Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner is still recovering from a high ankle sprain that's sidelined him for the last two games."I’m trying. It’s day by day I can walk around fine. I’m not limping around, but when I’m out there on the field, cutting and stuff, I’m not ready yet," Conner said, per The Athletic's Mark Kaboly.The Steelers will take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 16. At 8-5-1, they currently hold the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoff picture with a half-game lead over the 8-6 Baltimore Ravens. Four other teams remain in the hunt for the final AFC wild-card spot."We’ll let the amount of work that he’s able to do and the effectiveness of that work be our guide," head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday on Conner's return, according to Penn Live's Jacob Klinger. "We’ll make those decisions at the appropriate time as we push toward game time."Running back Jaylen Samuels has taken over backfield duties in Conner's absence and totaled 172 yards in Sunday's 17-10 win over the New England Patriots.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite Green Bay Packers interim head coach Joe Philbin being non-committal on who will start at quarterback against the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers said he'll be the one behind center."It's about leadership, how can I stand here and say these game don't matter," Rodgers said, according to The Athletic's Josh Tolentino. "That's not the way I lead. I'm super competitive."Rodgers suffered a groin injury in Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Chicago Bears, which officially eliminated the now 5-8-1 Packers from playoff contention."I'm hopeful he's going to practice, and I'm hopeful he's going to play," Philbin said, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky.If he's unable to suit up, DeShone Kizer will take his place behind center.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Oakland Raiders are signing former Buffalo Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman to the practice squad, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Peterman began the year as the Bills' starter for Week 1, but the team elected to release him on Nov. 12.The 24-year-old's tenure with the Bills didn't go as planned, to say the least. Peterman completed 54.3 percent of his passes for 296 yards and one touchdown against seven interceptions in four games during the 2018 season.Peterman's 10.2 interception percentage ranks sixth worst since 1990. As the Raiders' season comes to an end, it'll be compelling to see whether the team views him as a viable long-term backup to Derek Carr.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Panthers will sit quarterback Cam Newton against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, general manager Marty Hurney told the team's website Wednesday. Newton is also expected to miss Week 17's matchup versus the New Orleans Saints, sources told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.Newton has been dealing with a shoulder injury since Week 8 when he was first listed on the injury report. He is not practicing Wednesday, Rapoport adds."It hasn't got worse over the weeks, it hasn't got better over the weeks," Newton said Tuesday.Newton doesn't require surgery "at this time" but the team will continue to evaluate him, a source told ESPN's Dan Graziano.After starting the season 6-2, the Panthers dropped six straight games - all but mathematically eliminating them from playoff contention.Taylor Heinicke will make his first regular-season NFL start Sunday in place of an inactive Newton. Heinicke threw for 323 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception through four preseason games.Newton presumably ends his season with 3395 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He added 488 yards on the ground with four touchdowns.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a high demand for the cleats Tom Brady wore as part of the NFL's "My Cause My Cleats" campaign.Brady's red cleats - worn in the New England Patriots' Dec. 2 win over the Minnesota Vikings - currently have the highest auction bid among all players' footwear at $20,010. Proceeds from Brady's cleats will be donated to the Ellie Fund and Best Buddies to provide support to breast cancer patients and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, respectively.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams and Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook headline the NFL Players of the Week.Williams captured AFC Offensive Player of the Week after catching seven passes for 76 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-tying score, while also rushing for a 19-yard touchdown. The wideout also caught the go-ahead two-point conversion to lead the Chargers to a 29-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.Cook is the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 136 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-17 win over the Miami Dolphins.Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden is the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, recording a crucial interception in a 17-10 win against the New England Patriots while adding 12 tackles.Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is the NFC Defensive Player of the Week, racking up two sacks, seven tackles, and a forced fumble during a 40-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn is the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, completing five field goals in a 29-22 win against the New York Jets.San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after hitting a game-winning field goal against the Seattle Seahawks from 36 yards out.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay became the first undrafted offensive rookie to be named to a Pro Bowl when the 2019 rosters were announced on Tuesday.

The 2019 Pro Bowl rosters were released Tuesday night, and as always, many notable players were left out of the showcase.Here are 10 of the best to miss this year's cut.Darius Leonard, OLB, ColtsThere may not have been anyone more displeased with being overlooked than the No. 36 pick from the 2018 NFL Draft.

The NFL community voted and selections have officially been released for the 2019 Pro Bowl.The game will be played on Jan. 27 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.* denotes startersAFC OffensePositionPlayerTeamQuarterbackPatrick Mahomes*ChiefsTom BradyPatriotsPhilip RiversChargersRunning BackJames Conner*SteelersMelvin GordonChargersPhillip LindsayBroncosFullbackAnthony Sherman*ChiefsWide ReceiverTyreek Hill*ChiefsDeAndre Hopkins*TexansAntonio BrownSteelersKeenan AllenChargersTight EndTravis Kelce*ChiefsEric EbronColtsTackleTaylor Lewan*TitansAlejandro Villanueva*SteelersEric FisherChiefsGuardDavid DeCastro*SteelersMarshal Yanda*RavensQuenton NelsonColtsCenterMaurkice Pouncey*SteelersMike PounceyChargersAFC DefensePositionPlayerTeamDefensive EndJ.J. Watt*TexansMyles Garrett*BrownsMelvin IngramChargersInterior LinemanGeno Atkins*BengalsJurrell Casey*TitansCameron HeywardSteelersOutside LinebackerVon Miller*BroncosJadeveon Clowney*TexansDee FordChiefsInside LinebackerC.J. Mosley*RavensBenardrick McKinneyTexansCornerbackXavien Howard*DolphinsJalen Ramsey*JaguarsStephon GilmorePatriotsDenzel WardBrownsFree SafetyDerwin James*ChargersEric WeddleRavensStrong SafetyJamal Adams*JetsAFC Special TeamsPositionPlayerTeamPunterBrett Kern*TitansKickerJason Myers*JetsReturn SpecialistAndre Roberts*JetsSpecial TeamerAdrian Phillips*ChargersNFC OffensePositionPlayerTeamQuarterbackDrew Brees*SaintsJared GoffRamsAaron RodgersPackersRunning BackTodd Gurley*RamsEzekiel ElliottCowboysSaquon BarkleyGiantsFullbackKyle Juszczyk*49ersWide ReceiverJulio Jones*FalconsMichael Thomas*SaintsDavante AdamsPackersAdam ThielenVikingsTight EndZach Ertz*EaglesGeorge Kittle49ersTackleTyron Smith*CowboysTerron Armstead*SaintsTrent WilliamsRedskinsGuardZack Martin*CowboysBrandon Brooks*EaglesTrai TurnerPanthersCenterAlex Mack*FalconsMax UngerSaintsNFC DefensePositionPlayerTeamDefensive EndCameron Jordan*SaintsDeMarcus Lawrence*CowboysDanielle HunterVikingsInterior LinemanAaron Donald*RamsFletcher Cox*EaglesAkiem HicksBearsOutside LinebackerKhalil Mack*BearsRyan Kerrigan*RedskinsAnthony BarrVikingsInside LinebackerLuke Kuechly*PanthersBobby WagnerSeahawksCornerbackKyle Fuller*BearsPatrick Peterson*CardinalsDarius SlayLionsByron JonesCowboysFree SafetyEddie Jackson*BearsHarrison SmithVikingsStrong SafetyLandon Collins*GiantsNFC Special TeamsPositionPlayerTeamPunterMichael Dickson*SeahawksKickerAldrick Rosas*GiantsReturn SpecialistTarik Cohen*BearsSpecial TeamerCory Littleton*RamsNew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady tied a record held by Peyton Manning, Tony Gonzalez, Bruce Matthews, and Merlin Olsen as the only players to be selected to 14 Pro Bowls, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his fifth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links below to see his early rankings for Week 16.Updated rankings (including PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.To find out who the top pickups are, you can consult our Week 16 Waiver Wire column. You can also listen to the latest episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.Standard Rankings

The Los Angeles Rams signed running back C.J. Anderson, the team announced Tuesday.Anderson racked up 104 rushing yards in nine games with the Carolina Panthers before he was cut in mid-November.He briefly joined the Oakland Raiders but didn't appear in a game for them before being released Dec. 12.Rams lead back Todd Gurley is currently day to day with knee inflammation.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon practiced at "full speed" on Tuesday, head coach Anthony Lynn said, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.Gordon is reportedly expected to return for Saturday's game against the Baltimore Ravens after missing the last three contests with an MCL injury.The Chargers went 3-0 in his absence - including Thursday's crucial 29-28 victory over the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs - and sit second in the AFC West with a record of 11-3. They're currently riding a four-game winning streak.Gordon has rushed for 802 yards and added 453 receiving yards with a total of 13 touchdowns over 10 games this season.Lynn also said running back Austin Ekeler and wide receiver Keenan Allen didn't practice Tuesday, Williams adds. Ekeler missed last week's game due to a concussion and a neck issue, while Allen was pulled from the contest after suffering a hip injury in the first half.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers placed running back Aaron Jones on injured reserve Tuesday after he suffered a knee injury in Sunday's loss to the Chicago Bears, the team announced.Wide receiver Allen Lazard was signed to the 53-man roster off the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad in a corresponding move. Lazard, an undrafted free-agent signee in April, had not appeared in a game this season after making four catches for 46 yards in the preseason.Jones was suspended for the first two games of 2018 due to a violation of the league's Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.The 2017 fifth-round pick started eight of his final nine games, totaling 728 rushing yards, 206 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns over 12 contests. He is currently the league leader in rushing yards per attempt (5.5).Running backs Jamaal Williams and Danny Vitale remain on the Packers' official depth chart and will be tasked with carrying the load in the running game over the team's final two games. They'll visit the New York Jets in Week 16.