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 ($1,218)Season record: 5-2-1, +$218Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (-3)I'm a Cowboys fan and I think they'll get smashed Sunday night. It's a big game with both teams sitting atop the NFC East at 3-3. I like taking underdogs in important games if the team catching points has a significant edge at head coach. This just in: Doug Pederson is a much better coach than Jason Garrett.The other issue Dallas will have in this matchup is running the football. The Eagles have been awful versus the pass but rank second in rush defense, allowing just 72.8 yards per game. The Cowboys' offense struggles when it can't get Ezekiel Elliott going, and with star receiver Amari Cooper not 100% healthy, the Eagles' shaky secondary is catching a break.The Cowboys have won three of the last four in this series but are just 1-18-1 against the spread (ATS) as home favorites when coming off a straight-up and ATS loss. That's the case this week. Philly will win outright on the road Sunday night.Pick: Eagles +3 ($100)Alex Kolodziej ($1,097)Season record: 8-4, +$97Houston Texans at Indianapolis ColtsTotal: 47I don’t really understand this total. Houston might be a shootout team, but Indianapolis is not. Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett is the perfect game manager, and I prefer to play Texans overs when they’re facing a pivot who can beat them deep. The Colts are perfectly content playing keep-away and letting their running game do the trick. I also don’t think Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has a great matchup on his hands against an Indianapolis defense that's coming off a bye week, while Houston is playing the second of a back-to-back. The Texans have gone under the total in each of their last four against divisional opponents and five of six after an offensive outburst (30-plus points). Look for that trend to continue.Pick: Under 47 ($40)C Jackson Cowart ($865)Season record: 6-7-1, -$135Miami Dolphins at Buffalo BillsTotal: 40.5The Bills, behind an elite defensive unit, are the lone team that has gone under in every game this season. Miami is 4-1 to the under thus far, with its horrific offense to thank for the low-scoring games.Ryan Fitzpatrick is expected to start at quarterback for the Dolphins, who've gone under in four straight and have thrown three times as many interceptions (9) as touchdowns (3). Bills QB Josh Allen should fare better against Miami's weak defense, though he's 12-5 to the under in his young career and has battled myriad injuries this season.With oddsmakers pricing the Bills as gargantuan favorites, the best way to fade this historically inept Dolphins team is by pounding the under. Sign me up.Pick: Under 40.5 ($100)Alex Moretto ($785)Season record: 5-7, -$215Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (-1, 47)Last week was an unmitigated disaster - everything I looked at was torched beyond recognition, with the ashes doused in gasoline and then torched again. It sunk my bankroll and threw me below .500 for the first time this season. I've been eating frozen dinners all week and walking to work.When in doubt, trust Frank Reich. He's done an outstanding job not just coaching up the Colts, but revamping their roster. It's crazy they're still being undervalued, but I'm not complaining. Reich is way too smart to get into a shootout with the Texans here. Both teams have excelled at running the ball and you can expect plenty of long, clock-sapping drives as they continue to do so on Sunday.The Colts are rested and, more importantly, healthy coming out of their bye, and I like Reich to get the better of Bill O'Brien once again. This is a tough spot for the Texans in their second road game in a row, coming off an emotional win at Arrowhead over the Kansas City Chiefs. I can't stuff another Lean Cuisine meat lasagna down my throat. Indy will win a low-scoring game.Picks: Colts -1 ($60), under 47 ($60)Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cincinnati Bengals have handed offensive tackle Cordy Glenn a one-game suspension for internal disciplinary reasons, the team announced on Friday.Glenn won't count against the 53-man roster in Week 7 when the winless Bengals take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.The ban comes on the heels of a report that Glenn clashed with the team over the way it handled a concussion he suffered. The Bengals already reportedly fined Glenn $200,000 at some point this season for conduct detrimental to the team.Glenn and the Bengals reportedly disagreed about the injury, its symptoms, the need for another medical opinion, and his readiness to return. The 30-year-old reportedly told head coach Zac Taylor to release him after getting into an argument with a member of the coaching staff.Glenn suffered the concussion before the regular season and has yet to make his 2019 debut. He was initially expected to move to left guard this year, but the veteran shifted back to left tackle after first-round pick Jonah Williams suffered a season-ending shoulder injury over the summer.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther slammed the NFL on Thursday for upholding linebacker Vontaze Burfict's season-long suspension."I think it was a witch hunt from the beginning, quite honestly," Guenther said, according to ESPN's Paul Gutierrez. "Somebody in the league didn't want him playing football and they got what they wanted."Guenther added that Oakland was unaware that Burfict, who's previously been banned three times for dangerous hits and leads the NFL with 23 personal fouls since 2012, was one infraction away from being suspended."Does it make any sense to sign a guy that, after one infraction, he's going to get thrown out of the league for a year? No, it doesn't," Guenther said. "So, I think it's very unfair. It's unfair to our team. It's unfair to Vontaze."Burfict was ejected from the Raiders' Week 4 contest against the Indianapolis Colts for a head-to-head hit on tight end Jack Doyle. The veteran linebacker appealed his unprecedented ban, but it was upheld by an independent arbitrator.The NFL said in its initial announcement of the ban that Burfict had been warned that "future violations would result in escalated accountability measures." However, Guenther believes the league wasn't clear enough about the potential career-ending ramifications of another incident."How would you deal with it if you basically got your career taken away like that?" Guenther said. "And not really know that that's what's going to happen. He may not play football again. And that's a tough thing. ... All of a sudden, it's done and, what team, now that they know the next infraction you're going to be done for the year, that's a tough pill to swallow, without knowing that was going to be the consequence. To me, that's not right."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes left Thursday's game against the Denver Broncos with a dislocated kneecap, NFL Network's James Palmer reports.There doesn't appear to be a fracture, but the QB will have an MRI on Friday to determine whether he suffered any ligament damage, Palmer adds.If no ligament damage is found, Mahomes' best-case scenario would be a three-week layoff, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.A cart initially came onto the field but the star passer waved it off and limped to the sideline with some assistance. He quickly headed to the locker room to undergo additional tests and was ultimately ruled out for the remainder of the contest. Veteran Matt Moore replaced Mahomes under center.The injury occurred during a quarterback sneak in the second quarter. Broadcast footage appears to show a Kansas City trainer popping the reigning MVP's right knee back into place.

Sam Darnold is riding high after the New York Jets upset the Dallas Cowboys in his return from mononucleosis.With tight end Chris Herndon close to returning from a hamstring injury, the Jets' offense will soon be at full strength for the first time this season."Right now, we're just missing Chris," Darnold told reporters, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. "Once all the guys are back together, I think we're unstoppable as an offense - or we can be."Darnold added: "It's just up to us and how we execute. It's really up to us how many points we score, I think. I think we're capable of so many points. With our offensive line, too, the way they played last game, with the way we've been running the ball and the way they've been protecting, sky's the limit for us."The second-year passer missed three games while battling mono. He completed 23-of-32 passes for 338 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception against the Cowboys to capture AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.New York ranks last in total offense this season, largely due to instability at quarterback in Darnold's absence. Head coach Adam Gase's squad will look to build on its first win of the year Monday night against the New England Patriots.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Amari Cooper's official status for a pivotal Week 7 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles is up in the air due to a quad injury, but the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver is optimistic he can play through it."We'll see (if I can play)," Cooper said Thursday, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. "Day to day. I'm feeling a little bit better every day."Cooper added he isn't willing to miss Sunday's game for the sake of getting extra rest prior to a Week 8 bye, adding: "I am preparing like I am going to play."While the star wideout's health had improved from earlier this week, it's plateaued over the last couple days, forcing him to miss practice Thursday, Gehlken notes. Cooper plans to test his injured quad Friday before determining his status for Sunday."From the time I had hurt it in the Green Bay game to the time I talked to you guys, it had taken a huge leap," Cooper said. "So, I thought it would continue to get a lot better each and every day - but it kind of plateaued and it only got a little bit better every day."Dallas will hope to have Cooper near full strength after losing its last three games. In two contests against Philadelphia last year, Dak Prescott's top target caught 16 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Raptors were still weeks out from raising their first NBA championship banner when Kyle Lowry, the team's floor general and spiritual leader, sat for a television interview at preseason media day. He craned his neck as he listened to the preamble to one question, furrowing his brow in mock horror."Kawhi left?" he interjected. "Oh, man."Lowry smiled that smile of his. Of course Kawhi Leonard, the imperturbable superstar who led Toronto to the Larry O'B, was gone. His desire to partner with Paul George, and the machinations needed to bring the two of them to the Los Angeles Clippers this summer, rocked the entire league. Outside of Oklahoma City, no club felt the brunt of the move more acutely than the champs.As a new season tips off next week, the Raptors' position at the outset of the franchise's post-Leonard era is at once enviable and unfortunate. Except for the 1993-94 and 1998-99 Chicago Bulls, no NBA team has ever tried to defend a championship without the services of its Finals MVP - and no champ has entered the following season with that MVP playing elsewhere in the league.Nowhere in sports is there a perfect historical parallel for the Raptors' forthcoming next act. Those '94 Bulls lost a superior player, prime Michael Jordan, to retirement, but retained a secondary star, Scottie Pippen, who was better than Lowry and Pascal Siakam. The 1999 Denver Broncos went 6-10 after Super Bowl MVP John Elway retired; this Toronto roster, as presently constructed, probably won't slump to a losing record. Even if the 2012 St. Louis Cardinals approximated a likelier fate, winning a playoff round the season after Albert Pujols left in free agency, their formula for staying competitive wouldn't transpose seamlessly onto a team that doesn't play baseball.Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBA / Getty ImagesStill, the Raptors might be able to glean some lessons from these teams' collective experience. They share the rare distinction of basking in the glow of supreme victory only to immediately wave goodbye, by compulsion or choice, to a core contributor to that achievement.Their mileage varied widely. The 1998 Florida Marlins, a World Series winner dismantled in an infamous offseason fire sale, went 54-108 after trading half of their roster. That same year, the Detroit Red Wings motored to a second straight Stanley Cup title despite restricted free agent and future Hall of Fame center Sergei Fedorov holding out for three-quarters of the season in search of a new contract.Taken together, insights from members of these teams produce a macroscopic roadmap of how the Raptors - or any future champions that find themselves in this situation - can navigate the aftermath of a star's departure. It's a four-pronged process, starting with the need for the players who still populate the dressing room to band together and avoid lamenting what could have been."It's never going to feel good when you lose the value we lost," said Cliff Floyd, a Marlins outfielder during that down 1998 season. "Once you understand the business side of the game, in any sport, you keep it moving and keep your head high and you keep fighting."Make the best of what you haveWhen Jordan, the MVP of three consecutive NBA Finals at age 30, retired from basketball in October 1993 at the peak of his powers, Bulls point guard B.J. Armstrong was keenly aware of the sad context that framed his decision. Jordan's father, James, had been murdered in North Carolina that summer. As his teammate of the past four seasons grieved, Armstrong was primarily concerned with being a good friend.On the court, Armstrong presumed the Bulls would be fine. By 1993, Jordan had already compiled a bountiful greatest-hits reel, reminding opponents from Craig Ehlo ("The Shot") to Clyde Drexler ("The Shrug") that he could dominate any game on his own. Yet Jordan was also a terrific team player, Armstrong said, one whose "true genius" was rooted in his understanding of how to integrate his talents into a cohesive five-man unit.Andrew D. Bernstein / NBA / Getty ImagesAs Jordan and Pippen guided the Bulls to dynasty status, their frontline effort was supplemented by quality depth. In 1993-94, with Armstrong, power forward Horace Grant, and center Bill Cartwright still around to start and rookie swingman Toni Kukoc deployed as a capable scorer off the bench, the Bulls reeled off two separate 10-game winning streaks and finished third in the Eastern Conference, quelling doubts that they'd even make the playoffs."Everyone in that locker room understood, you know what, there's strength in numbers," said Armstrong, who is now a basketball agent at Wasserman. "That's what made the Bulls the Bulls. They understood the concept of team."Togetherness was a common focus across this sample of atypical defending champs. In the late 1990s, Elway's leadership and Pro Bowl arm catapulted the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl victories, but he needed plenty of help. His supporting cast included running back Terrell Davis, receivers Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith, tight end Shannon Sharpe, and a top-10 defense anchored by Neil Smith, John Mobley, and Bill Romanowski.With those kinds of teammates, "you've got dudes around you who can get some things done," said Chris Miller, whom Denver signed to back up Brian Griese at quarterback after Elway retired. Each of those dudes was still there in 1999 to help bear the load.Like Denver without Elway, the 1997-98 Red Wings could continue to lean on superlative depth during Fedorov's holdout: Six future Hall of Famers were still in the lineup. As with the 1993-94 Bulls, real life forced the Wings to grapple with a greater tribulation. Early that offseason, star defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov was gravely injured in a limousine crash that ended his career.Vladimir Konstantinov (center) and Sergei Fedorov (far right). Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThe magnitude of Fedorov's absence paled in comparison, recalled Darren McCarty, the hard-nosed winger who played 13 seasons in Detroit. He said the highs and lows of the Red Wings' previous few seasons - late-round playoff defeats in 1995 and 1996, followed by a breakthrough Stanley Cup championship and, suddenly, the accident - brought him and his teammates closer than ever before: "You'd do anything for them."The Wings were united in their resolve to play well in Konstantinov's honor, defenseman Larry Murphy said, and to ensure their hunger to win another Cup - a possible stumbling block for any title team - never waned."You basically have to look at what you've got in the dressing room, and you have to believe that that's enough to win," Murphy said. "Confidence is the toughest thing to manufacture. We had confidence that we could do it with what we had."Seize new opportunitiesThe 1998 Marlins were a wretched baseball team. They raised a World Series banner and beat the Chicago Cubs at home on Opening Day, then promptly lost 11 games in a row. They duplicated that losing streak as May turned to June. They finished the season in last place in the majors, nine games worse than expansion franchise Tampa Bay - a fate foreseeable from the moment owner Wayne Huizenga ordered payroll slashed as he sought to sell the club.To Floyd, an up-and-coming backup outfielder on the 1997 title team, Florida's freefall was "awful" to endure. After the championship roster was razed, the lineup left behind consisted largely of young players who had to fight each day to merely stick in the big leagues, a combination that doesn't tend to produce many wins. Only four Marlins posted a WAR of 1.5 or better in 1998.Cliff Floyd in 1998. Scott Halleran / Getty ImagesOne of those few remaining standouts was Floyd, who was tapped in his fifth MLB season to succeed All-Star Moises Alou as the Marlins' everyday left fielder. At age 25, he applied the advice that several traded veteran teammates had impressed on him: Rise to the occasion when you get the chance to play. After a cold spring at the plate, Floyd settled into his new role and went on to lead the team with an .818 OPS and 22 home runs."How you go about taking advantage of the opportunity is going to give you whatever you have (in) your career," said Floyd, who is now an MLB Network analyst. "If you have longevity, then you were able to hold your head high and go ball. If not, you're going to have a short career." Floyd's career was long: He started in the majors for another decade and was an All-Star in 2001.The 1993-94 Bulls weren't torn apart in a fire sale, but Jordan's retirement created the same type of window for others to step up and shine. Playing and shooting more often, Armstrong and Grant became first-time All-Stars that season. Pippen averaged career highs in points (22.0), rebounds (8.7), and steals (2.9). Tied against the New York Knicks late in Game 3 of the second round of the playoffs, head coach Phil Jackson put his faith in Kukoc to shoot for the win; he beat the buzzer with a contested 23-foot fadeaway.Without Fedorov and Konstantinov, the 1997-98 Red Wings scored only three fewer goals (250, down from 253) than they had the previous season, thanks to consistent production from Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, and Nicklas Lidstrom, along with increased contributions from players such as Murphy and forward Doug Brown. (They also allowed one fewer goal against: 196 compared to 197.)Slightly lower in the lineup, McCarty was already familiar with the "next-man-up mentality" needed to compensate for key absences; he'd been counted on to elevate his play after Detroit dealt Dino Ciccarelli away in 1996."You're doing it after you've won (a title). There's sort of this attitude that, well, 'We're champions. We've got to figure it out,'" McCarty said. "It's not going to be easy, but this is how you create new stars. Different guys get the opportunity."Trust your coaches and grind on defenseIn a recent phone interview, Cartwright, the starting center on the first set of Bulls squads to three-peat, began to muse about a characteristic that helps separate good teams from the chaff: a clear identity. Under Jackson, Cartwright said, the Bulls played defense - whether Jordan was in the lineup or not.In the 1990-91, 1991-92, and 1992-93 regular seasons, Chicago posted top-10 defensive ratings of 105.2, 104.5, and 106.1, respectively. Without Jordan, a formidable perimeter defender, that mark actually improved (102.7) in 1993-94. By embracing a system that called for them to guard with unrelenting effort - and, specifically, to wall off the paint and force opponents to try to score from outside - the Bulls gave themselves the best possible chance to keep winning.L-R: Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, and BJ Armstrong. Nathaniel S. Butler / NBA / Getty ImagesIt isn't easy to convince a team to invest such energy in every single game, Armstrong said. For that, he credits Jackson and his staff, arguing that 1993-94 might have been the Hall of Famer's finest coaching performance."Anyone who's had an opportunity to win championships, you understand you can't shoot well all the time. You might not play well all the time," Armstrong said. "But you can defend every night."That mindset also imbued the 1999 Broncos with hope that they could continue to win without Elway - and, from October onward, without two more tentpole offensive players. Davis and Sharpe suffered season-ending injuries in successive weeks.Even as the offense cratered, falling from second-best in the NFL in 1998 to 18th, Denver's defense remained sturdy despite losing Mobley to an ACL injury in Week 2; it allowed only nine more points than it had the previous year. Playing the hardest schedule in the league, the Broncos lost 10 games that first season without Elway, but seven of those losses were by six points or fewer. In five, the margin of defeat was three or fewer points.Through Denver's spate of hard luck, the standard of play head coach Mike Shanahan expected from his team didn't waver. Miller, the backup quarterback, said Shanahan and offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak demanded perfection, and they demonstrated through their leadership the level of preparation that is required to compete for