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 Spotify, Apple, and Google.In this episode, Boone opens up the fantasy mailbag to answer your questions before Week 15.

We were close to a full McDuck situation.The Rams led throughout their game in Baltimore, but a punt return touchdown in overtime prevented us from going five-for-five in Week 14.Content with four winners and connecting four parlays for a net payout of approximately +650, we won't whine about missed block-in-the-back penalties. With our sixth winner of the season, we're now up between 12 and 17 units (depending on your sportsbook) before factoring in a 41-29 record against the spread (+9.1 units).How it worksWe parlay five underdogs together - which we also bet against the spread - in 10 different three-team parlays. Using every combination of a three-team parlay is called a round robin, so we'll use a total of 1.1 units to make 11 different bets: 10 three-team parlays and one five-team parlay, each for .1 units. You'll likely double your money if three teams pull off the upset. If four teams win, you're connecting on four separate parlays and will be very pleased with the return. If all five teams win, you'll be diving into a gold-doubloon silo like a young Scrooge McDuck.Who to playBroncos (+175) over LionsThe Lions are struggling with turnovers. They tallied three in Chicago and have committed 10 in the last four games. In the lone contest from that stretch where Detroit didn't give the ball away, they won the turnover battle 2-0 and used both giveaways to get ahead of the Saints.The Broncos had their own outlier game two weeks ago. They lost the turnover battle in Houston and nearly won. The defeat reminded Russell Wilson - who's been otherwise good with ball security this season - that he needs to be careful. If Wilson is cautious against a Lions defense that allowed 7.6 yards per play to Jordan Love, Derek Carr, and Justin Fields, Denver's live to win.Giants (+220) over SaintsThe Saints won handily last week, but the scoreboard was wildly misleading. New Orleans managed just 207 yards of offense and Carr was seen jawing with his offensive line. Relying on the Saints' offense to produce against an improving Giants defense is wishful thinking given what we've seen this season.Tommy DeVito is the headliner, using his legs to keep the chains moving and making occasional on-target throws. However, it's not a coincidence that New York's uptick in production has come with the return of its first-string offensive tackles, Andrew Thomas and Evan Neal. They're arguably the most important pieces toward the team pulling off a fourth straight moneyline upset.Panthers (+140) over FalconsWe called the Panthers' first win this season, and we're calling for Carolina to secure its second.Last week, it seemed like every second play saw a Falcons lineman - both offensive and defensive - leave the game with an injury. If the trenches are compromised for Atlanta, I'll happily fade the team on the road against Carolina, who is excelling defensively with most of its injured starters back in action. The Panthers' offense is still struggling, but Grady Jarrett's November departure hurt, and Atlanta will be down at least one defensive tackle. Already subpar at getting pass rush pressure, the Falcons should give up yardage on the ground to Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders, allowing Bryce Young to have his best game of the season.Jets (+360) over DolphinsSpeaking of questionable injury designations, the Dolphins are loaded with them on a short week. Even if Tyreek Hill plays, the Jets have cornerbacks that can deter Tua Tagovailoa from looking to him.But the big deal is Miami's offensive line. Center Connor Williams is already out for the season, his replacement is questionable along with both tackles, and guard Robert Hunt is doubtful. Miami was blessed with a pick-six and two short fields in accruing their three touchdowns on Monday.Commanders (+240) over RamsNFL teams don't tank, and they rarely quit. The Commanders are admittedly a candidate for such labels, but, assuming everyone is playing and coaching for their careers, there's reason to believe that a fresh Washington team coming off its bye can go score-for-score with the Rams and maybe win a shootout.Los Angeles has the seventh-worst sack percentage, which means more time for Sam Howell and Washington's pass-heavy offense than they had in blowout losses to the Dolphins and Cowboys. Meanwhile, this is the biggest favorite the Rams have been all season, and winning convincingly hasn't been their style.How the odds look this week:PARLAYODDS (Approx.)DEN+NYG+NYJ+3700DEN+NYG+CAR+2000DEN+NYG+WAS+2900DEN+NYJ+CAR+2700DEN+NYJ+WAS+3900DEN+CAR+WAS+2000NYG+NYJ+CAR+3000NYG+NYJ+WAS+4500NYG+CAR+WAS+2500NYJ+CAR+WAS+3300DEN+NYG+NYJ+CAR+WAS+30000Who are your five underdogs for a football betting lottery ticket?Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The race for a playoff bye has been blown wide-open after the Philadelphia Eagles suffered back-to-back blowout defeats to the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. However, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni doesn't believe the team needs a total reset to get back to its winning ways."We'll find every different way we can to improve what we're doing on offense or defense," Sirianni said Thursday, according to NFL.com's Nick Shook. "We're not hitting a panic button as far as we've got to do everything different."We didn't play good, and we didn't coach good the last two weeks. ... It wasn't up to our standard."The Eagles were outscored 75-32 against the 49ers and Cowboys, their main conference competitors. Philadelphia's once-dominant offense has looked increasingly disjointed and plagued by turnovers during that span."We're pissed and we're looking for ways to fix that. ... We have our ideas of what we do, but then sometimes you look at different avenues of whether it's the criticism from the outside or it's an analytical thing," Sirianni said.He added: "There's an art to knowing what criticisms you listen to and what ones are jokes for that matter. But that's our job as coaches to go over everything we possibly can do."The 49ers are in control of their destiny thanks to head-to-head tiebreakers over the Eagles and Cowboys. They'll secure the No. 1 seed if they win out.However, Philadelphia can still claim the NFC East crown if it wins its next four games, regardless of Dallas' results.The Eagles will look to end their losing skid Monday against the 6-7 Seattle Seahawks before three more games against teams with losing records (the 5-8 New York Giants twice and the 3-10 Arizona Cardinals).Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis said he's learned from his mistakes as the team looks for a new head coach in 2024."I'm getting good at it," Davis recently told The Athletic's Tashan Reed. "You got to get it right. You got to get the whole structure right so that everybody's working together. The left hand has to know what the right hand is doing. That's the goal: to start with getting people with (a) passion for football and people who are unafraid to work."The Raiders are looking for a new sideline boss after firing Josh McDaniels on Nov. 1. Las Vegas also parted ways with general manager Dave Ziegler.McDaniels became the fourth head coach fired by the Raiders since Davis took over in 2012. The team has also had three different interim coaches in that span, including Antonio Pierce, who's 2-3 with Las Vegas as McDaniels' temporary replacement."We're trying to build something," Davis said. "I want to have patience, but I understand that when I make a mistake, I'd rather fix it. I can't sit on it. I've got to fix it right away."Davis praised Pierce's leadership. However, the Raiders owner expects greater improvement from the team's offense beyond this season."With (McDaniels and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi) leaving, the offense was now put in the hands of (interim OC) Bo Hardegree," Davis added. "So, in that regard, Antonio is a rookie head coach with a rookie quarterback and, really, a rookie offensive coordinator who's never done it before."I put a lot of stress and pressure on that side of the football. And so, as the results haven't been there, you have to understand why there might not be results. Those are things I understand and go into the evaluation process of where the team is."Las Vegas ranks only 28th in points per contest this year. The team put up 30 points in its first game after firing McDaniels but hasn't scored more than 17 in a contest since. The Raiders lost to the Minnesota Vikings 3-0 in Week 14.Davis said he's leaning toward hiring a general manager before naming a new head coach."It's wide-open," Davis said about his searches for a new sideline boss and GM."But it's tough at the same time because I do have Antonio and (interim GM) Champ (Kelly) in those positions, and I'd like for them to get the job. So, if I start to feel like that's definitely the way I'm going to go - which I'm not there - then I don't want to mislead people in the interview process."The Raiders haven't won a playoff game since 2002.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers roster two MVP candidates this season in quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Christian McCaffrey.For Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan, picking one to win the league's most prestigious individual award is a hard task."Are you trying to get me in trouble with those two guys?" Shanahan said. "That's the only reason I wouldn't overly comment on either one of them - because I don't want them to cancel each other out."Purdy has been football's most efficient quarterback. The second-year passer leads the league in several categories, including completion percentage, passer rating, total quarterback rating, and EPA/play. The last four passers who topped the league in EPA/play won the MVP.Purdy and Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott are the front-runners for the MVP award. Quarterbacks have won the honor in each of the last 10 seasons."If any non-quarterback's going to get an MVP, I don't get how Christian McCaffrey can't," Shanahan said. "He's amazing in what he has done all year."If it's going to a quarterback, then ... I can talk about our quarterback. If his numbers are all you see, then I think that solves it up. But, if you watch the film then it makes it even stronger, which to me is the most important thing."McCaffrey has rushed for a league-high 1,177 yards (5.2 per carry) to go along with 12 touchdowns. He also tops the NFL in touches (278) and scrimmage yards (1,614). The 27-year-old has scored at least one TD in all but two games in 2023.The 10-3 Niners own the No. 1 seed in the NFL. They beat the Prescott-led Cowboys 42-10 in Week 5.Tyreek Hill is another skill-position player in the MVP race, as the Miami Dolphins wide receiver is on pace to become the first player ever to top 2,000 receiving yards in a single season. However, the MVP has never been awarded to a wideout. The last non-quarterback to win it was former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson in 2012.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco believes head coach Kevin Stefanski should get recognition for the Coach of the Year award following the 2023 campaign."He does a great job, and I think he deserves a lot of credit, obviously, with the amount of variables that he's been dealing with this year," Flacco said Wednesday, according to Jake Trotter of ESPN. "He's the first guy you're going to have to look at when you talk about that kind of stuff."The Browns sit at 8-5 and hold the top wild-card spot in the AFC despite losing crucial players to injuries. Four of Cleveland's Week 1 offensive starters have suffered season-ending injuries: Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb, Jack Conklin, and Jedrick Wills Jr.Stefanski, also the offensive play-caller, has had to deal with many quarterback issues. Four different signal-callers have started a game for his club this year, all securing at least one victory.Flacco, the latest quarterback to run his offense, was signed to the practice squad on Nov. 20. Stefanski gave him the start 13 days later against the Los Angeles Rams, and the veteran quarterback is now the full-time leader of the offense. He's 1-1 in two starts, throwing for 565 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.Defensive end Myles Garrett also praised Stefanski for the job he's done through 14 weeks."He's coaching his ass off," Garrett said Sunday."With everything that's changed throughout the year, pieces moving in and out, switched around, he's done a hell of a job," he added.Cleveland's offense has stayed afloat despite the injuries, ranking 12th in points per game through 13 contests.The Browns will face off against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With two of the NFL's brightest stars in Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson set to face off Saturday, Chase made clear that he believes he stands alone as the game's No. 1 wideout."I feel like I'm the best," Chase said ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals' matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, according to Jeremy Rauch of FOX 19 NOW. "I don't feel like we're the two best, I feel like I'm the best."When asked who's the second-best wideout, Chase said, "That's for everybody else to debate."Jefferson produced a historic beginning to his career, tying the record for the fastest player to 5,000 receiving yards (52 games) in September. He also won Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2022 after racking up 1,809 yards, a mark that led the NFL and ranks sixth all time.A hamstring injury has hampered the Vikings star's momentum this season, sidelining him for seven games. Jefferson also suffered a chest injury upon his return in Week 14 and needed to be hospitalized, but he's declared himself ready to play against Cincinnati.Chase also burst onto the NFL scene with a 1,455-yard, 13-touchdown campaign in 2021 that earned him the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He made the Pro Bowl with a 1,000-yard season in 2022 despite missing five games and is on pace to challenge his career highs this year.Despite his confidence, Chase isn't concerned with getting into a debate with his former LSU teammate about who's better."Nah, that's pointless. We do this every year with each other," he said.Several other wide receivers have strong claims to be the NFL's premier pass-catcher. The most notable is Miami Dolphins speedster Tyreek Hill, who leads the league with 1,542 yards - nearly 300 more than second-place wideout A.J. Brown - and 12 receiving scores.