The love that head coach Dan Campbell has for Texas A&M runs deep. But it's not enough to pry him away from the Detroit Lions.The school parted ways with Jimbo Fisher last weekend after he posted a 45-25 record in the span of five-plus years with the program. Campbell would only say that his alma mater "maybe" reached out regarding its head coaching vacancy."Certainly, I know some people there and I love my school. That's my alma mater, and I want to do anything I can to help (Texas A&M), but coach for them," Campbell said Friday.Campbell, 47, played tight end for the Aggies from 1995-99. He recorded 27 receptions for 314 yards and three touchdowns before being selected by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1999 draft.After his playing career came to an end, Campbell went into coaching. He was hired by the Lions in January 2021 after serving as an assistant for the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints. Detroit has posted a 19-23-1 record under Campbell and currently sits in first place within the NFC North division.Although Campbell isn't putting his name up for the Texas A&M vacancy, he did share what qualities the next coach will need to have to take the job."Certainly, the hire is important, and it needs to be somebody who understands the state of Texas, understands the history of Texas A&M, and can communicate with young people and develop them," Campbell said.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to 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.Consult our Week 11 rankings for the rest of your lineup decisions. You can also listen to the Week 11 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.StartC.J. Stroud, Texansvs. Cardinals Grant Halverson / Getty Images Sport / GettyStroud's managers likely don't need to be talked into starting him after back-to-back top-10 fantasy finishes the last two weeks.However, he's once again positioned for success in a game that's tied for the most projected points on the week at 47.5.On top of that, the Cardinals are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to quarterbacks and Stroud is expected to get his top receiver Nico Collins back.Boone's projection: 296 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 12 rushing yardsOther QBs to start

Despite leading the New York Giants with 673 scrimmage yards, star tailback Saquon Barkley isn't convinced that his loyalty will result in being rewarded with a lucrative contract next offseason."Loyalty means nothing," Barkley said Thursday, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "Loyalty, that don't mean nothing. No matter how loyal, no matter how committed you are, it's a business at the end of the day. That is something that I have learned."Barkley was unable to secure a long-term contract with the Giants last offseason. The club placed the franchise tag on him, which he ultimately signed in July. He's playing out the season on a one-year, $10.1-million contract that includes $900,000 in incentives.The 26-year-old has rushed for 568 yards and one touchdown while averaging 4.1 yards per carry this season. He's also added 23 receptions for 105 yards and two scores through the air. His 139 rushing attempts are the seventh-highest among running backs this year.The Giants are leaning on Barkley after losing quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor to injury. Undrafted rookie QB Tommy DeVito has been sharing the backfield with the two-time Pro Bowl halfback in recent weeks."They feed you the ball because it helps you and gives you an opportunity to win games more times than not. And then when it comes to contract or a certain time, and you're a running back, you having so much miles on you, it's a crazy concept," he said."I try my best not to think about that, or I would go insane," he added.Barkley is set to become a free agent after the season. The Giants could once again place the franchise tag on him to retain his services.The Giants star running back is still dealing with the lingering effects from a high ankle sprain that cost him three games earlier this season. Barkley said he expects to be available when New York takes on the Washington Commanders on Sunday.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. showed why he earned three Pro Bowl nods, hauling in four catches for 116 yards in Thursday's win over the Cincinnati Bengals.It marked Beckham's first 100-yard receiving game since posting nine catches for 113 yards against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game during the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl LVI title run in 2021. It's a performance that the 31-year-old wideout believes was overdue."It's been a long time coming," Beckham said postgame, according to the Baltimore Sun's Brian Wacker. "Been a lot of hard work."He added: "Early on in the season, I was hurting. I couldn't be myself. I didn't have the explosion. I couldn't move the way that I wanted to and I don't think people really knew what I was dealing with."Beckham exited the game after he was tackled by Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson on his final catch of the night and appeared to favor his left shoulder while walking off the field. He downplayed the ailment, insisting that he was feeling fine postgame.The veteran receiver is in the midst of his first season back on the field after being sidelined in 2022 with a knee injury that was sustained in Super Bowl LVI with the Rams. Prior to Thursday, Beckham posted touchdowns in back-to-back contests. He missed two games due to an ankle injury earlier this season.Baltimore signed Beckham to one-year contract that's worth up to $15 million, according to Spotrac.The Ravens are expected to lean on Beckham after likely losing Mark Andrews for the rest of the season due to an ankle injury he sustained in Thursday's win.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Burrow is believed to have suffered a sprained right wrist in Thursday's 34-20 blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said postgame, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The Bengals quarterback clutched his right hand following a short touchdown throw to Joe Mixon in the second quarter. He was then brought into the medical tent before being taken to the locker room after being unable to throw a football on the sidelines.

Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce isn't thinking about last season's Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of their rematch on Monday night."I'm motivated to win the game. I don't need the Super Bowl to motivate me to beat my brother or Andy Reid," Kelce said, according to ESPN's Tim McManus.He added: "I don't buy into Super Bowl revenge games. Each season is different. This team is not the same, that team is not the same. Nothing that happens on Monday night is going to at all change or make anything different about what happened last year."Kelce has never beaten his brother Travis or his former coach over his entire professional career, so he suggested finally claiming a win may motivate him more than avenging last season's 38-35 Super Bowl defeat.However, he joked that losing to his brother on an NFL field again wouldn't be the end of the world."I've beat him enough in his life that I think I will still be happy," Kelce said. "I've got a lot of them. It would be nice to get a win under the Eagles' belt."Monday night's highly anticipated matchup carries some similarities to Super Bowl LVII: Both the Chiefs (7-2) and Eagles (8-1) enter the contest as the No. 1 seed in their respective conferences.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 11.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.Half PPR

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs stomped on any controversy caused by his brother Trevon's postgame tweets following the Bills' dramatic 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday night.The Dallas Cowboys cornerback, 25, tweeted Monday night that his brother needs to get out of Buffalo, following it up with another comment suggesting that Josh Allen didn't find success until Stefon Diggs showed up. But, the Bills pass-catcher told reporters Thursday that his brother's tweets don't represent his sentiments."I'm not responsible for how other people feel," Diggs said, according to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. "Anybody in this room for this manner, a reporter, a player, even my own brother. I love my brother. In the space that my brother's coming from is my family. So, you want to know how he feels? You got to take it up with him."He added: "I can't combat or answer all the questions as to why, with people in the world saying X, Y, Z."Stefon Diggs, 29, said he hasn't talked to Trevon about the tweets but chalked it up to his brother commenting on the events from "more of a fan perspective." The younger Diggs brother hasn't suited up for the Cowboys since tearing his ACL earlier this season.The receiver, however, was upset that his brother's remarks sparked concerns about his relationship with the Bills. There was a lot of speculation about Diggs' future in Buffalo over the offseason before he patched up his relationship with the front office ahead of the 2023 campaign."I've never really said anything about being unhappy or any instance of that," Diggs said. "So, when you're drawing conclusions as to stuff I've never said, that's what kind of troubles me because it kind of throws a wrench in it. It kind of creates chaos where I haven't created (it)."The Bills are in the midst of a difficult season. Three losses in their last four games dropped their record to 5-5. The franchise fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey earlier this week.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, and Google.In this episode, Boone opens up the fantasy mailbag to answer your questions before Week 11.

