Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson is among the players the team is willing to trade before the league's deadline, sources told Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.Peterson has spent his entire career with the Cardinals, earning seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections.Arizona has slumped to a 1-4 start and could trade Peterson to accelerate a potential rebuilding effort.The 28-year-old corner is under contract through the 2020 season. He's owed $11 million in base salary for the 2019 campaign and is scheduled to earn just over $12 million in base salary in 2020.Cardinals safety/linebacker Deone Bucannon and linebacker Haason Reddick are also reportedly among the players the team is willing to move.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The first of three weeks of NFL games in London begins on Sunday and the league is feeling increasingly optimistic about the idea of putting a franchise across the pond."We feel the fan demand is here, we feel the stadium infrastructure and optionality is here, we feel the government support is here. We feel the logistics and training side of it are here. We feel very good," NFL executive vice president of international Mark Waller said to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer."Like I've always said, the one we can never test for is how does it work week-in and week-out."The Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders will kick things off at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, while Week 7 will feature the Tennessee Titans versus the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Philadelphia Eagles will play the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8.Reports have surfaced that Jaguars owner Shad Khan is moving forward with a plan to purchase Wembley Stadium. A new Tottenham stadium is currently under construction and there has been speculation that an NFL franchise could be housed there in the future.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden reportedly tore off cornerback Josh Norman's headphones in the locker room during the team's loss to the New Orleans Saints, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.When Gruden spoke to the team at halftime, he noticed Norman had his back turned to the coach and his headphones on, prompting to Gruden to yank them off, as per The Kevin Sheehan Show via Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post.The incident resulted in Norman walking away. Gruden reportedly called after him, saying "If you keep walking, you're not going to start the second half."Norman was benched for the start of the second half.Following the game, the cornerback engaged in a Twitter feud with Michael Thomas and responded to criticism of him going "Hollywood."Washington signed Norman in 2016 to a five-year $75-million contract. He has recorded three interceptions since joining the team. In his four starts this season he has 18 combined tackles and one fumble recovery.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill's availability for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears is "up in the air right now," a source informed ESPN's Adam Schefter.Tannehill practiced Wednesday and Thursday, but was surprisingly downgraded to limited participation on Friday. The quarterback's shoulder has reportedly bothered him since Miami's Week 4 loss to the New England Patriots.NFL Network reporter Stacey Dales spoke briefly with Dolphins head coach Adam Gase on Sunday morning, but he had little to share.

Despite reports that Le'Veon Bell is planning to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers during the Week 7 bye, team officials have yet to hear from their star running back, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Similar to last season, Bell has kept the Steelers in the dark, with no contact with officials or players.The All-Pro rusher could return any time between Monday, Oct. 15 and the following Monday, Oct. 22, Schefter added.Bell has refrained from signing his one-year franchise tag thus far, but he reportedly does intend to play in 2018 once he finally inks the deal. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is said to be actively shopping their productive ball-carrier.The 26-year-old must be signed for at least six games to accrue the necessary service time to become a free agent at the end of the year. He's staying away from the team to reduce the risk of injury before free agency.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots running back Sony Michel will be a game-time decision for Week 6's Sunday nighter against the Kansas City Chiefs, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.Michel is expected to play, though he was limited in practice all week with a knee ailment.The rookie has emerged as the Patriots' lead back in recent weeks. He took 25 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown in Week 4 and followed it up with 18 rushes for 98 yards and a score in last week's contest against the Indianapolis Colts.The Patriots primarily use fellow halfback James White as a receiver. He'd likely have to take on more responsibility in New England's ground game if Michel is unable to go.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets running back Isaiah Crowell is expected to play in Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts, a source informed ESPN's Adam Schefter.Crowell was listed as questionable for the weekend contest due to an ankle injury. He missed practice Wednesday and Thursday before being a limited participant in Friday's session.The 25-year-old set a new Jets franchise record with 219 rushing yards last Sunday and enters Week 6 as the fourth-leading rusher in the league with 390 yards and five touchdowns. Nonetheless, backup Bilal Powell leads the team in carries (59 to 57).The Jets rank sixth in the league in rushing.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is expected to return to the lineup on Sunday after missing Week 5 with a hamstring injury, but he won't get a full workload, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports, citing a source.Cook will only see about half of the team's offensive snaps against the Arizona Cardinals, according to Schefter, as his hamstring is still not at full strength.He sat out Week 3 after appearing in the first two weeks of the season and while he returned in Week 4, he only saw 10 carries for 20 yards in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams and missed the subsequent game.Latavius Murray took the starting job last week and rushed 11 times for 42 yards in a Week 5 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He figures to share snaps with Cook against the Cardinals on Sunday.Cook has carried the ball 36 times for 98 yards this season, averaging just 2.7 yards per carry, while Murray has recorded 30 carries for 106 yards, averaging 3.5 yards per carry.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite reports that the Philadelphia Eagles are interested in a possible reunion with LeSean McCoy, the Buffalo Bills are unlikely to trade the running back to his former team, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The two teams did discuss a potential trade, per Rapoport, but it's believed the asking price for the halfback would be too much for Philadelphia. McCoy is expected to stay in Buffalo for the remainder of the 2018 campaign, as well as 2019.Both McCoy and Bills head coach Sean McDermott brushed off trade rumors Wednesday, instead focusing on their upcoming matchup with the Houston Texans.The 30-year-old running back spent the first six years of his career in Philadelphia before being traded to Buffalo in 2015. He was a two-time All-Pro as a member of the Eagles.McCoy has rushed for more than 1,100 yards in each of the past two seasons with the Bills, yet he's totaled just 170 yards and no touchdowns through four games this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen will make his return and start Sunday versus the Washington Redskins after missing the team's last three game due to a fractured right foot, a source told NFL Network's Tiffany Blackmon.Olsen is listed as questionable, but the Panthers are optimistic about his status for Week 6.The Pro Bowler missed nine games due to a similar injury last season, but was only sidelined for five weeks after being hurt in the season opener this year."It adds a player that Cam (Newton) is very comfortable with,'' offensive coordinator Norv Turner said during the week, according to ESPN's David Newton. "He will draw more attention, so it should help other guys get coverages that are friendly to them.''Olsen was one of the most durable players in the NFL until last year, appearing in every regular-season game since 2008 - his second season in the league.He had 80 catches for 1,073 yards and three touchdowns in 2016, and should slot back in as Newton's primary target.