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell went to bat for league officials in light of controversy surrounding Sunday's offside call on Kansas City Chiefs wideout Kadarius Toney, which wiped out a potential game-winning touchdown."That's their job, to call when there's a foul," Goodell said Wednesday, according to Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams. "There was no question about that foul. It was absolutely the right call. If you don't call that, obviously, we would have been subject, our officials would have been subject to criticism also."Goodell admitted the referees aren't perfect but said they do an "extraordinary job."The Chiefs appeared to score a go-ahead touchdown late in last Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills when Travis Kelce lateraled the football to Toney, who scampered in for the score. However, the touchdown was called off, as Toney was flagged for being offside. Replays showed the wideout was over the line of scrimmage at the snap.The flag caused an initial stir among the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes being caught jawing at officials on the sideline. Head coach Andy Reid also called the penalty "embarrassing" for the league, explaining that typically he is given a warning on offensive offside calls.Mahomes later apologized, while Reid acknowledged that Toney did not consult officials to check if he was onside prior to the snap."I find it ironic that I'm standing here answering a question about (when) the officials got it right, and they're being criticized. I think it shows you how difficult it is to do their job," Goodell continued. "And I understand that and understand it comes with the job. The officials understand that. But I am incredibly proud about not just what they did at that game, but also what they continue to do."NFL officials have come under heavy scrutiny in recent weeks for a number of questionable calls, including an unnecessary roughness penalty and an absent pass interference call in Week 13's matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Chiefs.Vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said officiating is a "constant work in progress," but the NFL is always looking to improve, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Copyright (C) 2023 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 Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Scott Bogman of FantasyPros joins Boone to discuss the biggest fantasy questions heading into Week 15.

NFL owners voted Wednesday to award the 2027 Super Bowl to Los Angeles and SoFi Stadium, the home of the Rams and Chargers, commissioner Roger Goodell announced."We are very excited to bring the Super Bowl back to Los Angeles for the second time in five years," Goodell said in a statement, per ESPN. "The city did an outstanding job hosting Super Bowl LVI in the incredible SoFi Stadium, and we believe that Super Bowl LXI will be even more memorable."It will be the second time SoFi Stadium has hosted the Super Bowl since opening in 2020. The $5-billion venue was home to the Rams' triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals in February 2022.The 2027 Super Bowl will coincide with the 60th anniversary of Super Bowl I at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1967.L.A. will host a remarkable three-year sporting stretch, with the city serving as one of the homes of the 2026 World Cup before hosting the Olympic Games in summer 2028.Miami's Hard Rock Stadium and Tennessee's new stadium, which is set to open in 2027, were rumored to be other contenders for the 2027 Super Bowl.Super Bowl LVIII will be held in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, while New Orleans will host the big game in 2025, followed by San Francisco in 2026.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce defended teammate Kadarius Toney after his offsides penalty negated a go-ahead touchdown late in Sunday's game versus the Buffalo Bills."He's one of the best players we got with the ball in his hands. ... Everybody hatin' on KT right now, you can f-----g miss me with it," Kelce said on the "New Heights" podcast. "I'm trusting in 19 every time he's out there on the field."On the play, Kelce tossed a lateral to Toney after a 25-yard gain, opening a lane for him to go for 24 yards for the score in one of the most exciting plays of the year. However, it was nullified due to Toney lining up offsides pre-snap.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick came up with a new catchphrase while dodging questions regarding his future with the team on Wednesday."Getting ready for Kansas City," Belichick said in a press conference when asked if he thinks the Patriots are preparing to part ways with him after the 2023 season. He then had the same answer for whether he has discussed his future with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.The Patriots host the Chiefs on Sunday, a matchup that was flexed from Monday Night Football amid New England's struggles this year.

Ben Roethlisberger - the Steelers' all-time passing leader - isn't impressed with what Pittsburgh has done this season."Maybe the tradition of the Pittsburgh Steelers is done," the retired quarterback recently said on his podcast, "Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger," according to ESPN.His comments come after the Steelers lost back-to-back home games to the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots, teams that had two wins each entering their matchups with Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger specifically took issue with the 21-18 defeat to the Patriots and how head coach Mike Tomlin - who worked several years with Roethlisberger - used his timeouts."You can't afford, in the second half of games, to burn silly timeouts and to not have them late in the game," Roethlisberger said. "To me, that's bad coaching."Pittsburgh boasts a top-10 defense this season but its offense has struggled, averaging 16.2 points per game. The Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada in November but have failed to score more than 18 points in a game in three contests since.Kenny Pickett has been Pittsburgh's starting quarterback all season, but the former first-round pick suffered an ankle injury versus Arizona. Mitch Trubisky started versus the Patriots."Who is grabbing someone by the facemask and saying, 'That's not what we do,'" Roethlisberger added. "Is that happening? Yes, you have guys on defense doing it, but you need guys on other sides of the ball doing it. ... You need someone to stand up in that room, on offense, and be like, 'Hey, this isn't what it means to wear the black and gold.'"Despite losing three of their last four games, the Steelers are still the AFC's No. 6 seed at 7-6. However, five other teams enter Week 15 with that same record, including the Indianapolis Colts, who host Pittsburgh on Saturday.Tomlin has never had a losing season since becoming Steelers head coach in 2007. The 51-year-old has posted a 170-99-2 record in the NFL.Pittsburgh played three Super Bowls with Roethlisberger at quarterback, winning two of them. The 2004 first-round selection retired after the 2021 campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson said Wednesday he'll play Saturday's contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Jefferson returned from a seven-game absence in Week 14 but injured his chest and left the matchup versus the Las Vegas Raiders early. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year was briefly hospitalized Sunday as a precaution before traveling home with the team.He was considered day-to-day this week, and head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday that there was a "good chance" the star pass-catcher would play this week.Despite Jefferson's injury, the Vikings edged the Raiders 3-0 to improve to 7-6, good for the No. 6 seed in the NFC. The All-Pro wideout caught only two passes for 27 yards before exiting the Las Vegas matchup.Jefferson, who led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards in 2022, was on pace to have another monster season before going down with a hamstring ailment that sent him to injured reserve after Week 5. The 24-year-old has racked up 598 yards and three touchdowns on 39 catches in six appearances so far this campaign.He said last week that topping 1,000 yards for a fourth straight year was his new individual season goal after his IR stint.The Vikings have a 62% chance of making the playoffs, according to The New York Times. A win in Cincinnati in Week 15 would increase the team's chances to 79%.Copyright (C) 2023 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, 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

The NFL will head to Sao Paulo in 2024 for its first-ever regular-season game on Brazilian soil, commissioner Roger Goodell announced.NFL owners voted to approve the league's first-ever game in South America at the owners' meeting in Dallas on Wednesday.The matchup is expected to take place at Neo Quimica Arena - also known as the Corinthians Arena - which hosted several games in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, including the tournament's opening match."Bringing the NFL to new continents, countries, and cities around the world is a critical element of our plan to continue to grow the game globally," Goodell said Wednesday. "Brazil has established itself as a key market for the NFL, and we are excited to be playing in Brazil and Sao Paulo for the first time in 2024."Based on the league's schedule rotation, an NFC club would be the home team in Brazil, according to Breer. That international matchup could also feature the Miami Dolphins, the only team with rights in Brazil under the NFL's global markets program.The league sent officials to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in Brazil and Madrid, Spain, earlier this year to scout possible locations for regular-season games.The NFL hosted a Super Bowl viewing party in Brazil in 2023. The Dolphins' first official watch party also took place in the South American country in Week 12 this season.The league has strongly pushed to expand its market globally in recent years. The NFL International Series has already staged multiple games in the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Germany.The Brazil game will be one of five NFL international regular-season contests in 2024. Three games will be played in London, and another matchup will take place in Munich, Germany. There could be as many as eight international contests during the 2025 season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What might be the most unlikely Offensive Players of the Week were announced Wednesday.New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito took home the honour for the NFC after he shined on Monday Night Football, totaling 229 yards and one touchdown in a 24-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers.The 25-year-old set up Randy Bullock's game-winning field goal after leading the Giants on an eight-play, 57-yard drive with 1:33 remaining. He also completed a career-high 81% of his passes and threw a beautiful touchdown pass on the run to wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins to give New York an eight-point lead late in the third quarter.