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins safety Montae Nicholson was arrested Tuesday morning in Virginia and charged with misdemeanor assault, according to The Washington Post's Ann E. Marimow and Kareem Copeland.The incident, which Marimow and Copeland characterized as a drunken fight, occurred near the Redskins' practice facility close to 2 a.m. after the safety and a female companion, 24-year-old Sydney A. Maggiore, pulled up in a vehicle and honked the horn at a man and woman, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's office. The safety and his companion then got out of the car and things "turned physical," according to the sheriff's office spokesperson Kraig Troxell. Nicholson and Maggiore are accused of assaulting the man, while Maggiore is also accused of striking the woman with a bottle.A court appearance hasn't been scheduled.The victims were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries."We are aware of the arrest of Montae Nicholson," Redskins spokesperson Tony Wyllie said in a statement. "We are gathering more information and will not comment until we have further details."Nicholson, a Michigan State alum, was a fourth-round pick of the Redskins in the 2017 NFL Draft. He started in seven games this season but was benched in favor of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix after the former Green Bay Packers safety was acquired in late October.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he didn't play with cracked ribs during a Dec. 9 loss to the Oakland Raiders.NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Roethlisberger played through the injury during the second half of the 24-21 defeat."I have no idea where that came from," Roethlisberger said Tuesday on his weekly radio show, according to Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "My wife texted me before the game and said, 'Did you hear about this?' I'm in the locker room. I don't know where that guy gets his information from, so we're not going to give him any credence on this show."Roethlisberger played Sunday without incident, leading the Steelers to a 17-10 victory over the New England Patriots. The veteran quarterback finished 22-of-34 for 235 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions."At the end of the day, you trust in the doctors and what they tell you to do," he said. "We're all dealing with a lot of pain this time of the year."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After another slate filled with sacks, stops and stuffs, let's review the standout performers from the trenches during Week 15:Defensive Lineman of the Week: DL Chris Jones, ChiefsEven in a losing effort, Chris Jones was probably the best player on the field on Thursday, finishing with three tackles, 2.5 sacks, one pass deflection, and eight (!!!) quarterback hits against the Los Angeles Chargers. In the process, he tied the all-time record for the most consecutive games with at least one sack (10).At 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, Jones might appear to be another gargantuan defensive tackle who eats up space and dominates against the run - but that couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, Jones possesses an electric get-off, incredible quickness, and a wide array of footwork and hand techniques, making him a nightmare for slower-footed offensive guards to block on passing plays. Jones' second sack against the Chargers is a great example of his ability to generate pressure using quickness:Here, Jones is aligned over the outside shoulder of the right guard, and is looking to run an exchange stunt with Justin Houston (No. 50) to his left. The idea is that Jones will immediately penetrate the line and pick off the right tackle so Houston can get free to loop behind him inside. However, because the right tackle quickly engages Houston, Jones can't pick him off and instead becomes a traditional pass-rusher in a matchup with the guard.From there, Jones uses a perfectly timed one-hand swipe to stymie the right guard’s punch and clear contact, giving him space to dip and rip at the apex of Philip Rivers' drop before flattening toward him for the sack.It's pretty impressive that although Jones is meant to set up his teammate, he's able to adjust in the blink of an eye, beat his own blocker, and bring down Rivers. There are less than a handful of defensive tackles with the awareness, quickness, flexibility, and hand timing to make that play.And Jones wasn't done, saving his best for last:Here, Jones is again aligned over the outside shoulder of the right guard. Once the ball is snapped, he immediately takes a jab step toward the guard's inside edge. That leads the guard to lean inside while widening his base, which makes it more difficult to recover.Next, Jones redirects back to the guard's outside edge and uses a forklift move with his arm to clear contact. The guard actually does a good job of re-establishing his hands (although his base is all over the place), but Jones keeps his own hands combat-ready. He effortlessly sequences into a stab with his inside arm while executing another forklift move with his outside hand to clear contact a second time.From there, Jones drops his pad level and turns a tight corner to Rivers, whom he eventually helps bring down after crawling around in the pocket.Overall, Jones' performance was simply one of the best by any interior lineman in the league this season, as Los Angeles couldn't slow him down. It's time to recognize him as one of the premier players at his position.Pass Rush of the Week: DE Khalil Mack, BearsKhalil Mack continued his dominant first season with the Chicago Bears by racking up 2.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, and six tackles - two for a loss - against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.Though he had numerous outstanding plays against Green Bay, this sack from the second quarter is the most impressive:Here, Mack aligns in a two-point stance outside of Green Bay's left tackle before firing out of his stance and beginning with a slight inside jab step. Mack then expands his rush back outside, executing a quick stab with his outside hand as he places his inside hand on the right tackle's inside forearm.Once his hands are in place, Mack forklifts the tackle's arm, which clears the point of contact and knocks him off-balance. And despite an egregious hold from the tackle, Mack's able to hit Aaron Rodgers with his back, which contributes to bringing him down for the sack.The entire sequence encapsulates Mack as a player - he continually accomplishes rare feats on the back of outstanding timing, technique, and power.Run Defender of the Week: DT Grady Jarrett, FalconsLost in the Atlanta Falcons' disappointing season has been the outstanding play of defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who deserves to be ranked in the non-Aaron Donald tier of elite defensive tackles. And Jarrett was at his best against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, finishing with seven tackles - two for a loss - two quarterback hits, two sacks, and a forced fumble. He certainly would have been our "Defensive Lineman of the Week" if not for Jones' incredible performance broken down above.Instead, we'll highlight Jarrett's performance in the running game, as the Falcons held the Cardinals to just 60 rushing yards on 22 carries (2.73 yards per attempt). This play - in which Jarrett completely blows up an attempted draw on a delayed handoff - is a great example of his efforts:Here, he's aligned with an outside shade over Arizona’s right guard, who pretends to start pass blocking after the snap in an attempt to get Jarrett to rush upfield past the ball-carrier. However, Jarrett doesn't take the bait, as he knocks the guard off his spot with a powerful two-hand punch before getting in the running back's path for the stop.Jarrett's often recognized for his quickness and hand techniques, but he rarely receives enough credit for the sheer amount of power he generates at the point of attack. That's exactly what we see here, as Jarrett knocks his man backward and takes down the running back behind the line of scrimmage.In the Spotlight: DL Henry Anderson, JetsHenry Anderson's been one of the New York Jets' better run defenders all season, so it was no surprise that he made several plays near the line of scrimmage against the Houston Texans.The more surprising production came against the pass, as Anderson entered Saturday's game with just three sacks this season and proceeded to double that total against the Texans. At times, Anderson benefited from Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson holding the ball too long - but certainly not on this play:Here, Anderson's aligned directly over the center. Once the ball is snapped, he slants to his right and engages the left guard while attaining superior hand placement. That hand placement allows Anderson to move the guard off his spot and walk him into the backfield.The guard then attempts to re-anchor, but Anderson does well to work inside with an exaggerated arm-over move that clears contact before bringing down Watson.Anderson's length and strength - which allow him to be effective against the run every week - were on full display during that sack. And while he's never going to be a star and often doesn't show up much on the stat sheet, the 27-year-old's capable of being a valuable role player with the odd big-time performance. In this case, it was almost enough to help the Jets upset the heavily favored Texans.John Owning is a football writer at theScore. He has written for Bleacher Report and Football Insiders. He was also the lead NFL content editor at FanRag Sports. John provides analysis on the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News and edits for The Quant Edge. Find him on Twitter @JohnOwning.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a disappointing 2018 campaign, the Atlanta Falcons could be making several changes to their coaching staff.Although head coach Dan Quinn is widely expected to be safe, there's a "strong possibility" the Falcons fire offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero."At this point, it sounds like a strong possibility that there will be significant changes to coach Dan Quinn's coaching staff," Pelissero said Tuesday. "Now, owner Arthur Blank has already said publicly he does not think Quinn is the problem. My understanding is Dan Quinn, who got a contract extension through 2022 just last summer, absolutely is going to be back, but this is a possibility here that he could clean out both of his coordinators, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel."The Falcons have slumped to a 5-9 record in a year where they were a popular preseason Super Bowl pick, ranking 10th in scoring offense (25.4 points per game) and 29th in scoring defense (27.2 points allowed per game).Pelissero named former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as a potential replacement for Sarkisian. Quinn and Bevell spent two seasons together with the Seahawks (2013-14), leading the team to two Super Bowl appearances and one victory before the former became the Falcons' head coach.