New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick noted his respect for kicker Justin Tucker on Friday prior to his team's Week 9 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.When asked if Tucker is the top kicker in the league, Belichick took the question a step further."He's the best kicker in the history of the league, right? I mean, yeah," he said, according to NFL.com's Grant Gordon."We were fortunate enough to block one against him the last time we played him, but it's not easy," he added. "He's tough. He's a good player - good athlete, good place-kicker and a good kickoff man."Belichick's comments could be viewed as controversial. Many will point to Adam Vinatieri, who played 10 seasons in New England, as the NFL's all-time greatest kicker.Vinatieri won three Super Bowls with the Patriots while hitting several clutch kicks, and he's the league's all-time field-goal leader.Tucker, meanwhile, is currently the most accurate kicker in NFL history with a 90.7% field-goal success rate, and no other kicker has reached 90% accuracy. He has yet to miss a field goal or extra point in 2019.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL fined the Pittsburgh Steelers $75,000 and head coach Mike Tomlin $25,000 for violating the league's injury report policy, ESPN's Brooke Pryor reports.Pittsburgh did not accurately list quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on the injury report ahead of its Week 2 game against the Seattle Seahawks. He didn't practice the Wednesday of that week, but the team stated it wasn't injury-related. He practiced fully Thursday and Friday.Roethlisberger left the game with an elbow injury, one that teammates admitted they learned of prior to the contest."Really, the first I heard of it was this past week. I guess right after the New England game (in Week 1), expressing some pain, but that was the first I have heard," backup quarterback Mason Rudolph said at the time.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco was placed on injured reserve with a neck injury, ending his season after eight starts, head coach Vic Fangio announced Friday.Flacco was initially expected to miss five-to-six weeks with a herniated disc, which isn't considered career-threatening and may not require surgery."At best, it was six weeks where he could do nothing. When I say nothing, absolutely nothing. So he would need probably two weeks to get back. And (it's a) good chance it would be eight of doing nothing and then another week or two to get ready. So you guys can do the math," Fangio said.Acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens last offseason, Flacco threw for 1,822 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions before landing on the reserve list.With a base salary north of $20 million in 2020, there is no guarantee Flacco will be back with the Broncos next season. The club will be on the hook for a $13.6-million cap hit if it releases him, according to Over The Cap.Denver is set to give Brandon Allen his first career start at quarterback in Week 9 against the Cleveland Browns, but could turn to second-round pick Drew Lock down the stretch. Lock has spent the first half of the campaign on injured reserve with a thumb injury.Brett Rypien was promoted from the practice squad.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Cowboys and Amari Cooper have yet to reach a deal on an extension and, at the midway point of the season, it's becoming increasingly likely that an agreement won't be reached until after the campaign."I'd prefer to wait until after the season," Cooper said, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.Cooper's in the final year of his rookie contract and will earn $13 million.The Cowboys have said they intend to extend their top receiving threat but are up against the salary cap and still have to reach new deals with quarterback Dak Prescott and corner Byron Jones.Cooper has amassed 621 receiving yards and five touchdowns this season, which both rank inside the top 10 in the league.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers announced that linebacker Kwon Alexander suffered a torn pectoral Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals.An MRI confirmed the injury Friday and Alexander will miss the remainder of the 2019 season as a result.The 25-year-old signed a four-year, $54-million contract with San Francisco this offseason, making him the NFL's fifth-highest paid linebacker in terms of average annual value.Alexander thrived in the middle of the stout defensive unit in 2019, helping the 49ers reach the midway point of the campaign undefeated. He accumulated 34 tackles, one interception, and one forced fumble across eight starts.The torn pectoral marks the second straight season ended by injury for the young defender. In 2018, his final year with the Tamp Bay Buccaneers, Alexander tore his ACL in Week 7.San Francisco will move forward with Fred Warner, Azeez Al-Shaair, and rookie Dre Greenlaw at linebacker.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs listed quarterback Patrick Mahomes as questionable to play Sunday versus the Minnesota Vikings due to the dislocated kneecap he's recovering from.Mahomes missed Week 8 after suffering the injury the week prior. He's been a limited participant in practice this week.Mahomes was initially given a three-to-eight week timeline after dislocating his kneecap, but appears likely to beat it. An earlier report suggested the reigning league MVP should be back by Week 10 at the latest.In seven outings this season, Mahomes has thrown for 2,180 yards with 15 touchdowns and one interception.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard has cleared the concussion protocol and is set to return for Monday's Week 9 tilt against the Dallas Cowboys, the team announced Friday.Shepard has missed the last three games due to a concussion.The Giants lost all three games without the 26-year-old, whose return will provide a significant boost to the team's passing game.Monday's game against the rival Cowboys will mark the first time Shepard, Saquon Barkley, Golden Tate, and Evan Engram will be on the field together in a game with Daniel Jones at quarterback.The fourth-year wideout has caught 25 passes for 267 yards and one touchdown in four starts this season.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 Friday during the NFL season, theScore's betting writers will release their best bets for the week. 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 courtesy of theScore Bet.Thomas Casale ($1,098)Season record: 6-4-1, +$98Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks (-6)The line tells us all we need to know about this game. Despite being 6-2 on the year, Seattle is just a six-point favorite over 2-5 Tampa Bay with sharp money backing the Buccaneers. The Seahawks are an interesting team. They win because of head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson but their overall talent is average. One really disturbing stat is Seattle's defense allows the third most yards per play (6.2) in the NFL, ahead of only winless Miami (6.5) and Cincinnati (6.6). The Seahawks haven't been profitable at home lately, failing to cover five straight. Look for the Bucs to keep this game close and stay within the number.Pick: Buccaneers +6 ($100)Cleveland Browns (-3.5) at Denver BroncosI'd love to give you all these amazing stats and trends, but in reality, I'm just fading the Broncos' new starting pivot, Brandon Allen. Search Allen's stats and it says, "No information available." That's because he's yet to throw a pass in four NFL seasons. If the Browns can't win this game, Freddie Kitchens shouldn't be allowed on the plane back to Cleveland.Pick: Browns -3.5 ($100)Alex Kolodziej ($1,093)Season record: 9-5, +$93Tennessee Titans at Carolina Panthers (-3.5)Call it a zigzag, a buy-low option, or whatever, but I'm all aboard fading the Titans and playing the Panthers in this spot. Make no mistake: Ryan Tannehill has been fine as he's led the Titans to consecutive wins since taking over as the starter. But I think we should be cautious here. Tennessee beat an underwhelming Chargers team at home - a game that should've been a loss - and last week beat Tampa Bay by four despite being outgained by nearly 150 yards. The Titans also benefited from turnovers against Tampa, scoring on two drives from inside the Bucs' 10-yard line and starting on their own 45 or better four times. I have serious qualms about this Tennessee team - and its current stock - and something tells me we're going to find out this weekend on the road that this club is fraudulent.Pick: Panthers -3.5 ($50)C Jackson Cowart ($855)Season record: 7-8-1, -$145Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks (-6)We still aren't sure the Seahawks are actually good, with six wins against teams in disarray and four of them coming by a combined six points. The matchup here is unfavorable, too, with Seattle's shaky secondary facing two of the best receivers in the league in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.The Seahawks also enter this game without center Justin Britt, which doesn't bode well against the league's best run defense, led by interior linemen Ndamukong Suh and Vita Vea. Seattle is just 2-2 at home this season and could be looking ahead to next week's trip to San Fran. Fade the big number here.Pick: Buccaneers +6 ($50), Buccaneers +220 ($10)Indianapolis Colts (-1) at Pittsburgh SteelersThis either feels like a massive overreaction to the Colts' tight win over Denver a week ago or to the Steelers' ability