The warrant for Odell Beckham Jr.'s arrest has been rescinded, the New Orleans Police Department confirmed to Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal, after the security officer who reported that Beckham slapped his butt at the Superdome decided he did not want to press charges.The 48-year-old lieutenant indicated earlier this week that he wanted the Cleveland Browns receiver to be charged for his actions in the aftermath of LSU winning the national title. By Friday evening, however, sources told NOLA.com's Ramon Antonio Vargas and John Simerman that the officer had signed an affidavit stating he did not wish to press charges."The security officer involved does not wish to pursue charges in this matter. The legal matter has been resolved," Beckham's lawyer, Daniel Davillier, said in a statement obtained by Vargas and Simerman on Saturday.While the Tigers celebrated in their locker room Monday night, Beckham appeared to give a police officer a butt slap while the officer tried to enforce the venue's no-smoking policy.The NOPD issued an arrest warrant for the player on a charge of simple battery Thursday morning after a judge rejected the initial application for a charge of misdemeanor sexual battery.It's possible Beckham could still be subject to discipline under the NFL's personal conduct policy. In a statement to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, the league said it has "been monitoring the situation" but declined to comment further.Beckham, 27, was also part of another controversy during LSU's postgame celebration when he gave cash to Tigers players. While it's still unclear whether the money he handed out was real or fake, the school announced Wednesday that it had contacted the NCAA and SEC about the incident.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark has an unpopular opinion about Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry."He's not hard to hit. He's just a big guy," Clark said, according to NFL Network's "Good Morning Football." "240, 250, 260 (pounds) - honestly, he should be running harder at his weight and at his size. I don't see no difficulty tackling him. ..."He's just easy to me up front because I don't look at any running back like they can't be tackled. He's not one of the best guys at breaking tackles to me, honestly."Henry has taken the NFL by storm recently. The 26-year-old amassed 959 yards and 11 touchdowns in 152 carries through the final seven games of the regular season before rushing for the most yards in any two-game span in playoff history (377) against the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens.Henry has gained 1,567 yards after contact (including postseason games), the most in a single season since 2006, per PFF.Clark, meanwhile, has been a key piece of the Chiefs' emerging defensive unit. He closed 2019 with four sacks and one forced fumble in the final seven games of the year and recorded three sacks in the divisional round against the Houston Texans.Kansas City has allowed an average of 13.8 points per game since the team's bye in Week 13. Over the entire regular season, the Chiefs averaged 19.2 points and 349.6 yards allowed per tilt, which ranked seventh and 17th in the league, respectively.The AFC West club conceded 128.2 rushing yards per contest, seventh-worst in the NFL.The Chiefs and Titans met in Week 10. Henry rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns to help Tennessee clinch a 35-32 home victory.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

"Is the Rooney Rule still relevant?"So asked a headline in Sports Illustrated responding to a hiring cycle in which several NFL teams selected white head coaches and at least one white general manager for open positions. Teams seem to have found a way around the Rooney Rule, which was designed to widen the applicant pool for the league's coaches and GMs by mandating a job interview for at least one candidate of color.That Sports Illustrated headline, by the way, was published in January 2010.Ten years on, despite a stretch of some noticeable progress, not much has changed. Across the 32-team league, just four head coaches and one GM are racial minorities. Only one of this year's five head-coach openings went to a person of color, a year after a single racial minority was hired among eight available jobs.In a statement issued this week, the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which advocates for diversity in the NFL, called the league's most recent hiring cycle "a blemish on the National Football League" that resulted from "a flawed system."The statement cited statistics from the 2019 NFL Racial and Gender Report Card issued by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida. The report card noted that although 70.1% of the league's players aren't white, there are far too few people of color in leadership roles."Even when we have incremental gains, they're not sustainable," Rod Graves, the alliance's executive director, told me. "That's what we've learned over the last five years or so."The NFL is fond of positioning itself as a meritocracy. Winning is the bottom line, and a desire to win must be the primary factor in major hiring decisions - or so goes the thinking. As a result, jobs must always go to the best, most qualified candidates. But it's rarely that simple. A number of deep-seated, structural problems are at work, from unconscious bias to straight-up cronyism.There are too many examples in which team decision-makers hire relatives or friends for coaching or executive roles, or in which someone gets a foot in the door somewhere because of familial or friendly ties. Likewise, there are too many examples of retreads getting chance after chance because of some relationship with someone who might have a say in hiring.Take Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, last season's head coaching wunderkind. Sure, McVay has proved to be an innovator with the chops to succeed as an NFL head coach. But it was no doubt easier for him to get his start in the league - if not also to advance up the ladder - because he's the grandson of John McVay, a former San Francisco 49ers executive who worked directly with Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh.It's not just McVay. Scott Turner, Brian Schottenheimer, Nate Carroll, Brian Callahan, Brandon Fisher, Stephen Belichick, Blake Williams, Adam Zimmer, Mike Nolan, Ken Zampese, Britt Reid - all are coaching assistants who no doubt owe their opportunities to being a son of a current or former head coach. The same is even true of Kyle Shanahan, who has the 49ers one step away from a Super Bowl appearance. And that's just a partial list.Ron Rivera, a Hispanic coach who recently landed the head job in Washington after being fired by the Carolina Panthers in early December, put together a staff that includes at least four people with legacy ties to past or present coaches:

LSU is unlikely to face significant NCAA penalties after some players appeared to accept cash from Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. following the College Football Playoff National Championship, two compliance experts told CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd.The university initially wasn't sure whether the money Beckham gave players after they won Monday's game was real. LSU said Wednesday that it had contacted the NCAA and SEC in order to address the situation.Quarterback Joe Burrow suggested Wednesday that the bills were real."My takeaway is that they were celebrating and having fun," former NCAA enforcement official Tim Nevius told Dodd. "This is overly scrutinized despite the fact it could potentially be a rules violation. But it is unlikely to impact anyone's eligibility because the guys who accepted the money are leaving."And any underclassmen who got money, there is a threshold that will require them to repay the money that would not likely result in a suspension."Brian Battle, a former Florida State and FAU compliance official, said he agreed with Nevius.Beckham, one of several former Tigers who attended the game, was seen putting cash in players' hands on the field and later joined the team in the locker room to continue the celebration.LSU compliance and the NCAA will continue to investigate the situation.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Even though Ryan Tannehill accumulated just 160 passing yards through his first two postseason contests this year, the Kansas City Chiefs aren't underestimating the Tennessee Titans quarterback ahead of their AFC Championship Game matchup on Sunday."(The Titans have) one of the top offenses in the National Football League since (Tannehill's) been in there," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters, according to NFL.com's Grant Gordon. "Everybody talks about the run game, but this guy can sling it. He's got some good guys to do it, too. He's playing good football. Smart kid."Tannehill has taken a back seat to running back Derrick Henry during the Titans' surprise playoff run, but he's been one of the league's hottest quarterbacks as the starter. The former Miami Dolphin has gone 9-3 since replacing Marcus Mariota and led the NFL in passer rating during the regular season.Kansas City and Tennessee met in Week 10, which was Tannehill's fourth start of the campaign. The Titans won 35-32 as the quarterback threw for 181 yards and two touchdowns."You got Ryan Tannehill, I don't know where people got off saying he was falling off, but great quarterback," Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark said Friday. "(He's) got 4.6 speed still running as a quarterback when he's extending downs with his feet."Tennessee, which is coming off upset wins over the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, will look to become just the third No. 6 seed to reach the Super Bowl since the NFL reformatted its playoff structure in 1990.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jason Garrett's time away from the NFC East was short-lived.The former Dallas Cowboys head coach was announced as the New York Giants' new offensive coordinator Friday.The 53-year-old will serve under first-year head coach Joe Judge, who earned the top job in New York after eight years with the New England Patriots.Garrett's experience could prove valuable, as Judge has never been a head coach at any level.Dallas opted not to renew Garrett's contract after the club finished 8-8 and outside the playoffs. He had served as head coach for nine seasons and had been with the Cowboys since 2007.Garrett, a former quarterback, spent four years of his playing career (2000-03) with the Giants.He'll be tasked with leading a young unit that flashed promise in 2019 but still needs significant improvement. The Giants tied for 18th in scoring offense, 19th in third-down percentage, and 24th in total yards per game.Most importantly, Garrett will oversee the development of quarterback Daniel Jones, who had an uneven rookie season. The 2019 first-rounder racked up 3,027 yards and 24 touchdowns in 13 appearances (12 starts) but struggled with turnovers, throwing 12 interceptions and losing the most fumbles in the league (11).The former head coach called plays in Dallas until Scott Linehan became offensive coordinator in 2015. Kellen Moore was the play-caller this past season, as Dallas finished first in yards per game and sixth in points per game.New York also named Patrick Graham defensive coordinator and Thomas McGaughey special teams coordinator. Graham coached the Giants' defensive line from 2016-17 and led the Miami Dolphins' defense last season. McGaughey, meanwhile, retained the position he's held since 2018.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Oakland Raiders' acquisition of Antonio Brown yielded a summer of constant drama and nothing else for general manager Mike Mayock.Mayock said Friday that he holds himself responsible for the ill-fated trade for the receiver, who was released on Sept. 7 before playing a single regular-season snap for Oakland."I put that on me," Mayock told Vic Tafur of The Athletic. "My anticipation was that he was coming off a situation in Pittsburgh where he wants to prove everybody wrong, and he wants to ride into the Hall of Fame. That he was going to come in with Jon Gruden and Derek Carr and our offense and lead the way. ... I really thought we were going to get the best out of Antonio Brown, and we didn't."We weren't able to get anything out of him. So, at the end of the day, in hindsight, we lost a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick, and I can't tell you how much pain that causes me."Brown was cut two days after threatening to punch Mayock in the face and being restrained by teammates at practice due to his unhappiness with recent fines from the team.The altercation was the culmination of an offseason of troubles for Brown, which notably included his threat to retire over helmet issues.While the emergence of tight end Darren Waller and rookie receiver Hunter Renfrow helped fill the void, the Raiders' offense still struggled to adapt throughout the season after preparing to center their passing attack around the All-Pro's talents.Oakland finished ninth in passing yards per game but only managed to average 19.6 points, which was tied for 23rd.Brown ultimately played in only one game this season, for the New England Patriots, before again being released after he was accused of raping his former personal trainer in a civil lawsuit.The receiver's NFL future remains in question pending the results of the league's personal conduct investigation.Brown's chances of continuing his career were reportedly dealt a further blow Thursday when his longtime agent, Drew Rosenhaus, terminated their relationship until the wideout agrees to seek counsel.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 NFL conference championship round is upon us, which means increased attention from bettors on a pair of games. Where is the sharp money going? Which lines are moving the most? We're tracking the action on the biggest postseason contests.We talked to Jay Rood, Bet.Works' chief risk officer and theScore Bet's head trader, to see how sharps and public bettors are playing the conference championship round.All lines courtesy of theScore Bet.Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5, 53)The Chiefs opened as 8.5-point favorites after their epic divisional-round comeback win over the Texans, but bettors are buying the Titans' chances of scoring a third consecutive upset in a wild postseason.To date, moneyline bettors are backing the Titans (+280) at twice the rate of the Chiefs (-340), which is to be expected in a championship spot like this. But spread bettors are leaning toward Tennessee, too, thanks to a punishing run game and a mostly turnover-free postseason."I give Tennessee a fair chance in this to actually pull another upset," Rood said. "If not, I think it'll be a close game. Tennessee's doing exactly what you need to do in the playoffs."While the early returns favor the Titans, the public could come back in a big way on the Chiefs. Parlay bets are running at a 2-to-1 rate for Kansas City in ticket count, which is often an indicator of what the public will do come game time. Rood also expects bettors outside of the established markets to back the public-friendly Patrick Mahomes."I could see this (line) going to 7 maybe in New Jersey and Las Vegas, where it already is at a few places," Rood said. "I think in some of the newer jurisdictions, the favorite's gonna get a lot of play here, especially in the Midwest."The public is driving money toward the over, too, which has pushed the total from a 52.5 open to 53 as of Friday. That's evident with player props, with bettors going high on lines like Mahomes' yardage (305.5), Travis Kelce's receptions (6.5) and yards (79.5), and Derrick Henry's yardage (110.5) and touchdowns (0.5).Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers (-7.5, 46)The 49ers opened as 7-point favorites last week and drew split activity before absolutely dominating the Vikings. This week, against another NFC North foe, they again opened as 7-point favorites - but bettors haven't been making the same mistake twice.San Francisco is drawing twice as many tickets and five times as much money as the Packers are, with books initially juicing the line for the Niners before eventually moving them to 7.5-point favorites. Some Green Bay money is coming back at that number, but it won't be enough to offset a Sunday liability."It's pretty strong toward San Francisco," Rood said.Parlay bettors are also high on the 49ers, betting them with twice as many tickets and four times as much money. Even moneyline bettors are splitting the handle on this matchup, which rarely happens with such a massive favorite.Additionally, bettors are fancying the over at a 6-to-1 clip, which is perhaps a surprise after San Fran's dominant defensive showing last week. Nonetheless, the opening total of 45 has shifted to 46 after a 6-to-1 money edge to the over.That attitude is apparent in the player props. Despite the Niners' elite secondary, there's been two-way action on Aaron Rodgers' passing yards (238.5) at a number he's reached just three times over his last nine games.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.

