17 for 77 yards with the pair of picks. He was also sacked three times and fumbled once, though San Francisco recovered his loose ball.The 28-year-old threw for 390 yards and four touchdowns over his first two games of the season. He tossed for 3,978 yards with 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last season for the NFC champions.San Francisco came into the contest looking to bounce back from a 25-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4. Instead, the 49ers fell 43-17 and saw their record drop to 2-3."You're either getting better or you're getting worse, and if we don't get better, it's going to be a long season," Shanahan said, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones has suffered a biceps injury that will "probably" sideline him for the remainder of the season, head coach Kliff Kingsbury said after Sunday's game against the New York Jets, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.The team ruled Jones out of the game against the Jets in the second quarter due to the ailment. The two-time All-Pro defender hasn't missed a game since 2015.The 30-year-old racked up 19 sacks and a league-high eight forced fumbles in 2019. He's amassed at least 10 sacks in each of the last five seasons, and his 50 sacks since 2017 are the most in the NFL.Jones has recorded 10 tackles and one sack through the first four games this year.The three-time Pro Bowler played his first four NFL campaigns with the New England Patriots after they selected him in the first round in 2012.New England traded the Syracuse product to Arizona in 2016. He's currently playing on a five-year, $82.5-million contract he inked in 2017.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Houston Texans started the Romeo Crennel era on a good note, defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars for their first win of the season, and the new interim head coach decided to celebrate in style with a few dance moves after the game.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool scored four touchdowns, including the clincher with 2:59 remaining, and the Pittsburgh Steelers remained unbeaten with a 38-29 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.Claypool, a second-round pick from Notre Dame, raced down the slot, hauled in a dart from Ben Roethlisberger and went the rest of the 35 yards to the end zone as the Steelers improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1979.A native of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, Claypool finished with seven receptions for 110 yards and three scores and added a 2-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep. Claypool became the first Canadian-born NFL player with three receiving TDs in a game since Joe Rooney did it for the Duluth Eskimos on Oct. 23, 1927.Roethlisberger completed 27 of 34 passes for 239 yards and the three scores to Claypool. James Conner ran for 44 yards and a touchdown as the Steelers showed little rust despite having an unexpected bye week last Sunday after the NFL scheduled their trip to Tennessee while the Titans dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak.Carson Wentz threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns but was also picked off twice, both times by Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson. Miles Sanders ran for 80 yards and two scores in his return to his hometown. Travis Fulgham caught 10 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown to give Philadelphia’s injury-ravaged receiving group a needed boost, but the Eagles (1-3-1) couldn’t pull off a second straight road win.The Steelers scored on five straight possessions to take a 31-14 lead in the third quarter, but the Eagles stormed back behind Wentz, who connected with Greg Ward for an 8-yard touchdown pass and found Fulgham for a 4-yard score with 11:27 left.Philadelphia, which at one point converted 10 straight third downs, had a chance to take the lead following a fumble by Steelers tight end Eric Ebron but Jake Elliott’s 57-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right with 3:18 to go.Pittsburgh took over and a personal foul facemask by the Eagles pushed the Steelers into Philadelphia territory. Facing third-and-8 from the Philadelphia 35, Claypool lined up in the slot, zipped past Eagles linebacker Alex Singleton and sprinted into the end zone while the 4,708 fans allowed into Heinz Field erupted.Nelson picked off a desperation heave from Wentz to end Philadelphia’s next possession and the Steelers were unbeaten a quarter of the way through the season for the first time in 41 years. The 1979 team won the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl in six years. This group has work to do in what looks to be a stacked AFC, but they’ve avoided the early pratfalls that have plagued them in recent years.INURIESEagles: OL Lane Johnson was carted to the locker room in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Johnson has been dealing with a balky ankle all season and underwent a procedure last week to remove a cyst that had been bothering him. LB Duke Reily left in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury.Steelers: Lost Pro Bowl left guard David DeCastro in the first quarter with an abdominal injury. Rookie Kevin Dotson filled in. WR Diontae Johnson left with a back injury and did not return after a first-quarter punt return.UP NEXTEagles: Start a three-game homestand next Sunday against Baltimore.Steelers: Finish a stretch of four straight games at Heinz Field when they host Cleveland next Sunday. The AFC North rivals split in 2019, each team winning on its home field.