The NFL is entering the most wonderful time of the year: the final stretch of regular-season football. Over the next four weeks, playoff goals will be achieved, hearts will shatter, and chaos will break out. But there's a lot that's transpired since the last time we checked in on the NFL, too.Here are the five biggest questions as the NFL proceeds into the final stretch of the 2023 regular season:Where did it all go wrong for the Chiefs? Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Kansas City Chiefs are in an unprecedented place in the Patrick Mahomes era. At 8-5, the AFC West club is trending to enter the postseason with a whimper instead of charging full steam ahead. While all the talk surrounding the team recently has focused on the officiating of their games (more on that later), that isn't the only reason the Chiefs' offense is struggling immensely for the first time since Mahomes became the team's starting quarterback.While Mahomes and Travis Kelce are still an incredible two-man act, the Chiefs are quickly learning that even the best headliners still need a quality supporting cast to put on a good show. Kelce leads the team with 896 receiving yards, while rookie Rashee Rice trails him with 663 yards. It's crickets behind them, though, as Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, and Mecole Hardman have combined for 1,094 yards.It's a problem Kansas City has faced since trading Tyreek Hill. The franchise did a solid enough job in 2022 by relying on JuJu Smith-Schuster as its No. 1 receiver but then lost him in free agency this offseason. The Chiefs hoped their other young wideouts would step up, but aside from Rice, that hasn't happened - and it's causing widespread issues.The Chiefs are averaging just 22.5 points per game, their lowest total since 2014. If the scoring issues persist, the 2023 campaign will go down as the first time Kansas City has recorded more 20-point games than 30-point games since Mahomes took over in 2018.No. of games with 20 points or lessNo. of games with 30-plus points2023732022382021592020192019172018012With the postseason just four weeks away, the Chiefs are running out of time to turn it around. But after 13 games, perhaps we should stop expecting that they will. Luckily for them, their stout defense ranks third in points allowed, meaning Kansas City is still dangerous.Does the NFL have a major officiating problem? Megan Briggs / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Chiefs have dominated headlines in recent weeks with their public outcries against NFL officiating. This isn't a new topic by any means, as teams, players, and fans complain about the standard of officiating all the time. However, the discourse around those in stripes feels different this year, and that's likely because even the game's biggest superstars aren't biting their tongues about their problems with the league's officiating.By now, we've all heard enough about the Chiefs having a potential game-winning touchdown wiped off the board due to a Kadarius Toney offside. Andy Reid complained that he wasn't given his usual warning before the play and called it embarrassing. Mahomes was livid with the referees and stated he's never seen offensive offside called in all his years of playing. At the end of it, though, Toney was clearly offside. Reid confirmed the wideout didn't check with officials, and Mahomes admitted it was a foul.The officials made the correct call on Toney. That's what we want. But while the officials may have gotten this one right, this penalty shouldn't be viewed in a vacuum. The frustration from the Chiefs and the rest of the NFL has been a long time coming.Just a week prior, the Chiefs felt the roller coaster of officiating firsthand. You could say they confronted the cruel reality that every other team and fanbase that doesn't have a generational quarterback has already learned: The officials have a lot of - even too much - power in dictating momentum. On their final drive against the Packers in Week 13, Green Bay was flagged for unnecessary roughness even though it appeared Mahomes was still inbounds when the hit took place. A few plays later, the pendulum swung the other way. No pass interference was called on a Packers defensive back making contact with Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a long pass from Mahomes. The game soon ended when the Chiefs were unable to rally.

Las Vegas Raiders star wideout Davante Adams shared his frustration following the team's historic 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings last weekend."You want to be a part of history, but never that type," Adams said Tuesday."I mean, it's embarrassing, too," he added. "Not that that's the main thing that drives it, but you walk off that field and you've got a lot of fans that pay their money to come to see you play, and you go up and put up a goose egg. It almost looked worse that they only scored three, too."Adams didn't speak to reporters postgame after hauling in seven receptions for 53 yards.The Raiders struggled to get anything rolling offensively in what was the lowest-scoring game in 16 years. Las Vegas was held to just 201 total yards, converted just 3 of 14 third-down conversions, and turned the ball over three times.Minnesota's Greg Joseph recorded the game's only points, kicking a 36-yard field goal with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.Adams hasn't provided the same impact he did a year ago when he finished with 100 receptions, 1,516 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns. With four games remaining, the six-time Pro Bowl receiver is on pace for his second-lowest yards-per-catch average (11.4) in a season, and his four scores would be his third fewest.Adams has moved past the Week 14 defeat and believes the Raiders, currently mired in a three-game skid, will have plenty of motivation down the final stretch of the regular season."We're playing for pride, for our name on the back, the front, and all that. So, there's lots still to play for," Adams said.The Raiders (5-8) don't have much time to dwell on their recent struggles ahead of their home game against the Los Angeles Chargers (5-8) on Thursday Night Football.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Broadcasting legend Al Michaels won't be part of NBC's NFL playoff coverage this season, NBC confirmed to The Associated Press.The No. 1 team of Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will take three of NBC's four playoff games, while its top college crew of Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge will take the other. NBC Sports vice president Greg Hughes confirmed those assignments to the New York Post's Andrew Marchand.Michaels was widely criticized for a lackluster performance during the Jacksonville Jaguars' dramatic comeback wild-card win over the Los Angeles Chargers last season.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert underwent season-ending surgery to repair the broken index finger on his throwing hand, the team announced Tuesday."A successful surgery. It went well today. He's on the road to recovery," Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said, according to Bridget Condon of NFL Network.Herbert sustained the injury during Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Denver Broncos.The star signal-caller left the matchup in the second quarter and didn't return. He was sacked four times and hit on six occasions before his exit.Herbert has never missed a game due to injury in his NFL career, making 62 straight starts. He played through a fractured finger on his non-throwing hand earlier this season.In 13 appearances this campaign, the 25-year-old completed 65.1% of his passes - down from 68.2% in 2022 - to go along with 3,134 yards and 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He was sacked 29 times.Herbert has been one of the league's best quarterbacks since being drafted sixth overall in 2020. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year has tossed 17,223 yards and 114 touchdowns, which rank second and fourth in the league in that span, respectively. Despite his efforts, L.A. has only appeared in one playoff contest during Herbert's tenure.Los Angeles is 30-32 with Herbert under center in the regular season. The AFC West team rewarded the star passer with a five-year, $262.5-million extension in July.With the Oregon product sidelined, the Chargers will presumably rely on Easton Stick, who replaced Herbert against the Broncos. The 28-year-old has never started an NFL game. Los Angeles also rosters Max Duggan and activated the seventh-round rookie passer off the practice squad on Tuesday, his agent announced.It's been a disappointing season for the Chargers, who dropped to 5-8 after falling to the Broncos. They take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football in Week 15. Los Angeles then finishes its campaign with matchups against the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, and Kansas City Chiefs.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins are signing free-agent pass-rusher Melvin Ingram, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Ingram, 34, joins the Dolphins for the second time in as many seasons after spending his 2022 campaign in Miami. He reportedly worked out with the team on Tuesday.Miami bolsters its defensive line with the addition of Ingram, who joins a pass-rushing group that features Bradley Chubb, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Jason Pierre-Paul. The unit lost Jaelan Phillips when he tore his Achilles and landed on season-ending injured reserve.The Cleveland Browns showed interest in Ingram during the offseason, but the three-time Pro Bowler remained unsigned when the 2023-24 campaign began.Ingram recorded 22 tackles, seven tackles for loss (TFL), and six sacks in 17 games during his first stint in Miami. The former 2012 first-round pick has recorded 81 TFLs and 57 sacks throughout his career. The South Carolina product began his NFL tenure with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he spent nine seasons. He also made brief stops with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Vikings are making a change at quarterback.Minnesota will start Nick Mullens over Joshua Dobbs in Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the team announced Tuesday.Mullens will be the Vikings' fourth different starter this season.The team began the campaign with Kirk Cousins, but the four-time Pro Bowler went down with a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 8. Minnesota - which acquired Dobbs in October at the trade deadline - then started rookie Jaren Hall in Week 9. However, he left the contest early after suffering a concussion, which forced the Vikings to turn to Dobbs on short notice.Dobbs stole headlines thanks to strong performances in his first games with Minnesota but the journeyman quarterback hasn't been able to replicate that success in the past two weeks. He threw four interceptions in a loss to the Chicago Bears and had only 63 passing yards before being replaced by Mullens in the second half of Sunday's 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Mullens helped Minnesota claim the winning field goal after Dobbs left the matchup without leading any scoring drives.It'll be Mullens' first start since his Week 15 appearance with the Cleveland Browns in 2021. The 28-year-old joined the Vikings in a 2022 trade from the Raiders. He previously made 16 starts from 2018-20 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.The 7-6 Vikings are currently the No. 6 seed in the NFC.It's unclear if Mullens will have top receiver Justin Jefferson available in Week 15, as the reigning Offensive Player of the Year left Week 14 with a chest injury. Coach Kevin O'Connell said on Monday that there's a "good chance" Jefferson faces Cincy.