It's such a bettors' mentality to win and feel like you missed out on more.We cashed another winner with three of five in our weekly guilty pleasure in Week 10, but with the Browns and Texans not on our list, it feels like there was more out there, even if the Panthers and Commanders came close enough that our favorite underdogs went 5-0 against the spread.With seven underdogs of a touchdown or more on the board for Week 11, there are plenty of opportunities to get aggressive - win, lose, or late field goal.How it worksWe parlay five underdogs together - which we also bet against the spread - in 10 different three-team parlays. Using every combination of a three-team parlay is called a round robin, so we'll use a total of 1.1 units to make 11 different bets: 10 three-team parlays and one five-team parlay, each for .1 units. You'll likely double your money if three teams pull off the upset. If four teams win, you're connecting on four separate parlays and will be very pleased with the return. If all five teams win, you'll be diving into a gold doubloon silo like a young Scrooge McDuck.Who to playGiants (+340) over CommandersPro: This is an outrageous price for this matchup.Con: Tommy DeVitoIn their first meeting this season, the Commanders managed 4.1 yards per play for a total of 273 total yards. That ineptitude had nothing to do with DeVito and could easily be replicable on Sunday.The Giants won 14-7 despite low expectations as home underdogs and losing the turnover battle with a pair of fumbles from non-quarterbacks.While frisky as an underdog itself, Washington isn't a team that should be expected to win games convincingly, especially with a defense that's lost two key pieces recently (Chase Young and Montez Sweat) and given up 5.2 yards per play to a Patriots team averaging 4.8 this season and 6.6 yards to the Seahawks, who've averaged 5.5.With another week of practice and a far better setup for success than in his last three appearances, DeVito should be able to play well enough to overcome a subterranean team rating and, with a couple of good bounces, win the game outright.Packers (+140) over ChargersPlaying the Rams and Steelers might be exactly what the doctor ordered for Jordan Love. His passing yardage (228 yards and 289 yards in his last two games) doesn't sound like much, but the Packers' anemic offense is only as good as their matchup, and now the Chargers' league-worst pass defense comes to town.The Bolts' offense has made it work with dump-offs to Austin Ekeler against the Bears, fumble luck against the Jets, and going 3-for-3 on fourth-down conversions against the Lions - none of which are particularly sustainable.Titans (+260) over JaguarsThe Jaguars virtually never cover as sizeable favorites, while Mike Vrabel and the Titans are known for winning more games as underdogs than anyone else during his tenure.Inconsistency is inevitable for a rookie quarterback, and the Tennessee offense was disappointing last week, but that doesn't mean Will Levis won't connect on a few deep passes this week. Of course, there's also the Titans' run game to rely on and a defensive line that should cause trouble for a Jacksonville offensive line that got lit up last week.Raiders (+600) over DolphinsNo, the Raiders probably aren't going to win. Let's focus less on the team and more on the odds. A group riding good vibes and a two-game win streak with capable talent and something it can do well - run the football - isn't the same as the opponents (Giants, Panthers, Patriots) the Dolphins have covered against in similarly lined games.At 6-to-1, and with Miami having injury question marks up and down the offensive line, the Raiders are worth their portion of this bet on the idea that Maxx Crosby and Co. can generate a game-altering turnover and otherwise limit Dolphins possessions. If Miami's offensive rhythm is off after its post-Germany bye week, that might be enough for a stunning upset that's more likely to occur than other candidates with shorter payouts.Jets (+260) over BillsEven at the best of times for the Bills, the Jets have been a thorn in Buffalo's side, with upset wins in two of their last three meetings. Things aren't exactly running smoothly in Buffalo now, and we still haven't found the bottom for the Bills in terms of their rating in the market. So we'll make it six weeks in a row of fading Buffalo and maybe longer until they cover.Sean McDermott's made the last move he's got up his sleeve by firing Ken Dorsey, but what can Joe Brady do to stop Josh Allen from turning the ball over? The Jets are far from the easiest opponent for the Bills to get back on track. Meanwhile, Buffalo's defense gets more banged up by the week.How the odds look this week:PARLAYODDS (Approx.)NYG+GB+LV+7000NYG+GB+TEN+3600NYG+GB+NYJ+3600NYG+LV+TEN+10000NYG+LV+NYJ+10000NYG+TEN+NYJ+5300GB+LV+TEN+5800GB+LV+NYJ+5800GB+TEN+NYJ+3000LV+TEN+NYJ+8500NYG+GB+LV+TEN+NYJ+89000Who are your five underdogs for a football betting lottery ticket?Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is expecting a much better outcome in his second NFL start Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers after a disappointing debut last month."I know what to expect now. ... I'm not stepping out there for the first time," Thompson-Robinson said Thursday, according to Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "I know all my keys, what to look at throughout film, what to watch, who the key players are on their defense, and everything now."So I'm not just going out there wide-eyed anymore. I'm going out there with the things to look at, things to focus on, and a plan to be able to attack them."The Browns are turning to Thompson-Robinson over veteran P.J. Walker for Week 11 after starter Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. A fifth-round pick out of UCLA this year, Thompson-Robinson struggled in his first NFL start in Week 4, recording a 52.8% completion rate, 121 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions. He was also sacked four times in Cleveland's 28-3 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens.Watson remained sidelined in the following weeks, but the Browns started Walker instead."It's going to be night and day," Thompson-Robinson said. "Just my progression, my maturity, how I've handled the week thus far and all the weeks before it - just being able to learn from that first experience, I think, is going to help me a bunch."Thompson-Robinson believes Cleveland should remain optimistic about the remainder of the season despite losing its starting quarterback."We shouldn't have a change in mindset, a change in goals. Our goals are still going to be the same whether it's me, P.J., or Deshaun," he said.Watson completed 61.4% of his passes for 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns against four interceptions in six starts this season. The 28-year-old posted one of his best moments with Cleveland in Week 10, going 14-for-14 passing in the second half en route to helping the team earn a statement 33-31 win over the Ravens.The Browns, who own one of the NFL's premier defenses, enter Week 11 with a 6-3 record.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars' offense has been among the NFL's most disappointing units this season, and head coach Doug Pederson says its struggles are partly because quarterback Trevor Lawrence isn't playing at 100%."One of the things that we haven't been able to do because of Trevor's condition with his knee is just move him a little bit more," Pederson said Wednesday, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. "Sometimes, you can create things off of that. He's been limited that way."Play-action pass can be an opportunity to shoot the ball down the field on first or second down, the screen game you've seen hit a little bit. Those are ways to create some explosives. Sometimes, just drop back and throw it. Just run past and use your speed on the perimeter. Try to take advantage of that while you're seeing teams do it in different ways."Lawrence injured his knee in the Week 6 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He hasn't missed a game with the ailment, but he was questionable for two weeks. He hasn't appeared in the Jaguars' injury report since Week 9.Jacksonville put up its worst offensive performance of the campaign in last Sunday's blowout defeat to the San Francisco 49ers, managing just three points and 221 total yards while allowing Lawrence to get sacked five times.The quarterback said this week that his knee is "finally getting to where I'm not going to really think about it as much," adding that he's excited to "play normal, move around" after needing to protect his knee over the last several weeks.The AFC South-leading Jaguars will host the Tennessee Titans in Week 11.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills interim offensive coordinator Joe Brady doesn't sound concerned at all by Josh Allen's turnover issues."Give me Josh Allen all day, every day," Brady said Thursday, per the "Pay the Bills" podcast. "When I look in his eyes before every game, there's not a worry in my mind. And I guarantee that's the same mindset for every guy in this locker room. I believe Josh Allen is the best quarterback in the NFL. It excites me that I get the opportunity to call plays with him because I feel like you can look down the play call, and whatever you call, Josh Allen is going to find a way to make it work."With a 70.3% completion rate, 2,600 passing yards, and 26 scrimmage touchdowns, Allen is among the NFL's most productive quarterbacks this season. However, the 27-year-old has struggled to take care of the ball, having tossed 11 interceptions - the most in the league. Allen has been intercepted in six straight games.Allen - the Bills' first-round pick in 2018 - finished in the top three in MVP voting twice from 2020-22."I have so much love for (Allen)," Brady added. "He's such a competitor, and all I want is for him to have success. ... His mentality, his approach to the game is so much fun."The Bills tabbed Brady - their quarterbacks coach - to replace former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who was fired on Tuesday after a home loss that dropped the team to 5-5. Buffalo has scored 25 or more points in only one game since Week 5. The AFC East club hired him during the 2022 offseason.Brady previously served as the Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator but was fired midway through his second season with the team in 2021. The 34-year-old originally joined the NFL after a spectacular 2019 college football season at LSU. As the Tigers' passing game coordinator, Brady helped Joe Burrow post one of the sport's greatest individual seasons ever en route to the national title.