to eke out wins against awful teams. Indianapolis isn't awful. I'm fading Pittsburgh until oddsmakers rightfully price them as a below-average club.Pick: Colts -1 ($40)Alex Moretto ($773)Season record: 7-9, -$227New York Jets (-3) at Miami DolphinsNeither of these teams are very good, but the Dolphins are worse and depreciating by the week as a result of trades and injuries, with Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard the latest player to be placed on injured reserve. The Jets' main issue on offense this year has been their putrid offensive line, but Miami doesn't have the pass rush to take advantage. Sam Darnold will finally have time to throw as New York's offense gets back on track, while Adam Gase takes one out on his former employer, as he's been known to do in the past. This is the same guy who called for an onside kick against another former employer, the Denver Broncos, two years ago while up 33-9 in the fourth quarter. With the Jets sitting at 1-6, this is his Super Bowl.Pick: Jets -3 ($70)Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks (-6)I had this whole thing written out about the Seahawks, their unimpressive wins, their two lopsided defeats, and their general lack of talent outside the quarterback position. There were some great lines in there about a deceiving record, the Bucs being better than you think, and this line telling you all you need to know about the two teams. You would've loved it.And then both Tom and Jackson went and picked the Bucs as well, rendering my incredible words redundant. Thanks, guys.Pick: Buccaneers +6 ($70)Tennessee Titans at Carolina Panthers (-3.5)Ryan Tannehill has led something of a Titans revival, but his two wins have come at home against a pair of defenses that struggle to pressure the quarterback and defend the pass. Let's all pump the breaks. He's in for a rude awakening against the Panthers' defense, which ranks in the top five against the pass and leads the NFL in sacks per game. Their nasty defensive front will give Tennessee's offense fits and have Titans fans scouting college games in search of quarterbacks to draft in April.Pick: Panthers -3.5 ($70)Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner is doubtful for Week 9 versus the Indianapolis Colts due to a shoulder injury, the team announced Friday.Fellow running back Benny Snell was ruled out with a knee issue, meaning Jaylen Samuels is likely to see most of the work Sunday.Conner injured his shoulder Monday against the Miami Dolphins and didn't practice at all during the week. The 24-year-old overcame other injuries to appear in the Steelers' first seven games of the season.Conner has rushed for 380 yards and four touchdowns this season. He's averaging 3.9 yards per carry, down from the 4.5 yards he averaged in 2018.Pittsburgh also ruled out offensive guard Ramon Foster for Week 9 due to a concussion.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins interim head coach Bill Callahan announced Friday that rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins will start Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson.Veteran Colt McCoy will reportedly back up Haskins, as Case Keenum remains in the concussion protocol.The Week 9 tilt will be the first start of Haskins' career. His NFL debut came after Keenum was benched in a Week 4 loss to the New York Giants. He struggled in that appearance, throwing three interceptions and taking two sacks.Washington turned to McCoy as its starter the following week instead of giving Haskins his first career start. Head coach Jay Gruden was fired days later, and Callahan said he didn't feel the rookie was ready to take the reigns upon being hired.The Redskins selected Haskins No. 15 overall in April's draft. It remains to be seen whether he'll stick in the lineup once Keenum is healthy enough to return.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton will miss Week 9 and likely more with a calf injury he suffered in practice two days ago, head coach Frank Reich said Friday."With the information that we have, generally speaking, it's a three-to-four week injury," Reich told reporters, including Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Hilton, a four-time Pro Bowler, leads the Colts in receiving with 360 yards and five touchdowns. Indianapolis has gone 0-5 in games without Hilton since he entered the league in 2012.The Colts entered November atop a tight AFC South race. Two of their next four games will come against division opponents.Colts' upcoming scheduleWeekOpponent9Steelers10Dolphins11Jaguars12*Texans*Thursday Night FootballIndianapolis is no stranger to calf injuries. The same type of ailment lingered and sidelined Andrew Luck throughout the summer, eventually trickling down to his ankle and leading to his abrupt retirement.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is visiting a foot specialist to learn why his Lisfranc injury isn't healing, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who added that a return to football is a long way off.Newton hasn't played since Week 2. Carolina previously believed Newton would be ready to return after its Week 7 bye, but that didn't materialize."I spent a long time speaking with Cam this week and he's done everything he possibly can in his rehab process to get his foot to 100%," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said in a news release. "Unfortunately, we haven't reached that point. The next step is for him to go see Dr. (Robert) Anderson and gather more information."The Panthers have gone 4-1 without Newton, receiving a boost from backup quarterback Kyle Allen. Head coach Ron Rivera said after Carolina lost in Week 8 that the former MVP was "still in the middle of his rehab program," according to The Athletic's Joe Person.Newton injured his foot in the preseason, but he returned for the beginning of the regular season. He struggled through two starts to open the campaign before the Panthers put him on the shelf indefinitely.Dr. Anderson, the foot specialist, previously worked for the Panthers as an assistant physician.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Following a close loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury took full responsibility for his costly first-half timeout that likely affected the outcome of the game.The 49ers went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with four seconds remaining in the second quarter. Arizona's defense came up with a clutch stop, but Kingsbury already called a timeout. The 49ers scored on their next try."I wanted to get a Kodak timeout, one of those looks at it," Kingsbury told reporters, according to Kevin Zimmerman of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. "Wanted them to hopefully burn their best play. Looking back on it, would have rather gotten that stop."That one didn't work out for us and that's on me."The Cardinals dropped to 3-5-1 following the loss but gave the undefeated 49ers their closest game to date in 2019."We're a good football team," wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. "We feel as though we could beat that team today, the penalties and missed opportunities, those are on us."Fortunately we'll be able to see this team in two weeks."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2019 NFL season is already halfway through, and while a few of the usual suspects are well on their way to earning end-of-year honors, there are several new faces who appear destined to enter NFL's elite.Here are theScore's midseason All-Pro selections for 2019:QuarterbackRussell Wilson, SeahawksWilson leads the NFL with 17 touchdown passes and is tied with Patrick Mahomes for the fewest interceptions with one. Despite losing Doug Baldwin to retirement in the offseason and working with a group of unheralded receivers, Wilson is enjoying the best year of his career. The NFL's top-rated passer has carried the Seahawks to a 6-2 record, taking his game to new heights after becoming the highest-paid player in the league over the spring.Running backIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyDalvin Cook, VikingsCook is not only the league's leading rusher through eight weeks, he's also forced 42 missed tackles, which ranks him second among running backs. The third-year tailback may not be the most athletic offensive weapon in the NFL, but he possesses incredible vision, contact balance, and breakaway speed. It's helped him to the tune of 5.3 yards per carry and nine touchdowns while pacing the No.1-ranked rushing offense.FlexChristian McCaffrey, PanthersThe onus has been on McCaffrey to carry the Panthers' offense all season and he has done just that; the third-year pro already has 180 touches. With all the opportunities, "Run-CMC" has put himself on pace for 23 trips to paydirt and a whopping 2,464 yards from scrimmage, which would be just 45 yards shy of Chris Johnson's all-time single-season mark. The 23-year-old bell cow has proven he is the premier dual-threat back in the league.Wide receiverIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyMichael Thomas, Saints

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury made an embarrassing rookie error just before the end of the first half of Thursday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.The 49ers went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with four seconds remaining, but the Cardinals' defense came up with a clutch stop on the running play.Unfortunately for Arizona, Kingsbury already called a timeout, which cost his team the goal-line stand and gave the 49ers a second chance.