championships."When we went through fine-tune Friday practices, if the ball hit the ground, we were all shocked," said Miller, who now coaches high school football in Oregon. "The expectation level was extremely high. That permeated from the management through the coaches to the players, and it translated to Sunday."John Elway after Super Bowl XXXIII. Craig F. Walker / Denver Post / Getty ImagesKeep everything in perspectiveThe multitude of outcomes these depleted champions experienced suggests that the coming Raptors season could go any which way. Maybe OG Anunoby and Norman Powell excel in expanded roles, enabling Toronto to win a playoff round or two. Maybe the Raptors stumble and trade veterans for draft picks that could augment a retool built around Siakam. Maybe Siakam makes exponential strides for a second straight year, proving he can be the fulcrum of a contending team's offense.Even worst-case scenarios can beget silver linings - like when Floyd discovered during the Marlins' terrible 1998 season that he never wanted to play for a last-place club again. While he established himself over the course of the year as a dependable big-league hitter, he realized that mashing the ball isn't always enough to manufacture a winning atmosphere."If you want to be a leader, then you can't let this happen again. You've got to be an enforcer," Floyd said, summarizing his major takeaway from the season. "I took away a lot of little things that were going to kick me in the butt when I felt like I could see that type of situation happening again."In Chicago in 1994, the Bulls had greater reason to focus on the positive. After sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs, they lost a seven-game rock fight to the Knicks in Round 2, a defeat that would have constituted a severe letdown had Jordan been part of the proceedings.Without Jordan, though, his old teammates emerged from the year disappointed but at peace. They felt they had achieved about as much as possible, knowing they would have been in line to eliminate the Knicks - and possibly advance even further - had a famously disputed foul gone uncalled at the end of Game 5."I enjoyed playing with that team as much as any other team I played for in the NBA, because we maximized our potential," Armstrong said. "What else can you ask (for)?"Let's leave the last word to the '98 Red Wings, who did not have to settle for a moral victory at the end of their season. The Wings already sat near the top of the NHL's Western Conference standings when Fedorov finally returned at the end of February, his contract impasse having been resolved when the Carolina Hurricanes tendered him an offer sheet that Detroit matched.His reintegration to the lineup went impeccably. Fresh from his long holdout, Fedorov scored 17 points in 21 regular-season games and added 20 points during the playoffs, second on the team to Yzerman. Detroit won three series in six games and swept the Washington Capitals for the Stanley Cup. Yzerman, the captain, lifted the Cup first, before placing it in the lap of Konstantinov in his wheelchair.The Wings may not have reclaimed the Cup without Fedorov, but even before his return, McCarty said, the players knew they were going to be OK. They had already won a title, after all, and no future result could nullify that feeling."Guys will be like, 'Oh yeah, (losing a star teammate) sucks - but dude, look at this ring. They can't take that away from me,'" McCarty said."It's a big difference, the fact that you win and (then) you lose a guy. You're on a different level now. And it doesn't matter if you're on the bench or how much you played. There are Hall of Fame guys who will never get the opportunity to raise a trophy."Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.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 7.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.Half PPR

The 0-6 Cincinnati Bengals could sorely use the services of A.J. Green this weekend, but they'll likely have to continue waiting for the seven-time Pro Bowler to return.Green, who's been out since the first day of training camp with an ankle injury, was a limited participant in practice late last week. However, he's missed both sessions since then and doesn't sound like he anticipates playing in Week 7."I'm just taking my time. I'm not sore. I just have to take my time," Green said Thursday, according to Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson."If I can go, I can go. If I can't, I can't. It's no big thing. Like I said from Day 1, if I'm healthy enough to play then I'm going to play. Right now, I still have a little ways to go."Without Green, the Bengals rank 26th in total offense, though the passing game ranks 12th with quarterback Andy Dalton ranked 10th in passing yards.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley said Thursday he'll return for Monday night's game against the New England Patriots barring a setback, according to NFL Network's Kimberly Jones.Mosley has missed the Jets' last four games after suffering a groin injury in the season opener.New York's defense has held up without Mosley, ranking 19th in yards allowed per game. However, the prized offseason free-agent acquisition is still an important piece to the team's success."As impactful as getting a starting quarterback back," head coach Adam Gase said on Wednesday of Mosley's return, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano. "It's that impactful."The Jets have relied on Neville Hewitt, Albert McClellan, and rookie Blake Cashman in Mosley's absence.New York made Mosely, a four-time Pro Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens, the NFL's highest-paid inside linebacker at $18 million per season in March. Bobby Wagner's extension in July exceeded his deal.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cincinnati Bengals and left tackle Cordy Glenn have been at odds over a concussion the veteran suffered in the preseason, sources told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.Glenn was removed from the concussion protocol on Wednesday. However, he argued with a member of the Bengals' coaching staff that day because the veteran feels the team rushed him back from the injury, with one onlooker believing the confrontation was close to turning physical.Glenn reportedly told head coach Zac Taylor to release him.Cincinnati and Glenn have clashed over "the concussion, its symptoms, whether he's able to return, the need for second opinions, and how the player feels," according to Florio.Because of those issues, the Bengals, at some point this season, fined Glenn $200,000 for conduct detrimental to the team.Since Glenn's injury, Cincinnati has used Andre Smith and John Jerry at left tackle,Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers left tackle Russell Okung announced Thursday that he will return to the field "as early as Week 7" after missing the first six games of the season due to a pulmonary embolism he suffered in June.

New York Jets wide receiver Demaryius Thomas said on Wednesday that he feels the New England Patriots were "disrespectful" in their treatment of him during his brief stint with the reigning champions.Thomas signed a one-year deal with the Patriots in April. He was part of the team's final roster cuts in August, but after receiving assurances his place in New England was cemented, the veteran re-signed several days later.However, after Antonio Brown became a free agent, New England traded Thomas to the Jets for a 2021 sixth-round pick to make room for the former Oakland Raiders wideout."It was insulting, for sure," Thomas told the New York Daily News' Manish Mehta on Wednesday. "Once I got cut (on August 31), I could have just come here (to the Jets) and not stayed there and re-sign. When they re-signed me, I was thinking that I was good. Two weeks later, I was gone. So, it's like, 'Why did I waste my time?' Because at the end of the day, it was kind of a waste of time for me."The risk ultimately didn't pay off for the Patriots, with the team forced to release Brown after one game following accusations of sexual assault and a federal lawsuit.Thomas, who spent the offseason recovering from a torn Achilles, said he appreciates New England taking a chance on him. However, he believes the Patriots weren't candid about his job security."Coach (Bill Belichick) came up to me and was like, 'Uh, we got too many guys. We can't get the ball around enough and we're going to trade you to the Jets,'" Thomas said. "And that was that…. Ain't no reason to yell. They've won championships without me. I was only trying to be a part of something that was going to be good when I was there… They're doing a hell of a job."Belichick praised Thomas when asked about his former receiver's comments on Thursday, but added that he was honest with him."Look, Demaryius is a great kid. I have a ton of respect for him," said Belichick, according to James Palmer of NFL Network. "He's very professional, and he did everything we asked him to do. Our circumstances changed a couple of times in that period leading up to when he was traded."I felt like I was always truthful with him, but things changed and therefore, what I said was not the same as what I had said previously. So it is what is it."Thomas looked close to full health in his only preseason game with the Patriots, catching seven passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns.With Sam Darnold back under center during a Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys, the 31-year-old snagged all four of his targets for 62 yards.Thomas will get his chance to prove New England was wrong to move on from him in a Monday night matchup between the two AFC East teams.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins have had trade conversations about running back Kenyan Drake, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.The Dolphins are looking for the right offer for their starting rusher and the fourth-year pro would welcome a fresh start, Rapoport adds.The development follows a report last month that Drake was on the trade block.Drake has spent his entire career with Miami and has been utilized sparingly as the team's lead rusher this season. He's started two of five games in 2019 and has produced 153 rushing yards and 137 receiving yards for the winless Dolphins.Kalen Ballage and Mark Walton have also spent time running the football out of the Miami backfield. Neither has been able to crack 100 rushing yards for the season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams fans may not have to wait long for Jalen Ramsey's debut.Rams general manager Les Snead expressed uncertainty Tuesday about whether the newly acquired cornerback would suit up Sunday versus the Atlanta Falcons. Head coach Sean McVay, however, displayed more optimism."The goal is to be able to get him to play on Sunday," McVay told reporters, according to ESPN's Lindsey Thiry. "We'll be smart about it."The Rams lost Aqib Talib to a rib injury and traded Marcus Peters to the Baltimore Ravens shortly before acquiring Ramsey. McVay expressed excitement in adding a top-tier talent to his defense."You want guys with some swag, personality," McVay said. "Different things like that. As long as those guys love football, they love competing every single day. I think this is a building that will suit him well.""(The trade is a) very exciting thing for us," he added. "Obviously, know the caliber of player he is. The competitiveness, the toughness, really all the traits you look for in a corner. Those are some of the things exciting about getting him in here. Looking forward to getting to know the player and figuring out how he's going to help this football team."Snead said there isn't a timetable on signing Ramsey to a long-term extension. He's currently tied to his rookie contract through the 2020 season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Oakland Raiders have signed tight end Darren Waller to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.Waller is expected to earn $9 million per season on a new three-year deal that will kick in after the 2019 season, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Waller would have been a restricted free agent following the 2019 campaign.The extension continues an incredible comeback story for the 27-year-old. Waller battled addiction while with the Baltimore Ravens and was suspended one year in 2017 for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy for a second time.Waller later resurfaced with the Raiders, who signed him off Baltimore's practice squad in November 2018. He leads Oakland with 37 catches and 359 receiving yards so far this season, ranking second in the former among NFL tight ends.A $9-million annual salary would make Waller the league's fifth-highest paid tight end in terms of average annual value.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