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell leads the league in passing yards, but the young gunslinger is focused on improving the club's record."I look more into what we're doing as a team and just how I can improve for this football team and how I can put this football team in better chances to win football games," Howell said, according to team reporter Zach Selby.The 23-year-old added: "Obviously, we haven't won enough games. We haven't won the games that I feel like we should have won this season."Howell shredded defenses in his last three games, racking up 1,034 passing yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions with a 102.4 passer rating. His 312 passing yards against the Seattle Seahawks made Howell the eighth player in NFL history to record four games with 300-plus passing yards in their first 11 career contests.Washington's offense is 17th in points per game after failing to rank in the top 20 in points per game since 2017. The Commanders' defense has been an issue, however, sitting 29th in yards per game allowed."I think we've played all right the past few weeks, (but it) doesn't mean we're going to play all right this week," Howell said."So, we got to take it one week at a time, one day at a time, and make sure we approach it the right way to give ourselves a chance to try to play well on Sunday and give us a chance to win."Howell has 2,783 passing yards with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions through 10 games this season. The 4-6 Commanders take on the 2-8 New York Giants in Week 11.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One game was enough for Kyler Murray to feel like the Arizona Cardinals are heading in the right direction."A lot of people keep saying, 'Oh, he's a better leader now' this and that. ... But the light's different right now," the quarterback recently said, according to team reporter Darren Urban. "People around me, teammates, everybody, it's just a different energy."Murray led the Cardinals to a last-second 25-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in his season debut after suffering a torn ACL in December 2022. The former No. 1 pick finished Week 10 with 19 completions on 32 attempts for 249 yards and no passing touchdowns with one interception. He also scored a TD on the ground.Murray's return wasn't pretty, but the star passer was able to engineer an 11-play, 70-yard drive in the final minutes that ended with a Matt Prater game-winning field goal. He converted a third-and-10 with a scramble and also had a 33-yard completion to tight end Trey McBride during the game-winning drive."You're always on edge," Murray said ahead of Week 11 against the Houston Texans. "You're never really comfortable. Great players understand when you are always on edge, whatever zone you're in, you're trying to stay in it however you get in it as long as possible."Sunday's win snapped a six-game skid for the Cardinals, who are now 2-8. Arizona made big changes during the 2023 offseason, hiring head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort. The NFC West team previously lacked consistency under former coach Kliff Kingsbury and went 28-37-1 from 2019-22.Murray has earned two Pro Bowl berths and an Offensive Rookie of the Year award since being drafted by Arizona in 2019. The 26-year-old has struggled to stay healthy recently and missed nine games between 2021-22. The Cardinals are 26-31-1 with him under center.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We've reached the sweet spot in the NFL season for futures betting. With nine or 10 games in the books for each team, it can feel like awards and statistical leaders are set in stone.However, with eight weeks remaining, we're only slightly past the halfway mark. You could argue that the remaining games count for more since recency bias is a significant element for voted-on awards.Before the season, we made bets in each of the futures markets. It's time to review how those are going (via the charts below) to determine whether to ride out a promising position (stay), add an interesting long shot (play), or hedge a great bet (protect).Most Valuable PlayerPLAYERPRESEASON ODDSCURRENT ODDSJalen Hurts+1000+300TrevorLawrence+1600+4000"Stay"Hurts is now the co-favorite for MVP and has a showdown with the other top choice, Patrick Mahomes, on Monday night. There are still too many other contenders to bet on someone else in order to "protect" a profit. So, keeping this valuable ticket in cross-fingered hands is the move."Play"Dak Prescott: MVP (+2500)

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is expected to receive consideration in the NFL's 2024 hiring cycle, a source told Mike Jones of The Athletic.The Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears are reportedly among the teams that'd appeal to Harbaugh.The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the Wolverines' final three regular-season games after an NCAA investigation into an alleged sign-stealing scheme. He served the first game of his suspension - which bans him from coaching on the sideline - in Saturday's win over Penn State.The 2011 NFL Coach of the Year was a hot candidate in the league last year. Harbaugh interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings and reportedly believed he was going to be hired. However, Kevin O'Connell ultimately won the Vikings job.Harbaugh said in February 2022 that the opportunity to join the Vikings was the "last time" he'd try to return to the NFL, per Jones. He then signed a new five-year contract with Michigan.Harbaugh coached the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-14, posting a 44-19-1 record while leading them to three NFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance. The Niners fell short against the Baltimore Ravens in the big game.Since Harbaugh joined Michigan in 2015, the team has posted an 81-25 record. The Wolverines, who reached the College Football Playoff semifinals last season, are 10-0 this campaign.The Raiders recently fired head coach Josh McDaniels and will presumably be looking for a new sideline boss in the offseason. Las Vegas won its first two games under interim coach Antonio Pierce.Meanwhile, the Matt Eberflus-coached Bears are 3-7 this season. Chicago is 6-21 since hiring Eberflus in 2022.