Trent Williams said Thursday his anger with the Washington Redskins stems from a growth on his head that team doctors didn't take seriously when it began developing six years ago.The lump was eventually discovered to be cancerous, requiring Williams to undergo three surgeries this past offseason. Williams said the cancer was weeks away from reaching his brain."I almost lost my life," he said, according to The Washington Post's Les Carpenter.Williams cited a lack of trust in the Redskins' medical team for his holdout, which ended at the trade deadline when he wasn't moved. Williams needed to report to the team to ensure his contract wouldn't toll.The Pro Bowl left tackle revealed his cancer was a rare type called dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP)."We haven't had the best history with the way medical stuff has been handled here," he said, pointing specifically to the issues quarterback Alex Smith has had since suffering a broken leg last year, according to Kareem Copeland of The Washington Post.Hours after Williams' press conference, the Redskins announced they've requested for the league and the NFL Players Association to create a joint committee for a third-party review of the medical care given to the 31-year-old."The Redskins continue to prioritize the health and well-being of our players and staff," read the statement. "Due to healthcare and privacy regulations, we are unable to comment further at this time. We look forward to the joint committee's results."Williams was initially reported to have passed his physical upon rejoining the Redskins but was later deemed to have failed after complaining his helmet was causing him discomfort."I just had my whole head opened up," he said. "I lost 30% of my scalp. It's not going to feel great. It's going to take some time."The 31-year-old also noted his discontent with his contract, which contains no guaranteed money left on it. Williams is signed through the 2021 season. He blasted the Redskins for refusing to trade him, as the club reportedly waited until hours before the deadline to finally take offers."I feel like that was kind of done to try to embarrass me, so to speak," he said. "Try to make it feel like don't nobody want you, you're not good enough for us to trade for. I feel like that was more so the play than it was actually trying to get me moved."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets listened to trade offers for Le'Veon Bell ahead of Tuesday's deadline, and the star running back revealed Thursday that they had an unexpected suitor in his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers."I found out through my agent. He had talked to the Jets and there were teams like Houston (Texans), the (Green Bay) Packers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and, surprisingly, the Steelers were all in the mix in trying to trade for me," Bell said on the "17 Weeks" podcast.Bell said the main reasons a trade didn't happen were that New York asked for a "high price" in return and his contract is hard for other teams to take on.Pittsburgh's apparent interest could be explained by its recent injury troubles in the backfield.Both James Conner and Benny Snell were hurt during Monday's win against the Miami Dolphins. Connor suffered an AC joint injury while Snell suffered a knee ailment that will keep him out for two-to-six weeks.Shortly after the deadline passed, Bell - who was the Jets' prized free-agent addition this past offseason - said he was "happy as hell" that New York ultimately kept him.Bell established himself as one of the NFL's top running backs during his five seasons with the Steelers.However, his split from Pittsburgh was messy, as Bell sat out the entire 2018 season over a contract dispute before exiting in free agency.- With h/t to the Pittsburgh Post-GazetteCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. shielded Baker Mayfield from criticism Thursday amid the quarterback's substandard first half of the season."You can't sit here and say it's all on him," Beckham said in reference to the critique of Mayfield, according to ESPN's Jake Trotter. "You have to take a look at everything going on around him. Obviously, he has to play better. I have to play better. Jarvis (Landry) has to play better. (Nick) Chubb. We all have to do better."Beckham and Mayfield have both struggled so far in 2019, with the latter failing to build upon his successful rookie campaign.Mayfield is tied with Jameis Winston for the most interceptions in the league with 12.Beckham, the Browns' marquee offseason acquisition, has one touchdown reception through seven games. His yardage total sits at 488, but it was inflated early in the season by an 89-yard catch-and-run."Can't sit back and be like, 'It's Baker's fault.' I feel like that's the easiest thing for us to do," Beckham added. "I've been in situations where one person is getting the blame. And the rest of the people are quiet to kind of stay out of the fire. I'm going to jump in the fire with him. I'll be the first one. Some of these losses are on me. I need to be in the right place at the right time. I'm going to do better."I'm going to be the first one here to defend him every single time," the 26-year-old wideout said of Mayfield. "I've always got his back."Beckham became famous for his sensational catches with the New York Giants, but he hasn't made too many of them for the Browns, who sit at 2-5 entering Week 9.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Perhaps in an effort to calm recent tensions, Adam Gase spoke glowingly of miffed New York Jets safety Jamal Adams on Thursday."I think he is one of the best players we have on our roster," the Jets' first-year head coach told reporters, including Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. "... I know that we are in a really good position with him at his spot. I feel like we have one of the upper-tier players at that position."Adams sounded off Wednesday after learning the Jets had entertained offers for him ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline. While questioning why the team would consider moving him, Adams referred to himself as the Jets' version of Tom Brady or Aaron Donald. He declined to speak with general manager Joe Douglas about the trade reports.Gase admitted Thursday he also hasn't talked to Adams since the deadline, but he remains confident in his safety's commitment to the team ahead of its Week 9 clash with the Dolphins."I know this: He's focused on Miami right now," Gase said. "He practiced well (Wednesday). He went out there. He was flying around. Same energy. ... I watched how he interacted with his teammates. He's focused on this game."A Pro Bowler last year, "The President" has put together another strong season for the struggling Jets; he's notched 39 tackles and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown, in seven games. The 24-year-old has lived up to all expectations since New York drafted him sixth overall in 2017."I like him on our defense," said Gase. "I love him on our defense. I think he does a great job."The Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens both reportedly tried to land Adams before the deadline. He is under team control for two more seasons, including the fifth-year option attached to the contracts of first-round draft picks.