While Philip Rivers' future with the Los Angeles Chargers remains up in the air, the 38-year-old quarterback believes "there's no question" that he can still play, according to ESPN's Eric D. Williams."There's a lot of factors," Rivers said. "There's a personal side and family side to mine. I'm going to have a daughter in college as well, too. So, time is ticking, and I've got a sixth-grade son that I've got to get ready to coach at some point, so there's all kinds of factors."But I know I can still do it, and I know I can still do it at a high enough level for us to win. I have not done it well enough this year, but I still do love to play and love to lead these guys and this team. It's been an array of things that have compounded to keep us from winning enough games to advance into the tournament."Rivers is set to hit the open market for the first time in his 16-year career unless he and the Chargers agree to a new contract prior to free agency.After three straight Pro Bowl seasons, Rivers has shown signs of regression this year. The veteran's 18 interceptions trail only Jameis Winston's 28, with many of Rivers' turnovers coming in crucial late-game situations.Moreover, his 21 touchdown passes represent the lowest mark he's produced since his second year as a starter in 2007.The 5-10 Chargers - who are set to move into their new stadium with the Rams next season - currently own the seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft and could use it to grab Rivers' successor.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines the significance of those events moving forward.Cowboys a spectacular disasterIt's becoming increasingly difficult to put into words the circus this Cowboys squad has been this year.Last week's blowout win over the Rams should have been the breakthrough moment we were waiting for. After a roller-coaster three months, Dallas taking it to the defending NFC champions in a massive game felt like this supremely talented team was finally finding a way to put it all together. At the perfect time, too.But no. Sunday's loss to the Eagles, which saw the Cowboys relinquish control of both the NFC East and their own playoff fate, is the lowest moment in a season that's been full of them. Wasting this kind of opportunity - and putting up just nine points against one of the league's worst pass defenses - falls squarely on the coaching staff.Jerry Jones must be itching to make the change that's seemingly been in the cards for weeks. He'll have to wait to fire Jason Garrett, as the Cowboys are still technically alive, and you can't rule out any Week 17 outcome given the state of the NFC East this year. Either way, it's only a matter of time.And Jones better nail the next hire, because it only gets more difficult from here. With other stars like Amari Cooper and Byron Jones yet to be paid, the duration of Dak Prescott's rookie contract always represented the Cowboys' best chance at putting together a Super Bowl-caliber squad. Garrett and his staff have squandered that window. Seeking a coach capable of elevating the team as the roster becomes increasingly top-heavy, it feels like Jones will be going big.Bengals can compete in 2020After losing to the Dolphins on a field goal as overtime expired and clinching the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bengals are officially on the clock.The NFL's worst team did its best to win Sunday, scoring three touchdowns in the final 6:11 of regulation, making a pair of two-point conversions, and recovering an onside kick along the way. In the end, a Dolphins team everyone had expected to intentionally finish last was slightly less bad than the woeful Bengals.Cincinnati will surely cut ties with longtime starter Andy Dalton and select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow to replace him. If the Heisman winner is as advertised and the Bengals make a few other upgrades, they could make a quick leap from laughingstock to competitive, if not contender.This season's Bengals aren't talented - no team that finishes last is - but they have more raw materials with which to rebuild than recent cellar-dwelling squads in Cleveland and Arizona did.Joe Mixon is an emerging stud at tailback. The wideout corps of A.J. Green (a pending UFA who could be retained via franchise tag or a new long-term deal), Tyler Boyd, Auden Tate, and John Ross is skilled and multifaceted. With some improvement on the offensive line, made easier by the expected return of 2019 first-round pick Jonah Williams, offensive-minded head coach Zac Taylor could build a formidable attack around Burrow.The defense will undoubtedly be a work in progress, but drafting at the top of every round can help. Perhaps the notoriously cheap Bengals will even open their wallets for free-agent reinforcements.A six-win season is easily within the Bengals' reach in 2020, and it's not crazy to suggest the team could flirt with .500.Get the Titans in the playoffs, pleaseBrett Carlsen / Getty Images Sport / GettyThanks to the Steelers' loss to the Jets on Sunday, the Titans can clinch the AFC's second wild-card spot with a win over the Texans next week. Neutral fans should root for it to happen.This isn't the "exotic smashmouth" of years past, Mike Mularkey's laughably misnamed scheme of conservative runs and ill-conceived trick plays. These Titans are efficient, explosive, and far more exciting than any other AFC wild-card hopeful.Ryan Tannehill's revival hasn't been exaggerated. He's a completely different quarterback than the one we knew in Miami, connecting on aggressive downfield throws with borderline historic efficiency. A.J. Brown is making a strong late case for Rookie of the Year, scoring four touchdowns over the last four weeks as he approaches 1,000 yards receiving on the season. Derrick Henry, who sat out Sunday nursing a hamstring injury but should play in Week 17, is built for late-season football. The Titans' defense lacks stars and has been hampered by injuries at cornerback, but Mike Vrabel has built an opportunistic and overachieving unit.Patriots' formula isn't exciting, but it can workIt's late December and the Patriots are rounding into postseason form, as always. It's a different form than those of years past - there's no Gronk, nor any receiver capable of explosive downfield plays - but the Patriots showed in Saturday's win over the Bills a formula capable of carrying this team to yet another Super Bowl title.There's no innovation here; no secret to success. These Patriots grind out wins with power running, short and efficient passing, ball security, and elite defense. It's the same formula hundreds of teams have tried to follow - most failing in the attempt - but Belichick, Brady, and the Patriots' core veterans have the expertise to execute it with a higher degree of efficiency than others. Don't discount the cultural momentum that propels the Patriots. They've seen almost every conceivable obstacle over the years and learned how to overcome them all.The defending champions won't be playoff favorites, but it would be foolish to bet against them. The road in the AFC goes through Baltimore, where the Patriots were thrashed 37-20 back in Week 9. The Patriots' reputation for never losing to the same team twice in a season is overblown - they lost to the Ravens twice in 2012, and to the Broncos twice in 2015. But if there's a team capable of solving the riddle of Lamar Jackson, it's probably the Patriots armed with tape of their previous meeting.Kamara revived?Frederick Breedon / Getty Images Sport / GettyAs the Saints struggled through the early stages of Sunday's game in Tennessee, we couldn't help but think of this organization's painfully average history in cold weather. For a team so reliant upon precision passing and a quarterback with declining arm strength, getting home-field advantage through the NFC playoffs could be considered imperative.But our concerns began to dissipate when Alvin Kamara, at long last, broke out of his funk. Just in time for fantasy owners who've waited all year to enjoy the kind of big days for which he's known, the star running back racked up 80 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries, adding another 30 yards on six receptions.If Kamara is healthy, or at least healthy enough to produce at the level that's evaded him in recent weeks, the Saints' offense rises to a whole new level. He's one of the most explosive runners in the game, and his dynamic skill set translates well to the passing game, where he can be a phenomenal weapon for Drew Brees underneath.The Saints ended up rallying to beat the Titans - due in large part to Kamara's impact - so they remain in prime position for the No. 1 seed. And though home-field advantage always comes in handy, this team can win anywhere if No. 41 is even close to the top of his game.Dan Quinn saving his job?Ever since it became apparent the Falcons had dug themselves too deep a hole to save their season, it's felt like Dan Quinn's firing was only a matter of time. At 1-7, there was even talk that Atlanta could make an in-season coaching change.But in the seven games since, a revived defense has led a 5-2 run that's included several blowouts and a pair of stunning wins over Super Bowl contenders in the Saints and 49ers.Falcons leadership may still believe a change is in order, as the dreadful start is unacceptable for an organization of this caliber, but Quinn is making the decision increasingly difficult. There's absolutely a case to be made that he should keep his job.And should he find himself looking for work, this kind of turnaround, which can be attributed directly to adjustments made by the coaching staff, will keep Quinn near the top of the candidate list for other teams searching for a head coach.Texans the ultimate wild cardWill Vragovic / Getty Images Sport / GettyAnybody have any idea what to make of the Texans? Please advise.On one hand, they seem like a team nobody wants to meet in the playoffs. With a quarterback like Deshaun Watson, who does his best work downfield after effortlessly escaping pressure to buy time, a defense can do everything right and still be wrong. And he's only throwing to what may be the game's most dangerous group of big-play receivers led by DeAndre Hopkins.We saw precisely how unstoppable this offense could be back in Week 13, when Houston lit up the Patriots' league-best pass defense in a statement prime-time win.But depending on the day, this can also be the most beatable team in the AFC playoffs. For all that fear-striking explosiveness, the offense has also proven susceptible to the kind of performance put forth in Saturday's tightly contested win over the Buccaneers - the fifth game in which Watson has averaged fewer than 6 yards per attempt.A single-elimination playoff tournament is all about getting hot, and the Texans are certainly capable of that. But would anyone really be surprised if they're one-and-done? Good luck predicting which Houston squad shows up in January.Seahawks dealt major blowSeattle's Super Bowl aspirations took a significant hit Sunday when running back Chris Carson and backup C.J. Prosise both suffered season-ending injuries. These just weeks after Carson's primary backup, Rashaad Penny, suffered an equally serious injury of his own.The current generation of football analysts will take any and every opportunity to tell you running backs don't matter, so perhaps these losses don't get much play looking ahead to the playoffs. But going from a stud lead back in Carson to a fourth-string ball carrier in sixth-round pick Travis Homer is a big deal.Make no mistake: The Seahawks will go as far as Russell Wilson takes them. That was the case before, and it remains true now. But it's not as simple as having the MVP candidate drop back and throw every down. His job becomes that much more difficult if there's no reliable running game to keep the offense out of third-and-long situations, especially with such a shoddy pass-protection unit up front.We wouldn't dare bet against Wilson - it's become his weekly tradition to enter hero mode and carry the Seahawks to victory in even the most difficult situations. There's really no limit to what he can do for this team, and to where he can take it. But don't sleep on the severity of this blow as Seattle heads into January.Unless ...