LSU tight end Thaddeus Moss announced Friday that he'll forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the 2020 NFL Draft.Moss is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss. He played one season for the Tigers after transferring from NC State.The redshirt junior has just 17 games of collegiate experience but played a significant role in LSU's national championship run. He caught 47 passes for 570 yards and four touchdowns in 2019, making a number of highlight-reel receptions.He caught four passes for 99 yards and scored a touchdown against Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff semifinals, then scored twice versus Clemson in last week's title game.The 6-foot-3, 249-pounder is likely to be targeted on Day 2 (rounds 2-3) or early Day 3 (rounds 4-7) in April's draft and a successful combine would give him the chance to be one of the first tight ends selected.Moss is the ninth Tigers player to opt against returning to school.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson are on the same page about what the quarterback needs to work on as he heads into the offseason."Without getting into what they are specifically, he nailed it, the priority list, in the exact same order that (offensive coordinator Greg Roman) and I nailed the priority list when we were talking on Monday," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Friday at his season-ending news conference, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.Jackson took the NFL by storm in his second pro season, emerging as the front-runner to claim league MVP honors. The Louisville product improved his numbers across the board as a sophomore, finishing the regular season with 43 total touchdowns against eight turnovers.But Jackson was slowed down in the playoffs for a second straight year as he and the Ravens fell to the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round, marking Baltimore's second consecutive one-and-done postseason appearance."He's 23 years old. He's younger than Joe Burrow, OK?" said Harbaugh. "So he's got a pretty good head start right now. I mean, he's along the way. The Manning brothers combined to ... they had five losses in their first five playoff games before they won one."(Joe) Montana, (Steve) Young, and (Brett) Favre didn't start a playoff game until their third season. (Drew) Brees and (Troy) Aikman, until their fourth season, and (Aaron) Rodgers until his fifth season. Interesting."Led by Jackson, the Ravens went 14-2 in the regular season, winning their final 12 contests and becoming the first team in NFL history to average 200 yards per game in both rushing and passing.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're already champing at the bit for all the props that'll be available for Super Bowl LIV, but first, there's one more opportunity to cash in on the player prop market this weekend during the conference championship round.Here are the best ones for Titans-Chiefs and Packers-49ers:Jimmy Garoppolo under 248.5 passing yardsThis weekend's slate hasn't put much on my personal radar from a side or totals perspective, so I dipped into the player prop market for my best bet. This is it, for a couple of reasons.For starters, it feels rather high for a Garoppolo prop, doesn't it? He's thrown for more than 248 yards in just five of his last 14 starts. Most of that has to do with his approach - Garoppolo had the fewest throws of 20-plus yards among qualified quarterbacks during the regular season. It's possible he feasts on a Green Bay defense ranked 19th in the league in opponent yards per completion, but that hasn't been the 49ers' method this year and the Packers are far more susceptible to giving up yards on the ground. Had they not trailed for virtually the entire game last weekend, the Seahawks could have picked up chunk after chunk in the running game; they averaged 4.6 yards per pop but found themselves in passing situations far too often.The 49ers were second in the NFL in run play percentage during the regular season. I think we'll see San Francisco - a touchdown-sized favorite - lean on its running game as it has all season and limit Garoppolo's usage through the air.Patrick Mahomes over 2.5 touchdown passesThere's nothing sharp about this prop, but I can't pass it up. Mahomes sliced up the Texans to the tune of 321 yards and five touchdowns last weekend, and he'll face a secondary of a similar caliber when the Chiefs clash with Tennessee. So far this postseason, the Titans have looked great against a decrepit Patriots offense and conceded 365 yards to the NFL's most run-heavy team in Baltimore. Tennessee has allowed double-digit touchdown passes in 10 games this season and now faces the best passing attack it's played since ... mid-November, when the Titans allowed 446 yards and three touchdowns to Mahomes.Davante Adams longest reception under 22.5 yardsAdams went off against the Seahawks last weekend, hauling in eight passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. It gets a whole lot tougher when he matches up against Richard Sherman. Sherman has been thrown at as the nearest defender just 51 times this season. Over those 51 attempts, the veteran cornerback has allowed only 27 completions for a grand total of 227 yards. Adams should be able to contribute in this one, but I'll be surprised if he gets loose against a secondary that finished the regular season ranked second in explosive pass rate allowed.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 NFC Championship Game is a rematch of the San Francisco 49ers' 37-8 bludgeoning of the Green Bay Packers in Week 12. But much has changed since that contest.While the No. 1-seeded Niners have gone 4-2 since that game, including a divisional round beatdown of the Minnesota Vikings, the No. 2-seeded Packers haven't lost since that November affair.Here's how the NFC's two best teams match up with a trip to Super Bowl LIV on the line.QuarterbackThearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe battle under center pits a two-time NFL MVP against a passer with 27 career starts. But, resumes aside, this matchup isn't cut and dry.Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, even at the age of 36, remains at top form. He was extremely efficient again in 2019, throwing 26 touchdown passes against just four interceptions during the regular season. But the star quarterback was at his best in the divisional-round game against the Seattle Seahawks. Rodgers threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns and tossed a couple of game-winning, pinpoint throws in the clutch to help Green Bay advance to the conference championship game.Though less is being asked of the 15-year vet, he proved on Sunday he can still take over a game when it's hanging in the balance.In his first full 16-game season, Jimmy Garoppolo led the 49ers to a 13-3 season and the top spot in the NFC. Yet the Niners aren't entirely dependent on Garoppolo's right arm. While he's been mostly brilliant throughout the campaign, leading San Francisco to a number of nail-biting victories, the six-year pro still has a tendency to make poor throws at inopportune times.After Jimmy G threw a first-half interception against the Vikings in the divisional round with the 49ers leading 14-7, he attempted just six more passes the rest of the contest. The 28-year-old completed three of those passes for 26 yards and San Francisco still emerged with a decisive 27-10 victory.While Garoppolo's play could determine whether the 49ers win or lose on Sunday, Rodgers - a Super Bowl champion and the MVP of Super Bowl XLV - is more likely to take a game over in an effort to ensure his team is victorious.Advantage: PackersRunning backThe running back matchup is a bit more difficult to call.With Aaron Jones as their bell cow, the Packers had their best rushing attack since 2015 and their first 1,000-yard back since Eddie Lacy in 2014. Jones shared the league lead with Derrick Henry in rushing touchdowns with 16.But only five of Jones' 18 rushing scores (including last week's playoff game) came from further than 7 yards out, suggesting much of his influence on the scoreboard comes as a goal-line back.On the opposing sideline, San Francisco possesses the league's No. 2-ranked running game. Though the three-headed monster of Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert, and Matt Breida split the workload (Mostert and Coleman each had 137 carries, Breida had 123), the result between them was nearly 2,000 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.As noted above, the 49ers rely much more heavily on their run game than the Packers, and they rode it to the tune of 186 yards and two scores in the divisional round. The Niners own the stronger, more reliable rushing attack, and that's not even taking into account the impact of fullback Kyle Juszczyk.Advantage: 49ersReceiversEzra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / GettyNeither team had much confidence in their receiver depth entering the 2019 season. The 49ers relied on a collection of Pierre Garcon, Marquise Goodwin, and Kendrick Bourne in 2018, while the Packers couldn't get any consistent production beyond Davante Adams.Green Bay struggled once again to find a second option at receiver this season. Aaron Jones finished the year as the team's second-leading pass-catcher in all major receiving categories. Allen Lazard, Geronimo Allison, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling each had their moments throughout the year, but none emerged as a consistent weapon for Rodgers.Meanwhile, Garoppolo seemed to find a different receiver to key in on each week. On any given Sunday, one of Deebo Samuel, Emmanuel Sanders, or Bourne could break out for 100-plus yards or multiple touchdowns.And then there's George Kittle. The monster tight end was named a first-team All-Pro after putting together another 1,000-yard season. After breaking out last year, he emerged as one of the league's best playmakers this season. Kittle more than eclipsed the production Jimmy Graham provides the Packers from the same position.Advantage: 49ersOffensive lineThe Packers feature the only All-Pro offensive lineman in second-teamer David Bakhtiari. On the right side of the line is mainstay Bryan Bulaga, who was a late scratch from the divisional round with an illness. Though veteran Jared Veldheer filled in admirably, Bulaga's availability will go a long way toward determining who wins the battle in the trenches against a vaunted 49ers pass rush.The Packers allowed five sacks in their Week 12 meeting with the Niners. They allowed Rodgers to be dropped just twice in last week's playoff game.Garoppolo is protected by a formidable offensive line anchored at the tackles by Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey. He was sacked three times in San Francisco's last game against the Packers and twice against the Vikings.The Niners' zone running game is reliant upon a cohesive offensive line clearing the way for a collection of backs. San Fran finished the year with the second-ranked rushing attack and 13th-best passing game. Green Bay was ranked 13th and 17th in those categories, respectively.Advantage: 49ersDefensive front sevenStar Tribune via Getty Images / Star Tribune / GettyThe defensive fronts for both teams are playing at a championship level.Finally at full strength with Dee Ford back in the lineup, the Niners' defensive line thrived last week, limiting the Vikings' offense to just 10 points. Ford had missed the previous six games due to injury, and though he accounted for just one sack last week, Kirk Cousins had just 48 yards and one interception when the pass-rusher was on the field, according to Zebra Technologies. When Ford was on the sidelines, Cousins completed 12 of his 15 passing attempts for 124 yards and a touchdown.The quartet of Ford, Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, and