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon has been released off injured reserve, and will go through waivers, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Gordon will be looking for a supportive situation, adds Schefter.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Just under halfway through the NFL season, the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers keep winning, while the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals keep losing. Can any of those four trends last over the second half?New England, which made history with the first 16-0 regular season in 2007, has 5-1 odds to pull off the feat again this year after blitzing its first eight opponents by an average of 23.6 points per game. Its first real test comes this week at Baltimore, the only opponent all year to get fewer than six points versus the Patriots.Don't forget about the Niners, who are 15-1 to go undefeated a week after dropping 51 points on a stout Panthers defense. Conversely, the lowly Dolphins are 6-1 to lose out, while the Bengals are a mere 5-1 after installing backup quarterback Ryan Finley as their new starter post-bye.Here are those four teams' odds of making history and a breakdown of their respective chances.Odds to go 16-0TEAMYESNONew England Patriots (8-0)5-11-7San Francisco 49ers (7-0)15-11-50New England PatriotsWhen the schedule was first released, we all knew an 8-0 start was a possibility against eight non-playoff teams from 2019. Of course, we couldn't have foreseen how dominant the Patriots would look, especially on defense, or that they would lead the NFL in points scored and allowed.Maintain a level head about this run, though. New England has played backup quarterbacks, broken offensive lines, and abysmal coaches galore, and the team looked a little more mortal in last week's 14-point win over Cleveland.There isn't much value in no - you're better off rolling over moneyline winnings game to game - but the schedule stiffens with the Ravens, Eagles, Cowboys, Texans, and Chiefs in consecutive contests. Keep betting the spread if you like this team, but avoid these odds.San Francisco 49ersThe Niners deserve more respect than they've gotten this year, even after trouncing the Panthers a week ago. Kyle Shanahan's group made three competent NFC teams - the Bucs, Rams, and Panthers - all look silly, and they've blown the doors off inferior competition save for the rain-stained Washington game.What makes this team so formidable is its stellar defense. After ranking last in Pro Football Focus grades a year ago, the unit is reborn under third-year coordinator Robert Saleh, who's unleashed Nick Bosa. The offense is a perfect complement based around speed and smart play-calling. What can't this team do?Go undefeated, for one. The 49ers still have to play Seattle twice, along with the Packers, Ravens, and Saints in consecutive weeks. There's a loss in there somewhere. But worse teams than this one have entered Weeks 16 and 17 without a loss, so I wouldn't touch 1-50 odds with a 50-foot pole.Odds to go 0-16TEAMYESNOMiami Dolphins (0-7)6-11-9Cincinnati Bengals (0-8)5-11-7Miami DolphinsA month ago, we told you to stay away from 7-2 odds on a winless 'Fins campaign. Sure enough, Miami has lost every game since but has even longer odds now thanks to a few inspired efforts in recent weeks.These Dolphins will break through. They've covered three straight games and had a legitimate shot to win all three, and they get the nearly-as-putrid Jets at home this week. The team's offensive line is starting to come together after shipping away parts before the season; when line play improves, wins often follow.Again, you're smarter to roll over your moneyline winning against the Dolphins than to lay a big number here - if only because Miami gets to play Cincinnati in Week 16.Cincinnati BengalsHere's where things get interesting. Early in the year, the Bengals seemed fun, frisky, full of potential. Now they're nothing short of a trainwreck, and they finally pulled the plug on reliable nine-year starter Andy Dalton in favor of Finley, whom the team traded up for in the fourth round.Like Dalton, Finley has a reputation as a safe game-manager type. That's great when your roster is stocked with talent, but less so when you're always playing from behind and have arguably the worst offensive line in football. Even if Finley shows some upside, it's hard to see the next eight games as anything other than an unmitigated disaster.The Bengals are sure to be underdogs in Week 16 at Miami, so that alone is reason to hit the "yes" prop on their 0-16 year. This team, more than any other, needs a top quarterback in the draft, and new coach Zac Taylor knows it. Bettors can only hope he doesn't ruin the fun of a winless campaign.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 Chicago Bears surely did not expect to be sitting in last place in the NFC North with a 3-4 record, but that's the reality of their season so far.In the midst of this disappointment, head coach Matt Nagy found inspiration in 2019 World Series champions the Washington Nationals, he told reporters Thursday.The Nationals, like the Bears, started slow. Washington came out of the gate with an ugly 19-31 record before turning things around, getting into the wild-card game, and eventually winning the title Wednesday night. Nagy said he showed the Bears a PowerPoint presentation about the Nationals on Thursday and hopes that illustrating the parallels between the two squads will help his football team bounce back in the second half of the season."People that stick together, people that get tighter through adversity, people that never quit, people that say 'so what, now what?' ... But then they do it," Nagy said about the Nationals.He added, "How do you not show that to your guys and let them pull from that? ... That should be something that all of us can learn from in the sports world."While Chicago's defense continues to be a menacing unit, second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has not taken the next step. He's putting up 182 yards per game through the air with five touchdowns and four turnovers in six games.Up next for the underachieving Bears is a date with the Philadelphia Eagles, who sent them home from the playoffs last year thanks to the infamous double-doink.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 9.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.Half PPR

Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders fans are finding new uses for their Antonio Brown jerseys this Halloween.Social media has been flooded with photos of people dressing up as "Antonio Clown" for Halloween - a nod to all the drama that has surrounded the free-agent wide receiver over the past year.