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It feels like just yesterday that we were translating NFC and AFC win total markets into our first betting ratings for the 2023 NFL season. But here we are with our final weekly NFL betting market report for the season.By now, you get the point - the 49ers are considered a historically great team. Each week, sizeable downgrades occur when a club loses its starting quarterback. And value is created by how that team reacts, like the Justin Herbert-less Los Angeles Chargers.With weather, more second-, third-, and fourth-string quarterbacks than we ever imagined, and lingering injuries that can take down a key player or wipe out an entire position group, we've got enough data points to know where these teams should be rated. For the season's final four weeks, we'll make bets based on situation, injury report, and motivation instead of whether a team is overrated or underrated.How ratings workEvery week, we'll look at what the betting market thinks of each team based on the closing lines from that week's games. The "rating" column is an educated guess at the oddsmakers' rating to create a point spread, with the specific number being the percentage chance that the team beats an average opponent on a neutral field. Ratings aren't rankings. The closing line is considered a better reflection of a team's value than one game.The range column is my evaluation of what each team is capable of. It's our job as handicappers to determine where, within its range, a team will play based on factors like on-field matchups and roster/injury issues. The earlier it is in the season, the wider the range a team may have.Market ratings and our rangeTEAMRATINGRANGE49ers8560-80Cowboys7360-80Dolphins7255-75Bills7155-75Ravens7055-75Chiefs6960-80Eagles6760-80Lions5950-70Chargers5340-60Rams5035-55Texans5030-50Vikings4935-55Bengals4835-65Broncos4635-55Packers4635-55Colts4635-55Browns4240-60Bears4130-50Steelers4140-60Buccaneers4130-50Saints4035-55Jaguars4045-65Falcons3935-55Seahawks3540-60Jets3420-40Cardinals3320-40Commanders3225-45Raiders3030-50Titans2830-50Patriots2825-45Panthers2720-40Giants2420-40San Francisco's rating continues to go through the roof. Meanwhile, the Seahawks' rating plunged through their floor when they confirmed Drew Lock as their starter. The resulting move from -10.5 to -15 created an opportunity for those willing to buy Seattle at an inflated number.The Jaguars' rating plummeted even though Trevor Lawrence was well enough to play in Cleveland, going from projected favorites to underdogs.How bad was Tim Boyle? Zach Wilson's return sent the Jets' rating up, dropping their point spread with Houston. And that was the correct move.Do you think the market had the Bengals rated incorrectly in Week 13? Cincinnati saw its rating go back way up after beating the Jags, and the team outperformed that by dispatching the Colts.The Giants and Titans proved their seasons aren't done Monday night. This is a reminder of how rare it is for teams to truly fall apart this time of year with players and coaches working for their future place in the NFL. The seven teams (that played) at the bottom of the ratings went 5-1-1 against the spread in Week 14.If you were wondering why the Bills' win over the Chiefs wasn't an upset, it's because Kansas City has dropped below Buffalo in the betting market. The Bills are now threatening for a wild-card spot, though they're still an underdog to get there because of tiebreakers. With the Dolphins' loss to Tennessee, Buffalo can also catch Miami for the AFC East. The Bills' rating complicates a fun exercise to conclude our season, one that projects a high-quality AFC team playing out of the 7-seed.Here's a forecast of the point spreads for every wild-card game - without knowing the matchups - with a guess on when each contest will be played.DATE & TIMEMATCHUPPROJ. SPREADSat. Jan. 13(4:30 p.m ET)NFC 6-seed vs. NFC 3-seedNFC No. 3 (-5.5)Sat. Jan. 13(8:00 p.m ET)AFC 7-seed vs. AFC 2-seedAFC No. 2 (-9.5)Sun. Jan. 14(1:00 p.m ET)AFC 5-seed vs. AFC 4-seedAFC No. 4 (-4.5)Sun.Jan. 14(4:30 p.m ET)NFC 7-seed vs. NFC 2-seedNFC No. 2 (-10.5)Sun.Jan. 14 (8:00 p.m. ET)AFC 6-seed vs. AFC 3-seedAFCNo. 3(-9.5)Mon.Jan. 15(8:00 p.m ET)NFC 5-seed vs. NFC 4-seedNFC No. 4(+6)We'll compare and contrast my Wild Card Weekend projections with theScore Bet's lookahead lines, which are expected to be posted later in the week.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel provided significant injury updates Tuesday following the team's 28-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans.McDaniel said star wide receiver Tyreek Hill will be day-to-day due to an ankle ailment, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The All-Pro pass-catcher suffered the injury in the first quarter of the Titans matchup but was able to return.He played 47% of Miami's offensive snaps Monday and said postgame that the ankle issue affected his mobility. Hill added that he was encouraged to return to the game after texting his wife at halftime, per Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith.While Hill's injury isn't major, the Dolphins will have to move forward without their starting center, as Connor Williams will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL against Tennessee, McDaniel announced.Williams, who missed four games earlier this campaign due to injury, has started 26 contests for Miami since joining the team in 2022. His contract expires at the end of the 2023 season. Liam Eichenberg will presumably replace him this year.Multiple Dolphins offensive linemen are dealing with injuries. Offensive tackle Terron Armstead didn't face the Titans due to knee and ankle ailments, while guard Robert Hunt has a hamstring injury.McDaniel said Tuesday that it's "more conceivable" that Armstead plays in Week 15 versus the New York Jets than Hunt, who's considered "week-to-week," according to Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network.Tennessee sacked Tua Tagovailoa five times in Week 14, a season high for the Miami quarterback.The 9-4 Dolphins currently have a two-game lead for first place in the AFC East over the 7-6 Buffalo Bills.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 15.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver-wire pickups.Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.Quarterbacks Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / GettyJake Browning, BengalsNext upRosteredFABvs. MIN27%$5Browning has put together multiple strong performances, finishing as the fourth overall fantasy quarterback in Week 13 and sitting in the same position before Week 14's pair of Monday night games.With a quality supporting cast around him - including new change-of-pace back Chase Brown - Browning should be a high-end QB2 in a matchup with a middle-of-the-pack Vikings pass defense.Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield are above the 50% rostered mark but would be the top adds this week if available.Streaming options: Gardner Minshew vs. PIT (28% rostered)Risky streaming options: Joe Flacco vs. CHI (7% rostered), Derek Carr vs. NYG (39% rostered), Will Levis vs. HOU (18% rostered)Risky streaming options (if starting): Nick Mullens at CIN (0% rostered)Desperation streaming options: Desmond Ridder at CAR (10% rostered), Bailey Zappe vs. KC (2% rostered), Tommy DeVito at NO (5% rostered), Zach Wilson at MIA (4% rostered), Aidan O'Connell vs. LAC (5% rostered), Bryce Young vs. ATL 913% rostered), Easton Stick at LV (0% rostered)Desperation streaming options (if starter is out): Drew Lock vs. PHI (1% rostered), Davis Mills at TEN (0% rostered), Mitch Trubisky at IND (4% rostered)Running backs Adam Bettcher / Getty Images Sport / GettyTy Chandler, VikingsNext upRosteredFABat CIN22%$100Alexander Mattison is dealing with a possible high-ankle sprain that could sideline him for multiple weeks and might limit his effectiveness if/when he returns.Chandler flashed his potential when he racked up 155 scrimmage yards, four receptions and a touchdown in Weeks 10 and 11 combined. The 25-year-old finished as the RB25 and RB16, respectively, in those contests.With Mattison unavailable, Chandler is a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 as the Vikings' lead back for the next few weeks. And since we've reached the fantasy playoffs, there's no reason to hold back on your bid for him.Antonio Gibson, Keaton Mitchell, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kareem Hunt, and Tyler Allgeier are close to or above the 50% rostered mark but should be claimed in most leagues.High-upside backups like Tyjae Spears (44% rostered), Rico Dowdle (10% rostered), Elijah Mitchell (15% rostered), and D'Ernest Johnson (9% rostered) should be rostered in most leagues.RB3/Flex options: Jerick McKinnon at NE (41% rostered), D'Onta Foreman at CLE (38% rostered), Chase Brown vs. MIN (6% rostered)Flex options (if starter is out): Zamir White vs. LAC (2% rostered)Risky flex options: Miles Sanders vs. ATL (44% rostered), Kenneth Gainwell at SEA (31% rostered), Jamaal Williams vs. NYG (16% rostered), Roschon Johnson at CLE (29% rostered), Samaje Perine at DET (27% rostered)Desperation flex options: Jaleel McLaughlin at DET (10% rostered), Dalvin Cook at MIA (20% rostered), Latavius Murray vs. DAL (16% rostered)Desperation flex options (if starter is out): Chris Rodriguez Jr. at LAR (0% rostered), Ameer Abdullah vs. LAC (0% rostered)Other backups to roster: Royce Freeman (9% rostered), Jeff Wilson Jr. (10% rostered), Isaiah Spiller (0% rostered), Jordan Mason (2% rostered), Ty Johnson (0% rostered), Michael Carter (2% rostered), Chase Edmonds (1% rostered), Matt Breida (2% rostered), Pierre Strong Jr. (1% rostered), Leonard Fournette (5% rostered), Kendre Miller (4% rostered)Wide receivers Todd Olszewski / Getty Images Sport / GettyOdell Beckham Jr., RavensNext upRosteredFABat JAX42%$49Beckham had a little extra motivation en route to a 4-97-1 stat line against his former team, the Rams, this weekend.That said, the 31-year-old has been coming alive lately. He's found the end zone in three of his last five outings and recorded a 100-yard game in one of the two games in which he didn't score a touchdown.It also doesn't get much better than a matchup with the Jaguars, who are allowing a ton of yardage through the air - including six 300-yard passing games in their last nine appearances.Even as a part-time player in the Ravens' offense, consider Beckham a WR3/flex option in your lineup moving forward.Curtis Samuel, CommandersNext upRosteredFABat LAR35%$39Samuel has played more than half of the Commanders' snaps in ten games this season, and he's recorded at least 50 yards and/or a touchdown in seven of them.Fantasy managers would be far more excited about the 27-year-old's outlook if it weren't for a midseason toe injury that briefly made him less effective and caused him to miss time.In his last two outings alone, Samuel has 13 receptions for 165 yards on an offense that leads the league in pass attempts this season. Start him as a WR3/flex option with an underrated ceiling.Noah Brown, Elijah Moore, and Josh Downs are close to or above the 50% rostered mark but should be claimed in most leagues.Flex options: Zay Jones vs. BAL (29% rostered)Flex options (if healthy): Demario Douglas vs. KC (20% rostered), Rashid Shaheed vs. NYG (40% rostered)Risky flex options: Jonathan Mingo vs. ATL (17% rostered)Risky flex options (if healthy): Josh Palmer at LV (30% rostered), Michael Wilson vs. SF (6% rostered), Dontayvion Wicks vs. TB (4% rostered)Risky flex options (if starter is out): JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. KC (14% rosteredDart-throw flex options: Greg Dortch vs. SF (7% rostered), Quentin Johnston at LV (21% rostered), Rashod Bateman at JAX (16% rostered), Jalin Hyatt at NO (7% rostered), Demarcus Robinson vs. WAS (0% rostered), Wan'Dale Robinson at NO (9% rostered), Jameson Williams vs. DEN (24% rostered), Parker Washington vs. BAL (6% rostered), Michael Gallup at BUF (12% rostered), Josh Reynolds vs. DEN (15% rostered), DJ Chark vs. ATL (7% rostered), Darius Slayton at NO (2% rostered), Xavier Gipson at MIA (0% rostered)Dart-throw flex options (if healthy): DeVante Parker vs. KC (3% rostered)Dart-throw flex options (if starter is out): John Metchie III at TEN (1% rostered), Robert Woods at TEN (5% rostered), KJ Osborn at CIN 919% rostered), A.T. Perry vs. NYG (2% rostered)Tight ends Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / GettyLogan Thomas, CommandersNext upRosteredFABat LAR43%$19Some managers dropped Thomas because he had a couple of quiet games ahead of the Commanders' bye week. But if you're looking for help at the position, he could be the answer. Before his recent dip in production, Thomas was ranked 13th positionally in fantasy points per game over the first 11 weeks of the season.Now he'll face off against a Rams defense that's one of the five softest opponents for fantasy tight ends and has allowed three straight top-10 finishes at the position.Darren Waller, Isaiah Likely, and Gerald Everett are close to or above the 50% rostered mark but should be claimed in most leagues.Risky streamer options: Chigoziem Okonkwo vs. HOU (34% rostered), Cade Otton at GB (38% rostered), Hunter Henry vs. KC (24% rostered), Tucker Kraft vs. TB (10% rostered)Risky streamer options (if starter is out): Brevin Jordan at TEN (23% rostered), Davis Allen vs. WAS (0% rostered)Risky streamer options (if healthy): Tyler Higbee vs. WAS (40% rostered)Desperation streamer options: Tyler Conklin at MIA (19% rostered), Tanner Hudson vs. MIN (4% rostered), Michael Mayer vs. LAC (9% rostered), Noah Fant vs. PHI (2% rostered), Juwan Johnson vs. NYG (13% rostered), Dawson Knox vs. DAL (0% rostered)Deep stashes: Greg Dulcich (7% rostered)Defenses Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyWeek 15 streamersTeamNext upRosteredFalconsat CAR32%Ramsvs. WAS17%Coltsvs. PIT42%Bearsat CLE5%Raidersvs. LAC7%Bengalsvs. MIN25%Titansvs. HOU6%Favorable Week 16 schedule: Broncos DEF vs. NE (35% rostered), Seahawks DEF at TEN (18% rostered), Rams DEF vs. NO (17% rostered), Colts DEF at ATL (42% rostered), Bengals DEF at PIT (25% rostered), Bears DEF vs. ARI (5% rostered)Favorable Week 17 schedule: Broncos DEF vs. LAC (35% rostered), Rams DEF at NYG (17% rostered), Seahawks DEF vs. PIT (18% rostered), Buccaneers DEF vs. NO (44% rostered), Bears DEF vs. ATL (5% rostered), Colts DEF vs. LV (42% rostered)Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Video contains coarse languageChiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Monday he regrets his fiery outburst following the controversial end to Kansas City's loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.After an offsides penalty on Chiefs receiver Kadarius Toney negated a go-ahead trick-play touchdown, an angry Mahomes yelled at officials and had to be restrained by teammates."Obviously, you don't want to react that way," Mahomes said on "The Drive" on 610 Sports Radio. "I care, man. I love it. I love this game, I love my teammates, I want to go out there and put everything on the line to win. But, obviously, can't do that. Can't be that way toward officials or, really, anybody in life."