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Each week of the NFL season, we'll highlight some of the best bets on the over/under. Week 6 was full of surprise overs, but the under looks appealing ahead of this week's slate.Here are our best bets on totals for Week 7.Kansas City Chiefs at Denver BroncosTotal: 48.5This total jumped off the page when it opened at 52.5 on Sunday. Sharps evidently agreed, betting it down to 48.5 as of Wednesday with 70% of tickets on the under, according to Sports Insights.Kansas City pushed on a 55-point total against the Texans, who boast a standout passing game and a below-average secondary. The Chiefs now face a Broncos team with a stellar secondary and a mediocre passing game, which could mean less Patrick Mahomes and more running from both sides.The reigning MVP is already hobbled, leading his team to fewer than 25 points in consecutive games. The under is 9-1 in the Broncos' last 10 home games, and Thursday night divisional games are 29-19-1 (60.4%) to the under since 2014. It goes against convention to bet under on a Chiefs game, but it's the sharp pick here.Pick: UnderMiami Dolphins at Buffalo BillsTotal: 40Buffalo is the only team without an over this season thanks to a stifling secondary that ranks fourth in Pro Football Focus' coverage grades. Miami is among the best teams to the under, too, though its putrid offense is the culprit.The Dolphins mustered their first second-half points of the year in last week's loss to Washington but still fell short of a measly 41.5 total for their fourth consecutive under. The Bills haven't allowed more than 17 points to an opponent all season, and they've had a bye week to scheme for Miami's inept attack.Buffalo is 12-5 to the under since Josh Allen's first start and has topped 24 points on just three occasions - two of which came in unders. All signs point to a low-scoring Sunday affair.Pick: UnderJacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati BengalsTotal: 43.5Don't get hung up on the perception of Jacksonville as an elite defensive team. The Jaguars have gone over in two of their three games without cornerback Jalen Ramsey, whom they shipped to Los Angeles earlier this week. Their lone under in that span came against Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who's 21-13-4 (61.8%) to the under in his career.The Bengals' defense, meanwhile, can't hold a candle to that of New Orleans. Cincinnati's defensive unit has allowed at least 21 points to all six of its opponents this season and ranks in the bottom five in PFF's grades for run defense, pass rush, and coverage.Before facing the Saints, Jacksonville averaged 25 points over three games against the Titans, Broncos, and Panthers; all of those teams have better defenses than the Bengals. Oddsmakers are giving the Jaguars' defense too much respect here, so take advantage with an over bet.Pick: OverC 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 Cleveland Browns contacted law enforcement authorities Wednesday after Myles Garrett said a fan punched him in the face, according to a team statement obtained by ESPN's Jake Trotter.Garrett detailed the incident via Twitter:

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.The Kansas City Chiefs travel to take on the Denver Broncos for a Thursday night divisional tilt. Here's everything you need to know about the prime-time clash from a betting perspective.Line movementThe market's cooled on the Chiefs, who just dropped back-to-back home games to the Colts and Texans the previous two weeks. The Chiefs, who opened as 4.5-point favorites, have dropped all the way to -3. The total's also been bet down from the 50.5 opener to as low as 48.5 in some spots. There's some concern with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who re-aggravated an ankle injury last Sunday in the 31-24 loss to Houston.Betting breakdownDespite losing their last two games outright, divisional play is where Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has excelled. The franchise enters Thursday on a 14-4 run against the spread versus the AFC West. The Broncos threw the kitchen sink at Kansas City last season, losing by four as 3.5-point underdogs at home, then by seven as 8.5-point 'dogs in Arrowhead Stadium. Denver's played to the under at Mile High Stadium of late, seeing nine of the last 10 games at home go under the total. With defensive-minded Vic Fangio in his first season as head coach, don't be surprised to see that trend stay hot.Important trendsMahomes has been great in prime-time games. Since taking the reins last season, he's helped the offense average 33.6 points per game over seven situations. The ironic part? The Chiefs are just 2-5 outright over that span. There have been plenty of shootouts under the bright lights, including last year's 43-40 loss to New England and a 54-51 defeat to the Rams. Either way, expect Mahomes at his best, especially off consecutive losses and against a team that kept things oddly close in both contests a year ago.X-factorThe opposing quarterback is typically highlighted in these spots. It takes a serious effort to outduel Mahomes and the high-powered Chiefs offense. But for this one, the X-factor might be Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay. If Denver's game plan is to play keep away from Kansas City's offense, expect the second-year back to see plenty of touches. The Chiefs' rush defense has been horrible this season, as they rank No. 29 in the league in yards per attempt allowed with 5.2. They surrendered 132 yards on 29 carries to Indianapolis' Marlon Mack in Week 5, and 116 on 26 to Houston's Carlos Hyde last Sunday. The key to beating Kansas City? Win the time of possession battle. The Colts had the ball for 37:15, the Texans for 39:48. If Lindsay can keep the chains moving and the ball out of Mahomes' hands, the Broncos have a shot at handing Kansas City its third straight defeat.PickUnder 48.5With Mahomes' ankle a concern and Denver's offensive identity, I'd side with the under here. Mahomes is much more deadly when he's able to improvise on the run, and the Broncos defensive front is finally starting to get more pressure. Denver knows it can't win in a shootout, so expect a conservative game plan from Fangio and for him to lean on his defense.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.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph has cleared the NFL's concussion protocol, the team announced Wednesday.An independent neurological consultant ruled that Rudolph will be able to return to action following the Steelers' Week 7 bye.The second-year passer suffered a concussion and was taken to hospital in Week 5 after a helmet-to-helmet hit from Baltimore Ravens safety Earl Thomas. He was discharged that same evening but missed Pittsburgh's following contest.Rudolph took over for Ben Roethlisberger in Week 2 when the veteran suffered a season-ending injury. He'll likely remain the team's starter moving forward.The Steelers have a home date with the Miami Dolphins in Week 8.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.We're back to highlight the best betting trends and angles. Last week, the Patriots once again came through as big favorites, while the Chiefs and Packers busted trends as home chalk.Here are some of the more notable trends to watch for in Week 7.(Trends are from Sports Database unless noted otherwise.)Miami Dolphins at Buffalo BillsLine: Bills -17Could Sunday be another spot to bet the ... Dolphins? Since 1989, teams favored by at least 17 points are 13-22-1 (37.1%) against the spread. The Bills are 2-3 ATS in that spot (all from 1991-92) and have been favored by double digits just once since 2004. A rare spot for Buffalo could leave value on the road 'dog.Trend play: Dolphins +17New Orleans Saints at Chicago BearsLine: Bears -3.5Don't doubt Sean Payton as an underdog. The Saints coach is 21-9-1 ATS (70%) when getting more than three points with a 10-2-1 record in his last 13. He's also 4-2-1 ATS (66.6%) when riding a four-game winning streak against the spread, as will be the case Sunday.Trend play: Saints +3.5Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas CowboysLine: Cowboys -3Both teams have struggled against the spread this year but the trends love the Eagles here. Favorites like Dallas coming off three straight ATS losses are 14-27-2 ATS (34.1%) since 2015, with a 1-5 record in their last six games. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett is also 7-13-3 ATS (35%) as a short favorite (three points or less), while Philly coach Doug Pederson is 6-4 ATS (60%) as a short 'dog with four wins in his last five.Trend play: Eagles +3New England Patriots at New York JetsLine: Patriots -10Death, taxes, and the Patriots being favored by at least 10 points. Since 2015, New England is 18-5-1 ATS (78.3%) as a double-digit favorite, including a 4-1 ATS record (80%) versus the Jets in those spots. Over the same span, New York is 2-6 ATS (25%) as a double-digit underdog with five losses by at least 20 points.Trend play: Patriots -10C 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.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageOakland Raiders offensive tackle Trent Brown faces a lawsuit accusing him of domestic violence against the mother of his child, according to ESPN.Brown allegedly slapped, punched, and choked Diorra Marzette-Sanders on multiple occasions beginning in 2018. In the lawsuit, she says the attacks left her "bruised, bloodied, and battered," and caused her to live in fear of him."We're aware of it and we're looking into it," head coach Jon Gruden said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Paul Gutierrez. "Not going to say anything else, but we're aware of it."Brown also released a short statement denying the allegations.