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cleveland Browns announced the signing of free-agent wide receiver Breshad Perriman on Saturday.Cleveland placed undrafted wideout Derrick Willies on injured reserve in a corresponding move after he made his first three career catches in Week 5. Willies broke his collarbone during Friday's practice.The Browns are hurting at receiver, as Rashard Higgins is also expected to miss time with a sprained MCL.Perriman was the Baltimore Ravens' first-round pick (No. 26 overall) in 2015. He never found success with the team after battling injuries and inconsistency. He signed with the Washington Redskins in September, but was waived four days later.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph is surprisingly fast for someone listed at 329 pounds, as demonstrated by his 64-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in Minnesota's Week 5 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Each week, we take a look at five last-minute additions for your fantasy team heading into NFL Sunday.Josh Reynolds, WR, Ramsat BroncosStephen Brashear / Getty Images Sport / GettyReynolds was called into action for the Rams last week with receivers Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp each being pulled from the game against the Seattle Seahawks due to concussions.The sophomore fit right into coach Sean McVay's system, catching two of three targets for 39 yards while playing 55 percent of the offensive snaps, according to Football Outsiders. He totaled 104 receiving yards and one touchdown while catching 11 of 24 targets last season.Kupp and Cooks have accounted for 61.6 percent of the Rams' wide receiver targets, and an absence or limited workload for either one would create a significant fill-in role for Reynolds in the NFL's best passing attack.Antonio Callaway, WR, Brownsvs. ChargersJonathan Bachman / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Browns talked about reducing Callaway's usage after the rookie struggled early in the season. But with Rashard Higgins suffering a sprained MCL in Week 5, Callaway ended up playing 69 percent of the snaps, second only to Jarvis Landry.Higgins is expected to miss multiple weeks and Derrick Willies fractured his collarbone in practice on Friday, leaving Callaway in position to see another significant workload across from Landry - whether the coaching staff wants him to or not.The Baker Mayfield-led Browns' attack has a chance to take advantage of a Chargers defense that's allowed the fourth most fantasy points to opposing receivers. Callaway may still been prone to first-year mistakes, but he's flashed big-play skills, giving him a fantasy ceiling that warrants consideration in your Week 6 lineups.Martavis Bryant, WR, Raidersvs. SeahawksMarc Serota / Getty Images Sport / GettyAfter catching just five of 12 targets over the previous two games, Bryant's role was dialed back in Week 5. He proceeded to catch all three of Derek Carr's intended passes and turned those into a season-best 91 yards while playing just 25 percent of the offensive snaps.Bryant leads the Raiders in yards per reception at 16.8. His five catches of at least 20 yards rank second on the team to tight end Jared Cook, who's seen an additional 22 targets and has 18 more receptions.The Seahawks struggled to defend the deep ball in their first full game without safety Earl Thomas last week, surrendering four pass plays at least 20 yards to receivers.DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Broncosvs. RamsIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyEach of the Rams' past two opponents in the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings outscored their season average by more than a touchdown, respectively. A similar situation this week would provide a dramatic boost to the fantasy assets on a Broncos team averaging just 20 points per game.Hamilton made his first in-game appearance of the regular season in Week 5 after fellow rookie Courtland Sutton left in the second half due to a leg injury. He caught all three targets sent his way from Case Keenum for a respectable 44 yards with a long of 24.Head coach Vance Joseph promised changes are on the way for his team in the midst of a three-game losing streak in which they've twice been held below 20 points. Some more work for the fourth-round rookie - who's regularly been fourth on the depth chart - in a favorable matchup seems like a fitting first step to help push some of the veterans on offense.C.J. Uzomah, TE, Bengalsvs. SteelersJohn Grieshop / Getty Images Sport / GettyUzomah played 92 percent of the Bengals' offensive snaps in Week 5 after Tyler Eifert was placed on injured reserve following a Week 4 ankle injury and Tyler Kroft was forced from the game due to a foot injury. Kroft remains in jeopardy for Week 6.Uzomah has seen only 10 targets this season, but he's hauled in nine catches for an impressive 117 yards. The fourth-year pro should be able to provide meaningful fantasy returns without competition at his position, as he goes up against a Steelers defense that's second only to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in terms of standard fantasy points allowed to tight ends.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The approach to capping the NFL this season has been a fairly simple one.I've mentioned before that finding the tiniest edge is tough in these parts. This season, the plan of attack has been buying low, selling high, and playing numbers, and that includes primarily totals. Over bets are currently 9-0 on top plays, which certainly ups the pressure to keep that record perfect heading forward.I'm not going to change a thing for Week 6. As always, be sure to shop around for the best numbers available.Top PlaysLos Angeles Chargers at Cleveland BrownsWager: Over 44.5There's been more overthinking than usual this week. In the case of the Chargers-Browns game, it's somewhat justified. The forecast is calling for winds of 10-13 mph, a weather factor that affects totals arguably more than actual precipitation does.I'm still playing the over.Baker Mayfield has injected life into the Cleveland offense. It's a small sample size, but with the rookie under center, the Browns have posted 5.9 yards per play compared to an average of 4.2 yards with Tyrod Taylor leading the offense. Taylor played in a downpour in Week 1 to skew that number, but it's clear Mayfield has put a jolt in the Browns' passing game.Cleveland's defense has been more lucky than good this season. The Browns are a top-half unit in terms of scoring defense but have been bailed out by turnovers and missed field goals. They've forced four turnovers inside their own 35-yard line and have also watched opponents miss five field goals from inside 32 yards. Teams have been able to move the ball against Cleveland, especially through the air.The Chargers' offense - which is relatively healthy now - has been lethal under Philip Rivers. It's averaging more yards per play than the Chiefs, Saints, and Falcons this season. Los Angeles has benefited greatly from a sensational season out of Melvin Gordon, as it sits in the top 13 in both passing and rushing yards while hanging 27.4 points per game. Defensively, however, the Chargers are allowing a whopping 6.2 yards per play, as the absence of Joey Bosa has been a source of relief for opposing quarterbacks.Wind or not, give me the over.Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots Wager: Patriots -3.5The current Patriots roster isn't as lethal as years past. Still, I wouldn't pass up the Pats in a "revenge game" at home at the current price.Patrick Mahomes continues to play out of his mind, masking the flaws on the opposite side of the ball. People continue to forget that the Chiefs give up 6.5 yards per play.New England could struggle with Kansas City's speed and passing game, but the Chiefs are also in tough against Tom Brady and a rejuvenated Patriots offense that has put up 38 points in each of the last two games. I'm taking the Patriots at a price that's tough to come by for a prime-time matchup at Foxboro.Buffalo Bills at Houston TexansBob Levey / Getty Images Sport / GettyWager: Over 41My favorite stat of the NFL season is that the Houston Texans are averaging more yards per game on offense than the Chiefs.Houston has benefited from two overtime contests to pad those numbers, but it goes to show that the Texans have perhaps the best offense that no one's really talking about. That's likely due to two things: they've been set back by terrible coaching and the red-zone efficiency has been hot garbage.Last week, the Texans strolled down the field with ease against the Cowboys, only to settle for four field goals, three of which came on drives stalling inside the five-yard line. If there's any hope of breaking through in the scoring department, it could come against a Buffalo defense that is allowing opponents to score touchdowns on 80 percent of red-zone drives this year.The Bills' offense is a tough sell. It, unlike most in the league, is not a throw-first team, with a project quarterback under center. The receiving corps isn't good and explosive plays are hard to come by. Then again, how would you sell the Bills on any given week to go over the total? It's all about the number, and this is one I feel is generous enough to take.Extra PointsIndianapolis Colts at New York JetsRecommended Pick: Under 45.5The Denver Broncos were caught in a bad spot last weekend at New York, on a short week and early kickoff on the East Coast. The Jets hit home runs aplenty on offense while Sam Darnold made some big throws to help the offense despite not putting up an otherworldly stat line.I don't think it was as much about the Jets breaking through as it was the Broncos' defensive lapses. New York still has yet to string two good offensive performances together and Indianapolis' receiving corps is up there with Buffalo's as the worst in football.That's too many points to expect in East Rutherford.Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta FalconsRecommended Pick: Falcons -3This is strictly a buy-low spot on the Falcons. If you're telling me these two teams are even on a neutral field, I recommend paying to find out.Top plays: 12-2-1Overall record: 18-6-1Alex 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.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning took responsibility for his performance amid another poor start to the season.The Giants are slumped at 1-5 for the second consecutive year following Thursday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and Manning has taken the brunt of criticism for the team's failings on offense."I know I can play better,” Manning said Friday, according to Michael Eisen of Giants.com. “I didn’t play well last night. I’ve got to make better decisions and get back to just doing my job, not trying to do anything more, not trying to force things. Just find completions and move the ball, and try to score more points.”Manning said he's unfazed by the criticism, but it's on him to persevere with the Giants slipping out of playoff contention."It bugs me that we’re 1-5. What people say never got to me, never bothered me. But you work extremely hard to go have a big year and you’re excited about things, and to be in this situation, yeah it bothers you, and it’s tough," Manning said."But the only thing you can do is keep working and keep grinding. Try to bring this team together. It’s a new scheme, a lot of new players, and it’s just a matter of everybody just making those improvements. Everybody just doing their job a little bit better, knowing exactly what your assignments are, knowing exactly what you need to do and working on it and perfecting that craft."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers issued an apology after omitting Colin Kaepernick from a photo gallery which marked key moments in team history against the Green Bay Packers.Ahead of this week's upcoming game against the Packers, the 49ers commemorated several moments, but failed to include Kaepernick's historic performance in the 2012 playoffs, where he rushed for a quarterback-record 181 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 263 yards and two more scores. Kaepernick also helped the 49ers defeat the Packers the following postseason."Unfortunately there were a handful of obvious misses in this gallery posted by our website team and we appreciate them being brought to our attention," the 49ers said in a statement. "The 49ers organization has tremendous respect and gratitude for the contributions Colin made to our team over the years."Kaepernick has been a free agent for the past two seasons after opting out of his contract with the 49ers in March 2017."We have fond memories of those games and that should have been displayed on our website," the team said. "This oversight does not properly reflect the appreciation our ownership and this team have for Colin."- With h/t to ESPNCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick made a plea for continued protests against racial injustice while receiving Harvard University's highest honor in African and African-American studies.Kaepernick was one of eight people presented with the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal at the sixth annual Hutchins Center Honors on Thursday. He requested that his speech not be recorded or broadcasted, but he did allow his remarks to be on the record.In the speech, which was transcribed by Eric Kane of 7News, Kaepernick discussed a visit he made in 2016 to Oakland's Castlemont High School football team, who joined him in taking a knee during the national anthem."And one of the young brothers says, 'We don't get to eat at home, so we're going to eat on this field,'" Kaepernick said. "That moment has never left me. And I've carried that everywhere I went. And I think that's the reality of what I've fought for, what so many of us have fought for. People live with this every single day. And we expect them to thrive in situations where they're just trying to survive."And I feel like it's not only my responsibility, but all our responsibilities as people that are in positions of privilege, in positions of power, to continue to fight for them and uplift them, empower them," he continued. "Because if we don't, we become complicit in the problem. It is our duty to fight for them and we are going to continue to fight for them."

Josh Gordon is beginning to fit in perfectly with the New England Patriots, making him a legitimate weapon for Tom Brady.Gordon was dealt to the Patriots on Sept. 17 and has quickly integrated himself into the team's passing game, recording four catches for 82 yards and a touchdown over two games.Developing a strong rapport with Brady will be imperative to Gordon's success, and the 27-year-old glowed about his developing relationship with the star quarterback."Most of the day, we end up talking football, whether it be in the locker room here briefly or in most of the meeting rooms or time after practice. We carve out time, and we make it happen," Gordon said to ESPN's Mike Reiss."We make sure if there's something that might be a concern for him or me, or he wants to know how I like to do something, or I want to know how he wants to do something, I just ask and he's open about it. It makes it easy for me to communicate with him and makes it a real natural type of relationship."Gordon is making a strong impression on the Patriots thus far, with Julian Edelman raving about his new teammates' competitiveness Thursday.The Patriots are kicking into high gear as the season progresses and if Gordon and Brady continue to develop a strong partnership, the AFC juggernaut may be as strong as it has ever been in recent years.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said he expects wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp to be cleared to play in Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Cooks and Kupp both suffered concussions during a Week 5 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, but were full participants in Friday's practice.Both receivers have been instrumental to the Rams' undefeated start to the year. Cooks has caught 26 passes for 452 yards and a touchdown, while Kupp has recorded 30 receptions for 438 yards and five touchdowns.Robert Woods and Josh Reynolds could see increased targets if either Cooks or Kupp are held out of Sunday's gameCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys pass-rusher Demarcus Lawrence claims he's been playing with a torn labrum in his shoulder for two years, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News.Lawrence was listed on this week's injury report after his shoulder popped out of its socket in the Cowboys' Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans."This is the first time it popped out on me," Lawrence said. "I was about to cry on the sidelines if y'all didn't notice. It was hurting bad. It feels better now."It's been torn two years ago and you never knew it, right? I'll work through it like any other injury."The Pro Bowler added that he'll consider having surgery to repair the tear this offseason."Strap it up and see how it feels before the game, if it's not able to go, I won't go," Lawrence said. "But if I'm able to go, I'll be out there. It's holding up for the most part."To keep his shoulder in place, Lawrence has been wearing a harness under his uniform in practice this week. He'll likely wear that harness when the Cowboys take on the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday.In five games this season, Lawrence has 5.5 sacks, 21 combined tackles, and nine quarterback hits.