Dak Prescott became the betting favorite to win the NFL's MVP award following the Cowboys' impressive victory over the NFC East rival Eagles on Sunday night.Prescott's odds shortened from +300 to +160 at theScore Bet. He overtook Brock Purdy (+175), who was the favorite entering Week 14.MVP oddsPlayerOddsImplied prob. (%)Dak Prescott+16038.5Brock Purdy+17536.4Lamar Jackson+55015.4Jalen Hurts+90010Josh Allen+14006.7Patrick Mahomes+16005.9Tyreek Hill+20004.8Tua Tagovailoa+22004.3Christian McCaffrey+50002Prescott has led the Cowboys to a 10-3 record to hold the top seed in the NFC East. Dallas is undefeated at home and has scored 30 or more points in five straight games on the back of Prescott's league-leading 28 passing touchdowns.Following the Cowboys' Week 8 loss to the Eagles, Prescott's MVP odds were as long as +6000. But after five straight victories, oddsmakers are giving the Cowboys quarterback a 38.5% chance of winning his first MVP award. He opened the season at +2500.Purdy is Prescott's closest challenger, with Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts also in the mix. All four quarterbacks have led their teams to 10-3 records.Tyreek Hill is the only non-quarterback with a greater than 4% implied probability.Copyright (C) 2023 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.1. San Francisco 49ers (10-3) Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 1The 49ers are healthy and heading toward the postseason with momentum having reeled off five victories in a row. Sunday's win over the Seahawks featured a season-high 527 yards of offense.2. Dallas Cowboys (10-3)Previous rank: 4No team made a bigger statement in Week 14 than the Cowboys, who smacked the Eagles out of the NFC East lead. MVP front-runner Dak Prescott is playing at an elite level, and Dallas' offense has scored 49, 33, 45, 41, and 33 points in its last five games.3. Baltimore Ravens (10-3)Previous rank: 2The Ravens showed signs of a playoff team with a hard-fought win against the Rams in overtime. A well-rounded roster like this should have Baltimore feeling confident as it approaches do-or-die January football.4. Philadelphia Eagles (10-3)Previous rank: 3The Eagles are no longer the cream of the crop in the NFC. In the last two weeks, they were outscored 75-32 against the 49ers and Cowboys, two of their biggest challengers in the conference.5. Buffalo Bills (7-6) Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 12The Bills have made quite the leap and are better than their record indicates. After losing to the Eagles in Week 12, Buffalo got a much-needed win against the Chiefs on Sunday. This team won't go down without a fight.6. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5)Previous rank: 5The Chiefs better turn their attention from the guys in the striped jerseys to the players wearing their own jersey. For the first time in his career, Mahomes is part of a neutered offense that lacks any real firepower.7. Miami Dolphins (9-4)Previous rank: 6Monday night's defeat to the Titans proved the Dolphins are a completely different team without Tyreek Hill. Tua Tagovailoa, Mike McDaniel, and the rest of Miami have to be kicking themselves after squandering a huge opportunity.8. Detroit Lions (9-4)Previous rank: 7The Lions are at a crossroads. Losers of two of their last three, Dan Campbell is going to have to get this team back on track to avoid the season derailing.9. Denver Broncos (7-6)Previous rank: 11Remember when the Broncos were 1-5? We don't. Sean Payton's team is creeping in on a playoff spot after winning six of the last seven.10. Los Angeles Rams (6-7) Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 13The Rams had Baltimore on the brink of defeat in Sunday's overtime thriller before a punt return touchdown sunk them. Don't let that result fool you, though. Sean McVay has this team playing excellent, playoff-caliber football.11. Cleveland Browns (8-5)Previous rank: 14Who turned the clocks back to 2012? The Browns' playoff dreams are flourishing, and it's all thanks to Joe Flacco, who has dazzled in his first two starts with his new team.12. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5)Previous rank: 9Trevor Lawrence's three interceptions stunted any shot of a Jaguars victory against the Browns on Sunday. With back-to-back losses, Jacksonville is allowing its division rivals to edge closer and closer.13. Green Bay Packers (6-7)Previous rank: 10All good things come to an end, but perhaps the Packers' three-game winning streak should have had more life. A sloppy three-turnover contest against the Giants on Monday night put the 6-7 Packers back within reach for many of the NFC's aspiring wild-card teams.14. Houston Texans (7-6)Previous rank: 8The Texans got bullied by the Jets on Sunday and lost C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins in the process. With other key injuries already on the books, Houston might be falling apart before the finish line.15. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 20Jake Browning to the rescue! The inexperienced quarterback has been balling out more than anyone could have expected over the last two games. The Bengals' playoff hopes aren't dead.16. Seattle Seahawks (6-7)Previous rank: 15The Seahawks are in the midst of a midseason collapse that seemingly has no end in sight. Pete Carroll's squad is banged up and losers of four consecutive games.17. Minnesota Vikings (7-6)Previous rank: 17Showcasing their resiliency, the Vikings have persevered through losses to key players. Nonetheless, losing Justin Jefferson for the second time this season is tough to accept.18. Indianapolis Colts (7-6)Previous rank: 16The Colts' winning ways came to an abrupt end against the Bengals. For Shane Steichen's group, overcoming injuries and setbacks has become second nature.19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7)Previous rank: 22Baker Mayfield appears to have found his groove after leading a heroic late-game comeback against the Falcons. The veteran QB could be the catalyst to the Bucs' playoff push.20. Atlanta Falcons (6-7) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 19Just when it seemed like the Falcons were gaining momentum, they suffered a stinging late-game collapse. With a manageable schedule ahead, Atlanta's fate remains in its own hands.21. New Orleans Saints (6-7)Previous rank: 24The Saints corrected course, securing a win following a three-game slide. In a woeful NFC South, posting a .500 record could be good enough to extend the season.22. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)Previous rank: 18Pittsburgh is dealing with an identity crisis after back-to-back defeats to teams with losing records. A postseason berth is still in play but could slip out of its grasp if the "Steeler Way" isn't recaptured soon.23. Chicago Bears (5-8)Previous rank: 27The Bears have found some late-season rhythm with their young stars shining bright. Justin Fields' consistency remains under heavy scrutiny going forward.24. Las Vegas Raiders (5-8)Previous rank: 23The honeymoon period has come and gone for Antonio Pierce after a shutout loss to the Vikings. It's going to be a bumpy final stretch for the Silver and Black.25. Tennessee Titans (5-8) Megan Briggs / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 26Will Levis still has his hiccups, but the poise shown in orchestrating a comeback win over the Dolphins is exactly why the Titans selected him in the 2023 NFL Draft. Their season may be close to over, but there's a lot to build on when it comes to Tennessee and the young quarterback.26. New York Giants (5-8)Previous rank: 29There hasn't been this much excitement for an Italian in New Jersey since the Sopranos, and it's all thanks to rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito, who has now won his last three starts.27. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)Previous rank: 25The Cardinals remain competitive following Kyler Murray's return, even though their record suggests otherwise. With a chance at landing a top-three draft pick still in play, Arizona finds itself in a beneficial position.28. New York Jets (5-8)Previous rank: 28Zach Wilson recently delivered a miraculous performance in what has otherwise been a tumultuous campaign for the former No. 2 overall pick. Perhaps the Jets' offense will finally match the productivity of their elite defense.29. Los Angeles Chargers (5-8)Previous rank: 21As if being out of the playoff hunt wasn't enough, the Chargers suffered yet another setback with Justin Herbert's latest injury. An offseason of sizeable changes appears to be on the horizon.30. Washington Commanders (4-9) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 30The Commanders will be in tough to earn wins over the final month of the regular season. But Washington's struggles could improve its chances of landing a high draft pick next spring.31. New England Patriots (3-10)Previous rank: 32After halting a five-game losing skid with an improbable win over the Steelers, the Patriots haven't mailed in the season.32. Carolina Panthers (1-12)Previous rank: 31Wins have been few and far between for the Panthers this season. While the development of Bryce Young is paramount to the success of the franchise, it might be time to consider his long-term health over the next few weeks.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins suffered one of the worst late-game collapses in recent memory Monday night, losing to the Tennessee Titans 28-27 despite a 14-point lead with under three minutes to play.Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said postgame that the result was a complete failure from every area of the team."This was as much of a team loss as you can have, in my opinion, before watching the tape," said McDaniel, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.Teams holding a 14-point lead with under three minutes to play had won the last 767 games, dating back to 2016, per ESPN.With star wide receiver Tyreek Hill sitting out most of the second and third quarters due to an ankle injury, the Dolphins' offense was uncharacteristically inefficient.Miami went just 4-of-13 on third down, averaged just 5.5 yards per pass, and gave up five sacks on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.Perhaps most impactful were the Dolphins' red-zone struggles, with Tagovailoa and Co. scoring only twice in five trips inside the Titans' 20-yard line."You can point that as the No. 1 reason we didn't win the game," McDaniel said. "For me, you call plays for them to work - and they didn't. ... We did out-of-character things to lose the game."The prime-time defeat dropped Miami to 9-4, hurting its chances of securing the AFC's No. 1 seed - now held by the 10-3 Baltimore Ravens - and opening the door for the 7-6 Buffalo Bills to make a late run at the AFC East crown."These types of losses can be galvanizing, but it takes literally the whole locker room and coaching staff," McDaniel said.The Dolphins will host the New York Jets in Week 15.