___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFLCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints ruled out wide receiver Michael Thomas for their Monday Night Football contest against the Los Angeles Chargers for disciplinary reasons, the team announced on Sunday.His discipline is the result of an altercation with teammate and safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson at practice this weekend, sources told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Thomas reportedly punched Gardner-Johnson during the fight.The star wideout was sidelined during the Saints' previous three games due to an ankle injury, and he was listed as questionable on Saturday's injury report.Thomas suffered a high ankle sprain in New Orleans' season opener and hasn't suited up since. He was initially eyeing a Week 5 return. The All-Pro practiced all week on a limited basis.The Saints are 1-2 without Thomas this season. They defeated the Detroit Lions last week, ending their two-game skid.Thomas led the NFL with 149 catches and 1,725 receiving yards in 2019, and he added nine touchdowns.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders tormented Patrick Mahomes, recording three sacks and one interception, en route to ending the Chiefs' 13-game win streak which dates back to last season.More to come.Copyright © 2020 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 New Orleans Saints (-7.5, 50) haven't looked sharp through four games this year, but oddsmakers have faith as they play against the Los Angeles Chargers, who nearly upset the Chiefs and Buccaneers in recent weeks.Here are our favorite trends, props, and bets for Monday night.Betting trendsFew teams have struggled more as home favorites than the Saints, who are 4-10 against the spread in that spot dating back to late 2018. They've also gone 9-16 ATS in their last 25 games giving seven or more points, and they're 3-8 ATS in their last 11 on Monday night.Compare that to the Chargers, who are 17-9-2 ATS in their last 28 as road 'dogs and 16-8-2 ATS in their last 26 games when getting at least seven points. They're in a tough spot after a loss, though, having gone 3-7 ATS in their last 10 after a defeat.Sharps have targeted the under in this game, and the trends support it. Los Angeles is 13-7 to the under in its last 20 prime-time games and 9-4 in its last 13 on Monday night. New Orleans has gone over in all four games this year but is 11-3 to the under in its last 14 giving at least seven points.Player propsAlvin Kamara under 67.5 rushing yards (-112)This yardage total doesn't make a ton of sense. Kamara has reached this number just four times in his last 15 games while averaging 51.6 rushing yards during that span, and he's averaging fewer than 60 yards per contest this year.Los Angeles has allowed 315 rushing yards to opposing backs, tied for ninth-fewest, though its defense has been vulnerable to receiving backs this year. Expect the Saints to use Kamara in the passing game more than on the ground in this one.Justin Herbert over 260.5 passing yards (-112)Have oddsmakers been watching Herbert play? The Chargers rookie has thrown for at least 290 yards in each of his first three starts, with two of those coming against DVOA's No. 1 and No. 4 pass defense (the Chiefs and Buccaneers, respectively).Now Herbert will face a Saints defense that has allowed at least 261 passing yards in two of the last three games. Los Angeles' backfield is banged up, which will put more pressure on Herbert to win Monday's game with his arm.Best betChargers +7.5New Orleans hasn't looked right without Michael Thomas, who will miss his fourth straight game Monday. Meanwhile, the Chargers' offense has looked sharp in two of Herbert's three starts, and their secondary is talented enough to shut down a Thomas-less Saints offense. Expect Los Angeles to keep this one within the number, if not threaten an outright win.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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs-Buffalo Bills game is rescheduled to Monday night from Thursday in Week 6 as part of a host of schedule changes made in response to ongoing COVID-19 issues around the NFL, the league announced Sunday.The Denver Broncos-New England Patriots contest is moved from Week 5 to Week 6, as reported earlier in the day, causing a rescheduling domino effect that includes games involving the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Atlanta Falcons officially ruled out wide receiver Julio Jones for Sunday's matchup against the Carolina Panthers due to a hamstring injury.The Falcons receiver also missed Week 3 due to the ailment and returned briefly in Week 4 before reaggravating the injury.The 31-year-old receiver has caught 15 passes for 213 yards through three games this year.Quarterback Matt Ryan will likely turn to receivers Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage in Jones' absence.Ridley leads the team with 349 receiving yards while Gage has contributed 208 receiving yards.Atlanta will also be without running back Qadree Ollison and safety Jaylinn Hawkins. The team will be aided by cornerback AJ Terrell's return after spending the last two weeks on the team's COVID-19 list. Terrell, a first-round pick, started the first two games of the year for the Falcons.The 0-4 Falcons are searching for their first victory of the season Sunday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is moving the New England Patriots' game on Monday against the Denver Broncos to next Sunday after COVID-19 tests revealed an additional positive result in the Patriots organization, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.While the Patriots initially had a bye in Week 6, Denver was scheduled to play the Miami Dolphins. That contest will be rescheduled as a result, per Schefter. Both teams' byes will now take place this week.The league announced that Monday's contest would be postponed but have yet to confirm the new date officially."The decision was made to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches, and game day personnel and in consultation with medical experts," the NFL said in a statement.New England's facility was shut down Sunday morning following its fourth positive test in the last eight days. Defensive tackle Byron Cowart is the latest player to test positive, sources