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced the signing of offensive tackle Ereck Flowers on Friday.Flowers was waived by the New York Giants on Tuesday, ending his tenure with the club that selected him ninth overall in 2015.Jacksonville's starting left tackle, Cam Robinson, was placed on injured reserved after suffering a torn ACL in Week 2. His replacement, Josh Wells, has also been placed on IR, which could open the door for Flowers to start at left tackle immediately.New York benched Flowers prior to Week 3 after he struggled mightily during the first two games of the season.One of the biggest draft busts in recent memory, the towering lineman has disappointed ever since entering the league as a first-round pick. He's accounted for 28 penalties and 18 sacks allowed in his three-plus NFL seasons.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn ruled out running back Devonta Freeman for this week's matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a foot injury, per ESPN's Vaughn McClure.Freeman hurt his knee in the season opener and missed three games as a result. His return to the lineup lasted just one week, as the star rusher suffered a foot injury during Atlanta's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5.Tevin Coleman will start at running back once again in Freeman's absence, while fourth-round rookie Ito Smith will see an increased workload.Freeman has just 14 carries to date during his injury-riddled 2018 campaign, accumulating 68 yards.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur isn't looking to make a change at quarterback."We believe in Eli (Manning)," Shurmur told reporters when asked about a possible switch at the position, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.The Giants currently have journeyman Alex Tanney as the No. 2 quarterback, ahead of rookie Kyle Lauletta on the depth chart.When asked if the rookie could possibly see any starting time, Shurmur doubled down, saying, "We're not talking about a quarterback change yet."New York (1-5) is coming off a 34-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night, during which Manning threw for 281 yards and one interception. The offense is currently averaging 19.5 points per game, ranking 28th in the NFL.Shurmur was also asked to revisit the Giants' draft-day decision to select running back Saquon Barkley No. 2 overall instead of a quarterback."The idea that Saquon Barkley was a mistake? I don't see the logic in that," Shurmur said, according to Vacchiano. "And I just told you I believe in Eli."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen could make his return to the starting lineup Sunday versus the Washington Redskins.Olsen will likely be listed as questionable for Week 6 after suffering a broken foot in the season opener, but Panthers head coach Ron Rivera sounded optimistic about his chances of suiting up, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The tight end has missed his team's last three games, but practiced in full Thursday. He was not placed on injured reserve after Week 1.Olsen first fractured the foot in 2017 and then missed eight weeks of the regular season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here are four of the most one-sided matchups in Week 6 of the NFL season:Jaguars' secondary vs. Cowboys' passing attackAfter facing Kansas City's league-best passing attack last week, this should be a relative cakewalk for the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense against the putrid passing attack of the Dallas Cowboys.The Cowboys have one of the best ground games in the NFL, thanks to Ezekiel Elliott and a high-priced offensive line, but rank just 30th in passing yards per game (172), 26th in touchdown passes (five), and 24th in completion percentage (61.8).Much of that is due to Dak Prescott and Co. struggling to replace the former production from Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, as Cole Beasley currently leads a ragtag group of pass-catchers. Nobody outside of Elliot presents a matchup problem for Jacksonville.Meanwhile, the Jaguars have the best defense in football, and they specialize in stopping the pass, ranking first in passing yards allowed per game (191), fifth in completion percentage allowed (60), and first in touchdown passes allowed (three).Within that defensive unit, Jalen Ramsey leads the most talented secondary in the NFL. He and A.J. Bouye make up a fearsome cornerback tandem, and it may be harder for them to defend boredom than the Cowboys on Sunday.Ramsey has certainly earned his praise, but Bouye often gets overlooked despite being one of the best cornerbacks in his own right. The latter is adept in man and zone coverage, possessing smooth footwork, fantastic recovery speed, and impressive ball skills. This interception is a great example:On this play, Bouye is lined up across from receiver Demarcus Robinson in man coverage to the offense's right. After the ball is snapped, Robinson does an excellent job of defeating Bouye's initial strike from press coverage and creating some separation with his release. Nevertheless, Bouye quickly opens his hips and drives on Robinson’s slant route, which allows him to undercut the route and make the interception.In terms of Jacksonville's safeties, Barry Church is one of the most fundamentally sound tacklers at his position, while Tashaun Gipson is fantastic in coverage, as he held Rob Gronkowski in check when the Jaguars beat New England. When he's not covering tight ends, you can find Gipson patrolling the deep middle in an effort to prevent big plays and take advantage of any overthrown passes:Here, the Jaguars are in zone coverage with Gipson responsible for the deep middle. He does an excellent job of playing from the proper depth while reading the eyes of Patrick Mahomes, which allows him to slide into position and intercept the pass.If Dallas wants to be productive through the air, Prescott must make a high volume of tight-window throws - something he’s proven incapable of doing through five weeks.Matt Ryan vs. Buccaneers' secondaryIt hasn’t been an ideal start for the Atlanta Falcons, who've limped out to a 1-4 record. But Matt Ryan and the offense haven’t been the problem, ranking ninth in points per game (26.6), sixth in yards per play (6.1), and second in third-down conversion percentage (47 percent).This week, the unit should be able to take advantage of the Buccaneers’ secondary, which ranks last in passing yards allowed per game (358).On paper, this is the week when Julio Jones should finally get over his allergy to the end zone, as Tampa Bay doesn’t have the talent at cornerback or safety to slow him down. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Jones has the footwork to generate separation at the top of his route and the long speed to run away from coverage. This play is a great example:Here, Jones is aligned toward the bottom of the screen with the Saints playing off coverage. With a free release, the receiver is able to quickly accelerate to his top speed and run by New Orleans’ deep zone coverage. If Ryan hit Jones in stride, this would have been an easy touchdown; because it was slightly underthrown, the receiver had to settle for a 58-yard gain.Even if the Bucs somehow stop Jones (they won’t), Ryan has a plethora of other weapons at his disposal. Mohamed Sanu is a big, physical complimentary receiver, and he should be able to create his own success against Tampa Bay cornerbacks Carlton Davis, Ryan Smith, and Brent Grimes. Calvin Ridley has proven to be a reliable target for Ryan in his rookie year, showing off excellent route running while racking up 19 catches for 302 yards and six touchdowns.Moreover, Austin Hooper has become a capable weapon in the passing game while running backs Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman are dangerous receivers out of the backfield.As long as Ryan isn’t pressured too much, he should be able to pick apart the Buccaneers' porous pass defense.Frank Clark vs. Raiders' offensive tacklesFormer second-round pick Frank Clark has emerged as the Seattle Seahawks' best defensive lineman and one of the top up-and-coming edge defenders in the NFL.This season, Clark ranks 13th in total pressures among edge defenders, per PFF, and has embarrassed offensive tackles with his exceptional "get-off" and active hands as a pass-rusher. Here’s an example of Clark using that get-off to blow by an offensive tackle:On the play, Clark is aligned with an outside shade over Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith, who's one of the best offensive linemen in football. After the ball is snapped, Clark explodes out of his stance and defeats Smith’s strike with a simple swipe-rip move. And as Clark starts to wrap around the edge, he displays great eye discipline to identify Prescott stepping up in the pocket.From there, Clark's able to throw on the brakes - which forces Smith to lose his balance and stumble past the pocket - and sack Prescott, who's looking to find open space. The play wouldn't have been possible without Clark's speed, which allowed him to stress Smith’s pass set.This week, Clark will spend most of his time opposite Raiders tackles Kolton Miller and Donald Penn. Miller has gone through struggles in his rookie year, as he's given up 19 pressures (sixth most among tackles) and four sacks (second most among tackles), per PFF. Penn has been slightly better, but still not good, having allowed three sacks and nine total pressures.Whether he lines up on the right or left, expect Clark to have his way with the Raiders' tackles. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him generate six-plus pressures and a sack or two.James White vs. Chiefs' LBsIn order to beat the Chiefs, the Patriots' offense must continue the barrage it's levied on opposing defenses over the past couple of weeks.New England can do so by exploiting mismatches - the biggest of which will be James White against the Chiefs' linebackers. Kansas City has allowed nearly 200 yards per game to opposing rushers, so White - who's one of the most versatile running backs in football - is in line for a big day.Of course, while White is listed as a running back, he’s best utilized as a receiving threat out of the backfield. He’s only had more rushing yards than receiving yards in one game this season, and here's why:On this play, White turns a simple swing pass into an 18-yard gain and a first down, leaving a Colts defender grasping for air in his wake.And that's common with White, who's one of the league's more elusive backs in open space. The Patriots often make an effort to feed him in the short-to-intermediate zones when a defense is suspect at the second level.That should be a problem for Chiefs linebackers Anthony Hitchens, Reggie Ragland, and Terrance Smith, who all have trouble keeping up with shifty backs in man coverage.Don’t be surprised if White gains over 100 yards through the air, along with a touchdown or two.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.

Quarterback Geno Smith took to Twitter Friday, appearing to suggest that former New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo deserves an apology.McAdoo infamously benched quarterback Eli Manning for Smith last season with the Giants holding a 2-9 record and Manning's streak of consecutive starts sitting at 210 games.

Terrell Owens is still eyeing a return to football.After Dallas Cowboys fans launched a petition urging the team to bring back retired quarterback Tony Romo, Owens tweeted that they should start one for him, too.

Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher T.J. Watt was fined $20,054 for his sack on Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in Week 5, which the league reportedly cited as "forcibly hitting in the knee area or below."T.J.'s brother, Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt, expressed his disbelief after hearing about the fine:

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players you should consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 6 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 6 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.StartJameis Winston, QB, Buccaneersat FalconsDylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / GettyWinston was the top quarterback pickup in our Week 6 waiver wire column thanks to a loaded receiving corps and a perfect matchup with a Falcons defense that's allowed three passing touchdowns per game over the last month. Winston has also thrown at least three scores in each of his last three meetings with Atlanta. The Bucs' defense has been unable to stop anyone either, which sets up a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair.Boone's projection: 321 passing yards, 3 TDsOther QBs to start

Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters is believed to have suffered a torn bicep during Thursday's win over the New York Giants, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Doctors are reportedly optimistic Peters will be able to play through the injury, though an MRI will confirm the diagnosis.The 36-year-old left tackle has started all six games for the Eagles in 2018 after missing nine contests last season with a torn ACL and MCL.Peters, a nine-time Pro Bowler, has battled numerous injuries during his 15th NFL campaign, including a quad injury prior to Week 3.The veteran lineman told reporters after the game that his bicep was "OK."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here's a look at the key tactical matchups that could determine the outcomes of three pivotal Week 6 games:Chiefs' offense vs. Patriots' dime packagesThe New England Patriots are coming off back-to-back victories following a 1-2 start, and they might be rounding back into form. But their toughest test yet arrives this weekend when they host the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs.Last year, the Chiefs throttled the Patriots on opening night, spoiling an evening planned around raising the banner for New England’s fifth Super Bowl title. Kansas City exposed the Patriots’ defense through a mix of timely passing plays, creative designs, and effective rushing from rookie star Kareem Hunt.Now, second-year phenom Patrick Mahomes leads the 2018 version of the Chiefs’ offense to town. Despite throwing his first two interceptions of the season last week, Mahomes remains perhaps the league’s most productive passer so far in 2018 with his 14 touchdown passes.The Chiefs' offense is full of weapons. Could that unit provide another huge offensive explosion in New England?Last week, we might have seen our first glimpse of how Bill Belichick and Patriots defensive play-caller Brian Flores will attempt to slow down the Chiefs' offense.In New England's game against the Indianapolis Colts, the Patriots used a 3-2-6 dime package on a high number of defensive snaps. The Pats were among the league leaders in using dime personnel in 2017, deploying six-plus defensive backs on 37 percent of their defensive plays, fourth-most in the league.The Patriots’ dime defense hinges on safety Patrick Chung, who gives the group some versatility. More of a box safety, Chung is adept at pass coverage, though he can also defend the run like a linebacker:Chung’s run defending allows New England to convert its 3-2-6 defense into a 3-3-5 on the fly. Depending on the offensive alignment and personnel, the Patriots can utilize Chung’s skill set and use him as an extra linebacker.Given the number of defensive backs on the field when the defense is in a dime package, offenses often want to keep running the football. But that might be the ultimate ploy for New England to use while slowing down Mahomes and the Chiefs’ passing game.Belichick's defensive game plan from Super Bowl XXV is already showcased in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He told his Giants defense - a team that prided itself on stopping the run - that the key to winning the game was to give up more than 100 yards on the ground to Thurman Thomas, as that would slow down Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills’ passing attack.His 3-2-6 package would dare the Chiefs’ offense to call more running plays, and it could be the next version of that game plan.Ben Roethlisberger vs. Jessie BatesThe next chapter in the topsy-turvy story that is the 2018 AFC North unfolds this Sunday in Cincinnati when the division-leading Bengals host the Pittsburgh Steelers.Pittsburgh bounced back from its early-season struggles in Week 5 with a convincing 