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill returned to the field in the third quarter after leaving Monday's 28-27 loss against the Tennessee Titans with a left ankle injury.Sean Murphy-Bunting tackled Hill on a play that lost six yards late in the first quarter and the Miami wideout remained on the ground for some time. He was able to walk off the field under his own power before eventually heading to the Dolphins' medical tent.The four-time first-team All-Pro had his ankle wrapped on the sideline but remained a spectator for the remainder of the first half. Hill recorded two catches for 14 yards before he went down.With under seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, Hill took to the field without the wrap. He'd watched the beginning of the second half from the sideline. The Dolphins wideout returned to the game but bounced in and out the lineup while dealing with the ailment."It was a lot of pain," Hill said after the game. "It sucked. I've been dealing with ankle injuries this whole season." He added that he couldn't cut and change directions like he normally can when he re-entered the game. Hill believes that the injury is something that he will have to deal with for the rest of the season.Miami's star finished the evening with four catches for 61 yards.The seven-time Pro Bowler entered the Week 14 matchup leading the league with 1,481 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Hill is on pace to break the single-season record of 1,964 receiving yards currently held by Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson.Hill expects the team to move on quickly from the loss, in which it surrendered a 14-point lead with under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. He believes that each player will take accountability.The Dolphins' starting center, Connor Williams, was also ruled out for the remainder of the game with a knee injury. Liam Eichenberg took over at the position.Miami (9-4) will take on its division rivals, the New York Jets (5-8), on Sunday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is "very likely" to have surgery on his fractured right index finger Tuesday, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Herbert's status for the remainder of the season will be determined by the operation, Schefter adds.It was reported earlier Monday that Herbert wasn't expected to play Thursday night against the Las Vegas Raiders.Head coach Brandon Staley wouldn't comment Monday on Herbert's status but said the team is "going to do whatever's best for Justin long term," according to NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano.Easton Stick took over under center after the Chargers ruled Herbert out of Sunday's contest, and he completed 13 of 24 passes for 179 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Stick is the only other quarterback on Los Angeles' active roster. Rookie Max Duggan is currently on the club's practice squad.Herbert injured a finger on his non-throwing hand earlier in the season but didn't miss a start.The Oregon product has thrown for 3,134 yards, 20 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 13 games this campaign.The Chargers have stumbled to a 5-8 record in 2023, tied with the Raiders for the worst mark in the AFC West.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is bypassing the remainder of his college eligibility to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft, he announced Monday."Tar Heel Nation, the best fans out there," Maye said in a statement. "You have made my time at UNC truly special, thank y'all. I have decided to (forgo) the bowl game and declare for the NFL draft. Forever and always, go Heels!"The sophomore is projected to be one of the top passers in the upcoming draft alongside Caleb Williams, though the latter has not decided whether or not he will go pro.Maye elevated his status as a potential top pick by throwing for 7,929 yards and 62 touchdowns to 16 interceptions over the past two seasons. He's also rushed for over 1,000 yards and added 16 scores on the ground during that span.Copyright (C) 2023 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 Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Boone discusses the latest injuries and the top players available on the waiver wire.

Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson has a "good chance" to play in Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals despite a chest injury, head coach Kevin O'Connell announced Monday, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert.The star wideout was briefly hospitalized Sunday as a precaution before traveling home with the team. He's considered day-to-day.Jefferson was injured in his first contest following a seven-game absence due to a hamstring injury. He took a big shot to the midsection from a Las Vegas Raiders defender while reaching for a high pass.

Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney didn't check with the officials to confirm he was aligned properly ahead of a late offside penalty that cost Kansas City a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, head coach Andy Reid said, according to The Athletic's Nate Taylor.The Bills ultimately won the contest 20-17 after this trick play featuring a Travis Kelce lateral was overturned by the flag:

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.Now do you believe? Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images Sport / GettyEveryone knows the deal with the Cowboys: You either love them or you hate them. The haters have surely taken great joy in a few decades of playoff failures. But it might finally be time for the other side to have some fun.Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles was supposed to be the ultimate battle of NFC East powerhouses. The Cowboys sought revenge after a missed opportunity earlier this season, while the Eagles were hoping to bounce back from a demoralizing loss to the 49ers. In the end, the marquee event was nothing but a mismatch.A 33-13 thrashing of the reigning NFC champs is the ultimate confirmation of everything the Cowboys have been building to this point. There have been some letdowns along the way, with a blowout loss to the 49ers causing some to suggest that this was simply a team taking advantage of a cupcake schedule. It was a fair concern at the time, but that logic won't fly anymore.The Cowboys have been doing everything necessary to earn their status among the league's elite. Dak Prescott is enjoying an MVP-caliber season, CeeDee Lamb is emerging as one of the game's best high-volume playmakers, and Mike McCarthy is quieting plenty of critics with his work in designing the offense. The defense, meanwhile, entered this week ranked third in yards allowed, fourth in scoring, and third in EPA/play, according to Ben Baldwin's database. Holding the Eagles without an offensive touchdown for the first time since 2019 might be the unit's most impressive showing yet.Philly remains a legitimate contender with a terrifying collection of talent on both sides of the ball. It would come as no surprise to anyone if they get hot down the stretch and make another run, but that's simply not the team we've seen for the better part of the season. There are some very real issues at the second and third levels of the defense, and Jalen Hurts isn't playing anywhere near the level he did last year.A lot can change in a month, so we may see a different result if these two teams meet again in January. But the Cowboys have a major advantage right now, and there's no reason to believe their current level of play is unsustainable.It's time to buy in.Champs are scuffling Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyA penalty call will, unfortunately, be the big storyline coming out of Sunday's game between the Bills and Chiefs.Kadarius Toney lining up offside wiped out an all-time great play that saw a midfield lateral from Travis Kelce give Kansas City a late go-ahead touchdown. Was he over the line of scrimmage? Clearly. But the Chiefs are mad about the process from the officials.(Editor's note: A previous version of this story suggested that the Chiefs have a right to be mad. After further consideration, we take it back. They don't. Line up onside.)Once they get over that, they'll probably be even more upset with the state of their offense. It's kind of a problem.While the underlying stats may suggest they're a perfectly competent unit (7th in EPA/play, 8th in success rate), the Chiefs rank outside the top 10 in scoring for the first time in the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes era. The 20-17 loss to Buffalo marked the fourth instance in the last six games that Kansas City has failed to reach the 20-point mark.Mahomes will probably face some criticism for the lack of scoring, but he's still the best in the business. This is about the underwhelming talent that surrounds him. It remains difficult to understand why Andy Reid was comfortable entering the season with this group of receivers.We should never rule out the possibility that Mahomes could go wild in the playoffs and carry the Chiefs to yet another Super Bowl. As things currently stand, though, it seems far more likely that the pass-catchers will continue to hold him back. Kansas City has to get more from that group to compete with the best of the best.Those are high standards, to be sure, but every season is championship or bust when you have the best quarterback on the planet.Game of the year Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport / GettyIf your Sundays are spent watching RedZone, do yourself a favor and circle back to this week's battle between the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens. It's worth your time.The Ravens, as we've discussed, are a juggernaut. They're one of the most well-balanced teams we've seen in years and have everything they need to run through the AFC. It makes sense that the 6-6 Rams rolling into Baltimore didn't generate much buzz.But here's the thing: the Rams are back. It's been an inconsistent season thus far, with injuries contributing to some letdowns, but this team is much better than its record suggests. Sean McVay is scheming things up with the best in the game and Matthew Stafford is playing out of his mind.Stafford connected on several wild throws, going shot for shot with another MVP-caliber performance from Lamar. The late drive to get in position for a game-tying field goal, most notably, was some more vintage stuff from the veteran signal-caller.Both defenses stepped up with three-and-outs to start overtime, setting the stage for Tylan Wallace to emerge as the unlikely hero. In his first game returning punts, the former fourth-round pick ripped off a spectacular 76-yard return score to walk it off for Baltimore.The early afternoon thriller confirmed everything we already knew about Baltimore. But it also opened our eyes to Los Angeles' potential to make some noise. Upcoming games against the Commanders, Saints, and Giants will give the Rams a real chance to earn a wild-card spot and sneak up on a division winner in the first round.Lions not quite there Quinn Harris / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Lions were, deservedly, everyone's preseason darling. It was clear to the majority of the football world that this team, fresh off ending the Packers' playoff hopes on the final day of the 2022 campaign, was ready to compete. But competing isn't necessarily contending.Any goals surrounding the former have been sufficiently achieved: The Lions are well on their way to winning the NFC North. As for the latter, it might be wise to exercise some patience.A 28-13 loss to the Bears marked the second time in three weeks that the Lions have been outplayed by their basement-dwelling NFC North rivals. It also serves as an important reminder that there's still a sizeable gap between Detroit and the NFL's true contenders.To that end, the defense remains the most glaring issue. Detroit still had no answer for Justin Fields, as Chicago's quarterback accounted for 281 total yards and two touchdowns. Fields now has three turnover-free games on the year - two of which came against the Lions.Detroit's offense has largely been stellar this year, but we probably shouldn't let them off the hook here. Turnovers are still an issue, as another pair of interceptions from Jared Goff raised his tally to 12 on the year. With four games still to play, he's on pace to surpass the 15 picks he threw over the previous two seasons combined.The Lions still have time to sort things out before the playoffs, but it's increasingly clear that this team is still several key pieces away from challenging the teams they'd see in January. That reality once again brings us back to April.Spending a pair of first-round picks on a running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) and linebacker (Jack Campbell) looks all the more misguided when considering the shortcomings at some other premium positions. Top young talents at cornerback, defensive end, and/or quarterback, for example, would have gone a long way toward accelerating this team's ascent.Instead, the Lions find themselves needing at least another year to build the roster up right.Quick slantsBengals still kicking Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Bengals aren't about to let a quarterback injury end their season. Their offense has been shockingly competent without Joe Burrow thanks to some stellar play from Jake Browning, who's now led the way in back-to-back wins. The former undrafted free agent followed up his Monday night masterpiece with another 275 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's victory over the Colts. Finishing the job won't be easy, as the Bengals still have a challenging month ahead, but this is no fluke. Burrow wasn't the only reason Cincinnati was a Super Bowl contender.Texans beat upInjuries are suddenly threatening to derail a magical season in Houston. The Texans are critically low on