NFL Playoff Picture is a weekly look at the teams jockeying to secure positions for a shot at making it to Super Bowl LIV.AFC SeedTeamDivisionRecord1Ravens (z)North13-22Patriots (y)East12-33Chiefs (y)West11-44Texans (y)South10-55Bills (x)East10-56TitansSouth8-7x = clinched playoff berth

Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller is likely looking at a three-week timeline for the groin injury that knocked him out of Saturday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The 25-year-old will be a long shot to suit up for the Texans' playoff opener but could be available if Houston advances to the divisional round.Fuller has been plagued by injuries throughout his four-year career and already missed four games earlier this season due to a hamstring ailment.In 11 appearances for the 2019 AFC South champions, the speedy Fuller has 49 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper didn't hold back his feelings regarding the pass plays called in Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.With a chance to win the NFC East and eliminate the Eagles from playoff contention, the Cowboys lost 17-9. Cooper caught just four passes for 24 yards."To be honest, it wasn't nothing to do with chemistry," Cooper said after the game, according to Cowboys staff writer David Helman. "It's just the way the DBs were playing those particular routes. Like, for example, on one of the routes it was a curl. And I beat him at the line of scrimmage and he was under me. Obviously, with a curl, you have to stop - and he was right there. It's just the way they were playing."We could've ran more deep routes, I feel like. The go ball was a good route to run tonight, but we didn't get to it."The Cowboys had a chance to score on their final drive while trailing by eight points, but Cooper was seen on the sidelines during the team's fourth-down pass play to the end zone. The ball instead went to Michael Gallup, falling incomplete.A team source told NFL Network's Jane Slater that Cooper wasn't on the field due to a "rotation change."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks lost two running backs in Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals, as Chris Carson left with a hip injury and C.J. Prosise was ruled out with an arm injury.Both backs have already been ruled out for Week 17 and the playoffs, head coach Pete Carroll said after the game, according to Gregg Bell of The News Tribune.The 11-4 Seahawks need to defeat the 12-3 San Francisco 49ers in the regular-season finale in order to capture the NFC West division title and vault the 49ers in the conference standings.Travis Homer finished Sunday's game as the primary running back.Carson exited after carrying the ball eight times for 40 yards. Prosise went out after taking four rushes for 14 yards.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was replaced by Brett Hundley in the second half of Sunday's game versus the Seattle Seahawks after suffering a hamstring injury.Murray was labeled questionable to return, but never did. He appeared hurt while coming to the bench at the end of a third-down scramble.The rookie signal-caller helped the Cardinals get out to a double-digit lead over the Seahawks, throwing one touchdown pass and totaling 158 yards of offense before leaving. Even with Murray sidelined, Arizona earned a surprising 27-13 victory in Seattle.Murray, the first overall pick in 2019 out of Oklahoma, entered Week 16 with 21 touchdowns (17 passing, four rushing) and 10 interceptions.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles held on for a 17-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys to take control of the NFC East and their own playoff destiny entering Week 17.More to come.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram suffered a calf strain in his team's Week 16 win over the Cleveland Browns, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Ingram went down on a non-contact injury Sunday and sat out most of the fourth quarter. He'll undergo an MRI on Monday."I don't believe it's anything … there's no kind of structural issues or anything like that," head coach John Harbaugh said afterward, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "His calf was cramping. We'll just have to see tomorrow to what degree, to what extent that means. We'll know more tomorrow."

The Cincinnati Bengals will pick first overall in the 2020 draft after their Week 16 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins ensured they'll finish with the NFL's worst record in 2019.The Bengals have selected first three other times, most recently in 2003 when they took quarterback Carson Palmer.1st overall picks in Bengals' historyYearPlayerPosition1994Dan WilkinsonDT1995Ki-Jana CarterRB2003Carson PalmerQB2020--Cincinnati needed to win its final two games to have any chance at escaping the basement of the league standings. The Bengals put forth an admirable effort Sunday, erasing a 23-point deficit over the final 6:11 of regulation before ultimately falling in the extra frame.LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, who won the 2019 Heisman Trophy, is widely considered the favorite to go first overall in the draft, which begins April 23 in Las Vegas. Burrow is an Ohio native and began his college career at Ohio State, which is a 95-minute drive from Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.The Bengals and first-year head coach Zac Taylor will wrap up their schedule against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CLEVELAND (AP) The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Baltimore, where its MVP candidate will be waiting.Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes - two to tight end Mark Andrews late in the first half - and rushed for 103 yards as the Ravens won their 11th straight game, 31-15 over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday to lock up the conference's top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.The Ravens (13-2) shook off a sluggish start and avenged their last loss, a 40-25 to the Browns on Sept. 29.But Baltimore looks nothing like the team it was three months ago as the marvelous, multi-dimensional Jackson has taken the league by storm with his arm and legs. Jackson finished with 238 yards passing and went over 100 yards for the fifth time this season.The Ravens did suffer an injury that could hurt the playoff hopes as running back Mark Ingram went down without being touched in the fourth quarter. Ingram immediately grabbed his lower left leg and collapsed when he tried to stand.Ingram, who went over 1,000 yards rushing in the second quarter and caught a 12-yard TD pass from Jackson in the third, was able to walk to the sideline to be evaluated before limping to the locker room.The Browns (6-9) were officially eliminated from the postseason, and now first-year coach Freddie Kitchens may be down to his last game. Kitchens has appeared overwhelmed at times and the home finale was a microcosm of this disappointing season as the Browns underperformed and will miss the playoffs for the 17th straight season.Baker Mayfield threw a 3-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to Odell Beckham Jr., whose acquisition by the Browns in March sent expectations soaring.In the closing minutes, Beckham flung his helmet on the sideline in frustration and exchanged words with Kitchens.Mayfield finished 20 of 33 for 192 yards with two TDs and a pick.Outplayed and in their own way for most of the first half, the Ravens scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes to take a 14-6 lead at the break.Jackson connected on a 39-yard TD pass to Andrews with 1:18 for Baltimore's first score, and then hooked up with his tight end again on a sensational play the electrifying QB can add to his MVP candidacy.Jackson stayed alive in the pocket long enough to buy time and fired an off-balance pass to the back of the end zone, where Andrews made a terrific leaping catch.Baltimore had been unable to do anything on its first four possessions and the Browns appeared on their way to a surprising halftime lead. However, Kitchens made another head-scratching play call on third-and-1 when he had Mayfield pitch the ball to Kareem Hunt, who looked like he was going to throw it before being brought down for an 8-yard loss.The Ravens hurt themselves with some uncharacteristic mistakes to set up Cleveland's first touchdown after Jackson's fumble near mid-field.Baltimore's defense committed two penalties on fourth down to extend the Browns' drive and cornerback Jimmy Smith was called for pass interference in the end zone, giving Cleveland first-and-goal at the 1.On the next play, Mayfield rolled to his right and hit tight end Demetrius Harris.INJURIESRavens: Ingram stopped and spoke to some teammates on his way to the locker room. He's got 1,018 yards on 202 carries.Browns: RB Dontrell Hilliard suffered a left knee injury on a hard hit in the first half and did not return. Hilliard caught a short pass and was hit by Ravens CB Marcus Peters, who was also shaken up but stayed in.ODDS & ENDSJackson set the team record for TD passes with his first strike to Andrews, who leads all tight ends with 10 scores. Jackson's 34th TD pass broke the previous record he shared with Vinny Testaverde, who threw 33 in 1996, the Ravens' first season in Baltimore after leaving Cleveland. ... Ravens coach John Harbaugh improved to 20-4 against Cleveland. ... The Ravens are on pace to be the first team in league history to average 200 rushing and passing yards.UP NEXTRavens: conclude regular season at home Sunday against Steelers.Browns: visit Cincinnati in regular-season finale.---Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' season-long issues under center continued Sunday.After being benched earlier in the game against the New York Jets, Devlin Hodges was reinserted into the lineup when Mason Rudolph suffered a left shoulder injury in the fourth quarter.Hodges wasn't able to engineer a late comeback for the Steelers, who fell to 8-7 with a 16-10 loss to New York.The Steelers will need to beat the Baltimore Ravens - who might rest their starters after securing the No. 1 seed - and hope the Tennessee Titans lose in Week 17 in order to secure the final wild-card spot.Rudolph replaced Hodges at quarterback after the latter threw two interceptions in the first half.The Jets were up 10-0 when the Steelers made the initial move back to Rudolph, who threw for 129 yards and a touchdown before exiting.Hodges was coming off a four-interception game against the Buffalo Bills.The rookie passer started the last three games after the team benched Rudolph, whose own turnover issues had become too much for Pittsburgh.Rudolph started eight of nine games following Ben Roethlisberger's season-ending injury in Week 2. The 2018 third-round pick struggled to push the ball downfield, throwing 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. In his last start, the Cleveland Browns picked him off four times."He has not killed us," head coach Mike Tomlin said when he made the decision to start Hodges over Rudolph in Week 13.