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Need a cheat sheet or some help spotting situational edges with a new slate of NFL action fast approaching? We've got you covered.Here are five tips to consider as you do your homework for Week 16.Cardinals offense especially struggling at homeAn Arizona Cardinals offense that ranks last in the league in total yards and points per game - among a bevy of other categories - hasn't had much home cooking this season. The Cardinals are averaging a paltry 12.7 points per game at home, seeing their team total go under in all seven games at State Farm Stadium. On the road, they're averaging 14.7 points per contest, with their team total 4-3 to the over. Arizona is back at home in Week 16 to face the Los Angeles Rams, who shut the Cardinals out back in Week 2.Bengals first-half overs on the road still running hotThe Cincinnati Bengals own the No. 31 scoring defense and rank in the top half of the NFL in scoring offense. That's a pretty nice recipe for high-scoring games, as the Bengals are 8-5 to the over this season. One specific spot that's been extremely profitable is playing to the first-half over when the Bengals are on the road. Cincinnati is 12-1-1 to the over the previous 14 road games, which have seen an average of 28.2 points in the first half.A bounce-back spot for New England?Losers in back-to-back games, the New England Patriots will likely get back on track in Week 16, as they're favored by 12.5 points against the visiting Buffalo Bills. The Patriots have been lethal as double-digit favorites, covering 11 of their previous 12 games when laying 10 or more points, including all three this season. New England covered easily as a 13.5-point favorite over Buffalo back in Week 8 with a 25-6 margin.The tale of two GiantsIt appears there's been a formula on when to play or fade the New York Giants. The franchise this season is 5-0 against the spread when getting four points or more, and 1-6-1 as an underdog of 3.5 or fewer, or as a favorite. The Giants would fit the former category on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts (-9), who will be the biggest favorite over the Giants of any team this season. New York is also 6-1 against the number on the road this year and is currently on a 6-0 run.Plenty of angles scream SaintsNew Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been a bounce-back savant. Following games in which he's posted a quarterback rating worse than 80.0, the Saints are 30-4 against the spread. Brees posted a 69.1 rating in a win against the Carolina Panthers on Monday, meaning the Saints (-6) will be in play in Week 16 when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers. New Orleans has also avoided the prime-time letdown, covering eight of the previous 10 following a Monday Night Football game.Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice is speaking out on domestic violence, but not in hopes of an invitation to return to the NFL."I understand why it was being said early on about, you know, 'Is this a ploy to get back into football?' And I'll be the first one to say it. I don't have to retire to tell you I'm done with football," Rice told "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.The ex-Raven started to appear in headlines again after a video released in November showed Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt shoving and kicking a woman at a hotel. Hunt was subsequently dropped from the team and went unclaimed on waivers. Baltimore released Rice in 2014 after casino footage showed him punching and kicking his then-fiancee, Janay Rice, and dragging her out of an elevator."Well, obviously, you know, you look back and you see the similarities," Rice said. "Early on you could feel like, 'Why they keep bringing my name up?' You can make excuses or you can actually do the hard work."Ray, who did the interview with Janay, said he hates the version of himself he sees on the tapes."I hate that person. I hate him. Somewhere down the line everybody who's sayin', 'Does he deserve a second chance for football?' and this, that, and the other - I actually got my second chance," he said, referring to his marriage to Janay weeks after the assault.He says he shared his story with the NFL as part of the league's domestic violence education program."I know they are working with groups to try to get more of an understanding. And they're doing the work," Ray said.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Even though the Oakland Raiders are mired in a lost season, sitting in the AFC West basement with a 3-11 record, head coach Jon Gruden is giving his quarterback, Derek Carr, a ringing endorsement."He knows he is carrying us right now on offense. That's what a franchise quarterback is paid to do, but we are doing everything we can to support him, to try and put him in position to audible at the line of scrimmage, fix problems, and move the football and ultimately win games. He really has had us in position to win a lot of these games. It's a credit to him," Gruden said to Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area.Carr has completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 3,697 yards and 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions this season.Gruden also noted that Carr is playing with many new players and expects him to continue to improve."I think Derek has played great," Gruden said. "Somebody told me he had 3,700 yards and 68 percent completions in 13 games. That's astonishing. With three new guards, losing a right tackle, a feature back, three top receivers. The guy is a hell of a player. The guy is a great quarterback. We are very pleased and proud of what he has done. We know we got to get better around him, and that we will."Although the first year of Gruden's 10-year, $100-million contract has been a struggle, with both the coach and Carr often receiving the majority of the blame for what's gone wrong this fall, he's established trust in his franchise quarterback, which could bode well going forward.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As his rookie season winds down, New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold can't wait to square off against a player he believes to be among the greatest ever."I look at Aaron (Rodgers) all the time, just to watch some of the cool throws he's able to make," Darnold said, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. "He really is the most talented person I've ever seen - the way he's able to get rid of the ball and throw the football. From that aspect, it's fun as a quarterback."Knowing how hard the position is, knowing how hard it is to play it, it really is cool to be able to watch someone really make it look so easy."The Jets and the Green Bay Packers will face each other Sunday, and although both teams are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, playing against a player Darnold reveres may serve as added incentive for the 21-year-old."He's a really good player," Darnold said. "How I need to improve is to be a little more decisive and understanding when something is there, being able to take it. Aaron does a really good job of that."The 4-10 Jets and the 5-8-1 Packers will clash at MetLife Stadium.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) New Orleans put the clamps on Cam Newton, and the Saints beat the Carolina Panthers 12-9 on Monday night to take a big step toward locking up home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.The Saints' defense, which has been among the best in the league the last six weeks, held the former MVP to 131 yards passing, sacked him four times and forced two turnovers on a night when Drew Brees and the offense couldn't get much going.Alvin Kamara had 103 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, and Brees had 203 yards passing for the Saints (12-2), who took a one-game lead in the NFC over the Rams. The Saints close the season at home against Pittsburgh and Carolina; the Rams visit Arizona and host San Francisco.Carolina's only scores came off a trick play on fourth down - a 50-yard touchdown pass from running back Christian McCaffrey to tight end Chris Manhertz - and an interception return by Donte Jackson on a 2-point conversion attempt.The Saints limited Carolina (6-8) to 247 yards and 13 first downs as Newton struggled throwing the ball more than 10 yards down the field with a sore right shoulder.The Panthers have lost six straight and are all but eliminated from playoff contention. They're 1 1/2 games behind the Vikings and one game behind the Eagles and Redskins for the second NFC wild card spot with two games remaining.The Panthers struck first after offensive coordinator Norv Turner dug into his bag of tricks.On a fourth-and-2 from midfield, McCaffrey got a handoff, took a step toward the line, then stepped back and lofted a perfect pass over the middle to Manhertz, who was 15 yards behind the defense. Manhertz trotted into the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.It was McCaffrey's first career pass attempt, although he threw two TD passes while at Stanford. He became the first non-QB to throw a TD pass in Panthers history.The Saints responded with two field goals by Wil Lutz and appeared on the verge of taking the lead before halftime, but James Bradberry intercepted Brees' tipped pass and returned it to Saints territory. Carolina's subsequent drive ended when Eli Apple intercepted Newton in the end zone with 10 seconds left in the half.The Panthers held the Saints in check for most of the third quarter, but the game changed when Panthers receiver D.J. Moore fumbled on an inside handoff. The Saints pounced, capping an 84-yard drive with a 16-yard TD run by Kamara to make it 12-7 early in the fourth quarter. The Saints went for 2, but Brees' toss was intercepted by Jackson, who took it back nearly 100 yards.A fumble by Tommylee Lewis near the goal line turned into a touchback and gave Carolina one last chance to tie the game with 1:44 remaining. But the Panthers couldn't move the ball and turned it over on downs.NATIONAL ANTHEMPanthers safety Eric Reid continued to kneel during the national anthem to protest social and racial injustice.McCAFFREY SETS MARKMcCaffrey broke DeAngelo Williams' single-season franchise record of 1,636 yards from scrimmage with a rush in the first quarter. He finished with 110 yards rushing and receiving.DUBIOUS STREAKThe loss extended the Panthers' streak of never having posted back-to-back winning seasons since joining the NFL in 1995.CAM'S CLEATSDuring pregame warmups, Newton wore cleats that advertised a North Carolina winery and a picture of a broom snapped in half. Newton received a bottle of ''Jordan'' wine from Saints defensive end Cam Jordan and a broom from someone on the Saints after New Orleans swept Carolina in three games last season. Whatever message he intended to send didn't work out so well.OLSEN UPDATEPanthers tight end Greg Olsen had surgery on his right foot Monday, his second procedure on the foot in the last 16 months. Olsen wrote on Instagram that ''surgery went well and I am on my way towards a full recovery.''INJURY UPDATESaints: Center Max Unger left the game in the first half after being evaluated for a concussion and did not return. He was replaced by Cameron Tom.Panthers: Newton struggled with his shoulder throughout the game, forcing him to throw short passes - many of which were off the mark - even when the Panthers needed to take shots down the field. Despite the injury, coach Ron Rivera said he is not considering sitting down Newton next week.UP NEXTSaints: Host the Steelers on Sunday.Panthers: Host the Falcons on Sunday.---More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP-NFLCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles are encouraging fans to take their lead and ditch last season's "underdog" look in favor of ski masks.Safety Rodney McLeod told Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice that he and his teammates started donning ski masks about two weeks ago to motivate themselves."It's just a mentality we've been having," McLeod said. "When we go out there, we put the mask on. We're out there for business, and to take what's ours. If that means getting wins, if that means taking the ball, making plays, anytime someone makes a turnover they put the mask on."We say it's robbing season. It's thievery. Hopefully the fans come out next week and wear the masks with us in the stands. That'd be cool. It's just something to motivate us as a defense, and the entire team. Guys are kind of rallying behind it, and you see us making plays these last two weeks, so it's working."