Arik Armstead combined for 16 quarterback pressures in the divisional-round win. It was Bosa's seventh game this season with at least five pressures, which ties him for the league lead with the Packers' Za'Darius Smith.Smith and fellow Packers linebacker Preston Smith also had stud performances in the divisional round. The duo combined for four sacks, 10 QB pressures, and 12 hurries - per Zebra Technologies - as they harassed Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Za'Darius Smith led the league with 71 QB pressures during the season and accounted for a 27% QB disruption rate in Sunday's game.The difference between these two fronts likely comes down to the run defenses. The 49ers ranked 17th in stopping the run during the season while the Packers came in at 23rd. Last week, San Francisco bottled up Dalvin Cook, limiting the Pro Bowler to 18 yards. In their regular-season meeting with the Packers, the Niners held Aaron Jones to 38 yards and kept him out of the end zone.Advantage: 49ersSecondaryWhile second-team All-Pro Richard Sherman has been locking down his side of the field for the 49ers, allowing a passer rating of just 46.8 when targeted, the opposite corner is a position in flux. San Fran benched Ahkello Witherspoon last week after he gave up a 41-yard touchdown to Stefon Diggs. Backup Emmanuel Moseley stepped in and only allowed 24 yards to Diggs the remainder of the game.The Packers rely on youngsters Jaire Alexander and Kevin King at the corners with veteran Tramon Williams filling in at nickel. The unit was blitzed by Kittle and Co. in the first meeting between the two teams, but it's cut down on allowing big plays in the six games since.The 49ers ranked No. 1 in pass defense during the season and held Adams to 43 yards and a touchdown in November. San Francisco again gets the nod in this category.Advantage: 49ersSpecial teamsLeon Halip / Getty Images Sport / GettyMason Crosby was his ever-reliable self for the Packers, missing just three kicks (one being an extra point) all season. While Robbie Gould was dependable from 40 yards in, he missed two field goals from the 40-yard range and all four of his 50-plus-yard attempts.JK Scott holds the edge for the Packers over Niners rookie Mitch Wishnowsky in the punt game, and neither side is particularly memorable in the kick-return game.Advantage: PackersCoachingKyle Shanahan enters the chess match with the advantage over first-year head coach Matt LaFleur.Both are Coach of the Year candidates, but as the 49ers' head coach and offensive play-caller, Shanahan will have more of an influence on the game. He'll be doing battle with Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, while LaFleur and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will tussle with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, a head coaching candidate during the latest hiring cycle.As proven last weekend, when the game's in the balance and the Packers have the ball, Rodgers is more likely to audible to his preferred play and route combination than he is to rely on what's called into his headset.Advantage: 49ersCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite missing practice earlier this week while nursing an ankle injury, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is fully expected to play in Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.Kittle returned to practice on Thursday and told reporters that his ankle felt "fabulous," according to NBC Sports' Jennifer Lee Chan.The All-Pro tight end is simply dealing with soreness rather than a significant injury, Rapoport added, but he could still be monitored moving forward.Kittle missed two games during the regular season as he dealt with bone chips in his ankle but then returned for the stretch run. He caught just three passes for 16 yards in San Francisco's divisional-round win over the Minnesota Vikings.The 26-year-old enjoyed one of his best outings of the season in the 49ers' dominant Week 12 victory over the Packers, accumulating six receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown.Overall, Kittle racked up 85 catches, 1,053 yards, and five scores during the regular season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers scored just eight points in a Week 12 battle with the San Francisco 49ers, but star receiver Davante Adams believes the result will be different in Sunday's NFC Championship game."Obviously, if we left the game with eight points and lost by 20s or whatever it was, obviously the plan wasn't good enough," Adams said, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "That's not a knock on (head coach) Matt (LaFleur) or anybody. The execution obviously wasn't good enough too, so those go hand in hand, though."The plan, so far what I've seen, I really like, and I think it's a better way to attack this defense."Despite making a catch for a touchdown in that matchup, Adams managed just 43 yards on seven receptions against the 49ers' stingy defense, failing to produce any big plays down the field.San Francisco was at its best during the November outing, limiting Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to 104 passing yards and sacking him five times. But Rodgers is now embracing an underdog mentality and believes there's little pressure on his squad."They're obviously expected to hold court and win," Rodgers said. "People know and they're talking about how we played the last time so I think if they look at pressure, the pressure is in a certain place and we should be nice and loose."Green Bay hasn't lost a game since its Week 12 defeat.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While Kyler Murray was forced to choose one career path, the 22-year-old Arizona Cardinals quarterback remains convinced he's capable of playing both professional football and baseball in the same calendar year."I think I could. ... Athletically, I think, yeah, I could do it. I've been playing both my whole life. I would love to add that to the resume," Murray said Thursday, according to Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic.Murray is the only athlete to be taken in the first rounds of both the NFL and MLB drafts. The Oakland Athletics initially selected the QB with the ninth overall pick in 2018 before he committed himself to football and went No. 1 to the Cardinals last year.Athletes such as Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders have managed to balance a career in both professional leagues. But with the added responsibilities and pressures of being a franchise quarterback, many believe it wouldn't be possible for Murray to follow in their footsteps.The young signal-caller, however, isn't ruling out the prospect of one day being a two-sport trailblazer."I don't understand why in sports they try to marginalize it," he said. "They try to make you pick one, and I get it, but we'll see. I think it would be fun. Right now, though, I'm just focused on football."The Athletics still hold Murray's baseball rights.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike McCarthy has made the first significant decision of his tenure in Dallas.Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore will remain the team's play-caller in 2020, the head coach announced Thursday, according to ESPN's Todd Archer.McCarthy retained Moore after he helped Dallas rank first in yards and sixth in points in his first season in the role.Despite Moore's return, it was unclear who'd be calling the plays. McCarthy did so for the majority of his time in charge of the Green Bay Packers."I wanted to make sure we were able to capitalize on what has been established here," McCarthy said.The head coach added that while he'll implement his West Coast system, the Cowboys' previous offensive terminology will remain the same.McCarthy gave up play-calling duties for most of the Packers' 2015 season but retook them after the team's offense struggled."I'll never do that again," McCarthy said in August 2016 regarding his decision to surrender play-calling duties.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Antonio Callaway is getting a second chance in the XFL.The Tampa Bay Vipers announced the signing of Callaway, who was a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, on Thursday.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.The Green Bay Packers will hope to get a better result against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday than they did in their previous visit to Levi's Stadium this season, which ended in a 37-8 defeat.The 49ers are in the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2013, while the Packers' last appearance was in 2016, though San Francisco (2012) reached the Super Bowl more recently than Green Bay (2010).Odds49ers -7.5, 46After opening at a touchdown, the line eventually crept up to 7.5 and has stayed firm, suggesting there's been no sharp money buying back on the Packers with the hook. The total crept up a point after opening at 45.Betting trendsAs is pretty clearly indicated by the -7.5 spread, the gulf in quality between these teams is fairly large. But could it be even bigger than the line suggests?The Packers were middling across the board this season. On offense, they ranked 17th in yards per play, 14th in points per game, and 19th on third downs. Defensively, they were gashed in terms of yards per play - 19th against the pass and 24th against the run. Almost every significant metric indicates Green Bay is an average football team that has likely overachieved by reaching the championship game.The same can't be said of the 49ers, who earned the right to host by virtue of being the best team in the NFC. San Francisco ranked fifth on offense in yards per play and second in points per game, and gave up the fewest yards per play on defense. The 49ers also ranked first against the pass and among the league leaders in sacks, despite some key injuries.But the public sees a 13-3 team led by Aaron Rodgers getting 7.5 points against Jimmy Garoppolo, and the consensus is to leave the points on the table and take the Packers outright. Only five times in his career has Rodgers been an underdog of 7 or more points and he's 0-5 in those games.X-factorDavante Adams had a monstrous outing against the Seattle Seahawks, roasting them for 160 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches, but the 49ers are a steep step up in competition from Tre Flowers. While Richard Sherman is likely to spend a lot of time on Adams, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will devote plenty of bodies to containing the Packers' leading receiver. That shifts the pressure onto the rest of Green Bay's pass-catchers, making them our X-factor(s) in this game.The Packers need one or two of Allen Lazard, Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Jimmy Graham to step up with Adams sure to receive blanket coverage. Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, two of the most polished route-runners in the league, struggled to get any separation against this 49ers secondary.If Green Bay's underwhelming group of pass-catchers fails to find space down the field, Rodgers is going to have a miserable night with that vaunted San Francisco front four in his face. He had just 104 passing yards at Levi's Stadium in November, by far his lowest output of the season.Best bet49ers -7.5There's little doubt and lots of evidence that San Francisco is the superior football team. Expect the 49ers' ferocious defensive line to swarm Rodgers, never letting him get comfortable in the pocket, while Kyle Shanahan works his play-calling magic on offense as San Francisco comfortably punches its ticket to Miami.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.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone breaks down his 2020 fantasy rankings for the wide receiver and tight end positions.