told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.Bill Belichick's squad held a walkthrough practice Saturday after working remotely Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday following positive test results from cornerback Stephon Gilmore and practice squad defensive tackle Bill Murray.On Oct. 3, starting quarterback Cam Newton became the first Patriots player to test positive for COVID-19 this season. He missed the team's Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and his COVID-19 result required additional testing that led the NFL to push that game back from Sunday to Monday.This is the second time the New England-Denver game has been rescheduled. It was initially slated for Sunday before getting moved to Monday due to coronavirus concerns on the Patriots side.The Broncos' bye was initially set for Week 8 prior to the postponement. Miami's was scheduled for Week 11.Copyright © 2020 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 the winner of FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019, marking the seventh time he's placed in the top 10. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 5.Half PPR

The Tennessee Titans closed their facility Sunday after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced, per ESPN's Turron Davenport."This morning we learned that a staff member tested positive. We have temporarily closed our facility and are in communication with the league on the next steps," the Titans said in a statement.Tennessee - which is currently slated to play the Buffalo Bills in a rescheduled game Tuesday - reopened its facility and returned to practice Saturday after consecutive days without a positive test.The Titans' Week 4 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers was pushed back to Week 7 as a response to the AFC South club's outbreak, which now includes 24 positives since Sept. 24.The NFL and the players' union are reportedly investigating multiple unauthorized workouts involving Titans players while their team facility was closed.Head coach Mike Vrabel insisted Saturday that his team was being "completely transparent" with the joint inquiry, while quarterback Ryan Tannehill said it's "easy to jump to conclusions" about Tennessee's culpability.The New England Patriots were also reportedly forced to shut down their facility again Sunday after a new positive test. New England had reopened its facility Saturday as well.The NFL still apparently plans for the Patriots' rescheduled game against the Denver Broncos to go ahead on Monday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers are slowly getting back to full health, as running back Raheem Mostert "should be good" to play Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Mostert has missed the past two games due to an MCL sprain he suffered in Week 2.The 28-year-old is currently averaging 6.4 yards per carry to go along with two touchdowns.Jerick McKinnon was handling the majority of San Francisco's backfield touches in Mostert's absence. McKinnon's racked up 193 yards on the ground with four total scores in 2020.Additionally, Jimmy Garoppolo will return to the 49ers' lineup in Week 5, while wide receiver Deebo Samuel is likely to be active after battling an illness this week. Tevin Coleman remains sidelined with a knee injury.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL shut down the New England Patriots' facility Sunday morning after COVID-19 tests revealed an additional positive result in the organization, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.It's a fourth positive test in the last eight days for the Patriots, and the third shutdown of the team facility in the last 10 days, according to Schefter. The result throws the status of the Patriots' Week 5 game vs. the Denver Broncos - scheduled to be played Monday at 5 p.m. ET - into question.The Patriots re-opened their facility and held a walkthrough practice on Saturday after having worked remotely on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday following positive test results from cornerback Stephon Gilmore and practice squad defensive tackle Bill Murray.The NFL plans to move ahead with Monday's game pending further testing, Schefter adds. That contest was initially scheduled for Sunday's slate, but pushed back a day due to factors related to Gilmore and Murray's test results.On Oct. 3, starting quarterback Cam Newton became the first Patriots player to test positive for COVID-19 this season. He missed the team's Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and his test result required additional testing that led the NFL to push that game back from Sunday to Monday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones will be a pregame decision for Sunday's contest against the Carolina Panthers, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Jones didn't practice this week after aggravating his hamstring injury against the Green Bay Packers in Week 4.The 31-year-old, who previously missed only one game from 2017 to 2019, was sidelined during the Falcons' Week 3 matchup versus the Chicago Bears because of the same issue.The seven-time Pro Bowler's racked up 15 receptions for 213 yards through three appearances this season.If Jones is sidelined again, Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage are expected to carry the load for the Falcons at wide receiver.Atlanta enters Sunday hoping to avoid its first 0-5 start since the 1997 season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A Chicago Bears practice squad player and a Kansas City Chiefs strength coach have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Contact tracing is currently ongoing, Schefter adds.The Bears facility has been closed since Thursday night when they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Practice squad players can't be on the sideline during games since they aren't on the active roster.This will be the Chiefs' first positive result since practice squad quarterback Jordan Ta'amu tested positive a week prior.The Chiefs are set to take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Football Team is set to receive a major defensive boost in Week 5.Rookie defensive end Chase Young is expected to return to Washington's lineup for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams barring a last-minute setback, a source told John Keim of ESPN.Young suffered a groin injury against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 and missed last week's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. He was listed as questionable on Washington's injury report Friday.The No. 2 pick was off to a hot start before the injury, registering 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble through his first two full games.Washington's pass rush is one of the league's best and has amassed 14 sacks so far this season, ranking fourth in the NFL.