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors, including Mike Alessandrini, Jack Browne, Michael McClymont, and Arun Srinivasan.1. New Orleans Saints (12-2)Previous Rank: 1Monday night's 12-9 win over the Panthers was a reminder that the Saints' defense can win games by itself, too. - Browne2. Los Angeles Chargers (11-3)Previous Rank: 4The Chargers are the best team in Los Angeles - yeah, we said it. No one wants to see Philip Rivers and Co. right now. - Srinivasan3. Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)Previous Rank: 2The Chiefs shouldn't be too disheartened by their collapse against the Chargers, but they'll need to regroup on the road in prime time against a Seattle team that'll be looking to cement a postseason berth. - Srinivasan4. Chicago Bears (10-4)Previous Rank: 5Congrats to Chicago, which bested its archrival en route to being crowned NFC North champion. Matt Nagy and Vic Fangio may be the NFL's top coaching duo. - Alessandrini5. Los Angeles Rams (11-3)Previous Rank: 3The Rams haven't looked the same since Cooper Kupp's season-ending injury, but they're simply too talented to panic. - Srinivasan6. Houston Texans (10-4)Previous Rank: 8Despite an ankle injury, DeAndre Hopkins almost single-handedly saved the Texans from an upset loss to the Jets. No other receiver is playing better right now. - Browne7. New England Patriots (9-5)Previous Rank: 6There may not be a team in the AFC playoff chase that needs home-field advantage as much as the Patriots do right now. - McClymont8. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5-1)Previous Rank: 12Mike Tomlin's squad exacted revenge on the big bad Patriots after last season's Jesse James controversy. Next week’s matchup with the Saints will be fun. - Alessandrini9. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)Previous Rank: 10Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus should be an under-the-radar head coaching candidate. Nobody's done more with less this season, which includes Indy's shutout of Eberflus' old team, the Cowboys, in Week 15. - Browne10. Baltimore Ravens (8-6)Previous Rank: 11Kudos to John Harbaugh, who made the potentially job-saving (and correct) decision to roll with rookie QB Lamar Jackson over Joe Flacco. We're extremely excited to see Jackson in the playoffs - if he can lead the Ravens there. - Alessandrini11. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)Previous Rank: 9Losing to your division rival in overtime is never fun, but the Seahawks are still in a position of strength when it comes to securing a playoff berth. - Srinivasan12. Dallas Cowboys (8-6)Previous Rank: 7Just when the public was ready to anoint the Cowboys, they put up a big fat zero. Really, how do you get shut out in today's NFL? - McClymont13. Minnesota Vikings (7-6-1)Previous Rank: 13Seriously, Vikings? Where was that the last eight weeks? - Alessandrini14. Tennessee Titans (8-6)Previous Rank: 14Derrick Henry gained almost as many yards (408 vs. 476) and scored more touchdowns (six vs. five) across the last two games compared to the other 12. - Browne15. Philadelphia Eagles (7-7)Previous Rank: 19It appears Saint Nick is coming to town just in time for another late-season run. - McClymont16. Cleveland Browns (6-7-1)Previous Rank: 20Six tackles, one interception, and one game-clinching sack - have a day, Jabrill Peppers. Baker Mayfield doesn't have to be the only Brown who wakes up feeling dangerous. - Alessandrini17. Miami Dolphins (7-7)Previous Rank: 15If that was the last time we see Frank Gore on a football field, it's a shame he limped off as opposed to being given a thunderous ovation. - McClymont18. Carolina Panthers (6-8)Previous Rank: 16Could Ron Rivera be this year's surprise firing? - Browne19. Washington Redskins (7-7)Previous Rank: 23Congratulations to Josh Johnson. The journeyman quarterback's on his 13th team in his 11th NFL season, and finally recorded his first win. - McClymont20. Denver Broncos (6-8)Previous Rank: 17Von Miller broke Denver's all-time franchise sack record and has recorded at least half a sack in six consecutive games. It's a shame no other Bronco can match his consistency. - Srinivasan21. Green Bay Packers (5-8-1)Previous Rank: 18Simply put, the Packers are playing ugly football down the stretch. More than the coaching staff needs to change. - Alessandrini22. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)Previous Rank: 25Only two more weeks of Jeff Driskel, folks. Get 'em while you can! - Alessandrini23. Atlanta Falcons (5-9)Previous Rank: 26After failing to score in the first seven games, Julio Jones has five touchdowns over the last six. Football rarely makes sense. - Browne24. New York Giants (5-9)Previous Rank: 21Seriously. How do you get shut out in today's NFL? - McClymont25. Buffalo Bills (5-9)Previous Rank: 27With the Bills down to their fourth-string running back on Sunday, Josh Allen put the team on his back. The future might be brighter than expected in Buffalo. - McClymont26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-9)Previous Rank: 22This is Tampa Bay's 11th straight season without a playoff appearance. Whoever takes over from head coach Dirk Koetter will be hard-pressed to snap the streak without significant changes. - Browne27. San Francisco 49ers (4-10)Previous Rank: 31It may be a lost year, but the 49ers are trending in the right direction while providing some optimism for 2019. - Srinivasan28. New York Jets (4-10)Previous Rank: 28Mike McCarthy's rumored to be a Jets head coaching candidate, but can he provide the offensive creativity this team badly needs? - McClymont29. Detroit Lions (5-9)Previous Rank: 24The Lions have scored over 20 points just once in their last eight games. This team is an utter mess. - Alessandri30. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10)Previous Rank: 29This season's been nothing short of a disaster, but it could get so much worse if the Jaguars permanently damage their relationship with Jalen Ramsey. - Browne31. Oakland Raiders (3-11)Previous Rank: 30After a shocking win against Pittsburgh, Oakland reverted back to form against the lowly Bengals. This season will reach its merciful end soon, Raider Nation. - Srinivasan32. Arizona Cardinals (3-11)Previous Rank: 32Josh Rosen was pulled during Sunday's blowout loss to the Falcons. You have to wonder if the Cardinals will do more to aid the first-round pick's development next season instead of hanging him out to dry week after week - SrinivasanCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the NFL's regular season approaching its conclusion, the selection order for the 2019 draft is beginning to take shape.An overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15 saw the San Francisco 49ers drop from the top spot to No. 3, pushing the Arizona Cardinals into position for the No. 1 overall pick.The Oakland Raiders' first of three first-round picks is currently slated for No. 2 overall, as a more difficult strength of schedule puts Jon Gruden's team behind Arizona despite the matching 3-11 records.*Strength of schedule serves as the tiebreaker for draft order, with the advantage going to teams that have faced the easier opponents by overall record.PickTeamRecordSOS1Cardinals3-11.5002Raiders3-11.556349ers4-10.4694Jets4-10.5005Jaguars4-10.5436Lions5-9.5007Falcons5-9.5088Giants5-9.5109Bills5-9.51510Buccaneers5-9.52611Packers5-8-1.50512Panthers6-8.49013Bengals6-8.53614Broncos6-8.53615Browns6-7-1.53116Redskins7-7.46717Dolphins7-7.48018Eagles7-7.50819Colts8-6.46920Titans8-6.51021Vikings7-6-1.49022Seahawks8-6.48523Ravens8-6.49224Raiders (via DAL)8-6.50525Steelers8-5-1.48526Patriots9-5.51327Raiders (via CHI)10-4.43628Texans10-4.47729Chargers11-3.48030Chiefs11-3.49531Rams11-3.51532Packers (via NO)12-2.469(Strength of schedule numbers courtesy NFL.com)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A frustrated Cam Newton revealed Monday that he doesn't know the specific injury behind his persistent shoulder soreness over the last several weeks."I've tried and done everything," the former MVP quarterback told reporters after his Carolina Panthers fell 12-9 to the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.Newton struggled mightily against the Saints, finishing 16 of 29 for 131 yards and an interception. He's been battling a shoulder injury since at least Week 8 when he first appeared on the injury report."Just shoulder soreness, I wish I could say what the injury is because I really don't know what it is either," he said. "It doesn't matter how much you push, no matter how much you ice, anti-inflammatory you take - trust me, I did it. Acupuncture, massages, it's not been a time where a night went by without me getting some type of work done on my arm."The 29-year-old also admitted that he doesn't have a full range of motion in his throwing shoulder, as evidenced throughout the Saints game. Newton lacked zip on several throws despite appearing to put maximum effort into his passes."It hasn't got worse over the weeks, it hasn't got better over the weeks," he added.The Panthers now sit at 6-8 and are all but mathematically eliminated from the NFC playoff race.Despite that, head coach Ron Rivera said he won't look to rest Newton and his ailing shoulder for the final two games of the season."What we're gonna do is we'll see how the week goes, like normal," he told reporters.Newton has thrown nine interceptions over his last six games, each of which has ended in a defeat.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers interim head coach Joe Philbin is expecting his team's best in Week 16 despite the fact that they were eliminated from postseason contention with Sunday's loss to the rival Chicago Bears."In the general sense, my philosophy is football players are paid to play football games, and football coaches are paid to coach football games, so obviously we have to go through the week and we would never put any player out there that wasn't physically ready to go," Philbin said, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN."But that's my general philosophy and overall philosophy whether it's Aaron Rodgers or anybody else. We're the Green Bay Packers, we're a football team and we're in the business of winning football games, and we want all our players who are healthy to contribute to the overall success of the team. Period."Rodgers didn't miss a snap in Week 15, though he admitted after the loss that he was "bothered" by a groin injury suffered at the end of the first half. Green Bay fell to 5-8-1 on the season and won't be in the playoffs for the second consecutive campaign.The Packers will be looking for their first road win of the year when they visit the 4-10 New York Jets on Sunday. Philbin says that all his players will continue to be held to a high standard."Again, I think it's bigger than Aaron Rodgers. This is a football team. You're a football player. You're employed by the Green Bay Packers just like if players or coaches were to say, 'Geez I'd like to go home tonight and not prepare as hard for this game because we're not going to the playoffs,' I mean, that's not a professional approach to the job, I don't think."