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas broke Marvin Harrison's single-season record of 143 catches during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans.Thomas moved passed Harrison, who set the all-time mark in 2002, with his 11th grab of the day.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.If you think the drama from this week's Cowboys-Eagles game is must-see TV, try Monday night's matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings - two better teams with similar divisional stakes on the line.The Packers are a game up on the Vikings, partly due to an easier schedule, and they need just one win to clinch the NFC North then fight for a first-round bye. If they falter, though, the Packers could easily be on the road during Wild Card Weekend and facing this same Minnesota team again at U.S. Bank Stadium.Here's everything you need to know about the matchup from a betting perspective:(Trends source: Sports Database unless noted otherwise)Line movementOddsmakers hung the Vikings as four-point favorites, but that wasn't high enough for bettors, who bought them up to -4.5, -5, and now -5.5.The total has remained untouched at 46.5, which makes sense given the recent over run for Minnesota and under streak for Green Bay.Betting trendsKirk Cousins' troubles in prime time are well-publicized, with a 6-14-1 record against the spread (30%) in his career and a brutal 0-8 mark on Monday night.You know who else is a prime-time liability? Aaron Rodgers, who's 2-8 ATS under the lights since 2018, and his 6-14 ATS lifetime record (30%) as a prime-time road dog is equally as bad as Cousins' struggles overall.However, Cousins doesn't struggle as a big favorite, going 10-4-2 ATS (71.4%) when given at least three points, with a 14-2 record straight up in that scenario. His head coach Mike Zimmer is 23-9-5 ATS (71.9%) when giving three-plus points, and 14-5-3 ATS when favored by at least 5.5, where the line sits a day ahead of kickoff.Zimmer also knows how to get the most from his team in the latter stages of the season. Excluding Week 17 - when motivation can skew results - the Vikings are 20-9-2 ATS (69%) in Week 12 or later under Zimmer, including 7-2-1 ATS (77.8%) in divisional games. Rodgers, meanwhile, is 4-7 ATS in that spot dating back to 2016.Every spot looks like a profitable under play with Zimmer involved, who's 53-38-6 to the under (58.2%) in his career, though the Vikings have gone over in seven of their last nine games, eight of which came against defenses ranked outside the top 10 in PFF grades.Green Bay's defense ranks ninth overall, with top-eight grades in coverage (eighth) and pass rush (sixth). The unit has also helped to produce six straight unders, which is tied for the NFL's longest streak. Its biggest vulnerability is against the run, which won't be as much of a factor with Dalvin Cook out on Monday.The X-factorCook's injury could complicate matters for Minnesota's offense, which relies heavily on his game-breaking ability to set up the passing game. Only Lamar Jackson uses play-action on a higher percentage of his dropbacks than Cousins, who has posted a league-best 135.3 passer rating on those throws with a 14-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.That doesn't mean Cousins will flop, as his completion percentage on non-play action throws (69.2%) is tied for the best in the league, but the pivot's yards per attempt dips from 9.9 to 7.7. Expect a more conservative, short-passing approach from the Vikings' offense, which could be down to third-string back Mike Boone if regular backup Alexander Mattison can't suit up.This will also be Rodgers' toughest test since facing San Francisco's defense, which obliterated him on a national stage. The Niners are one of only four teams with a defense that both PFF and DVOA rank in the top six, a group that includes the Vikings' unit too.PickIn a game Minnesota absolutely needs for playoff positioning, everything points to a throwback recipe for Zimmer's squad: short passing, ball control, and stout defense to keep the road rivals at bay.The Vikings should win Monday's game. They've been the better team all year, records aside, and are poised for another strong late-season push under Zimmer.However, giving more than a field goal in what profiles as a dogfight is risky, so playing the under here could be the safe bet in arguably the week's best matchup.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 © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Vernon Butler was ejected from Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts for punching a downed Jack Doyle in the head.The booth reviewed the play, and officials kicked Butler out of the game. While walking to the locker room, the former first-round pick flipped off the crowd.

Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins was carted to the locker room early in the third quarter after being sacked by New York Giants linebacker Markus Golden.Haskins suffered an ankle injury on the play and is doubtful to return.The rookie first-rounder was off to a hot start on Sunday, completing 12 of 15 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns before exiting.Haskins got up on his own after the sack and slowly attempted to walk off the field before the cart was brought out.Veteran Case Keenum replaced him under center.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner has been ruled out of his team's game against the New York Jets due to a thigh injury, the team announced.Conner suffered the injury during the second quarter and was taken to the locker room for extra evaluation. He didn't return for the second half of the tilt, finishing with 32 yards on six carries.The 24-year-old, who has missed five games this season due to injury, entered Week 16 with 432 rushing yards and four touchdowns through nine contests in 2019. He also added 251 yards and three scores on 34 receptions prior to Sunday.The Steelers went to halftime tied 10-10 against the Jets. Pittsburgh went back to Mason Rudolph under center midway through the first half after two early Devlin Hodges interceptions.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers will occupy the final prime-time slot of the 2019 regular season, as the NFL flexed their Week 17 matchup to Sunday Night Football, the league announced Sunday afternoon.The NFC West title is guaranteed to be on the line when the two clubs meet. The No. 1 seed in the NFC could also potentially be up for grabs.The Seahawks and 49ers played an overtime thriller in Week 10, when Seattle prevailed 27-24 on Monday Night Football in the Bay Area.Next week's Sunday Night Football will mark the fifth prime-time game of the season for Seattle, and the sixth for San Francisco.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is expected to discuss simplifying the coin-toss rules for the 2020 season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.It's anticipated the discussion will focus on reducing confusion about what players need to say during the toss and seeing if there's a way to simplify the language, Schefter adds.The pregame coin toss became a topic of conversation in Week 15 when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott initially wasn't heard saying his team wanted to defer the opening-kick decision to the second half against the Los Angeles Rams.The current rules state that one of the team's captains must use the word "defer" when declaring whether his club wants to receive the ball to open the game or defer the decision to the second half. It wasn't clear if Prescott used that word last week, forcing the NFL to intervene during halftime.Prior to that coin toss, Rams quarterback Jared Goff called tails, and it came up heads. Prescott told the referees his team wanted "defense," pointing to the Rams and saying, "kicking it that way."The referees had to confirm Prescott's choice, which could have given the Rams the option to receive the ball to start the second half. Referee Walt Anderson responded, "OK, you're going to kick."The video review showed Prescott saying, "We defer to the second half."Because Prescott said "kicking" before "defer," the officials were confused about whether the Rams could then receive the ball to open the second half.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is listed as inactive for Sunday's matchup against the New Orleans Saints, the Titans announced.Henry will miss his first game this season. He was downgraded to questionable on the Titans' Friday injury report despite being a full participant in practice.The 25-year-old, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2019, missed all practices before Week 15 but was able to play against the Houston Texans, amassing 86 rushing yards on 21 carries during Tennessee's loss.He's posted 685 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground over his past five tilts.Cornerback Adoree' Jackson, wide receiver Adam Humphries, and defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons are also inactive for Tennessee on Sunday.The 8-6 Titans enter Week 16 with the same record as the Pittsburgh Steelers, but due to the tiebreaker, they trail for the AFC's second wild-card spot.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Odell Beckham Jr. says he wants to be with the Cleveland Browns, and the AFC North team apparently feels the same way.Browns general manager John Dorsey told the star wide receiver that the team doesn't plan to trade him, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.Beckham said he was committed to Cleveland on Wednesday after reports that he'd encouraged opposing teams to acquire him."I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here," said Beckham. "We'll figure this thing out. It's just too special to leave."Beckham is under contract with the Browns for another three seasons.Cleveland acquired the 27-year-old from the New York Giants in a blockbuster trade in March. The shocking deal came shortly after the Giants said they "didn't sign him to trade him."Beckham's first season with the Browns has been a major disappointment. Cleveland is all but eliminated from playoff contention and the wideout has caught a career-low two touchdowns in 14 games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Luck surprisingly retired in August, and the Indianapolis Colts aren't counting on the signal-caller returning for the 2020 season."Going into the offseason, we have to proceed as if Andrew is officially retired," owner Jim Irsay said recently, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "So that's how we operate now."The Colts could pursue a quarterback this offseason, Irsay added."From talking to Andrew, we have to take him at face value for what he says," he said. "So (GM) Chris Ballard and I and (head coach) Frank Reich, we have to move forward. And we are with Jacoby and the next draft and thereafter."Jacoby Brissett has been under center for the AFC South club throughout the 2019 season. In 13 games, the 27-year-old has recorded 2,661 passing yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 62.3% of his throws.In September, the Colts signed him to a two-year, $30-million contract with $20 million guaranteed.At 6-8, Indianapolis has already been eliminated from playoff contention in 2019, missing the postseason for the fourth time in the past five campaigns.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