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty is witnessing firsthand how the NFL is navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic, and he doesn't believe the league or players' association are truly looking out for the players."Between the players, the coaches, the administration, the staff, it's up to us to kind of take care of one another to make sure physically we are all set, make sure mentally, because I think outside of here, the people that don't have to walk in our building, whether it's the league office, whether it's the NFLPA, they don't care," McCourty said, according to NFL Network's Mike Giardi.The veteran continued to take heavy blows against the NFL, claiming the league is more concerned with what looks good on paper rather than what's best for the players."For them, it's not about what's in our best interest, our health and safety, it's what can we make protocol-wise that sounds good, looks good, and how can we go out there and play games," McCourty said.The Patriots recently returned three positive COVID-19 tests, namely Cam Newton, Stephon Gilmore, and practice squad member Bill Murray.New England's Week 5 game against the Denver Broncos was moved from Sunday to Monday as a result of the positive cases. The rescheduling gives the Patriots little time to get ready, as the team facility only reopened Saturday. McCourty bemoaned his team's inability to adequately prepare due to the facility's shutdown."It's definitely been frustrating. The one thing we're accustomed to as players is we become routine-oriented," he added.New England's Week 4 game against the Kansas City Chiefs was also rescheduled due to COVID-19 concerns.Copyright © 2020 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.We went 3-0 on player props last weekend. Let's aim for more of the same.Here are the bets I'd recommend for Sunday's Week 5 slate.Deshaun Watson over 290.5 passing yardsTalk about a get-right spot for the Texans. Out goes head coach Bill O'Brien, and in come the Jaguars, who have allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete upward of 75% of their passes this season.Watson has improved as the season has progressed and may very well shatter the scoreboard all by himself Sunday.WeekOpponentPassing YardsTDQBR1KC253284.52BAL275189.53PIT2642110.74MIN3002110.7Justin Jefferson over 67.5 receiving yardsI told bettors to hop aboard the Jefferson train last weekend. It looks like we're staying on the bandwagon for at least one more game.Jefferson and the Vikings get a Seahawks defense that's allowing a league-high 401 yards per game. Seattle's also the worst in the league at allowing fantasy points to slot receivers, where the LSU product has lined up more than 38% of the time this year.Ride the hot hand in Jefferson, who's combined for 11 catches and 278 over the last two games.Mike Gesicki under 33.5 receiving yardsGesicki's caught one pass for 15 yards in each of his last two contests. Expect his struggles to continue in Week 5.Pretty simple handicap with this one: Although the Dolphins will likely be throwing a ton as 10-point underdogs, the 49ers are arguably the best in the NFL at covering tight ends.Gardner Minshew over 275.5 passing yardsMinshew's had to chuck his way out of plenty of games early in his NFL career, and he'll likely have to again against the Texans as a six-point 'dog.The Jaguars' offense has some juice, and it could get better as the season progresses given how young the skill corps is. Jacksonville quietly ranks No. 11 in the league in explosive play rate, while Houston's defense ranks No. 21 in explosive pass rate allowed.The market's expecting a high-scoring game, with the total hovering around 54. If this one turns into a track meet, Minshew Mania is guaranteed to be a factor.DK Metcalf longest reception over 25.5Metcalf's a physical receiver who can consistently win down the field. He's averaging a gaudy 25.2 yards per reception and has a long of at least 37 in all four games this season.The second-year wideout will continue cooking against an inexperienced Vikings secondary that is allowing a league-high 12.4 yards per completion.(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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets activated Le'Veon Bell from injured reserve Saturday, paving the way for the running back to return for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, the team announced.The return of Bell - who was sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 1 - comes at a fortunate time for the winless Jets. Quarterback Sam Darnold will miss Week 5 due to a shoulder sprain, with Joe Flacco set to start instead.Bell struggled in the season opener before the injury, rushing for just 14 yards on six carries in a loss to the Buffalo Bills.But Jets head coach Adam Gase said this week he's confident Bell can bounce back after his IR stint."I think he can be pretty effective," Gase said. "He did a good job of, one, getting healthy and then staying in good shape. (He) did a good job making sure that he maintained where his weight was ... I think he