41-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Ben Roethlisberger completed 19 of 29 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns, with two of those going to star wide receiver Antonio Brown.Standing in the Steelers' way on Sunday will be a defense largely responsible for Cincinnati’s Week 5 victory over the Miami Dolphins. In the fourth quarter of that game, the Bengals tallied two defensive touchdowns to erase a 17-point halftime deficit. While the defensive front generated the turnovers and scores, a player to watch this week is rookie safety Jessie Bates.The Bengals' second-round draft pick in 2018 out of Wake Forest, Bates was a surprise starter in Week 1 after the organization cut longtime starting free safety George Iloka.It hasn't taken long for Bates to make that move look like a smart one. He notched his first NFL interception during a Week 2 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on a play where he perfectly read the eyes of quarterback Joe Flacco:Bates (No. 30) does a great job of watching Flacco and breaking on the deep crossing route. The throw is off target, but Bates is in position to capitalize.Last week, he grabbed his second interception, again showing veteran-level discipline in coverage:Late in the game, the Dolphins were facing a third-and-17 and needed a big play. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill tried to hit Kenny Stills on a deep post route, splitting the two deep safeties in Cincinnati's Cover 2 scheme. But Bates watched Tannehill the whole way and cut under the route, securing the interception and erasing any chance of a comeback.Bates’ effort last Sunday earned him the highest defensive grade of any Bengals player in that game from Pro Football Focus, which noted that he allowed only 0.17 yards per coverage snap.The Steelers might present the toughest challenge yet for the young safety. He'll go up against Brown, Roethlisberger, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and tight end Jesse James. But given what we've seen from the rookie defensive back, Bates might just be up to the challenge.Darius Leonard vs. Jets' running gameThe New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts won't exactly give us a heavyweight title bout in Week 6. But there will be an interesting schematic matchup between Colts rookie weakside linebacker Darius Leonard and the resurgent Jets’ running game, featuring running backs Isaiah Crowell and Bilal Powell.Crowell and the Jets’ offensive line played well in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos, with the back racking up 219 yards on just 15 carries, including a 77-yard touchdown and a 54-yard run. The 54-yarder, coming on a “duo” blocking scheme, featured a pair of double-team blocks, with offensive linemen working in tandem up to the second level of the defense.But this simple 15-yard run sets the stage for discussing the matchup between the Jets' rushing offense and Leonard:Crowell gets the handoff on another “duo” running play. He cuts this run to the backside, aiming right for Brandon Marshall (No. 54). The linebacker isn't able to work off the block from left tackle James Carpenter (No. 77), and Marshall is forced to chase this play down from behind. He can't prevent the big gain.That's where Leonard comes in. Despite missing Week 5 due to injury, the rookie still leads the league in tackles with 54. He's shown an ability to stack and shed blockers while flowing to the football, an area where Marshall struggled against the Jets.This is how it's done:On this play against Washington, Leonard explodes downhill when he sees run action. Then he stands up tight end Vernon Davis (No. 85) in the hole and sheds the block before chopping down running back Chris Thompson for no gain.Additionally, Leonard’s read-and-recognition skills, when combined with his burst and quickness, allow him to crash down on running plays and stop them before they get going:Crowell erupted last week, but Leonard, who is expected to return to the lineup, might have the skill set necessary to slow down this Jets’ rushing attack.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.

New York Giants rookie running back Saquon Barkley was a one-man wrecking crew in Thursday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, finishing just a yard shy of becoming the first player in team history to accumulate 100 yards rushing and 100 receiving yards in a single game.Despite a nearly historic evening, Barkley was more focused on the final score."How did I feel about my performance tonight ... Doesn't matter to me," Barkley said after the game, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "We didn't get the win. To be completely honest, don't care. As long as we get the win, I don't care if I went for however many yards or even if I went for 30 yards, if we won, if we got the win, I would be satisfied, but at the end of the day we didn't so none of that matters."Barkley alone accounted for 57 percent of New York's total offense, carrying the ball 13 times for 130 rushing yards while catching nine passes for 99 yards."You really don't even know that you're dominating in a game when you're down two touchdowns, three touchdowns," he said. "Only thing in your mind is no matter what, if you're down by 40, if you're down by 50, 60 or whatever, you just continue to play your heart out for this team and for your brothers on the sideline, so you're not even focusing on that. I guess that's why you don't even notice it because that's just the mindset that I have."The No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft has enjoyed a fantastic rookie campaign thus far, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and scoring six touchdowns.The Giants are 1-5 after Thursday's loss.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. caught everyone's attention again when he headed to the locker room before the first half of Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles concluded.With the Giants still on the field late in the second quarter, Beckham appeared to be visibly upset entering the tunnel.Following the 34-13 loss, Giants head coach Pat Shurmur explained that Beckham was dehydrated."Yeah he had an IV, you know, he dehydrated again. He went back in the locker room," Shurmur told reporters postgame.Asked if there's any way to prevent Beckham from dehydrating, Shurmur didn't have a clear answer."Some guys' bodies dehydrate quicker than others. We just got to keep looking for ways to make sure he stays hydrated."Beckham struggled to make an impact on the game, finishing with six catches for 44 yards on 10 targets. The Giants failed to generate a consistent offense outside of a standout performance from rookie running back Saquon Barkley.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley and rapper Snoop Dogg have settled their beef.Haley confirmed the two are on good terms after Snoop stopped by Browns practice Wednesday."I got to make sure that he and I were all good," Haley joked, according to Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com. "We had a couple of rough years there."Related: Hue Jackson warns players of bandwagon fans after Snoop Dogg's visitIn 2014, Snoop posted a profanity-filled video on Instagram calling for Haley - then employed by the Pittsburgh Steelers - to be fired."Man, the Pittsburgh Steelers need a new f---ing offensive coordinator. This guy sucks," Snoop said in the video. "Coach (Mike) Tomlin, this is Snoop Dogg, man. Fire that motherf---er and get us a real offensive coordinator. We ain't won a playoff game since we had this motherf---er."But that's all water under the bridge now."Him being out there and saying that he is a part of the Dawg Pound, we are good now," Haley said. "I can go back to listening to West Coast rap."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears that Josh Gordon has finally found a perfect fit with the New England Patriots.Gordon was acquired by the Patriots in a September trade and is quickly integrating himself into the offense, recording a 34-yard touchdown catch against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5.Patriots veteran Julian Edelman raved about Gordon on Thursday, believing that the 27-year-old can continue to elevate the team's prolific offense."Dude works hard. Great teammate. I really think he can be a really big piece of us," Edelman said Thursday via ESPN's Mike Reiss."It's exciting to be around him. He loves football, you can tell. He knows his stuff. It's getting more and more fun the more he knows."Edelman recently rejoined the Patriots after serving a four-game suspension, and with Gordon quickly rounding himself into form, the AFC juggernaut may be as dangerous as ever heading into the fall.