Michael Bennett will become a free agent in 2020 after restructuring his contract as part of the trade that brought him to the Dallas Cowboys, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.The three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman was initially signed through the 2020 season, keeping him off the open market until March 2021.Bennett was shipped to Dallas from the New England Patriots after serving a one-game suspension following a squabble with his position coach. The 33-year-old made over $5.6 million from the Patriots and will be able to earn north of $2 million for the remainder of the season with the Cowboys, according to Pelissero.Bennett notched five tackles and 2.5 sacks over six outings with the Patriots. He joined New England through a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played one season. The Texas A&M product starred on the Seattle Seahawks from 2013-17 and played an integral role on the team that captured Super Bowl XLVIII.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ohio State added a strong prospect to its 2021 recruiting class Thursday with four-star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. announcing his commitment.Harrison landed offers from top schools including Michigan and Texas A&M, but he chose the Buckeyes. He'll be under the tutelage of wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, an elite recruiter and former Miami Dolphin.Harrison Jr., the son of iconic Indianapolis Colts receiver Marvin Harrison, is the No. 19 wide receiver in his class and the No. 5 2021 prospect in Pennsylvania. He stands 6-foot-4 and 174 lbs.Harrison Sr. was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. He was one of the most prolific receivers in NFL history and still holds the single-season record for receptions with 143. He amassed 14,580 total receiving yards (ninth all time) and 128 touchdowns (fifth) on 1,102 receptions (fifth) during his 13-year career.The Colts icon also developed an extremely productive QB-WR relationship with NFL legend Peyton Manning. Over 11 seasons together, Manning completed more passes (953) for more touchdowns (112) and more yards (12,756) to Harrison than any other duo in NFL history.Harrison Jr. will be joined in Columbus by his quarterback at St. Joseph's Prep, Kyle McCord.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Darius Slay heard the trade rumors, and he was indifferent to whether he stayed with the Detroit Lions or was dealt before the deadline."I didn't care if they did (trade me), that's the thing. The whole point of time, y'all don't understand it that I didn't care if I did. It is what it is," Slay said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.Slay spoke out after the Lions shipped safety Quandre Diggs to the Seattle Seahawks, and he subsequently heard his own name being circulated as a possible trade chip.When asked if he preferred to be dealt, Slay responded, "I don't care. I'm a millionaire, dude."Slay is in the second-last season of his contract with the Lions, which pays him $12.5 million in base salary this year and $10 million in 2020.He's played his entire seven-year career in Detroit and said he "wouldn't mind" spending the duration of it with the Lions.Copyright © 2019 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, John Daigle of Rotoworld joins Boone to discuss the biggest fantasy questions heading into Week 9:

Jamal Adams is still upset that his name was included in trade rumors, and he's not ready to discuss the matter with New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas."I'm not ready to talk. That's where I'm at with it," Adams said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. "When you go through something, sometimes it's best to let everything cool down."After the trade deadline passed Tuesday, the two-time Pro Bowl safety accused Douglas of going behind Adams' back and shopping him to other teams."We were not shopping Jamal, I can promise you that," Douglas told reporters, adding that he was simply listening to offers for his players.Douglas said he intended to speak with Adams to clear the air, but it's something the three-year pro is not yet ready for."For three years, I've done nothing but work my butt off, continue to improve, be a great leader for the team, be a great teammate," Adams said. "When you see certain things like that and you hear about it and you get calls, you're in shock a little bit, right."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins interim head coach Bill Callahan announced offensive tackle Trent Williams didn't pass his physical Wednesday due to helmet discomfort, according to NBC's JP Finlay.Callahan added that the failed physical is a result of scalp surgery that Williams underwent in the offseason, per Rhiannon Walker of The Athletic.The Redskins now have two weeks to find a helmet that doesn't hurt the offensive lineman, reported NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Rapoport added that if the team can't find a helmet, Williams can either play in pain or the team can place him on the non-football injury list.The news comes a day after Williams ended his holdout. Despite his return to the team, the seven-time Pro Bowler reportedly doesn't plan to play this season.Washington was unable to find a trade partner prior to Tuesday's deadline but will shop Williams again during the offseason, according to Rapoport.The 31-year-old Williams was drafted fourth overall in 2010 and hasn't played in 2019. He started 13 games for Washington last season.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.Week 9 of the NFL season opens Thursday when the undefeated San Francisco 49ers travel to take on the Arizona Cardinals. Here are the best player props for the NFC West tilt.Kyler Murray under 215.5 passing yardsThis looks like a pretty soft number. The Cardinals are 10-point underdogs and should be in passing situations, so you'd think Murray could get there, possibly in garbage time. But it scares me how the script has played out in similar situations. Remember when Baker Mayfield and the Browns went down 14-0 to San Francisco and were in a hole the entire game? Cleveland's quarterback finished with a whopping 100 passing yards. The following week, the 49ers held Rams quarterback Jared Goff to 78 yards. And just last Sunday, the Niners allowed 158 passing yards to Carolina's Kyle Allen despite holding a comfortable lead virtually the entire game.San Francisco's defense suffocates from start to finish, ranking No. 1 in yards per completion allowed and explosive pass rate success. The unit hasn't given up more than 200 yards to an opposing quarterback since Week 2.Whether there's a full half of garbage time or just one drive, the 49ers won't give an inch to Murray in the passing game.Murray over 28.5 rushing yardsI think this is a sneaky great prop bet to look at. The Cardinals' front will be tested against a 49ers defense that is No. 1 in adjusted sack rate this season. But with the pocket potentially closing quicker than normal, don't be surprised if Murray flashes his dual-threat abilities. He's averaging 34.8 rushing yards per game this season and the 49ers' pass rush will likely force him outside the pocket more than usual.Larry Fitzgerald under 44.5 receiving yardsThe 49ers have been good at taking away the favorite target of opposing quarterbacks. Here are the stat lines for No. 1 receivers facing the Niners' secondary in recent weeks:D.J. Moore: 5 catches, 38 yards

With his Cleveland Browns sitting at 2-5, Baker Mayfield let his frustrations boil over on Wednesday.During his weekly press conference, the quarterback became irritated by a reporter's questions about a first-half drive from Cleveland's Week 8 loss to the New England Patriots.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.The San Francisco 49ers, one of only two undefeated teams in the NFL, travel to take on the Arizona Cardinals for Thursday Night Football. Here's everything you need to know about the Week 9 opener from a betting perspective.Line movementSan Francisco opened as a seven-point favorite, though that number is long gone. The 49ers were bet up all the way to double-digits this week, moving from -9.5 to a juiced -10.5 before settling back down to -10 flat. The total's tricky for this one, considering the Niners have been an under team while the Cardinals have seen their fair share of shootouts. With the stark contrast in styles, the total opened at 44 and was bet down to 43, where it's currently at.Betting breakdownThe Cardinals hit a second gear there for a minute, winning three consecutive games before losing by 22 to the Saints last weekend. Much of the success over that streak was due to the schedule, as Arizona's offense posted at least 26 points in victories over the Bengals, Falcons, and Giants. But against New Orleans, the Cardinals were held out of the end zone and settled for just three field goals. It'll be an even stiffer test this week against a 49ers defense that is No. 1 in the league in a bevy of categories, including yards per play allowed (4.1) and yards per completion (8.2). The 49ers are both 5-2 against the spread and to the under, allowing just 11 points per game this season.There's also a clear advantage for the San Francisco front seven on Thursday. The Niners are No. 6 in stuff rate, No. 4 in total sacks, and No. 1 in adjusted sack rate. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have allowed the fourth-most sacks in the league and are extremely thin in the backfield due to injuries.Important trendsThis is a revenge situation for San Francisco, which has dropped eight straight to the Cardinals. Historically, the Niners have been great in this spot and are currently on a 10-1 run straight up and 8-2-1 ATS when seeking revenge. Additionally, they're 7-0 SU and 6-0-1 ATS when that opponent has a record of .333 or worse. Good luck, Cardinals.X-factorKyler Murray faces a defense that's allowed quarterbacks to net an average of 117.4 passing yards per game over the last five. But Murray's a dual-threat who can make plays with his legs, which should come in handy. The daunting pass rush of the Niners should see the pocket close rather quick, forcing Murray to extend plays on the run. His rushing yards total could be a great prop bet, but his passing yards? Not so much, which leads us to the best bet.PickMurray under 215.5 passing yardsThe 49ers' pass rush has been elite and the coverage on the back end has been flawless. Because of that, they haven't allowed a quarterback to throw for more than 200 yards since Week 2. San Francisco is a true no-fly zone, pacing the league in explosive pass rate allowed this season. Murray might be in passing situations virtually all night, but so was Kyle Allen last week, and all he did was throw for 158 yards and three interceptions. San Francisco's defense isn't a good matchup for anyone, let alone a rookie quarterback with a subpar receiving corps, at best.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 © 2019 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.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team before the deadline, we present the Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values and rest of season rankings for each position.Trade Values

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles is reportedly nearing a return to the field, but his fill-in, rookie Gardner Minshew, says his focus is elsewhere."It's something I can't really worry about right now," Minshew said Wednesday when asked about Jacksonville's budding quarterback controversy on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football.""Every halfway competitive guy ever, you want to be the guy out there helping your team win. There is no doubt about that," Minshew continued. "But at the end of the day, we just want to win, and whatever we've got to do to make it happen, we're going to do it."Minshew was plunged into action just 10 plays into the season when Foles broke his clavicle."I knew at some point I'd get an opportunity to play. I didn't think it would be the first quarter of the first game. ... But I've been trying to do my job. A lot of guys have been working hard," Minshew added.The 23-year-old Washington State product has endeared himself to football fans with his quirky wardrobe choices and on-field improvisation, leading the Jaguars to a surprising 4-4 record.

Following their eighth loss in as many games, the Cincinnati Bengals announced Tuesday they are benching quarterback Andy Dalton for rookie Ryan Finley - a decision that apparently didn't sit well with the veteran.Dalton's agent tried to find a trade for the quarterback before Tuesday's deadline, according to Laurel Pfahler of The Athletic.The 32-year-old said he wished the team had made its decision earlier in order to give his camp the opportunity to explore a possible move."There just wasn't enough time to do that," Dalton told Pfahler.With Dalton still in Cincinnati following the trade deadline, he remains committed to the Bengals amid their first 0-8 campaign since 2008."I don't agree with the decision but I'm going to do everything I can to help the team," he said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.Dalton leads the league in pass attempts (338) and completions (204) through eight games this year, posting 2,252 yards, nine touchdowns, and eight interceptions.Finley, a fourth-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, is set to make his first NFL start in Week 10 when the Bengals face the Baltimore Ravens following Cincinnati's bye week.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After holding onto Trent Williams during Tuesday's trade deadline, the Washington Redskins plan to shop the star left tackle in the coming offseason, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported.The Redskins insisted for months that they wouldn't deal the disgruntled seven-time Pro Bowler, who's been holding out for the entire season. However, they apparently reversed course this week and were open to trading him before the deadline.Williams ended his lengthy holdout this week and passed his physical, according to Rapoport. However, he was absent from Wednesday's practice, per ESPN's John Keim.It was previously reported that Williams doesn't intend to play this season.The Redskins were looking for a first-round pick in exchange for Williams, but they were only offered a second-rounder, which they declined, according to Rapoport. The Cleveland Browns reportedly engaged in discussions for the 31-year-old but were unwilling to meet Washington's demands.By ending his holdout, Williams prevented his contract from tolling and he's set to earn $5.82 million in remaining salary this year. However, it's unclear how his apparent plan to not play would affect his contract status.The left tackle is under contract for one more year beyond this season. He's set to earn $12.5 million in 2020.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As he nears a return from his ankle injury, star wide receiver A.J. Green reiterated his desire to remain with the Cincinnati Bengals long term, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.Prior to Tuesday's trade deadline, rumors circulated that Green could be on the move as the Bengals enter a rebuild, but the team ultimately said it won't trade the perennial Pro Bowler.The 31-year-old added that his preseason injury put a halt to contract negotiations, but confirmed the two sides have reentered discussions, per Dehner.Green also noted he would prefer not to be slapped with the franchise tag this offseason if a new agreement isn't reached in 2019.The veteran wideout has yet to suit up this year. He's aiming to return against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10 after the Bengals' bye.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With starting running back Kerryon Johnson on injured reserve with a knee injury, the Detroit Lions tried to boost their backfield before the trade deadline.According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Detroit asked the Atlanta Falcons about the availability of Devonta Freeman. Both sides discussed a potential deal at length, but the Falcons ultimately decided not to trade their running back.The 27-year-old has struggled this season thus far, with most of his contribution coming through the passing game. He has 97 carries for 333 yards and no touchdowns but has caught 35 passes for 252 yards and three scores.In Week 8 against the New York Giants, four Lions running backs combined for 62 yards, with undrafted Tra Carson leading the group with 12 carries for 34 yards.Besides Johnson (92), sixth-round rookie Ty Johnson leads Detroit in rushing attempts in 2019 with 30.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.This week, we look ahead to the second half of the season and name one player from each team who has to step it up.1. New England Patriots (8-0)Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 1New England's ground attack has been abysmal, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry, which is tied for the worst mark in the league. While the struggles are not entirely Sony Michel's fault, the running back's ability to create his own yards has all but disappeared. The Patriots need much more from the former first-rounder.2. San Francisco 49ers (7-0)Previous Rank: 3If the Niners want to maintain their hot start, Jimmy Garoppolo must improve his pedestrian stats. Jimmy G hasn't needed to play at an All-Pro level thus far, but he'll face the Seattle Seahawks (twice), Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, and Los Angeles Rams in the second half. We'll discover just how good San Francisco is soon enough.3. New Orleans Saints (7-1)Previous Rank: 2The Saints are one of the best teams in football, but if they want to win the championship, they'll need tight end Jared Cook, their prized offseason signing, to improve on the 15 catches and 168 yards he's supplied thus far.4. Green Bay Packers (7-1)Previous Rank: 4Kevin King has been the weak link in the Packers' pass defense. He gets targeted frequently while lined up across from Jaire Alexander, and he's on pace to concede more than 1,000 yards