feels even better now than he did when we kind of hit that first game."New York relied heavily on 37-year-old Frank Gore in Bell's absence, but the veteran has averaged only 3.1 yards per rush.The Jets' entire offense has struggled, ranking among the league's worst in scoring (16.2 points per game, 31st), passing yards (179.5 yards per game, 32nd), and rushing yards (98.5 yards per game, 26th).Bell's first season in New York last season was a major disappointment. The former All-Pro finished with 789 yards and three touchdowns on the ground but promised this offseason to return to form in 2020.Copyright © 2020 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.Before you make your NFL bets this weekend, it's worth knowing which side other bettors are backing - especially on games drawing sharp action.We talked to Craig Sasamura, Bet.Works' head of trading, to see how sharps and public bettors are playing a busy Week 5 slate.Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-1.5, 54)After four straight losses in embarrassing fashion, the Falcons have become the biggest target for bettors to fade in Week 5.Wiseguys are lining up on the Panthers, who opened as 3.5-point underdogs but are getting just 1.5 points as of Saturday. Sharps also bought their moneyline down from +155 to -105, and they've laid 10 times as much money on Carolina against the spread with a 3-to-1 advantage in bet slips for the road 'dog."We’re really going to need the Falcons there," Sasamura said.New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-8.5, 54)Somewhat surprisingly, sharps are also backing the Cowboys this week after a lackluster performance in each of their last four games.Dallas is pulling 20 times as much money ATS despite drawing just 60% of tickets entering the weekend. Curiously, the line actually moved against the Cowboys, who opened as 9-point favorites and briefly touched -10 before some buy-back on the Giants.The key number could have played a role in some of that offsetting money, as well as the announcement that star tackle Tyron Smith will miss the rest of the season with a neck injury. That news came out Friday, right before the line moved against Dallas.“That may have played a factor in them taking back a little bit," Sasamura said.Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (-12, 55.5)Four weeks of high totals and record scoring have many bettors blindly betting the over heading into Week 5. But one contest is drawing plenty of attention from under bettors even with two high-powered offenses in play.The Chiefs-Raiders game opened at 59.5, which was the highest number on the board and would have been one of the highest totals in NFL history. Sharps immediately pounced, betting it at every interval from 59.5 down to 55.5."If there is a key number in totals, 56 is about as key of a number as you can get," Sasamura. "And they still went under."The under drew five times as many tickets and 10 times as much money heading into the weekend, though Sasamura didn't expect it to drop any lower than 55.5.“At some point, they’ve got to think about buying back on the over," he said.Los Angeles Chargers at New Orleans Saints (-7.5, 51)Another notable total this week is on Monday night, where the under is again the flavor of choice on a high total.The Saints have gone over in all four games this year and scored a season-high 35 points last week without Michael Thomas, who's still uncertain to play Monday night. The Chargers are 3-1 to the under this season, though they blew last week's total out of the water in a shootout with the Buccaneers.Still, under bettors eye opportunity this week on this number, which would be Los Angeles' highest total in a game since 2018. Bettors went under on 52.5 and 52 with a 3-to-1 advantage in tickets and money, and this total could dip even more if those trends continue into Monday.(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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tennessee Titans appear to be through the worst of their COVID-19 crisis, as the team returned to its facility and resumed practice Saturday after again recording no new positives.Head coach Mike Vrabel addressed the NFL and union's investigation into multiple unauthorized workouts involving Titans players when their facility was closed, insisting his team has nothing to hide."With all questions that are going to relate to the review - we've been completely transparent with the NFL/NFLPA, and we're going to wait to comment," said Vrabel, according to Erik Bacharach of the Tennesseean.Vrabel added every Titans player and coach has spoken with investigators. The head coach said he hadn't been told when to expect a ruling from the joint inquiry.A group of players reportedly held a workout on Sept. 30 despite a directive from the NFL banning such gatherings.The Titans could face a loss of draft picks, suspensions, and/or fines if found to have broken the league's health and safety protocols.

The Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots reopened their facilities and resumed practicing Saturday after both teams recorded no new positives in the latest round of COVID-19 testing Friday, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.The results mean the Titans' game against the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday and the Patriots' contest against the Denver Broncos on Monday remain on track to be played as scheduled.Both games were moved as a result of the teams' COVID-19 issues.Tennessee's outbreak stands at 23 players and personnel since Sept. 24. The league and players' union are reportedly investigating multiple unauthorized workouts involving Titans players while their team facility was closed.Quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Stephon Gilmore were among the three Patriots players testing positive for the coronavirus.Head coach Bill Belichick said Saturday it's still unclear if Newton - who sat out Week 4 - and Gilmore will play against the Broncos.