2019 marked the first time Sean McVay failed to earn a playoff berth in his head-coaching career.The Los Angeles Rams were eliminated from postseason contention following their 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, and the team is expected to shake up McVay's coaching staff as a result, sources told NFL Network's Michael Silver.Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips could be included in the changes, per Silver. Phillips was hired in 2017 and helped the Rams make a Super Bowl run last season, but his unit took a step back in 2019."I don't know exactly what's going to happen," one Rams veteran told Silver on Saturday. "But I'd expect some major changes around here in the next few months."McVay expressed his disappointment to reporters following his club's loss to the 49ers as Los Angeles dropped to 8-7 on the year."Our season will end next week, and it's a sickening feeling and one that will drive me... Every. Single. Freaking. Day... until next season arrives, and we finally get to come out and take another swing," he said."It might be worse (than the Super Bowl loss)," McVay added. "At least, right now, it feels that way... Every single loss, you feel like you lose a piece of your soul."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his sixth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links below to see his updated rankings for Week 16.Half PPR

It appears Tom Coughlin's firing may be the only major personnel move the Jacksonville Jaguars are planning in the near future.There's a "good chance" head coach Doug Marrone and general manager David Caldwell return to Jacksonville in 2020, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The report is somewhat surprising, as many around the league expected Marrone to be fired following the 2019 season. But owner Shad Khan has shown patience in the past, and maintaining staff continuity may be his preferred outcome.Marrone is wrapping up his third full season as the Jaguars' head coach. He's earned a 21-27 record and an appearance in the 2018 AFC Championship Game. His job appeared to be in jeopardy with Jacksonville sitting last in the AFC South for a second straight season.The 55-year-old has also been managing issues among his players stemming from Coughlin's hard-line style, sources told Rapoport.Caldwell, meanwhile, is no stranger to the hot seat. His team has recorded just one winning season since he was hired in 2013, and the Jaguars whiffed on several high-profile draft picks during the early portion of his tenure.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to bring back quarterback Jameis Winston in 2020, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.An unrestricted free agent in March, Winston will get tagged in some form - either with the franchise tag or the transition tag, Rapoport adds.Tampa Bay could negotiate a contract extension with the 2015 No. 1 overall pick prior to the new league year beginning, but the two sides are unlikely to agree on a long-term deal.Due to 2020 being the final year in the current collective bargaining agreement, teams can simultaneously use the franchise and transition tag on players.The projected franchise tag value for quarterbacks is $27 million, while the transition tag would be $25 million.Tampa Bay is set to conclude another campaign without full confidence that Winston, one of the most polarizing players in the NFL, can develop into a franchise quarterback.The 25-year-old has already established new career highs with 4,573 passing yards and 30 touchdowns this season, but he also leads the league with 24 interceptions.Winston added to those figures Saturday, throwing for 335 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans, though he added another four interceptions.Head coach Bruce Arians was noncommittal on the quarterback after the game."There's been no decision on any player. We don't make those decisions until the end of the season," he said, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine.Copyright © 2019 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.This game could have come with fascinating playoff implications for the surging Chicago Bears. Instead, after last week's loss to the Packers, it sets up as a massive letdown spot against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, who are still jockeying for AFC playoff seeding.The Chiefs have now won four straight while looking like the team that nearly made the Super Bowl last year. Can they make it five against a Bears club not playing for much?Here's everything you need to know about the matchup from a betting perspective:(Trends source: Sports Database unless noted otherwise)Line movementThe Chiefs opened as 4.5-point road favorites at theScore Bet in New Jersey, where bettors immediately bought them to -5 and eventually to -6. Some Bears money brought the line down to KC -5.5, but it's back up to -6 on Saturday.Jay Rood, Bet.Works' chief risk officer and theScore Bet's head trader, said he wouldn't be surprised if this game closed at Chiefs -7. The total, on the other hand, has moved very little, going from 45 to 44.5.Betting trendsGiving six-plus points to the home team is usually reserved for truly down-and-out squads, which speaks to how unfavorably the market views the 7-7 Bears. This has also been a great spot to play the road favorite, as dating back to 2018, away teams giving six-plus points are 34-12-1 against the spread (73.9%), including a 19-7-1 ATS record (73.1%) this year alone.Chicago's Matt Nagy hasn't logged much experience as a home 'dog in his brief two-year career as a head coach, and he's a lackluster 1-3 ATS this year when catching points. The Chiefs, meanwhile, have covered three straight as favorites and are 9-4-2 ATS (69.2%) on the road when Mahomes is behind center.Including last week against Denver, Kansas City is 5-0 straight up and 4-1 ATS against teams with a top 12 defense by DVOA, averaging 27 points per game. If the Chiefs score that much again, it's over for the Bears, who have lost their last 30 games when allowing 27-plus points, with a 2-27-1 ATS record in that span.It might be tougher for the Chiefs to score in Chicago, where the Bears are 5-2 to the under with an average of 35.7 combined points scored in those games. Kansas City is also on a nice under run, with four straight games below the total thanks to an inspired defense averaging 11.25 points allowed in that span.The X-factorKansas City's defense has rightfully drawn plenty of criticism in recent years. The unit allowed 405.5 yards (31st) and 26.3 points (24th) per game in 2018. However, this year the Chiefs' defense is giving up 356.7 yards and a mere 20.3 points, the latter tied with the Broncos for 10th-best in the league, and it sits at No. 11 in DVOA rankings.The Chiefs' fatal flaw is still their run defense, which ranks 30th in PFF grades. The good news? The Bears' rushing offense is even worse and has been given the league's lowest grade, meaning Kansas City's underrated pass rush should get some opportunities to make life difficult for Mitchell Trubisky.PickThe Bears' late push for a playoff spot was a fun narrative, but it disguised Chicago's serious offensive holes, and the team no longer possesses a world-beating defense to cover up those flaws. The Chiefs, meanwhile, have put together a respectable defense that can rise to the occasion when a strong rushing attack isn't threatening the unit.The best play here is one that perhaps goes against convention: Trust Kansas City's defense and fade the Bears' team total.The game under would be a safe play, too, if the Chiefs' offense wasn't clicking on all cylinders. If you need side action, the Bears are brutal in shootouts, and it's hard to see Mahomes getting shut down in this one.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 © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has been downgraded to questionable for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints due to a hamstring injury, the team announced on Saturday.Henry wasn't given a designation on Friday's injury report. The running back was limited in Wednesday's practice and sidelined Thursday, but he was able to return in full on Friday.The 25-year-old is second in the NFL with 1,329 rushing yards, and he's racked up 13 touchdowns on the ground. Henry has been in red-hot form lately, producing 685 yards and seven scores over his last five games.Tennessee activated Dalyn Dawkins from its practice squad with Henry's status uncertain, adding him to a backfield that also includes Dion Lewis and fullback Khari Blasingame.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Vikings could be severely shorthanded in their backfield for Monday night's divisional clash with the Green Bay Packers.As reportedly expected, Dalvin Cook will be sidelined for the game due to a shoulder injury, the team announced on Saturday.Additionally, Cook's primary backup, Alexander Mattison, is questionable with an ankle injury. The rookie was testing his ankle in individual drills during Saturday's practice, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Pioneer Press.If Mattison can't play, the Vikings will go into the crucial rivalry game with a backfield of Ameer Abdullah, Mike Boone, and fullback C.J. Ham.Minnesota reportedly could sit Cook, who has also dealt with a chest issue, until the playoffs to keep him healthy.