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers are the most puzzlingly good team - if you can even call them that - in recent memory.At face value, everything about the Steelers suggests they're good. Their 6-3 record suggests they're good. They hold a playoff spot and are only a half-game away from leading the AFC North. That's good, right? Well, when you analyze the anatomy of this Pittsburgh team, almost nothing explains how this resilient Mike Tomlin-led side has been able to do what it has done.By now, everyone has heard the defining stat; Pittsburgh is the first team in NFL history to be outgained in each of its first nine games and emerge with a winning record. It's unbelievable but still barely scrapes the surface of the absurdity.When compared to other members of the six-win club this season, the Steelers appear to be the perfect example of faking it till you make it. Their minus-26 point differential is 25 points worse than their nearest six-win companion, the Seahawks, who are at minus-1, and 130 points away from the Cowboys, who sit at plus-104.In fact, Pittsburgh's point differential is tied for the fourth worst out of any 6-3 team in NFL history.Worst point differential for 6-3 teams in NFL historyYear Team Record Point Differential1986Cincinnati Bengals6-3-302020Cleveland Browns6-3-282016Houston Texans6-3-271936Pittsburgh Pirates6-3-262023Pittsburgh Steelers6-3-26The biggest problem is the offense. With an uninspiring coordinator in Matt Canada and a largely pedestrian but clutch quarterback in Kenny Pickett, the Steelers just don't score enough to be this good.Through nine contests, the Steelers have put up 156 points - 17.3 per game. Teams with that sort of production just don't get to 6-3. In fact, they don't get anywhere close. Going back to 2010, the Steelers aren't just the only team to have reached six wins while scoring 160 or fewer points through nine games, they're the only one with a winning record.Teams to score 160 points or fewer after 9 games since 2010Number of winsNumber of teams61*5041031821211407* 2023 SteelersThe Steelers haven't scored more than 26 points in a game this season. Even worse, they've hit 30 points just once since 2022. The last time they actually went over 30 was all the way back on Nov. 21, 2021 - almost two full years ago.As expected, the lack of points has forced Tomlin's squad into more nail-biting finishes than any other team. And no team wins them as often.The Steelers are an incredible 6-0 in one-score games this year. Surely, that must spell big trouble ahead. After all, records in close games are one of the most volatile statistics in the NFL.Except, for some reason, laws of regression don't seem to apply to Tomlin, who has seemingly created a winning formula that laughs in the face of unsustainability.Dating back to 2020, the Steelers have gone 28-9-1 in one-score games. That .750 winning percentage ties them with the Chiefs for the best mark in the NFL.Kansas City being up there makes sense. With a generational quarterback like Patrick Mahomes, it's no surprise the Chiefs are able to eke out wins. Pittsburgh, however, hasn't enjoyed that luxury. Tomlin has carved out that record with a past-his-prime Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky, and Pickett.So, how do the Steelers keep finding themselves in close, low-scoring games and how do they keep winning them? The strategy is simple to understand but a lot harder to actually make work.Step 1: Don't turn the ball over. Step 2: Bank on the defense generating turnovers and forcing red-zone stops. Pickett, though criticized for his conservative style, is the only quarterback to account for fewer than five turnovers this season, per CBS. Meanwhile, the defense has generated a league-leading 18 takeaways while ranking fourth in the red zone.A formula like that gives the Steelers nearly no margin for error. But, no matter how much they are forced to bend, they simply don't break.Maybe Tomlin himself is the answer to Pittsburgh's improbable start. After all, his 16 straight non-losing seasons to start his career are as inexplicable as records come. But he's found a way to make it happen, just like the Steelers have somehow found a way into the thick of the AFC's playoff race.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has gone from the top Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate to a bona fide MVP contender after delivering back-to-back clutch wins.While Stroud is grateful for the recognition he's receiving, the No. 2 pick isn't letting it distract him from elevating his game."It's cool to have people recognize some of the things that I've done or - as a team, we've done," Stroud said Wednesday, according to Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk."At the same time, I just want more," he added. "I want to do better. I want to be as complete as I can. This game is a process, and I know every week, I have to bring it."And I know I'm not being treated as a rookie anymore, so people are bringing their A-game because they want to knock me off or whatever they think. For