The New Orleans Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. after he appeared to give a police officer in LSU's locker room a butt slap while the team celebrated winning the national title Monday night.The 48-year-old lieutenant said he was telling LSU players to stop smoking cigars in the locker room when he felt Beckham slap him, according to court records accessed by Ramon Antonio Vargas of NOLA.com.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus conditionally terminated his relationship with Antonio Brown on Thursday until the free-agent wide receiver agrees to seek counsel, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Rosenhaus wrote a letter to the NFL Players Association saying that he'd still like to work with Brown in the future but not until the wide receiver gets help, Schefter adds.On Monday, Brown broadcasted a confrontation he had with police officers in Hollywood, Florida on Instagram. In the video, the former All-Pro wideout could be seen arguing with officers and berating the mother of his three children.Rosenhaus, Brown's longtime agent, supported the 31-year-old during his tumultuous 2019 campaign, continually attempting to get him meetings with various clubs.The receiver recently worked out for the New Orleans Saints but wasn't offered a contract.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.Ever since falling short in last year's AFC Championship Game, the Kansas City Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes felt destined to return in 2020. Seemingly, the Chiefs were likely to meet either the Ravens or the Patriots. Instead, the Tennessee Titans took care of both favorites en route to an improbable berth in the conference final - their first in almost two decades.Tennesse also beat Kansas City in a wild Week 10 game, but the stakes will be infinitely higher on Sunday. Can the Chiefs solve the Titans while exorcising their demons from last year's AFC title game loss, or will Tennessee turn a nice story into a historic run to the Super Bowl?OddsChiefs -7.5, 52.5Kansas City opened at -7.5 earlier in the week and hasn't moved off that number. The total of 52.5 hasn't shifted, either.This is a familiar spot for both sides. The Chiefs were giving more than a touchdown ahead of last week's win over Houston, while the Titans were catching more than a touchdown before their surprise victory against Baltimore.Betting trendsLast week against the Texans, Mahomes avenged one of only two losses he's suffered since Week 6 (along with the defeat to Tennessee in Week 10). The Chiefs are now on a 7-0 run against the spread while outscoring opponents by an average of 16.8 points per game.The Titans are on a nice run of their own. Since installing Ryan Tannehill as the starter in Week 7, they've gone 9-3 ATS overall and 5-1 ATS on the road with a plus-11.5 average scoring differential in those six games. Two of them were outright wins as underdogs of 4.5 points and 10 points, and the latter victory tied for the second-biggest playoff upset since the Patriots' historic Super Bowl win in 2002.Can the Titans continue this success as underdogs? Well, there's a precedent. The last 10 teams to win consecutive playoff games as underdogs went 8-2 ATS in their third game with seven outright wins. The only squad to catch more than a touchdown in that spot was the '07 Giants against the Patriots, and we all know how that turned out.This is also a surprisingly tough spot for the Chiefs after last week's dominant, historic, and potentially exhausting comeback win over Houston. Since 2002, teams that scored at least 40 points in a playoff victory went a troubling 6-17 ATS (26.1%) in their following game. Additionally, teams coming off wins of 20 points or more went just 14-20 ATS (41.2%) in their next contest during that same span.It might seem counterintuitive that dominant teams would struggle in their next game, but it could also speak to an inflated line for Kansas City against a Tennessee team that has consistently played well as a big 'dog. Since Mike Vrabel took over in 2018, the Titans have gone 9-3 ATS with eight outright wins when catching more than 3 points, and they've gone a perfect 4-0 ATS when catching more than 6.X-factorIt's easy to say that Derrick Henry can't possibly sustain his recent success. After all, he's rushed for 211, 182, and 195 yards in consecutive games on a combined 96 carries. But the NFL's leading rusher is actually facing his best matchup this week against Kansas City.The Chiefs' run defense ranked fourth worst in the NFL this season, per PFF and DVOA, having allowed the fourth-most yards per attempt (4.9) and the seventh-most yards per game (128.2). It wasn't that opponents were running to protect their leads, either, as Kansas City spent the third-shortest amount of time trailing this season and the second-shortest amount of time in tied games.Instead, teams have actively attacked the Chiefs' run defense. The Titans sure did in Week 10 when Henry barreled for 188 yards, his highest total of the year before this recent three-game stretch. Nobody's had an answer for him in these playoffs, and Kansas City hasn't had an answer against the run game all season.Best betTitans +7.5We say this every week now, but the Titans pose serious matchup problems for their opponent. The Chiefs' biggest kryptonite is their aforementioned shoddy run defense, which is like dangling red meat in front of the grizzly bear that is Henry. And if Kansas City sells out to stop the run, Tannehill has proven to be one of the more dangerous quarterbacks this season in play-action and when given time in the pocket.The hook is what sells it here. Vrabel's teams rarely get blown out as underdogs, so Sunday's matchup could come down to one final drive for either side. If so, those who grab +7.5 would already be set. Take the points in a favorable spot for the improbable road 'dog.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.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Every week during the NFL season, theScore's betting writers release their best bets. Each writer has been given an imaginary $1,000 bankroll to manage throughout the campaign. If you decide to follow any of the picks, please gamble responsibly.Odds are courtesy of theScore Bet.Thomas Casale ($1,431)Season record: 14-9-2, +431Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5, 52.5)What I really like about this matchup is the fact that the Titans' greatest strength lines up perfectly with the Chiefs' most glaring weakness. Kansas City allowed 4.9 yards per carry this year, while Tennessee averaged 5.0 yards during the regular season - the second-best mark in the NFL. The Titans have been even better in the postseason, averaging a whopping 5.4 yards per carry and 209 yards per game against two of the league's top defenses.Tennessee defeated Kansas City 35-32 back in Week 10. The Titans had no answer for Patrick Mahomes (446 yards) in that game, but Derrick Henry ran over the Chiefs' defense for 188 yards and two scores on 23 carries (8.2 yards per carry). Henry has rushed for 180-plus yards in three straight games, so expect the Chiefs to sell out trying to slow him down, opening things up for stud rookie receiver A.J. Brown. Brown has just two catches for 13 yards in the playoffs, but I like him as the X-factor on Sunday. This game goes down to the wire with the Titans having a good shot at the outright upset.Pick: Titans +7.5 ($100)Alex Moretto ($1,025)Season record: 19-19-1, +$25Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers (-7.5, 45)I've been doing my best to out the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers as overrated pretenders for some time now. The Seahawks got what was coming to them last week, and now the Packers are about to get theirs. Green Bay posted league-average numbers across the board this season and was outgained overall through 16 weeks, as well as in the divisional round against Seattle.The Packers were 17th in the NFL in yards per play this season and averaged just 5.8 last week at home against a brutal Seattle defense. They now travel to the West Coast to face the league's best defensive unit - at least when healthy, which it is now. The 49ers made Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and Stefon Diggs look like replacement-level talents last week. Aaron Rodgers will need to pull more than just a rabbit out of his hat to keep this game competitive.San Francisco's offense, on the other hand, will have no issue running all over a Green Bay defense that ranked 24th in yards allowed per rush this season. It's often foolish to put stock in previous meetings, but the 49ers are better and healthier than they were when they routed the Packers 37-8 in Week 12. Green Bay, meanwhile, is very much the same team. San Francisco should have no problem covering this number.Pick: 49ers -7.5 ($100)Alex Kolodziej ($978)Season record: 14-11, -$22Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers (-7.5, 45)I don't have much of a lean on either side or on the total, so my contributions will have to come in the player prop market. The Seahawks fell behind early last week and were thus unable to take full advantage of a Green Bay rush defense ranked 23rd in DVOA, yet Seattle still posted a respectable 4.6 yards per rush. If the 49ers can play in a positive game script and grab an early lead, look for Jimmy Garoppolo's passing yards to go under. He averaged the fewest yards per attempt of any quarterback during the regular season, and I don't think he's in for a shootout against a Packers defense that San Francisco can tear apart on the ground.Pick: Jimmy Garoppolo under 248.5 passing yards ($50)C Jackson Cowart ($676)Season record: 17-19-3, -$324Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5, 52.5)It feels like we're saying this on a weekly basis now, but the Titans could pose some serious matchup problems for their opponent. The Chiefs' defense ranked second-worst against the run this year, according to Pro Football Focus, which isn't what you want to hear when Derrick Henry's gone three straight games rushing for at least 180 yards.The Chiefs also struggle to wrap up opposing ball-carriers - again, not great against Henry. Kansas City's improved pass defense, meanwhile, posted its second-worst PFF grade since Week 10 in its matchup with Houston - the Chiefs' first game without safety Juan Thornhill. There are simply too many issues to lay over a touchdown here, and the Titans are no strangers to pulling off playoff upsets.Pick: Titans +7.5 ($75), Titans +280 ($25)Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Demi Lovato will perform the U.S. national anthem prior to kickoff at Super Bowl LIV in Miami on Feb. 2, the NFL announced Thursday.Lovato is a two-time Grammy-nominated singer as well as an actress, advocate, and philanthropist.The pop star is the latest addition to an impressive list of performers who have sung the "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl, joining Gladys Knight, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Whitney Houston, Billy Joel, and Diana Ross, among others.Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will headline the Super Bowl LIV halftime show.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cincinnati Bengals are on the clock for the 2020 NFL Draft, and they like what they've seen from the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.The Bengals, who hold the No. 1 pick, will also be coaching at the upcoming Senior Bowl. While preparing for the prospect game, multiple members of Zac Taylor's staff offered glowing reviews of LSU quarterback Joe Burrow."He definitely checks off a lot of boxes early on in the evaluation process," quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt said of Burrow, via Bengals team writer Geoff Hobson. "He obviously looks like a very intriguing guy."It's not yet known whether Burrow will participate in the Senior Bowl. The star passer is seen as the premier offensive prospect in his draft class and he'll likely be linked to Cincinnati throughout the process."He's got natural pocket feel. He feels it," Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said. "It seems like he never takes his eyes off down the field. He extends the play really, really well. He's a lot faster than you might assume when you see him running away from all those SEC guys. He's got incredible up-field accuracy. The ball hardly ever hits the ground in a game, which is rare. He just naturally puts the ball in places where those guys can make plays."After finishing with a 2-14 record in 2019, the Bengals are searching for their quarterback of the future. Andy Dalton has been the starter since being drafted in 2011, but his level of play has declined in recent years.