DeSean Jackson doesn't appear ready to return from an abdomen injury in time for a pivotal NFC East matchup.The Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver isn't expected to suit up Sunday versus the Dallas Cowboys, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports.Jackson, 32, remained sidelined at Wednesday's practice, though head coach Doug Pederson has yet to officially rule him out for Week 7. Pederson initially expressed hope the veteran would be able to play against Dallas.After an explosive debut in his return to Philadelphia, the speedy wideout hurt his abdomen early in a Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He's missed his team's last four games as a result.The Eagles' offense has struggled in Jackson's absence, ranking 20th in total yards per game while lacking the ability to stretch the field vertically.Pederson's squad is also battling a number of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Avonte Maddox appear unlikely to play Sunday, while linebacker Nigel Bradham and star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox missed Wednesday's practice.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran quarterback Brock Osweiler is retiring from the NFL after seven seasons and at the age of 28."I'm extremely grateful for the time I did receive playing in the National Football League," Osweiler told Mike Klis of 9News. "The experiences I did have, people I did meet, relationships I did make - I'm not going to dwell on the things that didn't happen in my career."Being a kid from Kalispell, Montana, playing for the Denver Broncos, winning a Super Bowl, having the opportunity to sign a second contract - when you look back on it, I couldn't be more appreciative. It was great."Osweiler last played for the Miami Dolphins in 2018. He entered the league as a second-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2012 and spent the first four seasons of his career in the Mile High City, mainly as a backup to Peyton Manning.Famously, Osweiler left the Broncos in 2016 for a four-year, $72-million contract with the Houston Texans, where he flamed out almost instantly. He was traded one year later to the Cleveland Browns but was released at the end of the preseason.Osweiler, who left the Broncos on poor terms, returned to Denver on a one-year contract in 2017 following his release from the Browns. He wound up making four starts that season.The Arizona State product finished his career with 7,418 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jalen Ramsey couldn't contain his excitement upon learning he'd been traded by the Jacksonville Jaguars to the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday night."I'm filled with joy. I'm overjoyed right now. God is the greatest. God makes no mistakes at all," Ramsey said in his first public statement since the trade on Uninterrupted's "17 Weeks" podcast.Ramsey asked for a trade out of Jacksonville in mid-September and finally got his wish after missing the past three weeks with what was listed as a back injury.The star cornerback said he can't wait to take the field with the Rams' vaunted defense."I'm excited to get out there and do my thing for the LA Rams and show them that they got the best corner in the whole NFL for years and years to come," he said."I was so blessed to be drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, fifth overall pick, but now I have a new chapter starting in my life."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota vowed to bounce back after learning he's being replaced as the starting quarterback by Ryan Tannehill for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers, ESPN's Turron Davenport reports."Until the day that I die, I'm going to believe I gave it all I got," Mariota said to reporters. "No matter what, I can learn and grow from this situation. This isn't going to bring me down. This isn't going to end my career."Head coach Mike Vrabel made the announcement Wednesday but said he would gauge the quarterback situation on a weekly basis.Mariota is in the final year of his contract with the Titans. The demotion could signal his time in Tennessee is drawing to a close.The Titans have scored just seven points in their past two games. Mariota went 7-for-18 for 63 yards and two interceptions before he was replaced by Tannehill in a 16-0 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday."I had an opportunity to play but I didn't make the most of it. I am going to learn and grow from it."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey suggested Wednesday that he's attempted to engage the Washington Redskins in trade talks about Trent Williams, but he hasn't made much headway.The Pro Bowl left tackle has been holding out since the summer after taking issue with how Washington handled a situation involving his health. Team president Bruce Allen has stated publicly that he has no plans to move Williams, even though draft picks could help the club accelerate a rebuild."We've had a few conversations," Dorsey said of Allen, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "It takes two to tango."The Browns have struggled early in the season at left tackle, where Dorsey said incumbent starter Greg Robinson needs "to be more consistent."Dorsey noted that he's trying vigorously to upgrade the Browns' offensive line ahead of the Oct. 29 trade deadline."It's a hard position to acquire, especially at this time of year," he said. "We'll make a million phone calls. We'll constantly work the phones. If nothing happens, we'll move onto the next project. If we think we can improve the position, we'll make a move if it's right for this organization."The Browns have dropped four of their first six games in 2019 on the heels of a fruitful offseason.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, Eliot Crist of The Quant Edge joins Boone to discuss the biggest fantasy questions heading into Week 7:

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.There's a new favorite in the NFL MVP race, and he doesn't hail from Kansas City.Russell Wilson, who's piloted the Seattle Seahawks to a 5-1 record through the first six weeks, enters the week as the 2-1 favorite to win the NFL's top individual honor. The eighth-year quarterback opened the year with modest 20-1 odds but has steadily climbed to the top of the leaderboard. Wilson leads the league in passer rating (124.7) and is the only full-time starter without an interception.He's been brilliant in his last two starts in wins over the Rams and Browns, and he'll have a chance to shine Sunday against a Ravens secondary in flux. Upcoming games against the beleaguered Falcons and Bucs defenses could mean now is the time to buy on the Seahawks signal-caller.Wilson wrestled pole position away from reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes, who has slipped in the race after two mediocre performances in losses to the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. It's only the second time in Mahomes' career that he's lost consecutive games and the first time he's dropped two straight at home. Those losses were also the first two times his team has scored fewer than 25 points with him as the starter.Mahomes (9-4) is still a close second in the race, with Deshaun Watson just behind at (4-1). Christian McCaffrey (12-1) is a distant but intriguing fourth, while three players are tied for the fifth spot.Here's a list of the NFL MVP candidates with shorter than 100-1 odds, with a rundown on a few notable contenders outside of Wilson and Mahomes:PLAYERODDSRussell Wilson2-1Patrick Mahomes9-4Deshaun Watson4-1Christian McCaffrey12-1Dalvin Cook20-1Tom Brady20-1Aaron Rodgers20-1Carson Wentz25-1Lamar Jackson50-1Alvin Kamara60-1Dak Prescott60-1Matthew Stafford60-1Ezekiel Elliott80-1Jimmy Garoppolo80-1Deshaun Watson (4-1)The Texans quarterback went toe to toe with Mahomes and won in Arrowhead Stadium in a head-turning moment for his MVP candidacy. Watson had a clunker two weeks ago in a loss to Carolina, but he's been strong in his other five starts. He's come through in high-leverage spots - remember his near-winner versus New Orleans in Week 1? He'll need Wilson to falter, but if he can guide Houston to a top-two seed with his current pace, he'd likely vault up the MVP ladder.Christian McCaffrey (12-1)What do you do with McCaffrey? He's been exceptional as the engine for the Panthers' surprisingly potent offense and has shown no signs of slowing down. His weakest points were two games against Tampa Bay's stout run defense, and he still scored two touchdowns last week in London. He's not a quarterback, though, so you're most likely paying for a ripped ticket. A 12-1 for McCaffrey is too rich, even if he is drawing comparisons to the great Jim Brown.Aaron Rodgers (20-1)The fact that Rodgers is 20-1 amid a somewhat disappointing season speaks to oddsmakers' respect for his past exploits. Still, the Packers quarterback showed signs of the "old Rodgers" in Monday night's comeback win over Detroit, and Green Bay's defense will help keep his team high enough in the standings to sustain his MVP campaign. If he torches the Raiders, Chiefs, and Chargers - three teams with iffy secondaries - in his next three games, expect this number to tighten dramatically.Lamar Jackson (50-1)Remember when Jackson was the shiny new toy and inevitable MVP winner after a Week 1 rout in Miami? His MVP odds are still half what they were at open, but the market has cooled on the Ravens QB after two losses against so-so defenses. The 22-year-old flashed his remarkable rushing ability against Cincinnati but needs his arm to get him back in the race. He's probably worth a shot at 50-1, though he may never repeat his season-debut performance.Matthew Stafford (60-1)Stafford has never been a sexy name in QB circles, but he's arguably having the best season of his career on a throw-by-throw basis. The Lions are a few blown calls from leading the NFC North after six weeks, and Stafford's shortened price from 80-1 suggests oddsmakers see the upside if his stats catch up to the front-runners.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.