playmaking talent after Tank Dell suffered a broken fibula last week and Nico Collins exited Sunday's loss to the Jets with a calf injury. Making matters worse, C.J. Stroud left the contest with a concussion. Houston is still alive in the playoff race, but it'll be tough to hold off the other contenders with so many key players going down. Even with Stroud playing the way he has, the blowout loss in New York was a reminder that there's only so much a quarterback can do.A best-case scenarioJustin Fields had himself another nice game in Sunday's win over the Lions, throwing for 223 yards and one touchdown while adding another 58 yards and a score on the ground. It's not superstar stuff by any means, but it's yet another sign of some intriguing development after a rough start to the year. With some continued growth, Chicago could still consider Fields the future franchise quarterback. But it's far more likely that every promising performance serves to increase the Bears' return in a trade. They could turn things around by using their pair of early picks on a quarterback and receiver and then moving Fields to replace the second-rounder lost in the Montez Sweat trade.Wilson balls out Kathryn Riley / Getty Images Sport / GettyDid we just witness the best game of Zach Wilson's career? The former No. 2 pick was shockingly competent in his return to the starting lineup this week, leading the Jets past the Texans with a season-high 301 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. We won't draw too many conclusions from a single-game sample, but he certainly looked more comfortable than ever before. These flashes will encourage another team to take a chance on him as a developmental project.OBJ making an impactHe's still got it, folks. Odell Beckham Jr. continued his emergence as a reliable playmaker for the Ravens, posting a team-high 97 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Rams. His first season in Baltimore didn't get off to the best start, but he's quietly been trending up with an increased target share over the last month. Beckham was a key contributor in the Rams' 2021 Super Bowl run, and it's becoming easy to imagine him having the same kind of impact for a Ravens team with similar aspirations.Lawrence looks OKThe Jaguars didn't get the result they wanted in Cleveland, but that's secondary to their quarterback's health. Trevor Lawrence was somehow in the lineup a mere six days after suffering a high ankle sprain, and he didn't seem all that limited. It was a mistake-filled day for Lawrence and the Jaguars, with the signal-caller's three interceptions being the difference in the defeat. But those will happen against a top defense, and Lawrence made some big plays to keep Jacksonville in it. It doesn't seem like his ankle will be an issue down the stretch.Stat of the week

We could spend the next few minutes trying to figure out why two games are scheduled - with kickoffs at the exact same time - on Monday Night Football, or we could keep our questions to ourselves and dig into the best bets for our two-screen experience of Packers-Giants and Titans-Dolphins.Packers @ Giants (+6, 36.5)It remains to be seen what heights the Packers can reach now that things seem to have finally clicked for Jordan Love. A very manageable schedule means the Cheeseheads are -215 favorites (68.3% implied probability) to make the playoffs, but the immediate concern is about their rating in the betting markets getting a little too high.Even with preseason optimism about what the Packers could be, a regular-season win total of 7.5 suggested that their median result would be just shy of league average. Back-to-back upsets of the Lions and Chiefs on national television have Green Bay's rating as high as its been all season.Going on the road to the Giants puts the Packers in a different role - they're required to win and cover a decent-sized point spread against a team that's been underrated in the market. After a rough debut in Dallas, Tommy DeVito and the Giants haven't just covered as underdogs - they've won outright and have had two weeks to prepare for their final prime-time home game of the season.Christian Watson and Jaire Alexander have already been ruled out, and a handful of defenders' availability is up in the air. We're bullish on the Packers' overall future, but this line is too high.Pick: Giants (+6)Saquon Barkley: Longest rush over 16.5 yardsAgainst a Packers defense allowing 4.5 yards per carry, Barkley can be a factor on the ground; his yardage total has been bet up from 67.5 to 71.5 over the weekend. He recorded 19-plus yards in five straight games but didn't top this total in two of those. We'll thus bet that Barkley gets a sizable chunk of those 71.5 yards on one carry.Dontayvion Wicks: Anytime TD (+325, 0.8 units)

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid called it "embarrassing" that NFL officials elected to call a penalty on a potential game-winning touchdown in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills."It's a bit embarrassing for the National Football League for that to take place," Reid told reporters postgame, including ESPN's Adam Teicher.The Chiefs appeared to have a go-ahead score after Travis Kelce threw a lateral pass to Kadarius Toney, who ran into the end zone. However, Toney was ruled to be offside before the play, voiding the touchdown.Reid added that he's typically given a warning before penalties like the one called are applied, though referee Carl Cheffers said postgame that "if it's egregious enough, it would be beyond a warning."

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox called out his team following its 33-13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football."I think the biggest thing for this team now is really find out who the dudes are," Cox said, according to Dave Zangaro of NBC Philadelphia. "And that's always the case. And I've been part of teams where the dudes in the locker room do something about it. And I've been a part of the team where, you know, it kind of crumbles."But now it's time to see the real leadership. The real players. The guys that are elite on this team, myself included, step up and do something about it. Get this team another win."The Eagles have now lost back-to-back games to the San Francisco 49ers and Cowboys by a combined score of 75-32. Their Week 14 loss drops them out of first place in the NFC and NFC East.Philadelphia's defense surrendered 24 points in Sunday's first half, a continuation of problems from the contest versus the 49ers. The Eagles allowed 66 points on their last 11 drives heading into the second half against the Cowboys. The unit bounced back with a defensive touchdown in the third quarter, but the damage had already been done.Quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense failed to score a touchdown in the game, with the team's points coming from two Jake Elliott field goals and a defensive score. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jalen Hurts all fumbled inside Cowboys territory, which halted offensive production. The Eagles only have 26 first-half points in their last four contests combined.Opponents have also outgained Philadelphia in six straight games. The Eagles now have a worse point differential than the 6-7 New Orleans Saints."It's something we're going through, not something we're stuck in," Hurts said postgame, per Zangaro. "I think that this team will continue to get things done. It's going to continue to be challenged. It's all in how we respond to that. I think it's a beautiful opportunity for us."He added: "We all have to be better. That starts with me. ... That starts with me as a leader. The tone that I set. I embrace that challenge."The 10-3 Eagles face a much easier schedule down the stretch. Philadelphia's final four opponents have a combined record of 17-33, and the club can win the NFC East if it finishes the regular season unbeaten.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dak Prescott entered the season with some questioning his prospects of being the Dallas Cowboys' long-term starter after leading the NFL in interceptions in 2022.Three months later, Prescott is the favorite to win MVP after knocking off the Philadelphia Eagles in prime time to propel Dallas to the top of the NFC East."For anyone that might have a question about it, for him to come in here and play like that against Philadelphia, he should have his due," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "That ought to shut that door of questioning his ability to play in a playoff-type game."However, Prescott - who completed 24 of 39 passes for two touchdowns and had one fumble returned for a score by the Eagles - didn't believe his performance was among his best this season."Solid enough to get the win," he said. "I've told you before, I'm my biggest critic. Obviously, not my best game. ... Did enough to win, but I always want to do better."The 30-year-old's efficiency has reached a new level in 2023. His completion percentage of 69.3 is a career high, while his adjusted yards per attempt of 8.4 would tie for the second-best mark of his NFL tenure.Prescott has also thrown just six interceptions to help earn his best-ever passer rating of 107.5. He tossed 15 interceptions in just 12 appearances last year.During Dallas' five-game win streak that has it back in contention for the conference's No. 1 seed, Prescott has produced 16 total scores against just two turnovers.But Jones says Prescott doesn't need to win MVP to prove how vital he is to the Cowboys and their chances of making a deep postseason run."He's got that kind of appreciation from I think everybody in this organization," Jones said.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NFL Playoff Picture is a weekly look at the teams jockeying to secure their shot to make it to Super Bowl LVIII.AFCSeedTeamDivisionRecord1RavensNorth10-32DolphinsEast9-33ChiefsWest8-54JaguarsSouth8-55BrownsNorth8-56SteelersNorth7-67ColtsSouth7-6The Baltimore Ravens took over the AFC's No. 1 seed with a thrilling overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams. The Ravens claimed the 37-31 victory thanks to Tylan Wallace's 76-yard walk-off touchdown on a punt return. Fans in Baltimore watched one of this week's best games, as the teams traded leads several times and combined for 859 total yards.But the Miami Dolphins can reclaim the conference's top spot with a win over the Tennessee Titans on Monday night. They own the tiebreaker over the Ravens due to their win percentage in AFC matchups.We're not used to seeing this, but the Kansas City Chiefs have lost two in a row after falling to the Buffalo Bills at home in Week 14. It was the Chiefs' fifth loss of the campaign, which ties the most losses they've suffered in a season with Patrick Mahomes under center. Mahomes and Co. are still ranked first in the AFC West, but the Denver Broncos - who beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday - could potentially win the division.Led by three Joe Flacco touchdowns, the Cleveland Browns took down the Jacksonville Jaguars to snap a two-game losing streak and leapfrog the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoff race. It was Flacco's first triumph with the Browns, who have won at least one game with four different starting quarterbacks this season.In the huntSeedTeamDivisionRecord8TexansSouth7-69BroncosWest7-610BengalsNorth7-611BillsEast7-6Get the popcorn ready.Six AFC teams currently have a 7-6 record. If the season ended today, the Steelers and Indianapolis Colts would make the playoffs as the No. 6 and No. 7 seeds, respectively. But the Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, and Buffalo Bills will likely be in the wild-card hunt until Week 18. The Steelers have a better record in common games than the Colts, who beat the Texans in their only meeting so far this campaign and own the tiebreaker over the Broncos, Bills, and Bengals thanks to their win percentage in conference games.After starting head coach Sean Payton's inaugural season in Denver with a 1-5 record, the Broncos have since gone 6-1. That lone loss came against the Texans.How about the Bengals?! Cincy's season looked lost after Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury, but quarterback Jake Browning has led the team to two wins in a row, most recently blowing out the Colts 34-14.Things aren't looking great for the Texans, who have lost two of their last three. DeMeco Ryans' outfit suffered a 30-6 loss to the New York Jets and, to