A rundown of the best games and most interesting trends to watch for in Week 5 of the NFL. All times Eastern.COVID-19 continues to set its uncertain termsAnother day, another NFL news cycle dominated by positive test results, negative test results, postponed games, the possibility of postponed games, and lots of uncertainty about where this is all headed.To be clear: Once it decided to press forward as scheduled, with full travel and no bubble, the league knew it would have to adjust to shifting circumstances. The spread of the coronavirus was always part of the game plan. What's less certain - as any parent of a school-aged child well understands - is how disruptive COVID-19 is going to be.The league lucked out when it had to postpone last week's Steelers-Titans game. It was easy to move the game to Week 7 - the Titans' scheduled bye - by pushing a Steelers-Ravens game to Week 8, when both teams had their original byes. The Titans apparently violated the league's protocols, but it was the Steelers who were punished by having a midseason bye unexpectedly moved to Week 4. Pittsburgh must now face the Titans, Ravens, and Cowboys on the road in consecutive weeks. No one said this would be fair.Similarly, the NFL managed to knock a pair of Patriots games back a day, shift the Bills-Titans game to Tuesday, and toss next Thursday's Chiefs-Bills contest to Saturday. But at some point, it will likely become too difficult to simply spackle the holes in all of these game dates. Canceling games is likely not an option - there's just too much television money at stake - but adding weeks or delaying the postseason is always a possibility. Super Bowl in the springtime, anyone?There are too many variables at play for anyone to know how this might go. The virus' incubation period can last up to 14 days, which means a person who tests negative today could test positive tomorrow or even several days from now, depending on when they might have been exposed and the viral load they've accumulated. This explains what happened in recent days to Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore. But it also reveals how quickly a single positive test result can potentially lead to an unforeseen outbreak, which can wreak all sorts of havoc.

The New York Jets will face the Arizona Cardinals as scheduled Sunday after COVID-19 tests from all players and staff returned negative, the team announced in a statement.The Jets incurred a virus scare Friday morning after learning one player had a presumptive positive test. Along with the rest of the club, the player was retested. The Jets sent their team home and worked virtually while awaiting the latest round of results."This evening, we received negative PCR COVID-19 test results for all players, coaches, and personnel," the Jets said. "Following a presumptive positive COVID-19 test and out of an abundance of caution to ensure everyone's health and safety, we sent all players and personnel home this morning."We also initiated all NFL-mandated protocols including player isolation, subsequent testing, and contact tracing. As we have thus far, we will continue to follow (the) required health and safety protocols in the best interests of our coaches, players, staff, and community. We look forward to our game this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals."The Cardinals departed for New York late Friday afternoon before the status of the game was settled.The NFL has had to combat a number of virus-related situations within the last two weeks. In Week 4, the league had to delay the New England Patriots-Kansas City Chiefs game, while the Tennessee Titans had their contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers postponed to Week 7 due to a larger outbreak. The Patriots also had their Week 5 matchup with the Denver Broncos pushed back one day following more positive tests.Copyright © 2020 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.I went 2-0-1 last week in my NFL best bets debut, and the two wins weren't particularly close. Here are our best bets for Week 5:Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (-6, 54.5)I pounced on the Jaguars +6.5 when it was first released early this week. Since then, the Texans have fired their head coach and promoted Romeo Crennel, who is 7-16 against the spread in his last 23 games and presided over the league's sixth-worst scoring defense through the first four contests.And yet, this line miraculously stayed at 6.5 all week before shorting to 6 on Friday, even though the Jaguars might actually be the better team. They rank higher than the Texans in DVOA (No. 15 to No. 21) and PFF grades (No. 17 to No. 23), and while Houston has played a tougher schedule, it hasn't looked particularly impressive doing so.Teams introducing a new coach midseason are 13-23 ATS over the last 20 years; the Texans will be fortunate to win this one outright.Pick: Jaguars +6Los Angeles Chargers at New Orleans Saints (-7.5, 51)The Saints are easily my favorite team to fade on a week-to-week basis. They were outplayed by the Buccaneers in Week 1 outside of two big plays in their favor, and they subsequently lost two straight as favorites before needing to erase a 14-point deficit against a lackluster Lions team.Now New Orleans faces a surging Chargers squad that nearly beat the Bucs and Chiefs outright and have looked sharp with Justin Herbert at the helm. The Saints have had one of the least-reliable secondaries through four weeks, and their offense looked lost before exploding on a Detroit defense even worse than their own.It's hard to imagine New Orleans' offense mustering enough firepower to win by more than a touchdown if Michael Thomas misses another week. And even if he plays, this Chargers secondary is equipped to stop him, and their offense should provide just enough to stay within this number.Pick: Chargers +7.5Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks (-7, 57)If you aren't targeting at least one high total for your betting portfolio each week, you're missing out. Since 2019, the over is 12-5-4 when the total is at least 53, and totals of at least 57 have gone 21-8-1 to the over since 2000.This week, I'm targeting the sky-high total for the Seahawks, who are 21-9-1 to the over in their last 31 games and 10-2-1 in their last 13 with a total of 49 or more. Their offense has dropped 31 points or more in all four