in coverage.5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 5Another threat in the passing game could take Baltimore to a new level, which is why rookie wide receiver Miles Boykin needs to begin producing like a starter if he wants to retain that role.6. Minnesota Vikings (6-2)Previous Rank: 6Pat Elflein's move to left guard has not gone as planned, and his deficiencies - which the Washington Redskins exposed in Week 8 - threaten to hold back the Vikings' offense down the stretch.7. Seattle Seahawks (6-2)Previous Rank: 7Jarran Reed, who recently returned from a six-game suspension, must provide Seattle with a pass-rush presence inside. Reed notched 10.5 sacks last season and the Seahawks rank 25th in that department so far in 2019.8. Kansas City Chiefs (5-3)Previous Rank: 8Kansas City's secondary is predictably struggling, so the defense's need for a strong pass rush is apparent. Frank Clark has recorded just one sack outside of a dominant performance versus the Denver Broncos, and he'll be key in the second half. The Chiefs are simply paying Clark too much for his current level of production.9. Indianapolis Colts (5-2)Previous Rank: 9The Colts are on top of the AFC South, and safety Malik Hooker has only appeared in four games due to injuries. He'll need to be a difference-maker in the second half for Indianapolis to remain on its perch.10. Houston Texans (5-3)Troy Taormina / USA TODAY SportsPrevious Rank: 11With J.J. Watt out for the season, the onus will fall on Whitney Mercilus to be the leader of the Texans' front seven. Mercilus has been solid in coverage and leads the team with 5.5 sacks, but he'll have to be even better to make up for the loss of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year.11. Los Angeles Rams (5-3)Previous Rank: 14Jared Goff may lead the league in passing yards, but the Rams desperately need their quarterback to step up as they push for a playoff spot. Goff's completion percentage and yards per attempt have declined from last season, and he's on pace for two more interceptions and 10 fewer touchdown passes.12. Dallas Cowboys (4-3)Previous Rank: 13DeMarcus Lawrence has been solid to date, racking up 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss. But the Cowboys need their star pass-rusher to take his game back to the level he reached in 2017 - when he tallied 14.5 sacks - if they're going to capture an NFC East title.13. Buffalo Bills (5-2)Previous Rank: 10Buffalo clearly has a playoff-caliber defense. What the AFC wild-card contender doesn't have, though, is good enough play under center. Josh Allen was always going to take time to acclimate to the NFL, but he's hurting Buffalo far more than he's helping due to constant turnovers. If Allen doesn't improve his game, the Bills won't make noise in the postseason - if they qualify at all.14. Carolina Panthers (4-3)Previous Rank: 12Donte "Action" Jackson has lived up to his nickname for the wrong reasons. He's been burned for two touchdowns and has allowed a 73.3 passer rating against, according to Pro Football Focus, despite also nabbing two interceptions.15. Detroit Lions (3-3-1)Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious Rank: 15After the Lions traded Quandre Diggs out of their secondary, it's imperative that $90-million man Trey Flowers has a big second half rushing the passer.16. Philadelphia Eagles (4-4)Previous Rank: 16Philadelphia opted against moving Nelson Agholor before the trade deadline, meaning the wideout must rebuild his reputation after a drop-filled and unproductive start to the year. The receiver will hit free agency in the coming offseason, while the NFC East club has missed his ability to rack up yards after the catch.17. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4)Previous Rank: 17Myles Jack has been fine in run defense, but he's allowed receptions on 61% of the plays he's been targeted and has given up three touchdowns. The Jaguars will need more from their star middle linebacker.18. Tennessee Titans (4-4)Previous Rank: 21While Derrick Henry is on pace for a second consecutive 1,000-yard season, he's averaging just 3.8 yards per carry and has only reached 100 yards in one game. The Titans are hoping for another second-half surge from their bell-cow back.19. Oakland Raiders (3-4)Previous Rank: 19Now that Gareon Conley's been shipped out to the Texans, veterans from Oakland's 30th-ranked pass defense will be key in the team's fight for a playoff spot. That means Lamarcus Joyner, the league's highest-paid slot corner, will need to step up.20. Arizona Cardinals (3-4-1)Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 20The Cardinals' offense has taken a step forward under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Their defense, however, has largely disappointed. Many thought a change in scheme would help linebacker Haason Reddick in his third season, but that hasn't been the case, as he's seen his playing time reduced. A second-half improvement from Reddick would go a long way toward revitalizing his career.21. Chicago Bears (3-4)Previous Rank: 18The Bears need to get Tarik Cohen going. He's their most dynamic player and the only big-play threat on offense considering quarterback Mitchell Trubisky struggles to complete passes more than 5 yards downfield.22. Los Angeles Chargers (3-5)Previous Rank: 24Russell Okung, who returned in Week 8 from a pulmonary embolism, is among the Chargers' key players heading into the second half. Anthony Lynn's offensive line must keep Philip Rivers clean and create opportunities in the run game if the entire unit is to improve.23. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-4)Previous Rank: 23JuJu Smith-Schuster has struggled as the No. 1 receiver, with far too many of his 443 yards coming in garbage time. The Steelers desperately need him to carry the offense with the shaky Mason Rudolph at quarterback.24. Cleveland Browns (2-5)Previous Rank: 22Baker Mayfield's offensive line is doing him no favors, but that doesn't explain why he's thrown behind his receivers all year long. Mayfield's inaccuracy has contributed to the drops and poor offense plaguing the Browns.25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-5)Silas Walker / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 25Outside of their two star receivers, just about every member of the Bucs needs to step it up. Jameis Winston leads that group, as he's lost three fumbles and shares the league lead with 12 interceptions.26. New York Giants (2-6)Previous Rank: 26First-round cornerback DeAndre Baker has received a baptism by fire during his first eight games, allowing five touchdowns and nearly 72% of passes thrown his way to be completed. While cornerback is widely considered the hardest position, outside of quarterback, to transition to from college, the excuse of being a rookie won't hold up much longer for Baker.27. Denver Broncos (2-6)Previous Rank: 27John Elway drafted Noah Fant 20th overall in hopes of adding a dynamic weapon to Denver's offense, but the tight end has fallen short of expectations. Fant must improve upon his season-high 37 yards (in Week 3) for the Broncos to stay competitive.28. Atlanta Falcons (1-7)Previous Rank: 29Devonta Freeman has barely resembled the Pro Bowl running back of 2015 and 2016. He's averaging a minuscule 3.4 yards per carry and his best performance on the ground was an 88-yard game.29. Washington Redskins (1-7)Previous Rank: 30When the Redskins broke the bank for Landon Collins in free agency, they envisioned him as the secondary's primary playmaker. While Collins has been one of Washington's lone bright spots, his huge salary came with equally big expectations. The safety needs to do more than just rack up tackles for the Redskins to rebound in the second half.30. New York Jets (1-6)Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 28Sam Darnold's "seeing ghosts" comment was largely ridiculed, but at least he has the self-awareness to realize he simply isn't reading defenses at an NFL level, as evidenced by his eight turnovers across the last two games. Darnold's situation with the Jets is far from ideal, but excuses rarely fly for highly drafted franchise quarterbacks.31. Cincinnati Bengals (0-8)Previous Rank: 31Andy Dalton has already been benched, and Joe Mixon could lose playing time if he doesn't improve on his 3.2 yards per carry. The 23-year-old led the AFC in rushing a year ago behind a similarly deficient offensive line.32. Miami Dolphins (0-7)Previous Rank: 32You could argue that everyone on the Dolphins' roster needs to step up amid a winless start to the campaign. While first-round defensive lineman Christian Wilkins has looked solid as a run defender, his impact on the passing game has been disappointing. As one of Miami's few building blocks, Wilkins would provide a massive boost for the future if he can find his groove as a pass-rusher.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are perhaps no football parents more proud than Mr. and Mrs. Bosa right now. Their oldest and youngest sons, Joey and Nick, were both named Defensive Player of the Week in their respective conferences for Week 8.