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles announced Saturday that running back Darren Sproles will retire following the 2019 season."To Eagles fans everywhere, I want to thank you for the way you supported me every single day," Sproles said in a statement. "I could feel it. You made my time here special.""I'm proud that I was able to prove my doubters wrong," he continued. "They told me that I wouldn't make it past a year in the NFL. Fifteen years later, I'm fifth all time in NFL history in career all-purpose yards ... to be part of such an outstanding group is an incredible honor. But it also goes to show that no matter what people say about you, you can still achieve great things if you believe in yourself and put in the work."Sproles' 19,696 all-purpose yards rank fifth in league history behind Jerry Rice, Brian Mitchell, Walter Payton, and Emmitt Smith.The 36-year-old was not only a dynamic offensive weapon during his 15-year career, but he doubled as a productive return specialist. He accumulated 23 touchdowns on the ground, 32 as a receiver, seven on punt returns, and two on kick returns.Sproles was drafted in the fourth round by the then-San Diego Chargers in 2005. After six seasons with the Chargers, he played three years with the New Orleans Saints and six in Philadelphia.He was selected to three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams, and he captured a Super Bowl with the Eagles two seasons ago.The veteran is currently on injured reserve with a torn hip flexor.Copyright © 2019 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 player prop market is a hot one for bettors. While standard spread and total bets account for an entire game, individual props focus on specific matchups.Here are five bets to consider for Week 16:Jacoby Brissett over 236.5 passing yardsI'm not entirely sure what Colts head coach Frank Reich means when he says he wants to add a "couple subtleties" to the offensive playbook, but I'm all ears. Officially eliminated from playoff contention, Indianapolis might pull out all the stops Sunday. And what better time to experiment with some new ideas than at home against a defense that's dead last in explosive rush rate and No. 21 against the pass? If the offense is, in fact, more lax and Brissett has a longer leash, there's a ton of upside on this prop.Tyler Boyd over 5.5 receptionsCincinnati-Miami might not be the must-watch game of the early slate, but there could be a green light to a couple of over-based props in this one. I'd target Boyd, who, speaking of targets, has seen 34 combined over the last four games. He gets the Dolphins' defense, which is second-worst in the league at allowing production to WR1s as well as against receivers in the slot, where Boyd spends more than 56% of his snaps.Courtland Sutton over 74.5 receiving yardsSutton's developed immediate chemistry with starting quarterback Drew Lock. The Broncos receiver saw 22 total targets over the last three games, including a season-high 10 last week against the Chiefs. Detroit's been embarrassed by opposing WR1s all season long, ranking No. 27 in production allowed. Sutton should also find some success down the field against the Lions' secondary, which sits No. 29 in explosive pass rate allowed.Terry McLaurin over 69.5 receiving yardsMcLaurin got off to a hot start, went quiet for roughly a month during the middle of the season, and is back on the upswing. It's clear there's a rapport between McLaurin and Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who spent their collegiate tenure together at Ohio State. As Haskins has grown more comfortable under center, McLaurin's been the primary benefactor. He's averaged more than 14 yards per catch in three of the last four games and has a 20-plus-yard catch in four of the last five. I think you'll see McLaurin have a huge day against the Giants' secondary, which ranks No. 30 in pass defense DVOA and No. 28 in explosive pass rate allowed.Tyler Lockett longest reception over 23.5 yardsJosh Gordon added another body to the Seahawks' receiving corps, but it didn't help Lockett. After Gordon was brought into the fold, Lockett nabbed just eight receptions over a four-game span before exploding for eight against the Panthers last week. Now, with Gordon out of the fray, I think it's time to buy back on Lockett, who's facing the Cardinals' depleted secondary at home.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 @AJKoIodziej.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears the Houston Texans will receive a significant boost to their defense in short order.Star defensive lineman J.J. Watt could return for the final game of the regular season if Houston doesn't wrap up a playoff berth Saturday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.If the Texans do clinch, Watt is expected to be rested and return for the wild-card game, Rapoport adds.Watt suffered a torn pectoral in October and was slated to miss the rest of the season, but Houston reserved its final IR-return spot for him.The three-time Defensive Player of the Year has progressed quickly in his recovery and will return to practice either this week or next.Houston would clinch the AFC South with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 16 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 16 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.StartMatt Ryan, Falconsvs. JaguarsCarmen Mandato / Getty Images Sport / GettyRyan is a top-12 quarterback in 2019 on a fantasy-points-per-game basis and showed great resiliency by throwing for over 200 yards and two scores in an upset win over the 49ers last Sunday. The veteran passer has also been boosting his fantasy output by using his legs, rushing for over 20 yards in two of his previous three appearances. While we don't know how Tom Coughlin's firing will affect the Jaguars this week, this is a defense that allowed 300 yards and three touchdowns to a noodle-armed Philip Rivers two weeks ago. Ryan tends to perform better at home and is locked in as a mid- to low-end QB1 for this matchup.Boone's projection: 309 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 16 rushing yardsOther QBs to start

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry may need to undergo surgery on an injured hip this offseason, he told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.The Pro Bowl pass-catcher didn't reveal details of his injury but, according to Cabot, it has plagued him all season. Landry, who's eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the third time in his career, has appeared in all 14 games for the Browns this season.Despite the ailment, Landry has managed to surpass his receiving yardage and touchdown tally from last year.The 27-year-old Landry is in the second season of a five-year, $75.5-million contract he signed following a trade from the Miami Dolphins.Fellow Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr., one of Landry's best friends, is reportedly expected to undergo offseason surgery to repair a sports hernia.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is well on his way to capturing the NFL's Most Valuable Player award, but there's one NFC superstar who shouldn't be too far behind.It's not Russell Wilson, Christian McCaffrey, or Aaron Rodgers. It's George Kittle.The San Francisco 49ers tight end is the very definition of "valuable." He impacts nearly every offensive play on arguably the conference's most complete team. Kyle Shanahan's squad was an afterthought in August after a 4-12 finish last year, but Kittle has led an incredible turnaround in 2019.Can a tight end really compete for MVP? Absolutely. The 2017 fifth-round pick is reinventing his position and should be among the few names considered.Impact as a receiverKittle is among the league's most unique offensive weapons. Boasting a 6-foot-4, 250-pound frame and 4.5 40-yard dash time, he's simply too explosive for linebackers to defend and too big for defensive backs to cover.StatTotalTE RankReceptions per game6.12ndYards per game742ndYAC5261st20-plus-yard catches141stRed-zone receptions92ndReceiving yards after contact2171st (in NFL)The 26-year-old has an instinctual understanding of the spaces to attack in zone coverage. In the middle of the field, Kittle has hauled in 51 of 59 targets for 621 yards and three of his four touchdowns. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has a 120.4 passer rating on such passes.Kittle is reliable, too. With one drop on 91 targets, he's as sure-handed as they come. Forty-four of his 71 receptions have earned his team a first down.After the catch, there's little that opponents can do to stop him. With his incredible play strength, balance, and athleticism, the Iowa product can make defenders miss with both power and finesse. No other tight end has forced at least 15 missed tackles through Week 15, according to PFF.Shanahan's unique offense aims to exploit mismatches all over the field. With speed at every position, opponents are often unable to devote enough attention to Kittle. He makes them pay for it.StatPercentage of SF's offenseTargets22%Receptions24.6%Scrimmage yards16.3%First-down catches25.2%Kittle is enjoying a historic 2019 campaign. Here's how his numbers (in only 12 games) compare to some of the decade's top tight end performances:PlayerSeasonPFF GradeYACYards/RouteGeorge Kittle201994.35263.05Travis Kelce201887.95742.31Greg Olsen201590.23622.19Jordan Reed201589.84862.45Rob Gronkowski201491.54602.53Heath Miller201287.13681.79Jimmy Graham201190.14512.42Rob Gronkowski201192.96562.37Impact as a blockerSan Francisco's offense is predicated on a strong ground game. The unit ranks second in rush offense and runs nearly as often as it passes. In a pass-heavy league, the 49ers are turning the table and overpowering the opposition.Kittle, unsurprisingly, is the main catalyst. The Niners' outside zone play - one of Shanahan's preferred run calls - is much more successful when the star tight end is on the field. Here are the numbers for such runs through Week 14, per Next Gen Stats.49ers' Outside RunsKittle ON fieldKittle OFF FieldYards per carry4.93.010-plus-yard gain %18%7%Success rate43%29%Kittle missed San Francisco's Week 10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and Week 11 win over the Arizona Cardinals. In those two games, 49ers running backs rushed for just 113 yards on 43 touches (2.63 yards per carry).Let the evidence show that he's the premier run blocker at his position ...

Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon received an early Christmas gift from Tom Brady on Friday.The New England Patriots quarterback sent Mixon his jersey, making good on a promise he made earlier this week after the running back tweeted he was "too scared" to ask for one following their Week 15 matchup.

The Pittsburgh Steelers took JuJu Smith-Schuster off the injury report after he was a full participant in practice for the second straight day, the team announced Friday.Despite the positive news, Smith-Schuster is still cautious about his status for the Week 16 matchup against the New York Jets."I don't feel 100% but I am going to see what I can do," he said, according to Steelers reporter Teresa Varley. "It depends on what coach says. It's coming along. It's a process. The knee is kind of tricky. You don't really know you are full go until you run your full speed, when you are getting hit, getting tackled. Hopefully I am able to go this week and play."Smith-Schuster has missed four straight games while battling a concussion and most recently a knee injury. The third-year wideout last played on Nov. 14 against the Cleveland Browns."I think at the end of the day, when it comes down to me playing this weekend, it’s a mental game," he said. "How strong can I tolerate the pain? It's a process I can take slow. Hopefully I am able to go this week and play with my boys."The pass-catcher has posted 38 catches, 524 yards, and three touchdowns through 10 games in 2019.Pittsburgh had its three-game winning streak snapped by the Buffalo Bills in Week 15. However, the 8-6 Steelers still hold the sixth seed in the AFC, ahead of the Tennessee Titans due to the tiebreaker.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will start his team's Week 16 matchup against the Washington Redskins, the team announced Friday.Jones has missed the Giants' last two games due to an ankle injury.The No. 6 pick in the 2019 draft has made 11 appearances - 10 starts - in his rookie season, completing 61.6% of his passes for 2,374 yards and 18 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.Jones has also added 241 yards and two TDs on the ground while suffering a league-high 15 fumbles.The 3-11 Giants, who relied on veteran Eli Manning over the past two weeks, currently hold an eight-game losing streak with Jones under center.After beating the Miami Dolphins in Week 15, New York will try to extend its winning streak over the Redskins to three games on Sunday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his sixth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links below to see his updated rankings for Week 16.Updated rankings will be released Saturday before the tripleheader, with final rankings coming out Sunday morning.Half PPR

The much-anticipated NFC North clash between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football in Week 16 will also be the 11th meeting between Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.Zimmer, who was hired in 2014, acknowledged how tough it is to face Rodgers twice a year during a conference call on Thursday."Either me or him have to get out of this division at some point," the coach said. "It's too hard to go against him. He's too damn good."You guys should try to talk him into retiring."When told about Zimmer's comments, Rodgers responded with a similar level of respect."Tell him to retire," the quarterback said.Not including a 2017 game when Rodgers left in the first quarter with a broken collarbone, he's gone 5-3-1 against Zimmer's Vikings, posting 17 touchdowns and two interceptions. Minnesota hasn't intercepted the star pivot since 2016 (146 passing attempts).But across 2017 and 2018, Minnesota owned a three-game unbeaten streak against Rodgers, which was snapped earlier this year in a 21-16 Green Bay victory.The Packers haven't swept a season series against the Vikings since 2014, but they would clinch the NFC North title with a win on Monday.Meanwhile, the Vikings need one victory in their final two games to clinch at least a wild-card spot in the playoffs.Copyright © 2019 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 ($1,233)Season record: 11-8-2, +233Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland BrownsTotal: 49I have $20,000 riding on the Ravens winning the Super Bowl, so I've seen every snap of Baltimore's season. What I know is the Ravens are the most physical team in the NFL, and if an opponent doesn't show up to play, it'll get mauled. We saw this in Week 12 when the Ravens hung 45 points on the lifeless Rams and ran L.A. out of its own building. The Browns were the AFC North team that was supposed to compete for a Super Bowl berth, but instead, Cleveland has been a disaster. The Browns gave minimal effort last week in Arizona where the Cardinals scored 38 points. The Ravens' team total this week is 30, a number they have reached seven times this season.The Browns are the last team to beat Baltimore, 40-25, in Week 4. The Ravens' top-ranked rushing offense still racked up 173 yards and gained 6.0 yards per carry. However, that was one of the few times this season that the Ravens fell behind in the second half and had to ditch the run. I don't expect that to happen again Sunday. Baltimore's ground game should roll over the Browns' defense, which is allowing an average of 135 rushing yards and 4.9 yards per attempt this season.I don't want to lay 10 points on the road here, so I'll grab the over on the Ravens' team total in a game where the Browns may not even get off the bus.Pick: Ravens team total over 30 ($100)Alex Kolodziej ($980)Season record: 12-9, -$20Jacksonville Jaguars at Atlanta FalconsTotal: 46.5I hit this over early at 45.5. The number then jumped to 46.5 shortly after. I agree with the move, and it's not one that overly affects my stance on the game, seeing as it hasn't hit a key number yet.I don't trust either defense, in a dome, with nothing to play for. Jacksonville ranks No. 21 in pass defense DVOA and No. 31 in rush defense; Atlanta is No. 27 in pass defense and No. 13 against the rush. D.J. Chark should be back for the Jaguars, and this is a favorable matchup for Matt Ryan and the Falcons' offense. Expect plenty of points.Pick: Over 46.5 ($50)C Jackson Cowart ($926)Season record: 16-14-3, -$74Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots Total: 37This total keeps dropping ahead of what should be a below-freezing day, but the weather is far from the only reason to bet under here. The Bills and Patriots are two of the best under teams in the league behind elite secondaries, which should be an issue for a pair of quarterbacks who struggle with downfield accuracy and have mediocre run games to support them.Low totals have also been money this year, with lines of 40 or below going 16-5 (76.2%) to the under. The Bills are 6-0 to the under in that spot and should reward bettors here, too.Pick: Under 37 ($75)Seattle Seahawks at Arizona CardinalsTotal: 50.5There's a chance that Seattle could get to this number on its own against Arizona's 32nd-ranked secondary, per PFF. Hyperbole aside, it's hard to imagine the Seahawks not hitting 30 points with Russell Wilson and his collection of downfield threats, even without Josh Gordon.Conversely, safety Quandre Diggs' injury is significant for Seattle's shaky secondary, which could struggle against Kyler Murray's cannon arm. Like unders on low totals, overs on high totals have been a nice bet, and this spot looks like a good opportunity for a high-scoring game.Pick: Over 50.5 ($75)Jacksonville Jaguars (+260) at Atlanta FalconsCarolina Panthers (+250) at Indianapolis ColtsAll four of these teams stink. None of them have anything to play for beyond pride and opportunity, yet the Falcons and Colts are laying 7 and 6.5 points, respectively. Both the Jags and Panthers are worthy spread bets, but life's too short to sweat out bad teams in Week 16 side action. Go for gold and take two live underdogs to win outright.Pick: Jaguars-Panthers ML parlay ($25 to win $290)Alex Moretto ($895)Season record: 16-17-1, -$105Pittsburgh Steelers at New York JetsTotal: 37.5Frankly, I hate betting unders on such low totals. I hate betting unders, period. But, sometimes the occasion calls for it. In four games against top-10 defenses in DVOA this season, the Jets have amassed a total of 23 points (5.8 per game). The Steelers rank third. Sam Darnold is completing just 45% of his passes when under pressure this season and the Jets are 0-4 in games where he's been sacked at least three times, averaging just 13.7 points. Pittsburgh leads the league in sacks.On the other side of the ball, the Steelers are averaging a meager 4.9 yards per play and just 15.5 points per game since Devlin Hodges took over for Mason Rudolph. It's going to be a fairly public play, but I genuinely can't see a scenario in which this game goes over the total.Pick: Under 37.5 ($100)Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins (-1)There's actually a lot to like about Cincinnati's play over the past month despite its stranglehold on the first overall pick - even with a win here. Since reinstalling Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback, the Bengals are averaging 5.3 yards per play, while giving up just 4.8, largely due to the drastic improvements on the defensive front. This isn't as horrible a team as the record suggests.The Dolphins are, though, and the grind of this historic campaign - they're the first franchise in NFL history to use 80 players in one season - feels like it's caught up to them. They've allowed an average of 33.4 points per game over the past five weeks and shouldn't prove much resistance to the Bengals' offense, which finally seems to be hitting its stride. Better late than never, right Zac Taylor?Pick: Bengals ML -105 ($100)Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baylor's