contests this season, and their historically bad secondary will be without Jamal Adams on Sunday.The Vikings' pass defense hasn't been much better, though their offense has come alive with consecutive showings of at least 30 points. Expect fireworks between these two in prime time.Pick: Over 57(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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will start against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, the team announced Friday.Garoppolo, 28, has missed the team's past two contests after suffering a high ankle sprain against the New York Jets in Week 2. The quarterback returned to practice Wednesday."He did a good job," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Garoppolo's efforts in practice this week, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "Each day it got better, never felt too sore the next day, so we needed to hear that today and see him out there today and we feel good to go and he'll be starting Sunday."The quarterback said his ankle was "feeling really good," according to The Athletic's David Lombardi.Nick Mullens filled in during Garoppolo's absence, leading the 49ers to a 1-1 record. San Francisco benched Mullens in favor of C.J. Beathard late in its Week 4 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. Beathard will serve as Garoppolo's backup Sunday.Garoppolo has passed for 390 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions through two games in his seventh NFL season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets sent all players and staff home from the team facility Friday after a presumptive positive COVID-19 test from a player, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The unnamed player has been re-tested to determine if it's a false positive, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini, and results should be revealed later in the day.New York will work virtually on Friday, and its Week 5 game against the Arizona Cardinals doesn't appear to be in jeopardy yet, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports. The Jets remain confident COVID-19 protocols were followed despite the test.The Cardinals gathered at the airport late Friday afternoon for their scheduled flight despite the unsettled status of the game, reports Cimini.After a smooth start to the 2020 campaign, the NFL has faced multiple virus-related situations over the last two weeks. An outbreak on the Tennessee Titans forced the league to move their Week 4 game to Week 7, and this Sunday's matchup to Tuesday, pending further test results.Three New England Patriots players - including Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore - also tested positive recently.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera maintained Friday he still believes in Dwayne Haskins despite demoting him to third-string quarterback."By no means have I given up on him," Rivera told reporters, according to ESPN's John Keim.Haskins struggled over his first four starts of the season, leading Rivera to bench the 15th overall pick from 2019. Kyle Allen, a former undrafted free agent who played for Rivera with the Carolina Panthers, will take over in the huddle, while Alex Smith will serve as the No. 2 quarterback.Rivera announced the change at the beginning of Week 5, attributing the switch to an opportunity to contend in the weak NFC East. Despite its 1-3 record, Washington sits second in the standings behind the 1-2-1 Philadelphia Eagles."A big part of it is watching and studying," Rivera said of Haskins. "Like today, he was back there behind the quarterback watching the reps, looking downfield. Just being involved, staying connected, which is important … I've told you guys the only reason I'm doing what I'm doing is because of the circumstances and the situation we're in right now."Rivera added he favored Allen's familiarity with offensive coordinator Scott Turner since Haskins didn't have a traditional offseason to absorb the new system."There are things Dwayne was still learning to do that Kyle knows in terms of communicating with the offensive line," he said. "It's something as we go through this and progress, Dwayne will learn and see how these things are done."Haskins completed 61% of his passes for 939 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions over the first quarter of the schedule. His passer rating of 80.3 was only better than Jeff Driskel, Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Carson Wentz.As a rookie, Haskins completed 58.6% of his throws for 1,365 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions over parts of nine games. He registered a passer rating of 76.1.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to practice on Friday after missing the last two days with a knee injury.Jackson wasn't wearing a brace and didn't look limited on the field, according to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec.The reigning MVP declared himself "100%" ahead of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard and starting offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo have been ruled out for Sunday's contest against the Cleveland Browns, the team announced Friday.Leonard suffered a groin injury in the second quarter of the Colts' Week 4 clash with the Chicago Bears. The third-year pro has tallied 27 tackles and two tackles for loss through four games.With Castonzo out, head coach Frank Reich expects Le'Raven Clark to fill in for the stalwart left tackle."Excited to see Le'Raven play," Reich said, according to Mike Chappell of Fox 59. "We think he's going to play well."Castonzo has started 136 contests during his career. The offensive lineman's streak of consecutive games played - including the playoffs - will end at 22.The Colts enter Sunday's game sitting second in the AFC South with a 3-1 record.Copyright © 2020 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.We lost the San Francisco 49ers leg of our teaser last week - cheers, Nick Mullens - so we're out for blood in Week 5.Here's what we've got for this weekend.Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta FalconsLine: Panthers +2.5Teaser line: Panthers +8.5These NFC South rivals entered the season with vastly differing public expectations, and everything we've seen from each thus far has gone against the grain. The Panthers are rolling on both sides of the ball, winning two in a row, while the Falcons are still putting up a goose egg in the win column.Atlanta's offense has been maddening, running more often than 30 other teams on first and second down despite all of its pass-catching weapons. Matt Ryan has been pedestrian, and Dan Quinn's coaching leaves plenty to be desired. It's fair to say Quinn's days are numbered in Atlanta, and his players appear to have thrown in the towel.Matt Rhule, meanwhile, has done an immaculate job early in his first year with the Panthers. Teddy Bridgewater is on pace for 4,588 yards, which would crush his previous career high of 3,231. Robby Anderson looks like the player the New York Jets always longed for him to be, and Mike Davis continues to adequately fill the enormous shoes of the injured Christian McCaffrey. The Falcons have allowed opposing running backs to record 35 catches for 249 yards and three touchdowns through four weeks, and there's little the Panthers love more than targeting their running backs, which means Davis should eat on Sunday.Yetur Gross-Matos and Derrick Brown have transformed Carolina's defensive front and will do their part to disrupt Ryan, who will likely be without Julio Jones.Los Angeles Chargers @ New Orleans SaintsLine: Saints -7.5Teaser line: Saints -1.5While the Chargers are being ravaged by injuries, the Saints are only getting healthier. Austin Ekeler and Mike Williams joined a long list of injured Chargers, making life increasingly difficult on rookie Justin Herbert. The Saints, meanwhile, had Michael Thomas, Jared Cook, Marshon Lattimore, Andrus Peat, and Marcus Davenport back at practice in a limited capacity Thursday, with some - if not all - trending toward returning this week.Despite virtually no contribution from Thomas yet this season, the Saints still rank 11th in the NFL in yards per play. The Chargers are 18th in yards allowed per day at 5.7, but they're trending in the wrong direction after giving up 6.6 in Week 4's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Herbert is playing well, but this is a tough ask against a Saints team that looks to be turning a corner. He'll have to play above his head to give Los Angeles a chance, and though it's possible he's able to do enough to cover the spread, we feel comfortable getting the Saints at -1.5. New Orleans, with all of its weapons on offense and key contributors back in the lineup, will have too much for a Chargers team that has lost five in a row on Monday night.Full teaser: Panthers +8.5, Saints -1.5 ($110 to win $100)(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brett Favre has high expectations for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.The Hall of Famer praised Allen during a recent appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio, describing him as a "tremendous talent" who could one day reach Tom Brady's level."His time is now and I think it's going to be for quite a while," Favre said. "I think Josh Allen will be the new Tom Brady, at some point, he will be running the division. I believe that."

Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith will miss the remainder of the season due to a neck injury that will require surgery, head coach Mike McCarthy announced Friday, per NFL Network's Mike Garaolo.Smith played in Week 1 before missing two games due to the injury. He returned in Week 4 against the Cleveland Browns and played 100% of the snaps, but apparently suffered a setback.The Cowboys' offensive line has already been ravaged by injuries.Right tackle La'el Collins is out of the year with a hip injury, while center Joe Looney - who replaced the retired Travis Frederick this offseason - is set for a multi-week absence due to an MCL sprain.Star guard Zack Martin will be the lone holdover from when the unit was considered among the league's best:

The Tennessee Titans returned all negatives from Thursday's round of COVID-19 testing after two straight days with at least one new positive, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Tennessee's Week 5 game against the Buffalo Bills was moved from Sunday to Tuesday amid the former's recent outbreak, and the matchup remains on track to be played following Friday's results. The Titans can return to practice Saturday if no more players test positive, Pelissero adds.The New England Patriots also returned zero positive tests from Thursday's round but will continue to work virtually on Friday as a precaution, according to Pelissero.New England's Week 5 tilt with the Denver Broncos was also moved after three players, including Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore, tested positive for COVID-19. The two teams will meet Monday at 5 p.m. ET instead of Sunday afternoon.The Titans' outbreak last week forced the club's facility to be closed and the NFL to postpone Tennessee's Week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.The league and players' union are reportedly investigating multiple unauthorized workouts involving Titans players, who currently aren't allowed to enter the team's facility under the league's COVID-19 protocols.The Kansas City Chiefs, who played New England on Monday, returned all negative tests on Friday, a source told Pelissero. The defending Super Bowl champions' Week 6 game against the Bills will reportedly be moved from next Thursday to Sunday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady didn't confirm whether he lost track of the downs late in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 20-19 loss to the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football.The legendary quarterback did say that during the pivotal final play, he should have been trying to just move the chains instead of looking deep."I knew we needed a chunk," Brady said, according to Grace Remington of CBS. "I was thinking about more yardage. It's just execution. We had a great opportunity there, just didn't execute.""We were up against the clock," he added. "I knew we needed a chunk. I should have been thinking more first down instead of chunk."The Buccaneers were down by one at their 25-yard line with 1:13 left, but they converted just one first down before giving the ball back to the Bears on a turnover on downs.On Tampa Bay's last play of the night - an unsuccessful fourth-and-6 pass attempt - Brady appeared to think his incompletion actually came on third down.