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2020 AFC Championship Game pits the Tennessee Titans against the Kansas City Chiefs, with the winner earning the right to play in Super Bowl LIV in Miami.These two teams met in Week 10, when the Titans prevailed with a 35-32 victory in Nashville. How do they stack up in key categories heading into the rematch? Let's find out.QuarterbackJamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / GettyPatrick Mahomes may be the best quarterback in the NFL. The reigning MVP wasn't quite as prolific in the regular season as he was last year, but he still eclipsed 4,000 yards and tossed 26 touchdowns against five interceptions. The 24-year-old showed just how dangerous he can be in the divisional round, throwing five touchdowns against the Houston Texans and leading the Chiefs back from a 24-point deficit.After beginning the season on the bench, Ryan Tannehill came on to have the best year of his career. The Titans acquired the 31-year-old in an offseason trade with Miami Dolphins to have him back up Marcus Mariota. Since being inserted into the starting lineup in Week 7, he's thrown 25 touchdowns against six interceptions, and Tennessee has won in nine of his 12 starts. While he's made plays in pivotal moments throughout the playoffs, Tannehill has thrown fewer than 100 yards in both postseason outings and has gotten away with a few dangerous ducks.Advantage: ChiefsRunning backsKansas City used a committee approach at running back in 2019 - due in part to injuries - and none of their rushers surpassed 500 yards on the ground. Damien Williams led the attack with 498 yards and five touchdowns across 11 games, and he was the featured running back in the divisional round versus the Houston Texans. LeSean McCoy was the Chiefs' No. 2 running back in the regular season but didn't receive a single handoff in Kansas City's playoff opener.The Titans feasted on the ground this season. Derrick Henry managed a league-high 303 carries, which he turned into 1,540 yards, 16 touchdowns, and a rushing title. The 6-foot-3, 247-pounder bowled over the New England Patriots on Wild Card Weekend with 182 yards and a score, and he somehow topped that output one week later with a 195-yard performance versus the Baltimore Ravens. Needless to say, tackling the behemoth of a running back is much easier said than done.Advantage: TitansReceiversBrett Carlsen / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Chiefs have one of the NFL's most explosive receiving cores, and it's headlined by Tyreek Hill, whose blazing speed requires extra attention at all times. Travis Kelce is the best receiving tight end in the league and also commands frequent double-coverage. Sammy Watkins is pretty decent, too, and we haven't even delved into the Kansas City's screen game yet.Rookie A.J. Brown was the only Titans player to catch for 1,000. After him, the production plummeted: Corey Davis had 601 yards, Jonnu Smith had 439, and the injured Adam Humphries had 374. Kalif Raymond sits a few spots further down the list, but the 5-foot-8 Holy Cross product - believe it or not - leads Tennessee in receiving during the postseason thanks to his one and only reception, which went for 45 yards and a touchdown.Advantage: ChiefsOffensive lineThe Chiefs have always fielded a strong offensive line under Andy Reid. Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz highlights the group, as he continued to operate as one of the NFL's most underrated players in 2019. The unit has benefited from continuity, as it understands how to play together.You don't possess the leading rusher in the league without a really good offensive line, and that's precisely what the Titans boast. Rodger Saffold recovered from a slow start at left guard after inking a lucrative contract in free agency. Ben Jones is one of the top centers in the AFC. Taylor Lewan's penalties at left tackle are problematic, but he doesn't give up many pressures.Advantage: TitansDefensive front 7Will Newton / Getty Images Sport / GettyKansas City finished 11th in sacks this year after revamping its defensive line last offseason. The unit showed improvement later in the campaign with healthier versions of Frank Clark and Chris Jones. The linebacker position is a weakness, as Anthony Hitchens, Reggie Ragland, and Damien Wilson are all vulnerable in the passing game. Hitchens also struggles to finish tackles, which will be a concern against a powerful runner like Henry.Tennessee ranked in the top half of the league in rushing yards allowed per game and in sacks. The Titans received a boost up front when first-round rookie Jeffery Simmons returned early from a torn ACL to jump into the trenches next to Jurrell Casey. On the edge, Harold Landry doubled his sack total from his rookie year, going from 4.5 to nine. Jayon Brown can drop into coverage effectively from the linebacker spot, and he, Wesley Woodyard, and Rashaan Evans have all shined at various points during the postseason.Advantage: TitansSecondaryIt stumbled out of the gate, but Kansas City's secondary made major strides as the campaign progressed. Thanks to Tyrann Mathieu's versatility and coverage skills, the Chiefs are no longer resigned to playing zone defense as they had been in previous years. His running mate, Juan Thornhill, tore his ACL in Week 17, however, and that could set the secondary back.The Titans also received strong play on the back end down the stretch despite losing top cornerback Malcolm Butler to a broken wrist in Week 9. Kevin Byard and Kenny Vaccaro quietly formed one of the top safety tandems in the league, while Logan Ryan and Adoree' Jackson have been rock solid on the perimeter in recent weeks. Tennessee has three interceptions in two postseason games.Advantage: TitansSpecial teamsPeter Aiken / Getty Images Sport / GettyChiefs rookie Mecole Hardman made the Pro Bowl as a return specialist, following in the footsteps of Hill, who was a prolific returner at the beginning of his career. Kansas City also boasts one of the most consistent kickers in the league in Harrison Butker and a punter in Dustin Colquitt who allowed just 4.7 yards per return in the regular season.The Titans aren't as explosive in the return game as their counterparts, but they do have someone who can neutralize opponents in that department. Brett Kern pinned the Patriots inside their 20-yard line four times on six punts on Wild Card Weekend and didn't allow a punt to be returned versus the Ravens in the divisional round. Kicker is a major question mark for the Titans, though. Tennessee went through kickers at a rapid rate during the regular season, and the man with the job right now - Greg Joseph - has yet to attempt a field goal in four contests.Advantage: ChiefsCoachingMany tout Reid as the greatest coach to never win a Super Bowl. His offensive creativity, unpredictability, and innovative play designs have helped get the best out of every quarterback he's ever worked with. "Big Red" has led the Chiefs to six playoff appearances in seven seasons, repeatedly knocking on the door that keeps the Lombardi Trophy out of sight. The only bugaboo in his game is clock management.Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Dean Pees have been lauded for their tactics over the last two weeks, even though the Patriots and Ravens had a fair share of success moving the ball between the 20-yard lines. While offensive coordinator Arthur Smith helped revive Tannehill's career, he and the Titans haven't been forced to play from behind - which changes the dynamics of a game - since they trailed the Patriots 3-0 early in the first quarter.Advantage: ChiefsCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Antonio Gates will gladly welcome Tom Brady to the Los Angeles Chargers if his longtime rival signs with the AFC West club in free agency."If he comes here, I'm gonna be a big fan," the legendary tight end told TMZ."I heard that he might come out here and bless us with his presence ... and if he does that, that would be a great sight to see in L.A," he addedGates spent all 16 seasons of his career with the Chargers. He announced his retirement Tuesday after going unsigned for the 2019 campaign.There are plenty of rumors about where Brady will play in 2020. The 42-year-old will become a free agent in March, and he told reporters at the end of the season that he isn't sure about his future with the New England Patriots."If he does (come to the Chargers), I'll be one of his biggest supporters," Gates said.Gates and Brady competed against each other for years when the Chargers and Patriots were mainstays near the top of the AFC standings.Incumbent Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who Gates caught most of his 116 career touchdown passes from, is also scheduled to become a free agent in March.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A broken neck vertebra kept Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mike Hughes from suiting up in the playoffs, the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Ben Goessling reports.Hughes went on injured reserve before Wild Card Weekend. He appeared on the injury report after Week 17 with a neck injury.A former first-round pick out of UCF, Hughes made played in 14 games this season, including three starts. His role could increase going forward given the uncertain futures of impending free agent Trae Waynes and costly veteran Xavier Rhodes.Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said at his season-ending news conference that he expects Hughes to make a full recovery. He didn't specify the nature of the injury.Hughes notched two interceptions and broke up 12 passes over his first two seasons. He played in only six games as a rookie due to a torn ACL.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In January 2019, the San Francisco 49ers were watching the playoffs from home while hoping quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's rehab from a torn ACL would go smoothly.One year later, they're the NFC West champs and set to face the Green Bay Packers in the conference championship game on Sunday."Things have a way of working out," Garoppolo said Wednesday, according to NFL.com's Nick Shook. "I always told myself it was a blessing in disguise, the ACL."We got (Nick) Bosa out of it. That's a pretty good trade-off, I guess."Garoppolo suffered a season-ending knee injury during Week 3 in 2018. The 49ers then finished the year 4-12 while backup signal-callers Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard were under center, giving the team the second overall pick in 2019.Garoppolo has bounced back this season, completing 69.1% of his pass attempts for 3,978 yards and 27 touchdowns against 13 interceptions.Nick Bosa, meanwhile, became San Francisco's highest draft selection since Alex Smith in 2005, and he's now the favorite for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The Ohio State product amassed nine sacks and two forced turnovers during his first year.With the help of Garoppolo and Bosa, the 49ers clinched the NFC's top seed after posting a 13-3 record.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

LSU star wide receiver Justin Jefferson will enter the 2020 NFL Draft."We just had a perfect year," Jefferson said, according to Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel. "We won the national championship and set records. We had a lot of awards and did it with our team. I feel like it was the best way to go."The 6-foot-3, 192-pound wideout enjoyed a standout junior season in 2019, tying for the most catches in college football with 111 while amassing the third-most yards (1,540) and second-most touchdowns (18) in the nation.Jefferson was also one of the most important pieces in the Tigers' championship run, posting 14 catches for 227 yards and four touchdowns in the semifinal against Oklahoma before adding 106 receiving yards on nine receptions in the title game versus Clemson.LSU also lost its starting center Wednesday, as Lloyd Cushenberry III announced he's entering the 2020 draft.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs completed one of the most remarkable comebacks in NFL history by overcoming a 24-0 deficit against the Houston Texans in the divisional round.They'll now face the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game, and star wide receiver Tyreek Hill doesn't think the Titans' defense matches up well against his team."I feel like nobody in the NFL can guard any of us, and that's no disrespect to nobody," Hill said Wednesday, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "That's just the confidence that I got in myself and the wideouts I've got around me, including the tight ends and the running backs."I feel like no DB unit, no secondary unit, no linebacker, any defense can guard any of us. So man-to-man is just easy for us to beat. If you just allow us to run through zones, it's even easier."The AFC West winners beat the Texans 51-31, becoming the first team to win a game by 20-plus points after trailing by the same margin.Two Chiefs players scored three touchdowns - tight end Travis Kelce and running back Damien Williams - helping their club to record a touchdown on seven consecutive drives against Houston.Hill, meanwhile, hauled in three of four targets for 41 yards on Sunday.The 12-4 Chiefs averaged 28.2 points and 379.2 yards per game during the regular season, ranking fifth and sixth in the league, respectively.The Titans have upset the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens on the road over the first two rounds, and they beat Kansas City 35-32 in Week 10.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins announced Wednesday he will enter the 2020 NFL Draft.