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell isn't too worried about the lack of successful pass interference challenges that has left coaches across the league frazzled."The thought process was to fix the obvious and clear error," he told reporters Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings.Pass interference became reviewable at the beginning of the season following the 2018 NFC Championship Game debacle. Referees have come under fire for their hesitance thus far to change calls on the field that pertain to pass interference - even initial rulings that appeared obviously and clearly wrong.Since Week 3, coaches are 1-for-21 on such challenges. For the entire season, they're 7-for-40.Other officiating gaffes have drawn the ire of teams and fans throughout the first six weeks of the schedule. The most recent uproar came Monday night when four significant errors - including two phantom penalties - plagued the Detroit Lions in their loss to the Green Bay Packers."Officiating is always a focus for us," Goodell said. "... There's always a two- or three-week focus where there's an intense focus on it."The commissioner added, "You never want to see a game where people are talking about officials afterward," but also conceded: "That's sports."On Wednesday, Goodell also confirmed the NFL has discussed expanding the regular season to 17 games in collective bargaining agreement negotiations with the players' union.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL has no interest in overhauling its draft format and introducing a lottery, commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday at the conclusion of the league's fall meeting.With the Miami Dolphins appearing to position themselves to secure the first overall pick in next year's draft, Goodell was asked whether the league would consider instituting a draft lottery to disincentivize losing."The good news for us is we don't see that," Goodell said, per Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post.Goodell pointed to the frequency in which teams ascend to first place in their division following a last-place finish the season prior."I think that's unique to the National Football League," he said.Both the NBA and NHL use a lottery to determine the order of selection for the top half of a particular draft.The NFL's draft is determined by the final regular-season standings, rewarding the worst team with the top pick in the next year's selection process. The draft has become a show for the league, drawing a record 600,000 fans in Nashville in April and generating $133 million in revenue.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Coughlin, the executive vice president of football operations for the Jacksonville Jaguars, said the team traded star corner Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams because it was time to "move on."Jacksonville dealt the two-time Pro Bowler and 2017 All-Pro to Los Angeles on Tuesday for a first-round draft pick in each of the next two drafts and a 2021 fourth-round pick."Given the situation with Jalen, we made this decision based on what we thought is in the best interest of the Jacksonville Jaguars, for this season and well into the future," Coughlin said in a statement Wednesday."We feel the trade that we struck with the Rams gives us great value for the next two drafts, and we remain very confident that our team today will compete this season for a division title. Jalen was a productive player, but the time came to move on and we wish him and his family the best in Los Angeles."Ramsey requested a trade out of Jacksonville in mid-September, but owner Shad Khan held a heart-to-heart conversation with the 24-year-old corner in hopes he would play in Week 6. Nonetheless, Ramsey remained sidelined for Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints.Khan also released a statement Wednesday, crediting his staff and team for how they dealt with the distraction."The Jacksonville Jaguars are doing just fine today," Khan said. "I give kudos to our football staff for not only managing this matter extremely well but giving our team and fans a lot to look forward to in years to come. Credit also goes to our players for their professional approach throughout this situation. It did not go unnoticed."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tennessee Titans are making a change at quarterback ahead of their Week 7 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.Ryan Tannehill has been told he'll get the start Sunday, demoting Marcus Mariota to backup duties."We're trying to get a little spark," head coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday morning.The Titans benched Mariota in the third quarter of Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos following the quarterback's second interception of the contest. Mariota earned a passer rating of 9.5 and was sacked three times.The former No. 2 overall pick has garnered heavy scrutiny in recent years for failing to live up to his draft status. His five-year career has been full of ups and downs.Tannehill, 31, was signed in the offseason after spending the past six campaigns as the Miami Dolphins' starting signal-caller. He quickly outproduced Mariota last week after entering the game:PlayerRecordCompletion %Yards/AttemptTD:INTMariota29-3262.97.576:44Tannehil42-4662.97.0123:76The benching puts Mariota's future with the Titans in question. The 25-year-old has led Tennessee to the playoffs just once since entering the league and is in the last year of his contract.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're highlighting one defining stat for every team so far this season.1. New England Patriots (6-0)Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 1Granted, the competition has been inferior up to this point, but New England's defense ranks first in almost every major defensive category through six games, including points allowed per game (eight), and has scored more touchdowns than it has allowed.2. New Orleans Saints (5-1)Previous Rank: 2Michael Thomas has been key to the Saints' winning streak in Drew Brees' absence. The star wideout has the NFL's second-most receptions for first downs with 30.3. Seattle Seahawks (5-1)Previous Rank: 5MVP candidate Russell Wilson has 17 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 100-plus quarterback rating in every contest this season. He's only the third quarterback in the Super Bowl era to put together six straight games with a 100+ quarterback rating and has the Seahawks flying high.4. Green Bay Packers (5-1)Previous Rank: 4Led by budding stars in the secondary, Green Bay's pass defense has allowed a passer rating of just 74.5 from opposing quarterbacks through a half-dozen games.5. San Francisco 49ers (5-0)Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious Rank: 7The Niners are plus-83 in point differential, ranking second in the league behind only the Patriots. No stat better illustrates San Francisco's dominance on both sides of the ball through six weeks.6. Kansas City Chiefs (4-2)Previous Rank: 3For a team that relies on Patrick Mahomes and the offense's production, it's troubling that the Chiefs rank 30th in time of possession, averaging 26 minutes with the ball per game. They held possession for just one minute and 25 seconds in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Texans.7. Houston Texans (4-2)Previous Rank: 9Deshaun Watson is finally getting time. The quarterback hasn't been sacked in the Texans' last two games - both wins. He was taken down 18 times in the first four weeks, including two six-sack outings.8. Minnesota Vikings (4-2)Previous Rank: 15Big plays have fueled Minnesota's offense thus far, especially in the run game. Alexander Mattison and Dalvin Cook rank third and fourth in the league, respectively, with 52.4% and 46.7% of their yardage on 15-plus yard runs.9. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)Previous Rank: 12Led by its breakout quarterback, balanced backfield, and stout offensive line, Baltimore leads the league in total offense and rushing offense, averaging 205 yards on the ground per game.10. Buffalo Bills (4-1)Silas Walker / Getty Images Sport / Getty Previous Rank: 14The Bills don't always get into the red zone, but when they do, they go all the way to the end zone. They're tied with the Texans with an NFL-best 71.4% touchdown percentage on possessions that travel inside the 20-yard line.11. Indianapolis Colts (3-2)Previous Rank: 11Frank Reich's aggressive-minded Colts are one of just three teams that have converted all of their fourth-down attempts. Moreover, they're tied for the NFL lead with seven successful fourth-down plays.12. Los Angeles Rams (3-3)Previous Rank: 6The typically fast-starting Rams were the last team in the league to record a first-quarter touchdown this season when Robert Woods scored against the Niners. It wasn't enough to prevent the Rams from losing a third straight game.13. Carolina Panthers (4-2)Previous Rank: 17Cam who? Kyle Allen is the first quarterback in NFL history to win his first five games without throwing an interception.14. Detroit Lions (2-2-1)Previous Rank: 13Detroit's starting cornerback trio of Darius Slay, Rashaan Melvin, and Justin Coleman are allowing just 54% of targets in their coverage to be caught and have totaled five pass breakups.15. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)Todd Kirkland / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 8Officially, the Eagles have 12 drops; unofficially, Pro Football Focus has given them 17. Either way, they lead the league in that department, and it's contributed to their early-season inconsistencies.16. Dallas Cowboys (3-3)Previous Rank: 10The Cowboys weren't made to pay for a lack of discipline against three bad teams to start the year, but it caught up to them against better competition over the last three weeks. Only the Browns have lost more than Dallas' 470 yards to penalties.17. Oakland Raiders (3-2)Previous Rank: 16Oakland's offensive line has drawn plenty of praise for the job it's done in opening holes for Josh Jacobs, but it should also be commended for its protection of Derek Carr. The line has allowed the second-lowest percentage of snaps in which a defender has contacted the QB. Only Tom Brady has been touched less than Carr.18. Chicago Bears (3-2)Previous Rank: 18The Bears replaced Jordan Howard with Mike Davis and rookie David Montgomery, but changes to their running game have yet to pay dividends. Chicago's ground game is averaging 3.4 yards per carry and has picked up just 17 first downs.19. Cleveland Browns (2-4)Previous Rank: 21In Cleveland's four losses, Freddie Kitchens' offense has scored a total of eight points in the fourth quarter.20. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4)Joe Sargent / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 26Pittsburgh's defense stepped up in the midst of numerous significant injuries on offense. Keith Butler's unit ranks third in the NFL with 20 sacks and second with 15 forced turnovers this season.21. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4)Previous Rank: 23Jacksonville's defense has no issues getting to the quarterback, but the unit has been abysmal at forcing turnovers. Through six games, the Jaguars have forced just one interception and one fumble, tying them with the Dolphins for the fewest turnovers in the league.22. Denver Broncos (2-4)Previous Rank: 25In the Broncos' four losses, they averaged 23.2 points allowed per game. They conceded just 6.5 points against in their two wins.23. Los Angeles Chargers (2-4)Previous Rank: 19Since Melvin Gordon's return, the Chargers posted games of 32 and 35 rushing yards.24. Tennessee Titans (2-4)Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 22Marcus Mariota was benched after failing to lead the Titans to points against the Broncos. The quarterback has produced zero touchdowns (passing or rushing) in 22 of 62 career games.25. Arizona Cardinals (2-3-1)Previous Rank: 28The Cardinals, who ranked dead last in offense last year, are already seeing the fruits of Kliff Kingsbury's system. Through six games, Arizona ranks ninth in total offense, averaging 376 yards per game.26. New York Giants (2-4)Previous Rank: 24It's hard to win with a defense that can't hold up against the pass, and the Giants are allowing 285 yards through the air per game. Rookie cornerback DeAndre Baker has been particularly bad in coverage, yielding a 140.3 passer rating against when targeted.27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-4)Previous Rank: 20Jameis Winston had six turnovers against the Panthers. Since entering the NFL in 2015, the quarterback has five games with four or more turnovers. No one else has more than two.28. New York Jets (1-4)Previous Rank: 31The Jets simply couldn't score in the three games that Sam Darnold missed due to mono, averaging 7.67 points. Two of their three touchdowns in his absence were courtesy of special teams/defense. Their anemic offense has likely already ruined their season.29. Atlanta Falcons (1-5)Tim Warner / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 27In Atlanta's five losses, its defense has allowed an average passer rating of 135.0 from opposing quarterbacks.30. Washington Redskins (1-5)Previous Rank: 29Quinton Dunbar and Montae Nicholson have been the two bright spots in a secondary that has otherwise been burned to a crisp. Overall, the unit is allowing 72.4% of passes to be completed in their coverage.31. Cincinnati Bengals (0-6)Previous Rank: 30Though the unit has been hampered by injuries, Cincinnati's offensive line is the primary reason for the team's slow start. The unit has surrendered the most sacks (16) and third-most total pressures (81) in the NFL.32. Miami Dolphins (0-5)Previous Rank: 32The Dolphins rank last in the league with a -138 point differential. The next-worst mark belongs to the Redskins at -77. If you have any doubts about how bad the Dolphins are, you can check 'em out for yourself Oct. 28 on Monday Night Football.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins named Ryan Fitzpatrick their starting quarterback for Week 7 versus the Buffalo Bills despite previously declaring Josh Rosen would get the nod, according to ESPN's Cameron Wolfe.Rosen was benched for Fitzpatrick in Week 6 after struggling against the Washington Redskins. Fitzpatrick led the Dolphins on a pair of touchdown drives in the fourth quarter in relief. After the game, head coach Brian Flores said "Josh will continue to be the starter," but added that he wouldn't shy away from more midgame switches in the future.Fitzpatrick won the starting job over Rosen in the preseason but was demoted to the second string after struggling out of the gate. His replacement, who Miami acquired at the 2019 draft for a second-round pick, didn't fare much better.Dolphins QB statsQBGamesYDSCMP%TD:INTR. Fitzpatrick443555.72:4J. Rosen556753.21:5The Dolphins are one of two NFL teams still looking for a win in 2019. Miami was expected to plummet in the standings after shedding a heap of veteran talent before the campaign.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jalen Ramsey trade watch is officially over.The Los Angeles Rams acquired the star cornerback from the Jacksonville Jaguars for two first-round picks - one in 2020 and one in 2021 - and a 2021 fourth-rounder, the teams announced Tuesday.Ramsey appeared pleased with the news, posting a picture to his Twitter account.

The Baltimore Ravens acquired cornerback Marcus Peters from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for linebacker Kenny Young and an undisclosed 2020 draft pick, the Rams announced Tuesday.Peters was selected at No. 15 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2015 draft. He was traded to Los Angeles in March 2018.The 26-year-old did not sign a new contract when he was acquired by the Rams. He's currently in the final year of his deal and will be a free agent in 2020.Peters was an All-Pro in 2016 but has yet to replicate that level of success. Known for his ball skills and aggressiveness in coverage, he is Pro Football Focus' 16th-ranked cornerback so far this season.Young, meanwhile, adds stability to the Rams' front seven next to Cory Littleton. The 2018 fourth-round pick out of UCLA is a sure tackler who thrives in run defense.The deal ultimately set up the Rams' blockbuster trade for Jalen Ramsey, as Los Angeles shipped out its top cornerback shortly before acquiring one of the league's best. The team also placed Aqib Talib on injured reserve Monday.Peters joins a star-studded Baltimore secondary that already features Marlon Humphrey, Jimmy Smith, Brandon Carr, and Earl Thomas.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced Tuesday that pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul has returned to practice while he continues to recover from a broken neck.Pierre-Paul is eligible to be promoted to the active roster at any time during the 21-day practice window. He will be forced to miss the remainder of the 2019 NFL season if the Buccaneers do not activate him within that time frame.Earlier reports indicated the 30-year-old wouldn't be expected to play until November at the earliest after he hurt his neck in an automobile accident in May. Pierre-Paul's career initially appeared to be in jeopardy following the accident, but his return to the practice field is an encouraging sign.The veteran edge rusher led the Buccaneers with 12.5 sacks last year, his first in Tampa following a trade from the New York Giants. The two-time Pro Bowler has 70.5 sacks over 127 career games.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.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 7.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Week 6 felt like a big one.Some teams solidified their Super Bowl intentions with impressive victories, others took a step in the wrong direction, while it was status quo from the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints.Here are the updated Super Bowl odds after six weeks, with a look at a few of the biggest movers:TEAMODDS (10/14)ODDS (10/7)New England Patriots7-49-5New Orleans Saints7-18-1San Francisco 49ers10-120-1Kansas City Chiefs10-16-1Minnesota Vikings16-120-1Green Bay Packers16-114-1Seattle Seahawks16-116-1Chicago Bears18-120-1Houston Texans20-140-1Carolina Panthers20-130-1Philadelphia Eagles25-116-1Los Angeles Rams30-120-1Dallas Cowboys30-116-1Baltimore Ravens30-135-1Indianapolis Colts40-160-1Detroit Lions50-160-1Buffalo Bills50-160-1Los Angeles Chargers50-140-1San Francisco 49ers (10-1)Previous odds: 20-1That's how you make a statement. The 49ers traveled to Los Angeles on a short week and put a hurting on their division rivals to remain on top of the NFC West. It's one thing to beat the Rams, but the 49ers pitched a shutout over the final 54 minutes, outscoring them 20-0. They haven't allowed a second-half point since Sept. 22.It's time we start taking them seriously. Kyle Shanahan's offense ranks fourth in yards per game with a defense that's second in yards allowed. They block well, run well, cover well, and get after the quarterback with ferocity. The only question is whether or not Jimmy Garoppolo can get them across the finish line, but early returns suggest he certainly can.Kansas City Chiefs (10-1)Previous odds: 6-1The Chiefs lost their second consecutive game in Week 6 - the first time they have dropped back-to-back games at Arrowhead since October 2015. For the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, they look human, as the gulf between them and New England grows.In winning at Arrowhead, the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans mastered the blueprint to beat the Chiefs. Their time of possession of 20:12 in the loss to the Texans was the Chiefs' lowest ever for a home game, while the 22:45 they managed against the Colts wasn't much better. If they lose to Denver at Mile High on Thursday night, it might be time to panic.Houston Texans (20-1)Previous odds: 40-1Beating the Chiefs at Arrowhead was impressive, but what Texans fans need to be even more excited about is how well their offensive line has been protecting Deshaun Watson. PFF grades them as the seventh-best pass-blocking unit in the NFL. Watson is a special quarterback and the sky is the limit if they can keep him upright in the pocket.Houston is also running the ball successfully for the first time in years. Written off after being traded to his fourth team in two seasons, Carlos Hyde has proven the doubters wrong. He's 10th in the league in rushing yards, averaging 4.3 per carry - his highest mark since 2016. This team can beat you in a lot of ways, and that's got to be concerning for the rest of the AFC. The Texans host the Patriots on Sunday Night Football on Dec. 1 in what could be an AFC championship preview.Philadelphia Eagles (25-1)Previous odds: 16-1It was rather sunny in Philadelphia after the Eagles beat the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau and hammered the New York Jets in successive weeks, but Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings exposed their flaws in Week 6 as the clouds moved in. The Eagles' secondary was picked to pieces, their pass rush was nonexistent, and their running game disappeared. Carson Wentz is an excellent quarterback, but he can only carry this team so far.But could this be a good time to buy the Eagles? They finished 5-1 last season after starting 3-3, sneaking into the playoffs before losing to the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round. The NFC East remains wide-open and perfectly winnable.Dallas Cowboys (30-1)Previous odds: 16-1The reason the division remains wide-open is because the Cowboys lost their third game in a row to join the Eagles at 3-3. It turns out losing to the Jets doesn't help your reputation around the league, or in Vegas. Go figure. Your head coach getting snubbed by his players doesn't help matters, either.