The NFL trade deadline has passed, with the most significant activity occurring in the days prior to the cutoff. With all the transactions in the rear-view mirror, we grade every significant swap leading up to the deadline.Rams trade Aqib Talib to DolphinsIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyDolphins receiveRams receiveCB Aqib TalibFuture 7th-round pick2020 5th-round pickDolphins: A

The New York Jets held pat and kept running back Le'Veon Bell, receiver Robby Anderson, and safety Jamal Adams through Tuesday's trade deadline, but the damage from the trade rumors may have already been done.After the deadline passed at 4 p.m. ET, Adams took to Twitter to share his side of the story, stating he never asked to be traded and accusing Jets general manager Joe Douglas of shopping him behind his back.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.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 early rankings for Week 9.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks is set to visit with a specialist in Pittsburgh after suffering his second concussion this October, head coach Sean McVay announced Tuesday, according to ESPN's Lindsey Thiry.Cooks was placed in the concussion protocol after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit in Sunday's win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The pass-catcher was also placed in the protocol after Week 5, but he was cleared in time to play in the following game."We just want to take it a day at a time," McVay said when asked about how this affects the remainder of Cooks' season. "Any time that you have something like this occur, you want to consider the human being first and foremost, and that's what we're going to do and we'll take our time."Prior to this campaign, the 26-year-old had suffered three known concussions.Cooks is in the second season of a five-year, $81-million extension he signed several months after being acquired from the New England Patriots for a first-round pick in April 2018.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With Tuesday's NFL trade deadline in the rearview mirror, Washington Redskins left tackle Trent Williams ended his holdout and returned to the team, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.But despite deciding to report, Williams doesn't intend to play this season, a source told JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington.By ending his holdout, Williams prevents his contract from tolling, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He can now earn $5.82 million in remaining salary.However, it's unclear how Williams' apparent plan to not play will affect his contract status.The 31-year-old is under contract for one more year beyond this season; he's set to earn $12.5 million in 2020.After insisting for months that they wouldn't trade the absent seven-time Pro Bowler, the Redskins seemingly reversed course earlier this week and signaled they were open to dealing him.But Washington failed to receive a satisfactory offer before the 4 p.m. ET deadline after reportedly demanding a first-round draft pick or a package that included a playmaker in any trade for Williams.The disgruntled left tackle held out all season due to discontent with how the team's medical staff handled a growth on his head in the offseason. Williams required several procedures for the issue.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Lions were the only team to make an offer for Denver Broncos Pro Bowl cornerback Chris Harris Jr., Mike Klis of 9News reports.However, the two sides were unable to come to an agreement before the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, as the Lions weren't willing to go as high as a third-round pick for Harris, Klis adds.The Broncos reportedly wanted a second-round pick for the former All-Pro.Harris is in the final year of his contract with the 2-6 Broncos and seems to be looking forward to the remaining nine weeks of the season.

The NFL trade deadline came and went on Tuesday with only one trade taking place: A salary-dump move that saw injured cornerback Aqib Talib go from the Los Angeles Rams to the Miami Dolphins in a swap of late-round picks.Among the big names rumored to be on the block but not changing teams were Le'Veon Bell and Jamal Adams, a pair of New York Jets stars. The Jets reportedly listened to offers for their star running back but didn't actively shop him. Meanwhile, multiple reports linked Adams to the Dallas Cowboys, but the Jets' asking price was reportedly too high. The Baltimore Ravens also reportedly inquired about Adams but were unable to reach a deal.Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and Washington Redskins holdout left tackle Trent Williams were also hot names leading up to the deadline, but no deal materialized for either player.Cincinnati Bengals wideout A.J. Green was rumored to be a possible trade candidate, but by all appearances, the team never engaged in meaningful trade talks.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles will be the latest subject of Amazon's "All Or Nothing" series produced by NFL Films, according to Paul Domowitch of The Philadelphia Inquirer.The show follows a team through an entire season and airs the following summer. The 2018 Carolina Panthers were featured in the series' most recent season that aired in July.Eagles president Don Smolenski said his club didn't have a choice in the matter. The team received a call from the NFL shortly before the start of the season informing the squad it had been selected for the series."There has to be somebody on the show," Smolenski said. "And if there are no volunteers, then the league makes a selection."There's a certain criteria ... for those teams that cannot be chosen. And if you don't fit that criteria, your name goes into a bucket with a group of other teams and the league picks from the bucket."Philadelphia will be the fifth franchise to be featured on the series.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins acquired cornerback Aqib Talib from the Los Angeles Rams, the team announced Tuesday.The clubs are confirmed to be swapping picks. The MMQB's Albert Breer reports the Dolphins will receive a fifth-round selection in 2020 and the Rams will get a future seventh-rounder.Miami general manager Chris Grier said the team is willing to be trade partners for clubs looking to offload contracts, reports ESPN's Cameron Wolfe.Talib is on the IR and is owed $4.23 million for the rest of the season, according to Spotrac, which is now off the Rams' books.The deal frees up cap space that the Rams can use to give newly acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey an extension, Schefter adds.Miami, for its part, continues to stockpile draft choices, adding a mid-rounder to an arsenal that already includes 19 picks over the next two seasons.The 33-year-old Talib played in just 13 of a possible 24 regular-season games with the Rams.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.