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson continues to set records as a rusher in his rookie season, but head coach John Harbaugh isn't worried about the heavy workload.The 21-year-old has 86 rushing attempts since replacing an injured Joe Flacco in Week 11, the most by any quarterback through his first five career starts in the Super Bowl era. Only running backs Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Ezekiel Elliott, and Gus Edwards have more yards on the ground than Jackson over the past five weeks."I think that's all going to work out over time," Harbaugh said Monday, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.There are some in NFL circles who are wary of the dangers that run-happy quarterbacks face. The league's all-time leading rusher among QBs, Michael Vick, advised Jackson to "proceed with caution," after his second start.Jackson debuted as a starter with 26 carries in a 24-21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. His 18 attempts in Week 15 was his second-highest single-game mark of the season and upped his season total to 114 attempts for 566 yards and three touchdowns. He's compiled a 4-1 record in his starts.Harbaugh insists that plays in which Jackson takes a knee to kill the clock is padding those numbers."I think when you look at all that stuff, take it into account," Harbaugh said. "But to me, over time, that will sort itself out."Jackson, the No. 32 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, has more rushing yards than any other quarterback this season and 60 more yards than fellow rookie Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley is day to day with knee inflammation."We think he's going to be OK," head coach Sean McVay said Monday, according to Rams insider Myles Simmons.Gurley had his knee checked out after hobbling through the Rams' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football.The 24-year-old is second in NFL rushing with 1,251 yards and 17 touchdowns this season. He's a prime contender in the MVP race for the second consecutive year.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.Ownership percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. FAAB bids are set off a $100 budget. Only players owned in less than 60 percent of leagues are considered.Fantasy Podcast: Week 15 takeaways, early look at waiver wireQuarterbacksBrett Carlsen / Getty Images Sport / GettyJosh Allen, BillsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat NE23%$49The Lions were the first team in recent weeks to contain Allen on the ground, yet it wasn't enough to prevent him from posting another solid fantasy performance with 204 passing yards and 16 rushing yards, with a touchdown through the air and one on the ground. It's hard to believe, but Allen is the highest-producing fantasy quarterback in the entire league over the last month. Take a second to let that sink in. There's obvious risk involved with starting Allen this week, most notably Bill Belichick's record against rookie quarterbacks and the fact the Patriots will be extra motivated after a loss to the Steelers in Week 15. It's just hard to turn away from the hot hand, especially in a week with few good QB streaming options.Lamar Jackson, RavensNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat LAC46%$39Jackson has become a regular on this list as he continues to flirt with QB1 numbers each week. The rookie has yet to top 200 passing yards in a game, but since taking over as starter, he's averaging 85 rushing yards per outing, which has propelled him to the seventh-most fantasy points among quarterbacks during that stretch. Even though the Chargers are a tough matchup, Jackson's rushing ability gives him a high floor and a high ceiling every time he takes the field.Other options: Marcus Mariota vs. WAS (34 percent owned), Case Keenum at OAK (19 percent owned), Sam Darnold vs. GB (4 percent owned)Running BacksJohn McCoy / Getty Images Sport / GettyJamaal Williams, PackersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat NYJ17%$100With Aaron Jones suffering a knee injury that will likely sideline for the rest of the season, Williams steps into a potential workhorse role for the fantasy championship. Williams is not a special talent, but when he gets the backfield to himself, he's shown he can produce. During the 2017 season, when he was the starter from Week 9 to Week 16, Williams was the RB6 in standard and the RB7 in PPR. On Sunday, with Jones ruled out, Williams put up 97 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown against a tough Bears front. He'll be a volume-based RB2 in a nice matchup with the Jets.Elijah McGuire, JetsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. GB33%$100McGuire finds himself in a similar situation to Williams, as the last man standing in his backfield. He's topped 70 yards and scored a touchdown in each of his last two contests, including a battle with a strong Texans run defense Sunday. He won't see nearly as much resistance from the visiting Packers, who are sure to be demoralized after watching their playoff hopes evaporate this past weekend. McGuire will be a borderline RB2 in Week 16.Kenneth Dixon, RavensNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat LAC27%$59Dixon didn't usurp Gus Edwards as the Ravens' lead back, though he has secured the No. 2 spot on the depth chart after Ty Montgomery was made a healthy scratch Sunday. This backfield has now evolved into a two-man committee. Edwards got 19 carries in the win over the Buccaneers, while Dixon saw 12 touches, turning them into 50 yards. He's now averaging 54 yards and half a touchdown per game since being activated four weeks ago. As 4.5-point road dogs versus the Chargers, Dixon could see more work if the team ends up trailing, which would increase his flex appeal.Alfred Blue, TexansNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat PHI8%$49With Lamar Miller forced from the game with an ankle injury, Blue amassed an embarrassing 15 yards on 11 touches. The team doesn't believe Miller's injury is serious, but fantasy owners need to be prepared in case they hold him out. Blue would see the bulk of the work in that scenario, with D'Onta Foreman (5 percent owned) possibly being active for the first time this season. If you're searching for value here, you can find hope from the Eagles' recent struggles against the run. Philadelphia has given up 98 yards or more to a single back in six straight games. Blue still wouldn't be more than a flex play, with Foreman being the ultimate dart throw.John Kelly/Justin Davis, RamsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat ARI4%/0%$49/$29Todd Gurley missed some time during last week's game with a knee injury but was able to play through it. The team is sending him for tests, so there's a real possibility he might not be available for the fantasy championship, especially considering the Rams are double-digit favorites against the Cardinals. Kelly and Davis have combined for just four carries between them this year, but Kelly was a preseason star and someone I was high on in the summer. He could be a surprise starter and league-winner if Gurley sits this one out.Other options: Kalen Ballage vs. JAX (1 percent owned), Zach Zenner vs. MIN (1 percent owned), Jalen Richard vs. DEN (42 percent owned), Latavius Murray at DET (49 percent owned), Ito Smith at CAR (32 percent owned), Darren Sproles vs. HOU (8 percent owned), Rex Burkhead vs BUF (19 percent owned)Wide ReceiversMichael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / GettyRobby Anderson, JetsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. GB27%$100Anderson, who was a top-20 fantasy receiver in 2017, didn't find the same level of success earlier this season due to injuries and changes at quarterback. Now that he's healthy and developing chemistry with rookie Sam Darnold, we're seeing Anderson finally produce. His targets have risen the last few weeks and it's resulted in two of his best games of the year, a four-catch, 76-yard, one-touchdown effort against the Bills and a seven-catch, 96-yard, one-touchdown performance versus the Texans. With an even easier matchup awaiting him this week, Anderson can once again be viewed as a WR2 in fantasy.Curtis Samuel, PanthersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. ATL51%$100Samuel plays on Monday night, so things could change with a big performance or an injury. As it stands, he's a WR3 with WR2 upside after eclipsing 80 yards in back-to-back weeks and seeing more targets than teammate DJ Moore during that time. Samuel is also well ahead of Devin Funchess on the depth chart, locking him in as a top-three option for Cam Newton, behind only Moore and Christian McCaffrey.Dante Pettis, 49ersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. CHI52%$100The 49ers are committed to getting Pettis valuable experience down the stretch, increasing his playing time into the 90 percent range. The second-rounder has delivered with stat lines of 4-77-1, 5-129-2, 3-49-1, and 5-83-0. Not only is Pettis an exciting WR3 the rest of the way; he's also a valuable dynasty and keeper asset as the new top target in Kyle Shanahan's offense.Mike Williams/Tyrell Williams, ChargersNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. BAL51%/33%$100/$49Keenan Allen was diagnosed with a hip pointer, putting his status in doubt for next week. Allen's early exit allowed Mike Williams to go off for 76 receiving yards, 19 rushing yards, and three touchdowns in the Chargers' win over the Chiefs. it was the kind of performance that the sophomore wideout needed to help with his development. Next up is the normally stingy Ravens defense that just gave up 121 yards to Mike Evans and isn't as fear-inducing outside of Baltimore. If Allen is on the shelf for this one, Mike Williams