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two struggling NFC East teams meet for a divisional matchup on Thursday night when the New York Giants host the Philadelphia Eagles. TheScore got a glimpse at which team bettors are siding with, courtesy of Will Bernanke, the lead analyst at CG Analytics in Las Vegas.Philadelphia Eagles at New York GiantsOpen: PHI -2.5 (-115) / 44.5Current: PHI -2 / 44.5The defending Super Bowl champions have looked anything but the part to open the season. The Eagles are 2-3 after dropping their last two games, and they've failed to cover the spread in four straight. Thursday will be the third time Philly is listed as a road favorite this season, and the Eagles haven't won in that situation yet in 2018, dropping their previous two outright.As tough as it's been for the Eagles, the same can be said for the Giants. New York comes into Thursday off a brutal loss that ended with Carolina's Graham Gano drilling a 63-yard field goal as time expired, and the Giants fell to 1-4.For New York, Thursday's game will be the team's sixth straight as an underdog. As of Thursday afternoon, the Giants were garnering a slight majority of bets."62 percent of all dollars are on the Giants and 60 percent of all moneyline dollars are on the Giants as well," Bernanke said."As of now, Philly covering all numbers is an ideal result."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants' season arguably hangs in the balance in their Thursday night matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, and some in the organization are laying the blame at the franchise's feet for the 1-4 start.Several Giants players have expressed frustration with Eli Manning's performance, sources told ESPN's Jordan Raanan, with one player specifically taking issue with the veteran's inability to attack zone and Cover 2 defenses.While Manning's raw statistics - career-high 71.7 completion percentage, 1,381 passing yards, six touchdowns to three interceptions - appear solid, advanced measurements highlight the two-time Super Bowl champion's struggles.Manning has been accurate on just 29.2 percent of his deep passes, ahead of only Ryan Tannehill and rookie Josh Allen, according to Pro Football Focus. Moreover, he ranks 21st in Football Outsiders' DVOA metric, which rates players, per play, over an average player in the same game situations.His inability to push the ball deep was emphasized by Odell Beckham Jr. in his controversial interview prior to Week 5 when he said he "didn't know" if the quarterback was to blame for the offense's struggles.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers may have to wear a larger brace on his left knee after suffering a setback during Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions.Rodgers initially injured his knee during a Week 1 victory over the Chicago Bears, and he's sported a brace since. The two-time MVP wore a smaller brace against the Lions in Week 5 when he re-aggravated the injury.Rodgers didn't practice on Thursday, but he still expects to start Monday against the San Francisco 49ers."Yeah, kind of a setback last week, the beginning of the week," Rodgers said, via ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "Got to be in the rehab group again today, got a lot of good work in with Nate (Weir, the Packers' coordinator of rehabilitation) and just hoping I get back out there tomorrow and have a feel-good Friday and a practice (Sunday) and be good to go - hopefully back to where I was in Detroit."Rodgers hopes he can avoid wearing a larger brace and remain as mobile as possible."I hope not. The goal would be to wear the same brace I wore last week, but I have a lot of faith in our training staff and we're going to (use) the brace we feel is most safe and allowing me to do exactly what I'm able to do on Monday."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The bye week is just another branch off of the good ole angle tree when it comes to betting on the NFL. Every edge counts, so it should come as no surprise that smart handicappers use it as a seasonal tool.It doesn't boil down strictly to projecting team performance off a bye week, either. There are separate or more specific situations to monitor: Are teams better at home with an extra week off as opposed to traveling? How do teams perform the week prior to getting added rest?For starters, while blindly betting teams off a bye week over the last 16 seasons would've churned out a marginal profit, the splits are vastly different. Teams in the first half of that sample won against the spread 57.1 percent of the time; teams from 2010 onward, on the other hand, dipped to 50.6 percent, per BetLabs.However, there are still specific situations that register better results despite relatively small sample sizes.Play on road favorites One may assume that teams playing at home with added rest would hold an advantage. While that's not entirely false - teams in this situation are on a 106-92-4 run (53.5 percent) - road teams coming off a bye, and the ones laying chalk in particular, have been hot.Overall, visitors with a little extra rest are on a 109-79-3 run (58 percent). However, find the ones that are giving points to find an even better return - road favorites with 14 or more days of rest are 50-23 (68.5 percent) against the spread in the last 73 situations.Here are some spots the angle will, or could, come into play this season:Week 7Chicago (-3) at MiamiWeek 10Jacksonville at IndianapolisWeek 11Minnesota at ChicagoWeek 12New England at New York JetsWeek 13Kansas City at OaklandLos Angeles Rams at DetroitThe earlier, the betterThere's no denying that a 16-week schedule can be a physical toll, especially considering the mileage teams rack up on the road. Perhaps that's why it's more valuable to play on teams with earlier bye weeks, when bodies are still relatively healthy and travel hasn't come in to play as much.Teams that play off a bye week prior to Week 8 are on a 99-71-3 run (58.2 percent), while those that play off a bye later than Week 7 are on a 116-101-5 run (53.5 percent).Teams with bye weeks before Week 8 that still have yet to play: Chicago, Tampa Bay, Detroit, New Orleans, Green Bay, Oakland, Seattle, Pittsburgh.Play on road favorites prior to their bye weeksNow that we have specific spots to play on when teams are off extra rest, we can look at how to play teams that have bye weeks on deck.The road teams, especially the ones giving points, have again been profitable. Visiting teams laying chalk are 70-54 (56.5 percent) against the spread the last 124 situations while road teams are, in general, slightly below that clip at 58.5 percent.Here are the teams that will play road games prior to their bye this season:Week 6Pittsburgh (+2.5) at CincinnatiWeek 7Tennessee at Los Angeles ChargersDallas at WashingtonWeek 8Indianapolis at OaklandPhiladelphia at JacksonvilleWeek 9Houston at DenverWeek 10New England at TennesseeBuffalo at New York JetsMiami at Green BayIt's important to stay sharp when betting on the NFL. It doesn't get any more unorthodox than keeping tabs on who isn't playing on a weekly basis.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lee Merkel, a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan, used his obituary to take one final shot at the team.Originally from Rochester, Merkel died Sunday in Raleigh, N.C., at the age of 83. His obituary describes him as an "avid fisherman and sports enthusiast who had a religious-like devotion to the Syracuse Orange and his beloved Buffalo Bills."The last line of the obituary reads, "Lee has requested six Buffalo Bills players as pall bearers so they can let him down one last time."Merkel's son, Mark, told Adam Francis of WKBW-TV that his father was a longtime Bills season-ticket holder who attended all four of Buffalo's Super Bowl losses in the 1990s. Merkel got the idea for the line after seeing it in a Cleveland Browns fan's obituary years ago."A Super Bowl win never happened in his lifetime but my dad has several grandkids so he never lost hope that they will see the Bills win the big one," Mark Merkel said.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 updated rankings for Week 6.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.You can also listen to the Week 6 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.Standard

Rapper and Pittsburgh Steelers fan Snoop Dogg paid a visit to the Cleveland Browns' facility Wednesday, where he joined players on the field at practice and recorded a short promotional video for the team.