Matt Rhule admitted he's open to coaching in the NFL, but only if he comes across a situation that is "next to perfect.""I don't think I'm dumb enough or naive enough to say that I would never be an NFL coach," he told ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I just think, for me, I have such an unbelievable situation here that it would have to be next to perfect. And even then, it would be hard for me to do."Rhule landed on NFL radars last year following his second season at Baylor. He received an offer to become head coach of the New York Jets, but negotiations fell through when the franchise wouldn't let him pick his own assistants."I don't think that I would ever want to see myself or any coach in a situation where you're just subcontracted out for your X's and O's knowledge," he said. "The teams that have won in college football - the Nick Sabans, the Dabo Swinneys - the people that win in pro football - the Mike Tomlins, the Bill Belichicks - they run a complete and total program."Rhule figures to generate NFL interest again this offseason after leading Baylor to 11 wins and a berth in the Sugar Bowl. The Bears were at rock bottom when he arrived by way of Temple, reeling in the aftermath of the sexual assault scandal that took place under Art Briles.The 44-year-old is hesitant to leave Baylor, though, citing the volume of coaches at both levels that have been fired without receiving the control they needed to have success."That just means that the coach was brought in for his X's and O's," he said. "He was brought in for his play-calling, and that to me is not a recipe for success. We've all seen how the best do it. ... It's a top-to-bottom comprehensive football program - not (a) playbook, (a) program."- With h/t to the Fort Worth Star-TelegramCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Le'Veon Bell is prepared for a fair share of boos Sunday when the New York Jets host the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans at MetLife Stadium."It'll probably be 50-50," the running back said Thursday, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. "I think half will be happy to see me and still love me, and half that hates me, despises me. It is what it is. I'm going to show love, regardless. Anybody who's wearing my jersey, I'll go sign it. It's going to be fun."Bell spent the first five seasons of his career with the Steelers before sitting out the sixth due to his refusal to sign the franchise tag for the second year in a row.The 27-year-old earned three Pro Bowl nods with the Steelers while serving as one-third of the "Killer Bees" alongside quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown."It's going to be packed with Steeler fans," he said. "When we played the Raiders, there were a lot of Raider fans and it was loud. I think it'll be the same as that, if not more. Steeler fans travel well. I definitely know that."Bell inked a four-year, $52.5-million contract - $35 million guaranteed - with the Jets in free agency. He hasn't enjoyed the same type of success in his new threads, averaging a dismal 3.3 yards per carry on a squad that is nowhere near playoff contention with a record of 5-9. Bell reached the postseason four times in five years with the Steelers."I'm happy where I'm at," he said. "The way things are going, obviously it's not ideal with the way our record is. But like I said in Week 2, Week 3, this is kind of like rebuilding. I want to be a part of it and see it grow."Despite the contentious contract negotiations that led to his departure from Pittsburgh, Bell told reporters he doesn't feel any animosity toward his former team.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the second day in a row, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott didn't throw a pass at practice due to his ailing throwing shoulder. Nonetheless, Prescott isn't concerned about his availability for Sunday's pivotal divisional showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles."I'll be good to go on Sunday," Prescott told reporters, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.The star pivot injured his shoulder during Dallas' Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Rams. The status of Prescott's throwing arm has drawn much consternation considering the importance of Sunday's game.The Cowboys and Eagles are tied atop the NFC East standings with matching 7-7 records and two games left in the season to qualify for the playoffs. Dallas currently owns the tiebreaker with its head-to-head victory over Philadelphia in Week 7.The Cowboys will win the division with a victory over their heated rivals Sunday."This is what it's about. This is what you play this game for," Prescott said, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. "When I was a little boy and dreamed of being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, these are the situations I thought about being in."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.For the first time all season, there's no Thursday Night Football. It's replaced with the inaugural Saturday contests of the campaign, with the game of the week in the AFC and one of the best from the NFC among the trifecta.Here's a betting preview of all three games that will kick off Week 16:Houston Texans (-3, 50) at Tampa Bay BuccaneersThis matchup would have been a heck of a lot more fun two weeks ago before the Buccaneers lost star wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to injury. Even so, the team put up 38 points on the Lions' lousy defense thanks to a three-touchdown effort from also-ran receiver Breshad Perriman.The Texans' pass defense hasn't been much better than Detroit's, even after a solid outing last week against the Tennessee Titans. Can it corral Perriman, who did most of his damage on simple go routes? On the other side, the Texans are expected to have their full complement of receivers, the health of which has often determined the team's performances throughout the year.This could get interesting if Tampa Bay's top-ranked rush defense per DVOA is able to stifle a deceptively run-heavy Texans offense. Houston doesn't need to win this game to capture the division and is facing an uphill battle for seeding, despite tiebreakers against the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots. The over is the safer play here between pass-heavy offenses and bereft secondaries, though Tampa Bay is a sneaky underdog.Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (-6.5, 37)With the Bills and Patriots squaring off in 20-degree weather in Foxborough, this one has under written all over it.Buffalo is 6-0 to the under in games with a total of 40 or below, a spot that has gone 16-5 to the under in all action this year. The Bills are also 5-0-1 against the spread in that spot and 6-0-1 ATS in road contests this year, and their elite secondary should cause problems for a Patriots offense that can't find anything downfield.Near-touchdown favorites have done well in low-total games in recent years, but this line feels inflated for a New England team that has shown us almost nothing encouraging during its last six games. It's worth trying to get +7 with points at a premium, but the Bills are still a solid underdog play at +6.5.Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers (-6.5, 45.5)The Rams' offensive renaissance was fun while it lasted, though it always felt a bit misleading considering the outbursts came against the inconsistent defenses of the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. Los Angeles was thoroughly dominated last week against the Dallas Cowboys, so it's a bit surprising the Rams are getting less than a touchdown against the 49ers, who desperately need this game to compete for the No. 1 seed.Week 15 was the ultimate letdown spot for the Niners, who outlasted the New Orleans Saints in an epic 48-46 road win before getting tripped up by the Atlanta Falcons at home. Teams coming off a win in which both sides score at least 40 points had lost nine of their last 13 games entering last week, so don't read too much into San Francisco's subpar performance.If Los Angeles keeps this close, it'll be because of its defense, which ranks sixth against the run in DVOA. It's easy after that Saints game to forget how dominant the 49ers' defense is, which is likely pushing this total a few points too high. Play the under, but also consider San Fran's side in this divisional mismatch.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 © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers will have a key defensive contributor back in the lineup for their divisional matchup with the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.Pro Bowl corner Richard Sherman will be available for Week 16 and has been removed from the team's injury report, head coach Kyle Shanahan said, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic.Sherman missed San Francisco's Week 15 loss to the Atlanta Falcons after picking up a hamstring injury in the previous week's game against the New Orleans Saints.Shanahan initially believed the hamstring strain would sideline Sherman for the rest of the regular season. Instead, the 49ers' top cover corner will be available as they try to vault back to the top of the NFC West and a top-two seed in the conference.San Francisco and the Seattle Seahawks have identical 11-3 records, but the Seahawks own the tiebreaker with their head-to-head victory over the 49ers in Week 10.