will be a borderline WR2. Tyrell Williams would also see a bump in targets, making him a WR3 with a lower floor and less touchdown upside than his teammate of the same name.Robert Foster, BillsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat NE13%$100Foster was dismissed as a flash in the pan, but with four games of 94 yards or more in his last five outings, it's impossible to write him off any longer. The Bills knew what they had in the rookie receiver, leading the team to release veterans Kelvin Benjamin and Andre Holmes. Since then, Foster's snaps have doubled, which will be the underlying variable that helps him maintain his production moving forward. Foster is still more volatile than the names above him on this list, but he can be used as an upside WR3 in your title games.Other options: DaeSean Hamilton at OAK (22 percent owned), Antonio Callaway vs. CIN (16 percent owned), Josh Reynolds at ARI (53 percent owned), Tim Patrick at OAK (3 percent owned), Dede Westbrook at MIA (41 percent owned), Keke Coutee at PHI (29 percent owned), Jordy Nelson vs. DEN (47 percent owned), Isaiah McKenzie at NE (1 percent owned)Tight EndsAl Bello / Getty Images Sport / GettyChris Herndon, JetsNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidvs. GB12%$19Since Week 6, Herndon has been a TE1 in fantasy, despite being owned in just a fraction of leagues. Herndon has 50 yards or a touchdown in six of his last nine games. The Packers haven't given up many touchdowns to tight ends, but they're a team to attack a week after being eliminated from playoff contention.Matt LaCosse, BroncosNext UpOwnershipFAAB bidat OAK7%$1If Ian Thomas puts up a big game against the Saints, who are tough on tight ends, then he would move to the top of this list. For now, LaCosse gets the nod coming off an improved performance against the Browns. He's set up to crush in the fantasy championship with a perfect matchup against the Raiders.Other options: Ian Thomas vs. ATL (42 percent owned), Blake Jarwin vs. TB (1 percent owned), CJ Uzomah at CLE (34 percent owned), Gerald Everett at ARI (19 percent owned)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo hasn't played since suffering a knee injury in Week 3, but he could be on track to start preparing for the 2019 season by spring.Garoppolo has a "real good chance" to do some stuff in organized team activities (OTAs) in May and June, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.The 27-year-old Garoppolo suffered a torn ACL in the 49ers' Week 3 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had completed 53 of 89 passes for 718 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions while leading his team to a 1-2 start.The 49ers acquired Garoppolo in a trade with the New England Patriots last season. He took over as the starter in Week 13 and led his new team to five consecutive wins to end the 2017 campaign. The success earned him a then-record five-year, $137.5-million contract extension in early February - the annual average value has since been passed by Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan, and Aaron Rodgers.Garoppolo was replaced under center first by C.J. Beathard and then Nick Mullens. The 23-year-old Mullens leads the three with 1,754 yards, a 64.5 completion percentage, and 10 touchdowns over six games.The undrafted free agent owns a 3-3 record as a starter this season, most recently toppling the Seattle Seahawks in overtime in Week 15.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos linebacker Shane Ray was offended by the lack of advanced notice he received before being made a healthy scratch Saturday versus the Cleveland Browns."A little disrespectful," Ray said Monday, courtesy of CBS Denver's Michael Spencer. "... Whatever reason they felt that I needed to be inactive, that's on them. I don't have to answer to that guys."Ray was told he'd be inactive one day before the game. He was one of two surprising healthy scratches for the Broncos in a contest they had to win to stay alive in the playoff hunt. The other was safety Su'a Cravens, who was equally displeased."I'm not going to speak bad on the dude," Cravens said in reference to head coach Vance Joseph, according to Ryan O'Halloran of the Denver Post. "He's my coach, he's my superior, I'm going to do whatever he says. But as far as him saying he got the best players on the field, I disagree."The Broncos lost 17-16 to the Browns, ensuring they'll miss the playoffs for a third straight year. Cravens and Ray were both expected to be key cogs in Denver's defense this season, but neither made much of an impact.Ray, a free agent at season's end, noted that he'll be ready for the final two games, but would like to know earlier if his services will be summoned."Hope they let me know sooner than this last time," he said, per Spencer.The 6-8 Broncos travel to the Oakland Raiders and then host the Los Angeles Chargers to close out the schedule.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry returned to practice Monday but is still on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with a torn ACL.Henry must be activated within a 21-day window or else he'll become ineligible to return this season.The tight end tore his ACL in May and hasn't played this year.Henry would be a welcome addition to the 11-3 Chargers with a playoff berth already secured.The 24-year-old caught 45 passes for 579 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games during the 2017 season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy believes safety Eddie Jackson avoided a season-ending injury during Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.Jackson suffered a sprained ankle when he slid while running an Aaron Rodgers interception out of the end zone."I don't think either one of them is season-ending," Nagy said during his media availability Monday, referring to Jackson's ailment and Aaron Lynch's elbow injury.Jackson has emerged as a revelation for the Bears this season, recording 51 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles, and six interceptions in 14 games during his second professional campaign.Chicago clinched the NFC North with Sunday's victory and will need Jackson to be at full strength for the team's first playoff appearance since 2010.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Eli Manning's future with the New York Giants has been a routinely debated topic, but after the team stumbled to a 17-0 loss to the Tennessee Titans, the veteran quarterback received a vote of confidence from head coach Pat Shurmur.Shurmur was asked if Manning has years left as a starter, which he simply responded "Yeah, I do," according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY."I want all our players to be back. I believe experience matters," Shurmur said.Manning has completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 18 touchdowns against nine interceptions for the 5-9 Giants, who sit in the NFC East basement.Alex Tanney and 2018 fourth-round pick Kyle Lauletta round out the Giants' depth chart at quarterback but neither player is considered a viable long-term option at this juncture.It may be a tough proposition for some Giants fans to stomach, but the 37-year-old may end up retaining his spot as the incumbent starter for the 2019 season, provided the team doesn't use some of their draft capital on Manning's eventual replacement.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here is a look at the well-designed and well-executed plays from Week 15:Passing Design of the Week: Vikings' O-line fools DolphinsThe Minnesota Vikings spent much of Week 15 dealing with upheaval.After scoring just 17 combined points in back-to-back losses, the team fired offensive coordinator John DeFilippo and gave quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski the interim title. And Minnesota's offense looked much improved - at least for one week - during a 41-17 win over the Miami Dolphins.A big part of that success was the Vikings' rushing attack, which gained more than 200 yards against the Dolphins. As a result, Minnesota was able to execute play-action passes more effectively, as seen on this touchdown connection between Kirk Cousins and Stefon Diggs.The play begins with the Vikings facing a second-and-7 on the Dolphins' 13-yard line. They come out with three receivers in a bunch to the right, including Diggs, who's running a corner route while Cousins fakes the handoff:NFL/CBSThe key to successful play-action passes is selling the second- and third-level defenders on the run fake. And while the quarterback and running back are the obvious players involved, the offensive line is just as important, because linebackers and safeties are taught to read their movements to quickly identify a run versus a pass.When the ball is snapped, right guard Mike Remmers pulls across to the left, which imitates a run-blocking scheme. That action helps fool the linebackers and safeties, who move toward the line of scrimmage, leaving Diggs all alone behind them:From there, the Vikings would cruise and keep themselves in the NFC's final playoff spot. Moving forward, they'll need Stefanski to continue the offensive success in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions.Rushing Design of the Week: Steelers' counter toss springs SamuelsIn a huge test following three straight losses, the Pittsburgh Steelers stayed in the playoff picture by grinding out a 17-10 victory over the New England Patriots.Reserve running back Jaylen Samuels played a major role by carrying the ball 19 times for 142 yards, as a tweak to the game plan helped propel his big performance. Over the years, the Steelers have dominated by running counter handoffs; on Sunday they began those counters with a toss:NFL/CBSThe Patriots pride themselves on playing disciplined run defense, as they aim to set the edge and prevent ball-carriers from getting outside. This design from the Steelers takes advantage of that, as it gives the running back a clear cutback element from right to left with a blocker in front of him:In the end-zone angle below, you can see how the blocking sets up, with tight end Vance McDonald (No. 89) leading to the left ahead of Samuels:The Steelers used this type of counter toss multiple times against the Patriots, which led to a number of chunk gains. And in the end, they came away with a hard-fought victory.Pressure Design of the Week: Colts stunt on CowboysA surprising result in Week 15 was the Indianapolis Colts ending