LSU safety Grant Delpit announced his intention to enter the 2020 NFL Draft.

Former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys Jason Garrett is interviewing for the New York Giants' offensive coordinator position Wednesday, reports NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.Garrett was under contract with the Cowboys until Jan. 14. Now a free agent, the Giants brought Garrett into their building the next day.Garrett spent 10 years as head coach of the Cowboys. He's since been replaced by Mike McCarthy.The Giants fired head coach Pat Shurmur on Dec. 30 and hired Joe Judge as his replacement. Shurmur was announced as the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos on Tuesday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a significant drop in average attendance at their home games during the 2019 season, and team president Mark Lamping understands why."We have done a crappy job of winning," Lamping said Monday, according to John Reid of The Florida Times-Union. "Hopefully, we will get better. But just to sit back and say winning is going to cure everything, not in this market."The Jaguars posted a 6-10 record in 2019, missing the playoffs for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons. Jacksonville is 38-90 since Lamping was named president in 2012.Despite having the fourth-cheapest average ticket price in the NFL this past season, the AFC South club averaged 59,987 fans per home contest - good for 29th in the NFL. That figure marks an average decrease of 6,687 fans per home game from 2018, when the Jaguars' average attendance of 66,674 ranked 17th in the league."I would be surprised if the (average) fan wasn't frustrated. I'm frustrated but I go to the games for free," Lamping said. "We're in the business that your record is who you are. (Owner) Shad (Khan) made a decision not to terminate (general manager) Dave Caldwell, not to terminate (head coach) Doug Marrone."I think if you had a vote of our fans they would say both of those gentlemen should have been terminated. This is a business where people get fired all the time."Marrone led Jacksonville to a 10-6 record and an appearance in the AFC Championship Game during his first full season as head coach in 2017. But that marked the Jaguars' last winning season, as the team is 11-21 under him in two campaigns since.The Jaguars, who are set to begin the 2020 season with Marrone at the helm, currently own the ninth and 20th overall picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore medical examiner's office has opened an investigation into the death of a Ravens fan after he fell in the upper deck of M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday, an agency spokesman said, according to the Baltimore Sun's Justin Fenton and Phillip Jackson.Examiners are looking into circumstances of the incident and toxicology tests have been conducted."We can confirm there was an incident last night at the stadium where a fan collapsed while walking on the steps of the upper deck," Ravens spokesman Chad Steele said Monday, according to Jonas Shaffer of the Baltimore Sun. "Medical personnel arrived quickly, but attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful."Mike Kahler, 30, stumbled on the steps leading to his seat, Steele said in an email, according to Lillian Reed of the Baltimore Sun.Steele added that security footage showed S.A.F.E. Management, the company that provides the stadium's ushers and security, reported the incident less than two minutes after the stumble. About 15 minutes later, Kahler was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class of 2020 was revealed on Wednesday morning after a blue-ribbon panel selected 15 members for induction. The panel chose 10 players who last suited up more than 25 seasons ago, two coaches who last coached more than five seasons ago, and three contributors.Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Dallas Cowboys/Miami Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson were previously revealed on the weekend as members of the 2020 class.Here are the 13 other members:Alex Karras, DTOne of the league's greatest players and personalities, Karras was a defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions from 1958-62 and again from 1964-70. He was named a member of the All-Decade Team for the 1960s. He was a three-time first-team All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler. After his playing career, Karras joined the Monday Night Football booth as an analyst for three seasons and also gained fame for his roles in movies such as "Blazing Saddles," "Porky's," and "Victor Victoria."Donnie Shell, SShell, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1974-87, is the 10th member of the franchise's 1970s team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. With Pittsburgh, he was named a first-team All-Pro three times, a Pro Bowler five times, and won four Super Bowls. Shell also recorded 51 interceptions - a record at strong safety.Jim Covert, OTA two-time first-team All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowler, Covert played for the Chicago Bears from 1983-90, clearing holes for Walter Payton early in his career. He was a member of the Bears' famed Super Bowl-winning team in 1985 and was named to the Hall Of Fame's first-team All-1980s squad.

Legendary Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald will return to the team in 2020 after signing a one-year contract to return for his 17th NFL season, the club announced on Wednesday.The 36-year-old played the 2019 season under a new head coach in Kliff Kingsbury and caught passes from a rookie quarterback in Kyler Murray.

The Hollywood Police Department in Florida announced its athletic league cut ties with Antonio Brown on Tuesday after he verbally berated officers and the mother of his children in a video posted on Instagram."We made the decision to sever ties between Mr. Brown and the Hollywood Police Athletic League," public information officer Christian Lata said in a statement, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "We did not want our youth to be subject to this type of behavior nor emulate the actions of Mr. Brown."The department returned a donation to Brown that he made on Jan. 9 for the Police Athletic League's seven-on-seven football division."We will not take money from a donor that we cannot have our youth be proud of or represent our organization," Lata said.In the Instagram video, Brown repeatedly shouted profanities at officers and former partner Chelsie Kyriss, whom he accused of trying to take his Bentley to bring their three children to school. The kids were present during the altercation.Brown played in one game during the 2019 season because of various off-field issues. The seven-time Pro Bowl receiver recently completed a free-agent workout out for the New Orleans Saints but afterward called it a publicity stunt for the team.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly announced his retirement Tuesday after eight seasons with the Carolina Panthers.The 28-year-old missed 10 games due to concussions throughout his career but he didn't explicitly state that head injuries contributed to his unexpected decision to walk away from the NFL."There's only one way to play this game since I was a little kid - play fast, play physical, and play strong," he said in a video posted by the team. "And at this point, I don't know if I am able to do that anymore and that's the part that is the most difficult. I still want to play, but I don't think it's the right decision."

Despite reportedly agreeing to a three-year extension at LSU, award-winning assistant Joe Brady will join the Carolina Panthers as their offensive coordinator, a source told The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue.At age 30, Brady will be the youngest offensive coordinator in the NFL, according to Field Yates of ESPN.Brady received the 2019 Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in college football. In his one year at LSU, Brady helped turn Joe Burrow into a Heisman Trophy winner and the Tigers' offense into one of the country's best. He held the titles of passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at LSU but did not call plays.The Panthers were heavily rumored to be targeting Brady as the top offensive lieutenant for new head coach Matt Rhule, who also came from the college ranks. Rhule took the Panthers' head coaching job after three seasons at Baylor.Carolina will mark Brady's second coaching stint in the NFL. He served as an offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints from 2017-18 before leaving for the elevated role at LSU.Brady began his coaching career at his alma mater, William & Mary, in 2013 after concluding his playing days. The former receiver was working as a graduate assistant at Penn State as recently as the 2016 season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tua Tagovailoa should return to health by April and plans to throw in front of NFL teams before the draft later that month, his agent told Mike Rodak of AL.com.The former Alabama quarterback is expected to make 60-80 throws during a workout that will last about 40 minutes, agent Leigh Steinberg said.Tagovailoa continues to recover from November hip surgery, and his health could be a determining factor in how early he's drafted. He was in contention to go first overall before suffering a dislocated hip and associated fracture in a game against Mississippi State.The former Heisman Trophy finalist is scheduled to attend the NFL Scouting Combine in February but will be limited to interviews with teams.When he declared for the draft on Jan. 6, Tagovailoa said he was optimistic he'd be able to play during the 2020 season.The native Hawaiian threw 87 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in parts of three seasons with the Crimson Tide.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's important to remember these articles are not intended to be rankings or tiers for drafting. The goal is to review what we learned during the 2019 fantasy campaign and offer a glimpse of what's to come next season.You can view our complete quarterback rankings here.The history-makerWill Newton / Getty Images Sport / GettyLamar Jackson, Ravens - A year after Patrick Mahomes set a variety of records and raised the bar for fantasy quarterback production, Jackson took things one step further by averaging over two more fantasy points per game than his Chiefs counterpart did in 2018. It was the definition of a league-winning performance as Jackson threw for 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions while rushing for 1,206 yards and seven scores. Though it's frightening to consider, with their young crop of pass-catchers still acclimating to the pros, the Ravens have yet to tap into their full potential in the passing game. Injury concerns are a risk you take with any dual-threat quarterback, but Jackson is locked in as the top fantasy QB moving forward and will warrant consideration as early as the second round in drafts next season.Worthy of the crownIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyDeshaun Watson, Texans - Even though Houston made strides to improve its offensive line, the team still allowed the eighth-most sacks in 2019, bringing Watson's league-worst total to 106 over the last two seasons. Yet, he continued to produce at a high level, finishing second in fantasy points per game behind Jackson. With Will Fuller's health being a constant question mark, the Texans need to upgrade their offensive talent outside of DeAndre Hopkins. This could prove challenging for Houston after it traded away several early picks, including its next two first-round selections in the Laremy Tunsil deal. Despite the increased degree of difficulty, Watson remains a top-three fantasy quarterback who could challenge for the throne if a better supporting cast is brought in.Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs - We knew touchdown regression was coming for Mahomes following his 50-TD effort in 2018, but he didn't get a fair shake as injuries hit the Chiefs' offense in Week 1. Tyreek Hill was lost for part of the season and Mahomes himself battled multiple ailments during the year. Through it all, the 24-year-old still ended the year as the QB6 on a per-game basis and will be poised to get back into the top three with some better injury luck in 2020.Let them throwAlika Jenner / Getty Images Sport / GettyRussell Wilson, Seahawks - It was a tale of two seasons for Wilson, who averaged the second-most fantasy points among quarterbacks through the first nine weeks but the 27th most from Week 10 on. Wilson's talent is not in question; it's simply a scheme issue as the Seahawks prefer to grind games out with their rushing attack whenever possible. DK Metcalf's emergence as a legitimate weapon to pair with Tyler Lockett is great news for Wilson's long-term outlook, as fantasy owners daydream about what this offense could be if it were powered by the pivot's arm.Kirk Cousins, Vikings - You won't see Cousins grouped with Wilson in many places, but remember, this isn't a ranking or tier. The thread connecting the two signal-callers here is run-heavy offenses. Despite their plethora of skill-position talent, the Vikings seem to have zero interest in removing the governor on Cousins, likely due to his ball security woes. The result is an uninspiring QB2 in fantasy and someone best left on the waiver wire in single-quarterback leagues.Still underratedWill Newton / Getty Images Sport / GettyDak Prescott, Cowboys - Since entering the NFL, Prescott has finished as the QB6, QB11, QB10, and a career-best QB2 in 2019. Amid their coaching reshuffle, it appears the Cowboys are leaning toward retaining offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, which would be beneficial for the formerly underrated Prescott. With his loaded arsenal, another top-five season is within reach.Kyler Murray, Cardinals - Get ready for an offseason of people falling over themselves in an effort to draft Murray. That's what happens when a supremely talented signal-caller finishes as the QB7 in his rookie campaign and boasts the tools for a Lamar Jackson-esque leap in Year 2. Overcoming a below-average offensive line and a fairly weak group of pass-catchers, the former Heisman Trophy winner tossed for 3,722 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 544 yards and four scores. Though he played in all 16 contests, Murray dealt with a hamstring injury in the second half of the year, which may have impacted his numbers. Don't be surprised if he forces his way into the top five.Josh Allen, Bills - Allen established himself as a true QB1 in fantasy, picking up where he left off at the end of 2018. He displayed remarkable stability thanks to his rushing production, which included nine touchdowns. The 23-year-old will never be mistaken for a precision passer, but his head-scratching throws are becoming rarer and his development is well ahead of where most expected him to be at this point. If the Bills can add another quality outside receiver this offseason, Allen will be set up to repeat as a top-eight fantasy QB.Carson Wentz, Eagles - Wentz managed to deliver a low-end QB1 fantasy campaign with over 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns despite playing with a receiving corps decimated by injuries. More importantly, he was two years removed from his torn ACL this season. With his knee finally healthy, the North Dakota State product began running more; his 62 rushing attempts, 243 rushing yards, and one score might not seem like much compared to the likes of Jackson, Murray, or Allen, but it's the key to Wentz rising up the fantasy rankings. If his wideouts can stay on the field in 2020, Wentz will be a solid QB1 option.Is this the end? Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyDrew Brees, Saints - Of all the aging passers considering retirement this offseason, Brees is the only one still playing at a high level. The 40-year-old unrestricted free agent completed 74.3% of his passes in 2019, nearly equalling the career high he set last season. Brees threw for three or more touchdowns in seven of his last nine regular-season games. Don't leave us yet, Drew.Tom Brady, Patriots - The 42-year-old Brady has been vocal about having something left to prove. The pivot's numbers last season declined to the point where he'll be hard to trust as anything other than a short-term fantasy option in 2020. Whether he closes out his career as a member of the Patriots is undecided.Philip Rivers, Chargers - Rivers might be the youngest name in this section at 38 years old, but he looked the closest to retirement. The signal-caller needs to realize he's no longer capable of making certain throws that used to be routine for him. Don't be fooled by his 4,615 passing yards, as plenty of that production came on short throws that his receivers turned into bigger plays. Rivers' 20 interceptions were often of the back-breaking variety, and the Chargers might not be interested in handcuffing themselves to a washed-up gunslinger moving forward.On the mendGregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyCam Newton, Panthers - A valiant attempt to play through a painful foot injury turned out to be foolish as Newton was completely ineffective over Carolina's first two games and eventually succumbed to season-ending surgery. Fantasy owners are now waiting to discover the quarterback's fate under a new Panthers coaching staff led by innovative offensive mind Matt Rhule. It's hard to imagine Carolina moving on from Newton based on its options, especially since the former MVP was playing at a very high level for the bulk of 2018 before injuring his shoulder down the stretch. A fully healthy Newton could be a fantasy difference-maker given his weapons and Rhule's arrival. The pivot should also come at a significant discount due to his recent injury history.Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - Big Ben could have occupied a spot in the previous section since the 37-year-old has considered retirement in the past and is currently recovering from elbow surgery that cost him almost the entire 2019 campaign. Roethlisberger will undergo an evaluation in February, but his timetable for returning to the field is unknown. At the moment, it seems unlikely he'll take part in much of the Steelers' offseason program. Pittsburgh's offense, which is stocked with young talent, becomes far less dangerous without its veteran under center. Until we get a better idea of his recovery timeline, he's a risky proposition for fantasy.Matthew Stafford, Lions - A back injury sent Stafford to the sidelines after Week 9, and though he seemed determined to make a late-season return, it made little sense with the Lions well out of the playoff mix. Worries about Stafford's fantasy outlook following Matt Patricia's decision to implement a more run-centric offense in 2018 turned out to be overblown. The 31-year-old tossed 19 touchdowns in his first eight games this season and was averaging the sixth-most fantasy points at his position before being lost for the year. It's enough to generate hope that he can push for top-12 numbers in 2020.Steady startersDylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / GettyAaron Rodgers, Packers - Rodgers will be 37 years old before the start of next season, and as he enters the later stages of his NFL career, his big fantasy days are fewer and further between. He threw for zero or one touchdown in nine of his 16 games in 2019, a crushing stat for his fantasy owners. If the Packers upgrade their pass-catchers outside of Davante Adams, then Rodgers may sneak back into my top-10, but for now, he's a low-end QB1 whose name recognition will likely cause him to be overvalued in next year's drafts.Matt Ryan, Falcons - For the last eight seasons, Ryan has alternated between being inside and outside of the top-10 fantasy QBs. Don't believe me? Here are Ryan's finishes starting in 2012: QB5, QB12, QB6, QB17, QB2, QB15, QB2, and QB11. If we're operating under that pattern then a big season must be in store for the pivot in 2020. In reality, Ryan is a reliable fantasy starter who needs a big touchdown total to make up for the fact that he doesn't use his legs much. That leads to him being a boring play on most weeks. You should aim higher.Roller-coaster ridesJulio Aguilar / Getty Images Sport / GettyJameis Winston, Buccaneers - There are few quarterbacks with a wider range of outcomes for 2020 than the W-eater. We could see Winston lead the league in passing yards and interceptions - a pair of feats he accomplished this year. It's also possible that he won't even be the Buccaneers' starter come Week 1. After five NFL seasons, it doesn't appear Winston's flaws will ever be fixed, so it’s just a matter of whether the Bucs are willing to live with his wild ways or if they want to move on from the turnover parties. As long as he's in a starting role, Winston's upside makes him worthy of fantasy consideration.Baker Mayfield, Browns - For all of his struggles during a subpar sophomore campaign, Mayfield's fantasy numbers actually improved over the second half of the season, making him a top-10 QB over his final eight games. It was still a disappointing year for the pivot. Mayfield's completion percentage dropped from 64% as a rookie to 59%, and he barely threw more touchdowns (22) than interceptions (21) despite Odell Beckham Jr. being added to the roster. A new coaching staff led by Kevin Stefanski should mark a step in the right direction, but the Browns need to improve their offensive line if Mayfield is going to reach his potential.Ryan Tannehill, Titans - When I included Tannehill in my super-deep sleepers column, it never occurred to me that he could make such an enormous impact on the Titans. From Week 7 on, Tannehill posted the third-most fantasy points among quarterbacks and helped steer Tennessee's offense - powered by Derrick Henry - toward the AFC Championship Game. Even so, we'll need to see more from Tannehill before we anoint him as a strong fantasy starter.Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dolphins - The 37-year-old probably won't return as the Dolphins' starter, and if he does, it'll be a short-term assignment until a rookie is ready to take over. As we witnessed again in 2019, Fitzpatrick isn't capable of sustaining high-end fantasy production over long stretches, but he can certainly dial it up as a bye-week replacement in the right matchups.Works in progressLachlan Cunningham / Getty Images Sport / GettyJimmy Garoppolo, 49ers - Perhaps Garoppolo will show us more before the end of the postseason, but as it stands, he's not being asked to win games with his arm. Kyle Shanahan's rushing attack is the engine behind San Francisco's offensive success and it generally lowers Garoppolo's ceiling. When looking at the quarterback's season-long stats, remember that eight of his 27 touchdowns this season came against the Cardinals.Jared Goff, Rams - Not to pick on the Cardinals, but a quick look at Goff's strong finish to 2019 reveals that two of his final five contests came against Arizona's defense. In a complete reversal from 2018, Goff started the year uneven, only to catch fire down the stretch when the passing attack focused on Robert Woods and an emerging Tyler Higbee at tight end. It led to Goff surpassing 4,600 passing yards for a second straight season, though it took 65 more attempts to get there. Sean McVay's starter can be part of a QBBC in fantasy, but be wary of trusting him as your main option.Sam Darnold, Jets - The season started in bizarre fashion with Darnold contracting mono, and it ended with him playing through a thumb injury in his non-throwing hand. Add in head coach Adam Gase's head-scratching decision-making and you have the recipe for a disappointing season from a promising young quarterback. The 22-year-old needs the Jets to get serious about investing in his downfield threats since Robby Anderson is heading to free agency. Due to the lack of receiving talent, Darnold is stuck as a low-end QB2 in fantasy until further notice.Mitch Trubisky, Bears - You know it was a bad year when the general manager has to confirm a quarterback's starting status for the following season. Trubisky showed regression across the board with his completion percentage and yards per attempt plummeting in 2019. He was also reluctant to run with the ball until the final month of the season, an aspect of his game that made him intriguing in fantasy. Until we see noticeable improvement, Trubisky is only an option in two-QB and superflex formats.Hopeful sophomoresSteven Ryan / Getty Images Sport / GettyDaniel Jones, Giants - The sixth overall pick in last year's draft performed better than expected as a rookie. His three monster outings gave Giants fans hope for the future, even though they were sandwiched between a flurry of turnover-filled afternoons. Jones' fantasy upside is undeniable thanks to a supremely talented group of skill position players and an under-appreciated ability to gain yards on the ground, which resulted in 45 rushes, 279 yards, and two touchdowns.Drew Lock, Broncos - Lock didn't get the opportunity to play until late in the season, so the sample size is far too small to make a definitive judgment. While his stats don't jump out of the box score, the Broncos posted a 4-1 record with Lock at the helm. A second-year leap is possible, so keep him on your radar.Dwayne Haskins, Redskins - Haskins' tendency to overthrow his receivers often stifled the offense and handcuffed his top wideout and former college teammate Terry McLaurin in the second half of the year. If he can improve his accuracy, Haskins should benefit from the hiring of a new coaching staff that'll bring a more modern offense to Washington. We'll need to see more from him before he can crack fantasy lineups.Gardner Minshew, Jaguars - The eccentric sixth-rounder is fun to follow, but he has a long way to go before he can prove himself as the Jaguars' answer at quarterback.Limited ceilingThearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyDerek Carr, Raiders - You can argue Carr hasn't had much to work with in terms of competent pass-catchers over the last couple seasons, but six years in Oakland have shown us that he's an average quarterback at best. The clock is ticking on his time as the Raiders' starter, and his fantasy value is limited to bye-week replacement status.Jacoby Brissett, Colts - After a hot start to the year, which included 15 total touchdowns in his first six starts, Brissett came back to earth in a big way, struggling to move the offense through the air during the second half of the season. Colts GM Chris Ballard failed to give Brissett a vote of confidence in January, leaving the possibility open that Indy will make a move for a new starting quarterback before Week 1.Andy Dalton, Bengals - Dalton's time as the Bengals' starter came to an end when he was benched in favor of unqualified rookie Ryan Finley. The veteran was eventually given the first-string job back down the stretch, but with Cincinnati holding the top pick in April's draft, a new era is about to begin. LSU product Joe Burrow appears poised to be the selection, so the only question that remains is whether Dalton will stick around to serve as a mentor or find a new club.Waiting in the wingsJonathan Bachman / Getty Images Sport / GettyTeddy Bridgewater, Saints - Brees isn't the only Saints passer whose fate is up in the air. Bridgewater is once again an unrestricted free agent, and he'd be an enticing addition for several QB-needy teams. However, after spurning an offer from the Dolphins last offseason, it seems likely he'll return to New Orleans as Brees' eventual successor - which could happen as soon as 2020.Jarrett Stidham, Patriots - Until we know Brady's plan for next season, Stidham needs to be on your radar, especially in dynasty leagues. Though the sample size is small heading into his sophomore campaign, Stidham has received praise from teammates for his practice performances. The Patriots' next starting quarterback might already be in-house.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In a renewed effort to increase high-profile opportunities for minority coaches and executives, the NFL Workplace Diversity Committee will re-examine the league's hiring rules and practices."I think where we are right now, is not where we want to be, not where we need to be," Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II told Steve Wyche of NFL Network. "We need to take a step back and look at what's happening with our hiring processes. The first thing we'll do as part of our diversity committee is really review this past season's hiring cycle and make sure we understand what went on and talk to the people involved both on the owner's side, management's side, as well as the people that were interviewed."In 2003, the NFL adopted the Rooney Rule, inspired by the Steelers' patriarch, mandating teams to interview at least one minority candidate before filling a head coaching vacancy. The policy was expanded in 2009 to include general manager vacancies and equivalent front-office jobs.Over the last two cycles, two of 12 teams with a vacancy at head coach selected a minority candidate: The Miami Dolphins hired Brian Flores while the Washington Redskins appointed Ron Rivera. Of the 32 active head coaches, four are minorities. The league currently has one minority general manager."The thing I think we have to look at is back when the Rooney Rule was passed and put in effect in 2003, there was a period there where we did see an increase in minority hiring at the head coaching position," Rooney said. "And I think over a period of time there were 10 or 12 minority coaches hired. Since then, that trend seems to reverse itself, particularly in the last few years. We need to study what's going on and understand better what's going on and really decide how we improve the situation."Rooney added that the policy could grow to the coordinator level in an attempt to create more diversity within the pipeline.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens spent the regular season redefining what seemed possible for a successful NFL offense. They leaned into Lamar Jackson's extraordinary dual-threat ability by attacking defenses with all the elements of deception: pre-snap motion, play fakes, zone-read. Jackson was encouraged to improvise, and he became a likely MVP winner as the Ravens rode their efficient, high-scoring unit to the top seed in the AFC.And then, in their first playoff game, they were gone. The Tennessee Titans rolled into Baltimore one week after vanquishing the New England Patriots and obliterated the Ravens 28-12. The shock wasn't simply that the Titans won, but that they did it with such apparent ease, rolling to a 28-6 lead with more than four minutes still remaining in the third quarter. How did this happen?Jackson put up 508 total yards - 365 passing, 143 rushing - but, unlike they did for most of the regular season, those numbers do not indicate what sort of game this was. The Titans won situationally: They forced the Ravens to play with a long field, made timely stops, and capitalized on those timely stops. They managed to corral Jackson just enough and just when it was most urgent.Jackson and his pass-catchers made untimely mistakes, and the Titans built an early lead that allowed them to feed the ball to running back Derrick Henry. In turn, that forced the Ravens to abandon much of what they do best. Jackson attempted 59 passes, or 37% more than his single-game high during the regular season (43 in a Week 3 loss at Kansas City).The Titans did this largely by crowding the line of scrimmage and by forcing the action toward the sidelines. Here's a great example from a second-quarter run on second-and-10 that went for a 2-yard loss:Your browser does not support the video tag. CBS / theScoreNote the way linebacker Kamalei Correa feathered his way toward Jackson and didn't overpursue. That forced Jackson outside, where the Titans had lots of help. Cornerback Logan Ryan appeared to be covering wideout Willie Snead at the snap, but Ryan quickly recognized Jackson's intention to keep the ball and rushed right at him to make the stop.As Ryan explained to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Titans borrowed some concepts from the Buffalo Bills, who limited Jackson to 185 total yards in December."It was a lot of what Buffalo did to them, where we have rules, real strict option-football rules, with an eight-man, nine-man box, and corners on their own," the corner said. "Buffalo played them like that. Buffalo played them really well. It's just, Buffalo's offense didn't score touchdowns."The Titans did score touchdowns, and they did it early. Their first score followed safety Kevin Byard's interception of Jackson - a high throw that bounced off the hands of tight end Mark Andrews, who was playing on an injured ankle and couldn't fully extend for the ball. But the turnover, compounded by a penalty, set the Titans up at the Ravens' 35. Eight plays later they were in the end zone.As Breer explained, the Titans didn't disguise coverages as much as the Bills did. But by containing the middle and forcing things outside, where their corners were frequently left alone in coverage, they made life difficult for Jackson.Up front, the Titans communicated well and read their keys to prevent Jackson from slipping past the defense when he chose to keep the ball, as he so often managed to do during the season:

Longtime San Diego-Los Angeles Chargers tight end Antonio Gates announced Tuesday he's retiring from the NFL after a 16-year career.Gates played for the franchise from 2003 to 2017, and he returned to the club for the 2018 season when tight end Hunter Henry tore his ACL in the offseason. He did not play during the 2019 season.In a statement, Gates thanked the Chargers and the team's fans for a lengthy career that began as an undrafted rookie."Thank you to everyone who has been part of this remarkable journey with me. I can't wait to see what's next," he said.

Kevin Stefanski has denied a report from Dustin Fox of 92.3 The Fan that the Cleveland Browns' new head coach will have to turn his game plans over to owner Jimmy Haslam and the team's analytics department on Fridays."It's not true. I like that report. That was a good one," Stefanski said Tuesday at his introductory press conference."It's silly season for that type of stuff, I understand that. But to me, analytics, I can't say it enough, it's a tool. ... We have so much of this information, we have years of it, so let's use it to our advantage."The Browns announced Stefanski as the 18th head coach in franchise history on Monday after he spent just one season as a full-time offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings. The 37-year-old said he's already spoken briefly with Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and expressed his excitement about unlocking Cleveland's offensive potential."We have some good players to work with and I'm looking forward to it," Stefanski said. He added: "We'll try to be explosive, obviously, in the run and the pass game, but starting with the players, as we think about putting our scheme together, we're going to start with our guys and then we're going to maximize the talents of the key players."- With h/t to WKYC.comCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is on the Cleveland Browns' radar as they look to assemble a coaching staff under Kevin Stefanski, sources told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.Stefanski was officially named the Browns' new head coach Monday, coming over from the Minnesota Vikings where he served as their offensive coordinator. He received a five-year contract, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Phillips spent the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, where he was the top defensive assistant for another young head coach in Sean McVay. Phillips' contract wasn't renewed following the 2019 campaign.The Browns ranked 21st in total defense this season under coordinator Steve Wilks.Phillips, 72, has coached for 11 teams over his NFL career, beginning with the Houston Oilers in 1976. He won Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos as their defensive coordinator in February 2016.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Bears are hiring former Cincinnati Bengals assistant Bill Lazor as their new offensive coordinator, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Lazor was with Cincinnati in the same role for two seasons before being let go at the end of the 2018 campaign.Matt Nagy's offense largely disappointed in 2019, leading to changes for the unit. Chicago fired offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich after it ranked 29th in both yards per game and points per game.Lazor has logged plenty of experience as an NFL assistant, coaching the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterbacks in 2013 under Chip Kelly and then serving as the Miami Dolphins' offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2015.Along with Nagy, the 47-year-old will be tasked with developing quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and helping him to continue his late 2019 production into 2020.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Vikings haven't started their search for a new offensive coordinator, but they evidently want to run the same system next season."I like the scheme, I like the continuity that we have offensively with the coaches, and I feel like if we add a couple more pieces and continue to work on the execution of staying with the same play-calls, the same system, the same motions and formations and things like that, it'll definitely help the offensive players," head coach Mike Zimmer said, according to ESPN's Courtney Cronin.Kevin Stefanski, who was in Minnesota since 2006 and worked as the team's offensive coordinator in 2019, will reportedly become the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns.The Vikings have yet to set up a deadline to find their new OC."It may be by the end of the week, but it may be a couple weeks," Zimmer said. "I want to make sure the fit is right. Those guys over there, they do an outstanding job. I love the way that they work together and communicate, and so if we do bring somebody in from the outside, I want to make sure that it's the correct fit."Quarterback Kirk Cousins, who Zimmer thinks may have had "the best year that he's played in the NFL," posted 3,603 yards and 26 touchdowns during the regular season. He led the 10-6 Vikings to a road win in the wild-card matchup against the New Orleans Saints but fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.Minnesota averaged 25.4 points per game in 2019, which ranked eighth in the league. The club's strength came from the running game, posting 133.3 yards per tilt on the ground led by Dalvin Cook's breakout campaign.Since 2015, the Vikings have had four different offensive coordinators.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.