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Will Grier grew up as a Carolina Panthers fan, and on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, the rookie quarterback will lead his childhood team onto the field after being the starter on Thursday."It feels awesome," said Grier, according to Max Henson of the Panthers' official site. "I'm very excited and ready to go."Grier will take over for Kyle Allen, who started the last 12 games in place of the injured Cam Newton.With the 5-9 Panthers eliminated from playoff contention, the NFC South club will give its third-round pick a two-game opportunity ahead of a pivotal offseason for the franchise.Longtime head coach Ron Rivera was fired earlier in December. Meanwhile, there's one year remaining on Newton's contract, and speculation about the Panthers moving on has followed him.Grier made his name at West Virginia with an aggressive style, finishing his final collegiate season ranked fourth in the nation in yards per attempt (9.7), joining Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa in the top five.But the 24-year-old knows he'll need to be smarter about taking risks in the pros, especially with do-it-all running back Christian McCaffrey - who has logged 2,121 scrimmage yards this season - as his safety net."A lot of my WVU tape is me throwing the ball downfield almost every play. And that's not necessarily going to work in the NFL," said Grier.Carolina has lost six straight games entering Week 16.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFC East title is within reach for the Dallas Cowboys, but they'll attempt to clinch their playoff berth Sunday with quarterback Dak Prescott battling an injury to his throwing shoulder.While Prescott was limited Wednesday for the first time in his career, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Thursday he's unconcerned about his status ahead of the pivotal game against the Philadelphia Eagles."You like for everybody to be out there practicing, but I'm totally convinced that he'll be in top form and we've got to have him in top form and he will be in top form," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, per ESPN's Todd Archer. "So, I think the situation has been described accurately. These are things guys play with and they practice with. So, we're in good shape. Not worried about it."Prescott is expected to be ready to face the Eagles despite the sprained shoulder, but he likely won't take any meaningful snaps in practice during the week, a source told Archer.Head coach Jason Garrett said Prescott is "progressing" from the injury sustained last week against the Los Angeles Rams. He added the quarterback, who didn't throw during the open portion of Dallas' practice Wednesday, hasn't tested the injury much.Backup Cooper Rush took over duties with the starting unit. The former undrafted free agent has thrown three passes in three seasons.If Dallas beats Philadelphia, it will retain the division crown. A loss for the Cowboys would open the door for the Eagles, who would then have to beat the Washington Redskins in the regular-season finale to seal their place in the playoffs.Copyright © 2019 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.With just two weeks left in the NFL season, some win total bettors can already write off their preseason bets as savvy plays or miserable losses. Others are glued to the TV to watch the final two games - including dreaded Week 17 - to determine the fate of their ticket.Only two teams' win totals could go either way entering the final stretch (Steelers and Cardinals), but 10 teams could at least push in the last two weeks. For those who bet on the other 22 teams, you can enjoy the end of the season stress-free.To make it easier, we've tracked all 32 preseason win totals so you know which ones to cash, watch, or sweat heading into Week 16, with some notes on a few interesting teams:Cash itOverTEAMWIN TOTALRECORDSaints10.511-3Packers911-3Vikings910-4Ravens8.512-2Seahawks8.511-3Texans8.59-549ers811-3Bills6.510-4Buccaneers6.57-7Saints (10.5)When Drew Brees was sidelined in Week 2, it looked like the Saints' playoff hopes might be shot - let alone reaching 11 wins. But Teddy Bridgewater steered the ship to an undefeated record in his stead, and Brees finished it off for over bettors with his stellar performance on Monday night.Ravens (8.5)In hindsight, the Ravens look like the easiest bet on the board, but there were real questions about whether Lamar Jackson could replicate his late-season success from 2018 after coaches had a half-season of film on him. How'd that go?Buccaneers (6.5)It's a good thing this cashed last week in Detroit, because the Bucs are falling apart. Tampa Bay lost star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in consecutive weeks, and their final two games against Houston and Atlanta aren't gimmes. If you grabbed a number higher than 6.5, good luck.UnderTEAMWIN TOTALRECORDRams10.58-6Colts9.56-8Eagles9.57-7Chargers9.55-9Browns96-8Falcons8.55-9Jaguars85-9Panthers85-9Jets7.55-9Lions6.53-10-1Redskins6.53-11Bengals61-13Giants63-11Colts (9.5)This is obviously a tough break for bettors who were expecting Andrew Luck to be leading this team, but Jacoby Brissett still engineered a 5-2 start for Indy. Then came more injuries, tanking the Colts' chances with six losses in their last seven games.Eagles (9.5)How's that Dolphins loss feel now? For as bad as the Eagles' season has gone, they could have still reached 10 wins if they end up beating Dallas and New York in their final two games. Sorry, over bettors.Browns (9)Ah yes, the Browns, whose nine-win total felt like a lightning rod in the betting community just a few months ago. It became clear pretty quickly that Cleveland wouldn't hit that mark, and it's somewhat of a miracle eight wins are in play given the dysfunction.Watch itOverTEAMWIN TOTALRECORDPatriots1111-3Chiefs10.510-4Titans88-6Raiders66-8Patriots (11)This feels like a lock, considering the Patriots play the lowly Dolphins in Week 17 in a game that could still have seeding implications. If that game doesn't matter, it's because the Pats took care of Buffalo as big home favorites this week.Chiefs (10.5)The Chiefs are giving nearly a touchdown on the road to Chicago, and they'll likely be even bigger favorites next week against the Chargers. A little sweat, but not enough to worry about.Titans (8)The Titans feel more like a "sweat it" team, except you're already getting the push at worst if you bought at 8 wins. Still, two games against the Saints and Texans aren't exactly easy opportunities to hit your over bet. Circle Week 17 as the better chance to win.Raiders (6)Another "sweat it" candidate, since the Raiders will be sizable road underdogs in each of their final two games against the Chargers and Broncos. But hey, at least you'll get your money back on one of the worst teams in football.UnderTEAMWIN TOTALRECORDBears97-7Cowboys97-7Broncos75-9Dolphins53-11Bears (9)So let's get this straight: if the Bears upset Patrick Mahomes in a game the Chiefs need for playoff seeding, and then beat Minnesota on the road in a game the Vikes could need to win the division, then your under bet pushes? I think you'll be safe.Cowboys (9)This one looks like a classic push candidate, with the Cowboys needing a pair of wins to claim the division in two games they'll be favored in. This weekend's test in Philly likely decides whether under bettors can breathe easy or sigh begrudgingly.Broncos (7)This looked like a clear under a few weeks ago, but Brandon Allen and Drew Lock have combined to make things interesting for the Broncos. The Lions and Raiders are both beatable squads, much to the chagrin of under bettors.Dolphins (5)Can you believe this win total is still in doubt? It's still very much in play, too: if the Dolphins beat the hapless Bengals this week, they could face an unmotivated Patriots team in Week 17 for the unlikely push. Under bettors better be rooting for Buffalo this week to give New England a reason to try.Sweat itTEAMWIN TOTALRECORDSteelers98-6Cardinals54-9-1Steelers (9)Another "can you believe it" squad is Pittsburgh, which was down to its third-string quarterback just a few weeks into the season but has mustered eight wins against mostly inept competition. Because of the myriad playoff scenarios still possible for the Steelers - bringing Week 17 motivation into question - these final two weeks against the Jets and Ravens will be impossible not to sweat out.Cardinals (5)The Cardinals have certainly been a fun - if not emotionally tumultuous - team to bet through the first 15 weeks. They tied, lost their next three, won their next three, then lost six straight before last week's win over Cleveland. It's only fitting they'd be in the balance with games against the juggernaut Seahawks and Rams. With this team, who knows what you might get.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 © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is unlikely to suit up for his team's crucial Monday night showdown against the Green Bay Packers due to a shoulder injury, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Cook was unable to finish last week's win over the Los Angeles Chargers after suffering the injury. He had already been dealing with a previous shoulder injury and a chest issue.Head coach Mike Zimmer said on Monday that Cook can play through the injury, but it appears Minnesota will be trying to clinch a playoff spot without its leading rusher.The Vikings are leaning toward shutting Cook down for the final two games of the regular season so he can be healthy for the playoffs, sources told Courtney Cronin of ESPN.The Vikings sit a game behind the Packers in the NFC North. If Kirk Cousins and Co. beat their rivals in Week 16, they'll still need Green Bay to slip up in the regular-season finale to win the division, as the Packers hold the tiebreaker.Rookie Alexander Mattison has been Cook's primary backup this season, but he missed Week 15 with an ankle injury. Minnesota could be forced to roll with a backfield of Ameer Abdullah, Mike Boone, and fullback C.J. Ham.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.