the Dallas Cowboys' five-game winning streak with a 23-0 victory. The Colts' defense pressured Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott throughout the contest, sacking him twice.As we highlighted way back in our Week 2 preview piece, the Cowboys struggled to move the ball when facing multiple tackle/end exchange stunts in their season opener against the Carolina Panthers. The Colts must have studied tape from that game because they used a similar design to sack Prescott on a third-and-9 in the second quarter.On this play, the Colts initially show pressure but then rush just four. However, they are running stunts on both ends of the line:NFL/FOXOn one side, the defensive end is rushing upfield while the interior lineman loops around him to the edge. On the other side, the interior lineman - rookie Tyquan Lewis (red arrow) - is rushing upfield while the defensive end loops around him to the middle. Lewis is actually meant to occupy the center and the guard, but his bull rush is so powerful that he ends up with the sack:Had Lewis not sacked Prescott first, it's likely that Denico Autry - who was looping behind him - would have gotten there thanks to the path created by former. Either way, their combination of movement and power was too much for the Cowboys to handle.Coverage Design of the Week: Byard's perfect read leads to INTThe Tennessee Titans stayed in the AFC playoff race with a key 17-0 road victory over the New York Giants. The Titans consistently frustrated Eli Manning in a performance that included this impressive interception by safety Kevin Byard.For this play, the Titans are in a Cover 2 Man scheme - two safeties splitting the deep part of the field's width and five underneath players in man coverage - with Byard responsible for the deep right side. The Giants are running a post/out combination to Byard's side, with the expectation that the post route will occupy him toward the middle and therefore take him away from the out route (red arrow):NFL/CBSHowever, Byard recognizes the concept and peels off the post route, beating the intended target to the sideline to snare the interception. Manning clearly expects a one-on-one matchup in man coverage, but the safety provides help and erases New York's scoring threat:Game Plan of the Week - Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh SteelersFacing a potentially devastating hit to their playoff chances, the Steelers pulled together and survived against the Patriots despite mostly quiet afternoons from star receivers Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster.On offense, Pittsburgh did so by grinding out drives and employing the type of counter toss we highlighted above. Defensively, the Steelers pressured Tom Brady with multiple blitz packages and twist designs while using coverage schemes that bracketed Rob Gronkowski and eliminated Josh Gordon. It was a masterful job by head coach Mike Tomlin and his entire staff.Mark Schofield writes NFL feature content for theScore. After nearly a decade of practicing law in the Washington, D.C., area Mark changed careers and started writing about football. Drawing upon more than a decade of playing quarterback, including at the collegiate level, Mark focuses his work on quarterback evaluation and offensive scheme analysis. He lives in Maryland with his wife and two children. Find him on Twitter @MarkSchofield.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Running back Frank Gore is not expected to suit up in the Miami Dolphins' two remaining regular-season games after spraining his foot on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The running back underwent an MRI on his foot Monday.Gore will see how his foot heals before deciding on whether he needs surgery, a source told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.The 35-year-old isn't under contract for the 2019 NFL season, meaning Sunday's contest could possibly be the veteran's last game of his career.Gore had rushed for 722 yards on 156 carries with one receiving touchdown prior to the injury. He is currently fourth in all-time rushing yards with 14,748 over his career, trailing Barry Sanders by 521 yards.The 7-7 Dolphins haven't been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention but would need to win their final two games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Buffalo Bills and receive help.Running backs Kalen Ballage and Kenyan Drake are expected to see increased touches in Week 16 as Gore will miss his first game since the 2010 NFL season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur is "hopeful" receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will play Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts after being sidelined with a bruised quadriceps for two games."Odell is going through treatment and doing everything he can to get back," Shurmur said.Beckham surprisingly missed the Giants' 40-16 win over the Washington Redskins in Week 14 and didn't practice all of last week before Sunday's 17-0 loss to the Tennessee Titans.This season, the three-time Pro Bowler has 1052 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 77 receptions.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After leading the Philadelphia Eagles to an upset victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Nick Foles was announced as the team's starting quarterback for their Week 16 tilt with the Houston Texans.Foles is likely to remain the team's starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Head coach Doug Pederson's been clear that he won't put Carson Wentz in harm's way as the franchise quarterback recovers from a stress fracture in his back.Wentz is expected to make a full recovery in three months, but he won't need surgery, opening up the possibility that he could return to the lineup this season. Wentz will not be placed on injured reserve, according to Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com.Foles, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, completed 24 of 31 passes for 270 yards with an interception in Philadelphia's win over Los Angeles.The Eagles are still alive in the NFC playoff race with a 7-7 record. The team currently sits a half-game back of the Minnesota Vikings for the conference's final wild-card spot.After hosting the Texans in Week 16, Philadelphia will end its season on the road against the Washington Redskins.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The once-scorching Los Angeles Rams offense has taken a step back, and head coach Sean McVay is stressing urgency as the team tries to fix its issues.With a 30-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, Los Angeles suffered back-to-back regular-season defeats for the first time under McVay."We've got to be able to figure this out and figure it out fast," McVay told reporters postgame, according to NFL.com's Jeremy Bergman. "Because these last couple weeks, we're doing things totally uncharacteristic of what good football teams do, of what we've done through the first handful of games this season. The only thing we know how to do is go back to work, look at ourselves. Everybody's got a hand in this."Front and center in the Rams' setback is quarterback Jared Goff. Over his last three games, Goff has thrown just one touchdown to seven interceptions while earning an NFL-low 51.3 passer rating.McVay remains confident in his quarterback but admitted Goff needs to play better."He did a good job continuing to compete ... and that's what you love about Jared," McVay said. "But there's some things that we all got to be better. He's got to make better decisions, especially when we end up falling out underneath the center on third-and-1. You know, sometimes the only play is to just eat it and take that sack ... but in trying to make plays, we learn from all of our mistakes, and that's Rams coaches alike, but there's certainly some things we can look at, and we got to be better."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd suffered a low-grade MCL sprain in Sunday's 30-16 win over the Oakland Raiders, a source told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.Boyd will likely miss time and with only two games remaining he could be done for the season.The 24-year-old has 1,028 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 76 catches this season.The injury-riddled Bengals (6-8) will lean on receivers John Ross and Alex Erickson in their Week 16 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos general manager John Elway was close to replacing head coach Vance Joseph with Mike Shanahan last offseason, multiple sources told Woody Paige of The Gazette.The team's former longtime head coach was in serious discussions with Elway about returning, but Broncos CEO Joe Ellis wouldn't approve the deal, according to Paige's sources.Additionally, Shanahan and then-free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins reportedly met in private and Cousins agreed to play for Denver on a team-friendly contract if Shanahan returned to the sidelines.Following Ellis' decision, the Broncos ultimately kept Joseph and signed quarterback Case Keenum to a two-year contract in free agency.Shanahan coached the Broncos from 1995-2008, capturing back-to-back Super Bowls in the 1997 and '98 campaigns with Elway at quarterback. He finished with a 138-86 record across 14 seasons with the team.The 66-year-old Shanahan later drafted and coached Cousins with the Washington Redskins, where he named the quarterback the starter over former No. 2 overall pick Robert Griffin III during the 2013 season.After going 5-11 with the Broncos last year - his first as their head coach - Joseph's endured similar struggles in 2018. At 6-8, the team was eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Cleveland Browns on Saturday in Week 15.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Chargers believe there's a legitimate chance that wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back Austin Ekeler will return for Saturday night's Week 16 game versus the Baltimore Ravens, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Allen suffered a hip pointer in Thursday's Week 15 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, while Ekeler missed the game with a neck injury.Running back Melvin Gordon is also expected to return against Baltimore, so Los Angeles could have all hands on deck for a crucial AFC battle. Gordon missed the last three games with an MCL injury.This season, Allen leads the Chargers in catches (88) and receiving yards (1,074), and is second in touchdown receptions (six). Ekeler's averaged 5.1 yards per carry while accumulating 39 receptions and five touchdowns.At 11-3, Los Angeles holds the AFC's top wild-card spot despite being tied with division-rival Kansas City for the best record in the conference. The Chargers would take over first place in the AFC West - and the No. 1 seed in the conference - with a victory against the Ravens and a loss by the Chiefs.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone and David P. Woods.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.Boone and Woods recap all the action from Sunday and take an early look at Week 16 waiver wire adds.Topics for this episode include:

The NFL's postseason is on the horizon, but, based on Week 15's action, the regular season isn't out of drama just yet.The Chicago Bears earned the NFC North title for the first time since 2010, while the Los Angeles Chargers locked up at least a wild-card spot Thursday. Here's how the rest of the playoff picture shapes up after Sunday's slate:AFCSeedTeamDivisionRecord 1Chiefs (x)West11-32TexansSouth10-43PatriotsEast9-54SteelersNorth8-5-15Chargers (x)West11-36RavensNorth8-6x = clinched playoff berth

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley will get an examination on his knee after briefly leaving Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.Gurley was deemed questionable by the team following the injury but returned to the contest shortly thereafter without further incident."We will get that thing checked out," Rams head coach Sean McVay said postgame, according to ESPN's Lindsey Thiry.Gurley rushed for 48 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, adding a team-high 10 receptions for 76 yards, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Eagles in a 30-23 loss."He got banged up a little bit, but what a warrior he is. Love that guy," McVay said of Gurley, according to Cameron DaSilva of The Rams Wire.Gurley is the focal point of the Rams' offense, and though he appeared to be fine for the duration of the game, it would be a profound loss for the team if he missed any time at all.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami Dolphins running back Frank Gore was carted to the locker room Sunday versus the Minnesota Vikings after suffering a foot injury.The veteran running back will undergo an MRI on his foot Monday to see if he incurred any ligament damage, but he avoided a fracture,Gore was diagnosed with a sprain after X-rays on his injured foot came back negative, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game before the beginning of the third quarter.The 35-year-old entered the game as the Dolphins' leading rusher with 708 yards. He's in the 14th and possibly final season of his illustrious career.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) Robbie Gould kicked a 36-yard field goal with 3:06 left in overtime and the San Francisco 49ers snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Seattle Seahawks with a 26-23 victory on Sunday.Nick Mullens threw for 275 yards and a touchdown to help the 49ers (4-10) win consecutive games for the first time this season. Richie James Jr. returned a kick 97 yards for a touchdown and Gould kicked four field goals to give San Francisco its first win in the rivalry since 2013 when Jim Harbaugh was still coach.The Seahawks (8-6) had their four-game winning streak snapped and missed a chance to clinch a playoff berth with the loss to the Niners.Russell Wilson threw for 237 yards with two TD passes to Doug Baldwin and Chris Carson ran for 119 yards and a score for Seattle. But Wilson was unable to generate any points on his final three drives, leading to the loss.Carson tied the game early in the fourth quarter when he scored on fourth-and-goal from the 1 . He appeared to be stuffed at the line by D.J. Jones, but managed to get out of that tackle and then fight through another attempt by Elijah Lee before diving over the goal line for the score that made it 20-all.The teams then traded field goals later in the fourth to set up the overtime.The 49ers forced a punt on the opening drive thanks in part to a holding penalty on Ethan Pocic that wiped out a third-down conversion.Mullens then drove San Francisco into position for the game-winning kick with help from a pass interference call against Shaquill Griffin and a 16-yard run by Jeff Wilson Jr.Gould then made his kick in the rain, to give 49ers a rare celebration in a rough season.FLAG DAYThe Seahawks committed three personal fouls on one drive in the third quarter to help the 49ers move the ball into the red zone. But San Francisco had to settle for a field goal after Wilson Jr. committed a personal foul, tossing the ball in the face of a Seahawks defender.Seattle finished with 14 penalties for 148 yards.DOWN ITSeattle rookie punter Michael Dickson downed consecutive punts at the San Francisco 1 and then 2-yard line in the first half. The Niners managed to score following the second kick with Mullens finding Garrett Celek on a 41-yard score . The 98-yard drive was the longest for San Francisco since a 99-yarder against Seattle in 2002.TO THE HOUSEJames took a kickoff back 97 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter for San Francisco's first return touchdown on a kick or punt since Ted Ginn Jr. did it in the 2011 opener against the Seahawks. Seattle's 40-year-old kicker Sebastian Janikowski made only a half-hearted effort at a tackle as the last line of defense on the play.It was a rough sequence for Janikowski, who also missed the extra point before the kickoff.INJURIESSeahawks: S Bradley McDougald (knee) left the game in the first half. ... OL Jordan Simmons (knee) left in the second half.49ers: CB Ahkello Witherspoon (knee) left the game in the first half.UP NEXTSeahawks: Host Kansas City on Sunday night.49ers: Host Chicago on Sunday.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone shouldn't go to cornerback Jalen Ramsey if he's looking for an endorsement as rumors swirl about his job status."I ain't worried about nobody but myself," Ramsey said when asked about Marrone's security, according to Phillip Heilman of the Florida Times-Union.The Jaguars dropped to 4-10 on Sunday in front of their home fans, going down 16-13 at the hands of the shorthanded Washington Redskins. The loss was Jacksonville's ninth in its last 10 games.Marrone told reporters he hasn't received any hint from management about whether he'll be retained in 2019 for a third season or if he'll be sent packing a year after leading the Jags to the AFC title game."I'm just going to keep coaching as hard as I can," he said, according to ESPN's Michael DiRocco. "I don't make that decision."Ramsey, whose outspokenness has created numerous headlines this season, later clarified his remark:

CHICAGO (AP) Mitchell Trubisky threw for two touchdowns, Eddie Jackson ended Aaron Rodgers' NFL-record streak without an interception and the Chicago Bears clinched the NFC North with a 24-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.The Bears (10-4) secured their first playoff appearance since the 2010 team won the NFC North, and clinching with a rare victory over their heated rivals made it all the more sweet.The loss coupled with Minnesota's 41-17 victory over Miami keeps the Packers out of the postseason for the second year in a row.Chicago had dropped nine of 10 against Green Bay (5-8-1). But the Bears secured their first trip to the playoffs in eight years with their seventh win in eight games.For a team that came into the season with four straight last-place finishes, it's quite a turnaround. But with the hiring of coach Matt Nagy and trade for Khalil Mack in a busy offseason, the Bears made a huge jump.Trubisky gave them a 21-14 lead early in the fourth quarter with a 13-yard pass to Trey Burton in the left side of the end zone.After stopping the Packers, Tarik Cohen returned a punt 44 yards to the 15. But he stepped out of bounds a yard short on a third-and-5 at the 10 when he easily could have gotten the first down.That forced the Bears to settle for a field goal by Cody Parkey, making it 24-14 with 6:43 remaining.The Packers then drove to the 9, but on third down, Jackson picked off Rodgers, ending his streak at 402 passes.The throw over the middle was intended for Jimmy Graham near the goal line. But the ball got tipped to Jackson, who had to be helped off the field when his right leg bent awkwardly as he tried to slide on the return.The interception was Jackson's sixth of the season.Mason Crosby kicked a field goal in the closing seconds to make it a seven-point game. But Chicago recovered the onside kick.The Packers are 1-1 since offensive coordinator Joe Philbin replaced fired coach Mike McCarthy on an interim basis.Mack led another strong effort by the defense after the Monsters of the Midway shut down Jared Goff and the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams the previous week.Mack had 2 1/2 sacks and Leonard Floyd added two.Trubisky was 20 of 28 for 235 yards with a 120.4 rating. It was a big improvement over the previous week when he matched a career high with three interceptions after missing back-to-back games because of a right shoulder injury.Cohen caught a touchdown pass. Jordan Howard ran for a TD, and the Bears improved to 7-1 at home for the first time since 2005.Rodgers was 25 of 42 for 274 yards with his second interception of the season. It was also the first game this year in which he failed to throw a touchdown pass.Davante Adams had eight receptions for 119 yards.The Packers fell to 0-7 on the road with their ninth straight loss away from home, and their eight-game win streak at Soldier Field, counting the postseason, came to an end.INJURIES:Packers: RT Bryan Bulaga (knee) missed his second game in a row, while DL Kenny Clark sat out with an elbow injury. ... RB Aaron Jones left the game with a knee injury in the first quarter. ... WR Randall Cobb was evaluated for a concussion following a hard hit by Jackson late in the game.Bears: LB Aaron Lynch left with an elbow injury in the third quarter. He walked off the field clutching his right arm after he was hurt fighting a block on a run by Jamaal Williams.UP NEXTPackers: Visit New York Jets on Dec. 23.Bears: Visit San Francisco on Dec. 23.---More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP-NFLCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.