The New England Patriots suspended defensive lineman Michael Bennett one game for conduct detrimental to the team, according to NFL Network's Michael Giardi and Ian Rapoport.The 33-year-old said that a disagreement with his position coach led to his suspension, according to Jordan Schultz of ESPN.The Athletic's Nick Underhill reported the three-time Pro Bowler let his coaching staff know he wasn't happy with his role.Bennett signed a two-year, $16.75-million contract with the reigning Super Bowl champions in April after one season with the Philadelphia Eagles.Coming off a season-low 11 snaps played in New England's Week 6 matchup with the New York Giants, Bennett's 130 snaps in 2019 (35.7% of the Patriots' defensive plays) are ranked 16th on the team.He's posted 2.5 sacks in six games this season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The penalty calls made late in Monday night's game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers received plenty of attention at the NFL's owners meeting Tuesday.League vice president of operations Troy Vincent admitted that the second of two hands-to-the-face penalties called on Lions defensive lineman Trey Flowers should not have been flagged."After you review it, the foul wasn't there," Vincent said, according to Newsday's Bob Glauber.Flowers was flagged first with 10 minutes left in the game and the Lions leading 22-13. The penalty negated a sack on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers that would have put Green Bay in a fourth-and-21 situation. Instead, the drive continued and the Packers scored a touchdown to cut the deficit to 22-20.The same penalty was called against Flowers with 1:45 remaining after Detroit again had forced Green Bay into a fourth-down play. The flag gave the Packers a fresh set of downs from the Lions' 11-yard line. They went on to kick a game-winning field goal.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL's competition committee admitted Tuesday that there has to be clear evidence to overturn pass interference calls with the new replay system."It's got to be an obvious error and have to result in substantial hindrance," committee chairman Rich McKay said, according to Newsday's Bob Glauber.Entering the weekend, NFL coaches were 1-for-21 on pass interference challenges, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert. Plays that have appeared to be clear instances of interference have still gone unpenalized after review.The growing sense has been that a play must be on the same level of the non-call against the New Orleans Saints in last year's NFC Championship Game to be reversed.Though coaches may be finding that the new system is not working, the competition committee doesn't anticipate any in-season changes."I think we're going to reserve judgment until the season's over and gotten an opportunity to look at all the tape," McKay said.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.If you picked the Dallas Cowboys last week, I'm sorry.They were down as the safest pick, but I made it clear if you still had New England available that "you should be all over the Patriots. Don't give it a second thought."If you had the Cowboys and you're reading this, you're probably only here to leave a negative comment, so have at it. If you're reading this because you had the Patriots, or some other team, and are still alive, then let's get into Week 7:Safest pick: Buffalo BillsIt's unfair to give the Buffalo Bills two weeks to prepare for a game against the Miami Dolphins.Buffalo boasts a suffocating top-five defense in the NFL and its unit will be well-rested for a date with a Dolphins team that doesn't know if they're starting Josh Rosen, Ryan Fitzpatrick, or Jay Fiedler at quarterback. The Bills are top four in scoring, passing, and total defense, while the Dolphins are last in both scoring and total defense.Josh Allen has pieced together an impressive start to the season and will be three weeks removed from a concussion once this game kicks off, but the reality of the situation is that Miami's defense has been so bad, Nathan Peterman could probably win this game for Buffalo.It's come to the point where the Dolphins are going out of their way to make sure they end up with the first overall pick. Did we all see their two-point conversion attempt in the dying seconds against the Washington Redskins? This season, it's all about the L's. The dream scenario for everyone in the Dolphins' front office is to be competitive, but lose. "Tank for Tua," as it has come to be known.This shouldn't be a competitive AFC East clash, though. Buffalo is too good on defense for Miami to have any success moving the ball outside of garbage time. The Bills will make you shout with disgust if you don't pick them in Week 7.If you're feeling lucky: New York GiantsThe Arizona Cardinals have won two games in a row for the first time since December 2017. There is a lot to like about the direction the team is headed, but we need to pump the breaks for a second. The Cincinnati Bengals, who Arizona kicked off its winning streak against, are giving the Dolphins a legitimate run for their money as the worst team in football, while the Atlanta Falcons have completely quit on Dan Quinn and are an absolute mess at the moment. The Cardinals are improved, but they still have a long way to go behind a patchwork offensive line and porous defense.The New York Giants mirror the Cardinals rather closely, but there are some key differences that could change the outcome of the game on Sunday.For starters, the Giants are getting healthy; Saquon Barkley and Evan Engram returned to practice on Monday, with both looking likely to return this week. Jones is 2-0 against teams with pass defenses ranked outside the top 10. The Cardinals are ranked 30th in the NFL, in front of the Buccaneers - a team Jones threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns against. He should feast again on Sunday against an Arizona defense allowing a league-high 16 touchdowns through the air.The Cardinals' offensive line is also one the worst in the NFL, which is problematic as they get set to face an underrated New York pass rush that has 16 sacks since Week 2, fifth-most in the NFL.Add in the fact the Giants have three extra days to prepare after playing Thursday night in Week 6, while the Cardinals have to fly across the country for an early start, and all signs point to Jones improving to 3-2 as a starter.Avoid: New England PatriotsFirst off, if you have made it this far without picking the Patriots, then you should give yourself a pat on the back. Seriously, impressive.That being said, if the Patriots are still a bullet in your holster, this isn't the week to pull the trigger. With all the Mickey Mouse games New England has played and will play this season, using them on the road on Monday Night Football, in a divisional game, against the rejuvenated New York Jets, is nonsensical.This was supposed to be the year Sam Darnold breaks out, but the first month of his season was derailed by a bout with mononucleosis. He became the first football player outside the ages of 14-18 to miss multiple games because of mono, probably, and became a popular internet meme as a result. However, his performance against the Cowboys was no laughing matter.

Plenty of names familiar to NFL fans were announced during the XFL's player draft on Tuesday.The rebooting football league assigned starting quarterbacks to its eight teams before a 10-round draft for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive linemen, and a defensive front seven took place. A 10-round draft for cornerbacks and safeties will be held Wednesday, followed by an open draft for the remaining players.Here's how the QBs were dispersed:

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was asked again whether or not he plans to end retirement and come back to the field this season, and reiterated that he has no plans to resume his career this year."When I retired, I retired for a reason. It would be a no. There it is," Gronkowski said Tuesday during an appearance on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show." "But I never say no, because I said no and everyone said, 'He's kidding.' It's a no. In my mind, that's how it is - a no."The 30-year-old, who recently joined FOX Sports as an NFL analyst, also explained his current situation off the field and what it would take for him to eventually make a comeback."I would have to be feeling it. ... I'm enjoying myself right now. I don't have that itch, and if I had that itch, I'd go back. ... It would have to be a continuous itch," he said."I see Tom (Brady) throw a nice touchdown pass, I'm like, 'I wish that was me.' But that's a five-second itch. It has to be a long, continuous itch, like every day, every week."A three-time Super Bowl champion, Gronkowski has yet to officially file his retirement papers, which gave the Patriots organization some hope that the future Hall of Famer could rejoin his former team at some point in 2019.Meanwhile, New England reportedly signed former New York Jets tight end Eric Tomlinson on Tuesday. Patriots tight ends have combined for nine catches, 169 receiving yards, and a touchdown after six weeks.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lions legend Barry Sanders joined the chorus of those irate with the penalties called against Detroit late in Monday night's loss to the Green Bay Packers.The normally unflappable Hall of Fame running back took to Twitter to call out the NFL for the two hands-to-the-face penalties called against Trey Flowers that allowed the Packers to author a game-winning drive.

NFL referees did nothing to rehabilitate their image during a divisional clash between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football.The matchup featured a number of questionable calls, but the officials really drew the ire of both Lions fans and the general football public during a fourth-quarter comeback from the Packers.Detroit sacked quarterback Aaron Rodgers on a third-and-10 play with just over 10 minutes remaining, which would have forced the Packers to punt trailing 22-13. But an illegal-hands-to-the-face penalty on Lions pass-rusher Trey Flowers wiped out the sack and gave Green Bay an automatic first down.Replays didn't exactly back up the call on the field.

Los Angeles Rams cornerback Aqib Talib is headed to injured reserve with cracked ribs, head coach Sean McVay confirmed on Monday.The IR designation means that Talib will miss at least eight weeks before potentially being activated for a return late in the season.Talib's rib injury was suffered in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks and kept him out of the team's 20-7 Week 6 loss to the division-rival San Francisco 49ers.The former first-round pick, who was traded to the Rams from the Denver Broncos prior to the 2018 season, hasn't shown the same form that made him a five-time Pro Bowler and 2016 All-Pro. According to Pro Football Focus, the Kansas product grades as the 99th-best corner out of 117 through the first six weeks of the season.Before the injury, the Cleveland native had amassed 14 tackles and two pass deflections during the 2019 campaign. Troy Hill, David Long Jr., and Nickell Robey-Coleman are among the defensive backs in line for increased snaps while Talib is on the shelf.After three straight losses, the defending NFC Champion Rams will look to right the ship against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.