make matters worse, multiple key starters went down with injuries in Week 14, including star quarterback C.J. Stroud (concussion) and top receiver Nico Collins (calf). Rookie wideout Tank Dell also recently sustained a season-ending leg ailment. At least the Texans face the 4-8 Tennessee Titans twice in the season's final four games.NFCSeedTeamDivisionRecord149ersWest10-32CowboysEast10-33LionsNorth9-44BuccaneersSouth6-75EaglesEast10-36VikingsNorth7-67PackersNorth6-6There's a new No. 1 seed in the NFC: the San Francisco 49ers. Week 14 was more of the same for the red-hot team: Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and Deebo Samuel posted monster games in a victory over the Seattle Seahawks. San Francisco - now winners of five in a row - will clinch a playoff berth if the New York Giants defeat the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.The Dallas Cowboys earned their biggest win of the season on Sunday by blowing out the Philadelphia Eagles, who are now the conference's No. 5 seed after losing two in a row. Dallas continues to play dominant football at all levels and jumped to first place in the NFC East with the triumph.Though the Cowboys are currently the top team in the East, the Eagles would own the tiebreaker if they win out as they can improve their divisional record with two games versus the Giants on tap. The Niners have beaten both the Cowboys and Eagles by an 84-29 combined score.Turnovers were once again an issue for the Detroit Lions, who couldn't stop the Chicago Bears and lost 28-13. After a strong showing in last week's win, Jared Goff threw two interceptions versus Chicago and has turned the ball over eight times in the last four games. Despite losing two of their last three contests, the Lions are still in a great position in the NFC playoff race. Their final stretch features two divisional matchups against the Minnesota Vikings that could have big postseason implications in the NFC North.Meanwhile, the NFC South has a leader with a losing record yet again. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers jumped to No.1 after topping the Atlanta Falcons thanks to a Baker Mayfield-to-Cade Otton touchdown to take the lead in the final seconds. The Bucs, Falcons, and New Orleans Saints are all 6-7, but Tampa Bay has the edge over Atlanta because of its common games record and owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over New Orleans. The Saints lost their first meetings with the Bucs and Falcons this season but will face each rival one more time in the campaign's final two weeks. The Bucs and Falcons split their season series.The New York Times gives Tampa Bay a 48% chance of winning the division. Atlanta and New Orleans come next with 29% and 24%, respectively.In the huntSeedTeamDivisionRecord8RamsWest6-79SeahawksWest6-710FalconsSouth6-711SaintsSouth6-7Pete Carroll's outfit has now lost four in a row (and five of its last six appearances). To make things worse, the Seahawks host the Eagles in Week 15. The Rams own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Seahawks after sweeping the 2023 season series versus their division rivals.Projected NFL draft orderPickTeam1Bears (via Panthers)2Patriots3Cardinals4Commanders5Giants6Titans7Bears8Raiders9Jets10ChargersCopyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith still likes his team's chances in the final stretch of the season despite Sunday's 29-25 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers costing Atlanta first place in the NFC South."We didn't get it done today, but our spirit is not broken," Smith said postgame, according to team writer Scott Bair. "We're still in it. It'll be a wild adventure through the end of this season. Things change so much from week to week."Atlanta had a late fourth-quarter lead over Tampa Bay but wasn't able to hold on, allowing a go-ahead touchdown with 31 seconds left in the contest. As a result, the 6-7 Bucs leapfrogged the 6-7 Falcons in the division, as coach Todd Bowles' outfit has the edge over Smith and Co. with a better win percentage in common games. The two rivals split their 2023 season series."This was a division game at home, and we expect to win these ones," defensive lineman Calais Campbell said on Sunday. "When you don't, they burn. But it is what is. We've got to fight with everything we've got. There's still football left, and we have more opportunities in front of us, but this one stings a little bit."The Saints are also 6-7, but Tampa Bay currently owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over New Orleans. The Buccaneers will host the Saints in Week 17. Atlanta plays New Orleans in Week 18 after beating its division rivals in their first meeting this campaign."There are going to be lots of ups, lots of downs," Falcons safety and team captain Jessie Bates said. "The team that can weather them the best will come out of this on top. That's why you have to stay grounded, whether it's going good or it's going bad. ... Every game from here on out is going to be a playoff type of game."The Falcons visit the 1-12 Carolina Panthers in Week 15.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There was no shortage of praise for New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson following Sunday's 30-6 triumph over the Houston Texans."Zach was unbelievable," said head coach Robert Saleh, who described Week 14 as the best performance of Wilson's career, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini.Wilson returned to the lineup versus the Texans after serving as the Jets' third-string passer in the previous two weeks behind Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian. Wilson originally began the campaign as QB2 behind Aaron Rodgers but had to take over after Rodgers went down with an Achilles injury four snaps into Week 1. The former No. 2 pick then had a roller-coaster campaign that resulted in him losing the starting role before Week 12.Wilson was reportedly reluctant to step back into the starting lineup again before the Houston matchup. His hesitancy apparently stemmed from a perceived injury risk. He denied the report.Multiple Jets players noticed Wilson playing loose and confident against the Texans."He told me, 'I'm playing for y'all. I've nothing to lose,'" Jets cornerback D.J. Reed said about Wilson postgame. "He said, 'What's the worst that can happen, I get benched again?' That's what he said and that's the way he played. It showed.""He said it early this week: F it. Go out there and have some fun. Leave it all out there," guard Laken Tomlinson added.Wilson finished the day with 27 completions on 36 attempts for 301 yards and two touchdowns against no interceptions, setting career highs in completion percentage rate (75%) and passer rating (117.9). He also finished Week 14 in the top 10 in EPA/play among quarterbacks."The flow of just playing football today was there, and I can't say it's been like that a lot, unfortunately, in my career here," said Wilson, who's struggled to meet expectations since being drafted in 2021.Despite Sunday's stunning win, the 5-8 Jets' playoff chances are still low. New York hasn't made the postseason since 2010, the longest drought in the league.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a finger injury during Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Denver Broncos.Head coach Brandon Staley said postgame that Herbert has a right index fracture, according to Fernando Ramirez of The Sporting Tribune."To be determined," Staley said when asked if the signal-caller will be able to return this season.The Chargers have a short week ahead, as they face the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night.Herbert went to the locker room late in the second quarter. The Broncos sacked Herbert four times and hit him six times in the first half. The star passer - who fractured a finger on his non-throwing hand earlier this season - was ruled out after halftime with Denver up 10-0.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson suffered a chest injury and did not return to the team's 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.The superstar wideout took a big hit over the middle of the field as he hauled in a pass early in the contest. Athletic trainers tended to Jefferson in the medical tent before he left for the locker room.As a precaution, Jefferson was later taken to the hospital for further evaluation. He returned to the team after the game and will travel home with the Vikings.The 24-year-old was playing for the first time since sustaining a hamstring injury in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs.K.J. Osborn, Brandon Powell, and first-round rookie Jordan Addison are expected to operate as the team's top three receivers with Jefferson sidelined.Jefferson hauled in two passes for 27 yards before being forced out of the game. The first catch was enough for Jefferson to surpass Hall of Famer Randy Moss for the most receiving yards by a player under 25 years old in NFL history. Jefferson was tied with Moss at 5,396 yards entering the game.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Vikings replaced quarterback Joshua Dobbs with Nick Mullens during Sunday's 3-0 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders.Dobbs was benched in the fourth quarter with the score tied at zero after completing just 10 of his 23 pass attempts for 63 yards.Mullens led a 13-play, game-winning drive late in the fourth frame to put Greg Joseph in position for the decisive 36-yard field goal. Joseph made the kick with 1:57 remaining, and the Vikings' defense intercepted Aidan O'Connell on the Raiders' ensuing drive.Dobbs entered Sunday's game already on thin ice as the team's starter. The Vikings used their bye week to evaluate him after he threw four interceptions in his last appearance - a 12-10 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 12. However, he retained his role.Acquired by Minnesota midseason, Dobbs is 1-3 as a starter for the Vikings before Sunday. In his Vikings debut, he relieved Jaren Hall and engineered a game-winning drive in the team's Week 9 win over the Atlanta Falcons.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is in concussion protocol following the team's 30-6 loss to the New York Jets, head coach DeMeco Ryans announced Sunday.The signal-caller was hit after releasing a pass late in the game and hit his helmet hard against the turf. He didn't return to the contest.Wide receiver Nico Collins also didn't return after sustaining a calf injury. Collins, the team's top passing option, exited the game with just one catch for 13 yards. Tight end Brevin Jordan finished as the team's leading receiver with 35 yards on three receptions.Noah Brown, John Metchie, and Robert Woods are the next wideouts on the team's depth chart after rookie standout Tank Dell sustained a season-ending leg injury last week.Houston's defense was banged up in the defeat, too. Linebacker Blake Cashman wasn't able to resume playing after suffering a hamstring injury, while pass-rusher Will Anderson suffered an ankle ailment late in the game.The injuries coincided with Jets quarterback Zach Wilson having one of the best games of his career. Wilson finished the victory with 301 yards and two touchdowns on 27-of-36 passing. His 117.9 passer rating is the highest he's posted since he was selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft.Houston was out-gained in total yards 347-135 and averaged a meager 2.6 yards per play.Both clubs face division opponents in Week 15. The Texans will battle the Tennessee Titans, while the Jets will look to build a winning streak when they take on the Miami Dolphins.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks running backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet will be in the lineup for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.Walker missed Seattle's past two contests after sustaining an oblique injury against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 11. Despite being sidelined, the 23-year-old still leads the Seahawks with 613 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He's also added 17 receptions for 173 yards with one score.Rookie tailback Charbonnnet, who is dealing with a knee injury, is set to split carries in Walker's return. The UCLA product is second on the team in rushing yards (368).Quarterback Geno Smith will miss the game with a groin injury, with Drew Lock set to get the start.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.