Despite a recent wave of criticism from coaches and players regarding officiating - particularly around the new roughing the passer rules - NFL Referees Association executive director Scott Green says officials are grading out with a high percentage of correct calls while adapting to the league's evolving rule changes."There will be issues with officiating. There always are," Green told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. "The issue from our standpoint is: We call what we're told to call. It's how well is that being interpreted? And how well is that being presented to us? To the extent that they're trying to get video out, when you start making changes in the season - obviously, I'm not saying that shouldn't be done, but it does require adjustment and it seems like we're doing some adjusting this year."It's all about consistency. Everybody wants consistency. We want to be consistent. Coaches want it. Players. It makes for a better game. If adjustments are going to be made, we'll try to catch up and make sure we're making the adjustments as everyone sees fit."Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was fined $25,000 on Wednesday for criticizing referees after Sunday's win over the Atlanta Falcons, calling the officiating "a joke." New York Giants players also bashed officials after a Week 5 loss to the Carolina Panthers.While Green said pointing out a potential mistake made by officials is "understandable," he believes referees have adapted to the new rules efficiently and penalties haven't affected the flow of games thus far."The state of officiating is pretty good, actually," Green said. "It seems officiating has kept up with the pace of the game, has kept up with the new rules, and frankly, as long as our guys know what the league wants called and the competition committee can make that clear and the message can be made clear, then that's what we're going to call."Though the amount of roughing the passer calls have increased in 2018, the number of total penalties are down from last year, per Pelissero.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The pair of lawsuits filed against Antonio Brown contain false claims, the Pittsburgh Steelers star said in a statement Thursday.Brown is accused of trashing an apartment and throwing furniture off a 14th-floor balcony of a complex in Florida in April, endangering a man and his 22-month-old grandson, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Brown is facing separate suits from the child's father and the apartment's landlord.

J.J. and T.J. Watt are in a race to see who's the true sack master in the family.J.J., the star defensive lineman of the Houston Texans, and T.J., the Pittsburgh Steelers' first-round pick in 2017, are currently tied with Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins for the NFL lead in sacks.Although the brothers see the sack race as a "healthy competition," their support for one another is unwavering."It's always been competitive," J.J. said, via ESPN's Sarah Barshop. "It's always been like that. This is just the first time in the league we've gotten a chance to both be healthy and do it the same time."But, no, we're each other's biggest fans. We each root for each other as much as we can, whenever we can. I want to see him get as many sacks as he can possibly get, just the same way he wants to see me (get to the quarterback). We compete, and there's definitely a little bit of underlying competition there, but at the end of the day, if he gets 500 sacks, I'd be happy as hell."Competing for the league's sack title also adds unique motivation during the brothers' games. Prior to the Texans' Week 5 win over the Dallas Cowboys, T.J. collected three sacks against the Atlanta Falcons.The younger T.J. had six sacks to J.J.'s five at that point, so the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year had added incentive to get to the quarterback."I knew he had six sacks, so I knew I had to get at least one," J.J. said. "Otherwise, I couldn't go back to my phone after that. Then, I missed the one, so I was really pissed off."J.J. did notch a sack in the fourth quarter to ensure there would be a tie between the brothers heading into Week 6.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman tossed aside the notion Wednesday that his recent struggles are related to his off-field interests and newfound celebrity status.On Tuesday, former Redskins teammate DeAngelo Hall said Norman "is in love with being a celebrity right now" instead of being a football player."I seen a little bit of what he said with Hollywood and I can say that's true - I have went Hollywood," Norman told ESPN's John Keim. "I've been Hollywood. Ever since I came out my mama's womb, I've been Hollywood. If they went right, I went left. That's just how we did. When the lights came on, that's just who we are."Norman hasn't quite lived up to the hype that accompanied him to Washington three years ago when he signed the most expensive contract for a cornerback in NFL history. He struggled mightily against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football and was benched at halftime.Related: Thomas, Norman have Twitter battle after MNFNorman spent the previous week - Washington's bye - in Los Angeles to work on a sitcom called "Taking ConTroll." He also served as a guest analyst on FOX's NFL coverage. Norman was a contestant on "Dancing With The Stars" during the offseason."When it's football time, I'm going to do football," said Norman, who previously acknowledged he's eyeing a career in acting once his NFL career ends. "But outside of football? You're going to tell me I'm just supposed to do football outside of football? Or can I do something else? I don't know. I mean, I don't know if I'm supposed to live my life with a football helmet on when I retire from football."Norman, 30, was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro selection with the Carolina Panthers in 2015. He hasn't repeated either feat since joining the Redskins.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.In this episode, Boone and Woods are joined by Matt Kelley of RotoUnderworld to discuss the biggest fantasy questions heading into Week 6.Topics include:

Mitchell Trubisky's arm sleeve and all of its mystical powers are here to stay.The Chicago Bears quarterback said on Wednesday that he'll keep wearing the accessory after firing six touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 30 in a career-best game."I'm going to keep it on," Trubisky said, via ESPN's Jeff Dickerson. "We'll see what the color is. But it feels comfortable, gives me a little more swag or whatever. Just go out there and do your thing with the arm sleeve."In a black sleeve two weeks ago, Trubisky threw for 354 yards and six scores against the Bucs while completing 19 of his 26 pass attempts. The Bears were on a bye last week, and they return to action Sunday on the road against the Miami Dolphins.The second-year pivot initially wore the sleeve to prevent a cut on his arm from reopening. Teammates have jokingly said he can't take the sleeve off.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman is battling a bone contusion on his foot and his availability for Week 6 is in doubt, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Freeman sat out practice Wednesday because of a foot injury. The 26-year-old missed three games earlier this season due to a knee issue. He returned to the lineup in the Falcons' Week 5 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but was used sparingly.Freeman rushed for 68 yards on 14 carries in his only two appearances of the campaign. Tevin Coleman and rookie Ito Smith have handled most of the backfield duties during his absence.Atlanta will take a 1-4 record into Sunday's meeting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants pass-rusher Olivier Vernon is expected to make his 2018 season debut on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles.The 28-year old was sidelined in late August with a high-ankle sprain, missing the first five games of the season. He was a limited participant in practice this week before being left off the team's final injury report on Wednesday.The Giants signed Vernon to a five-year contract worth $85 million in 2016. In two seasons with the team, he's recorded 100 tackles, 15 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He missed four games in 2017 due to an ankle injury.Vernon's return could help a Giants pass-rush that's recorded a league-low six sacks this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.