me, I just really want to keep getting better and better."The 5-4 Texans jumped into the AFC's No. 7 seed after Stroud produced last-minute game-winning drives against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9.Not only does the rookie signal-caller have Houston on track for the postseason a year after it finished 3-13-1, but his production stacks up with the best in the NFL.Stroud ranks first in interception percentage (0.6), second in passing yards (2,626), third in yards per attempt (8.3), sixth in passer rating (101.0), and ninth in touchdown passes (15).With no veteran quarterback separating themselves from the pack, Stroud has a chance to become only the second rookie to win MVP, after Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown did so in 1957."It's been cool to be able to be in the (MVP) talk, but just like they love me this week, they'll hate me the next," Stroud said. "So I don't try to look at that stuff. I try to stay even-keeled and just stay on the straight and narrow and just work really hard and make my teammates around me better."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss the rest of the season after suffering a shoulder injury in the first half of last Sunday's win over the Baltimore Ravens, the team announced Wednesday.An MRI revealed a displaced fracture to the glenoid of Watson's throwing shoulder, which will require surgery.Watson is expected to make a full recovery for the start of the 2024 campaign."I'm still in disbelief. I'm still trying to process all the information," Watson said, according to Jake Trotter of ESPN."I felt like we were turning a corner to really make a run and still believe we still will with the guys in this locker room. I just wanted to physically be a part of it. ... It's tough to try to wrap everything around my head right now."The signal-caller also sustained a left high ankle sprain against Baltimore. Despite his injuries, Watson was able to finish the Week 10 game, throwing for 213 yards and one touchdown against one interception.Watson said he "pushed very hard" to play through the injury but doctors told him "there was no chance," according to Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network.The 28-year-old has been plagued by shoulder issues this season since hurting his throwing arm in Week 3. He missed three games because of the initial injury - a rotator cuff contusion - and played just 12 snaps in the Browns' Week 7 win over the Indianapolis Colts.Browns general manager Andrew Berry said Wednesday that Watson's displaced fracture was "a completely new injury" and not related to the rotator cuff contusion.Cleveland will start rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson over P.J. Walker in Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Kevin Stefanski said.Thompson-Robinson struggled in his lone career start, throwing three interceptions and just 121 yards on 36 attempts in a Week 4 loss to the Ravens.Berry said the team will add a third quarterback behind Thompson-Robinson and Walker, who started two games and finished the victory over the Colts when Watson was sidelined.Watson has completed 61.4% of his passes for 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns against four interceptions in 2023.The Browns signed Watson to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230-million contract following a trade from the Houston Texans.With his season-ending shoulder injury and a suspension to start the 2022 campaign, Watson will have played in just 12 games in his first two years in Cleveland.Cleveland's offense has been ravaged by injuries this season, with All-Pro running back Nick Chubb and right tackle Jack Conklin also on the sidelines for the rest of the year.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You'll have a hard time finding two more different matchups than last Thursday's game and this one. Very little was on the line when the Panthers and Bears clunked their heads together for three hours, whereas this week's tilt between the Bengals and Ravens is the most high-leverage game of the season in the AFC North.With news of Deshaun Watson's season-ending shoulder surgery, the Bengals (+375) are now the second choice in the betting markets to win the AFC North despite their 5-4 record putting them at the bottom of the division. A win in Baltimore on Thursday would put Cincinnati in a tie with Baltimore in the loss column. That would set up a Week 13 matchup at home against the Steelers - while the Ravens are on their bye - which could put them in a tie atop the division.Bengals @ Ravens (-3.5, 46.5)The downside of a big Thursday game is that it's played on a Thursday. The short week brings the usual injury question marks, with the Bengals already listing Tee Higgins and Sam Hubbard as out, while Trey Hendrickson and Chidobe Awuzie are both banged up but in line to play.Meanwhile, the Ravens' injury report lists Ronnie Stanley as out, Marlon Humphrey as doubtful, and John Simpson as questionable. That means there are a lot of matchup permutations that could swing depending on player availability. If both Stanley and Simpson don't go, is missing Hubbard and having a banged-up Hendrickson as big of an issue? What about on the other side of the ball? Is missing Higgins as big of a deal if the Ravens are without Humphrey?The line has toggled between -3.5 and -4 early in the week as the betting market tries to rationalize the injuries and come to grips with each team losing on last-second field goals this past Sunday. The Ravens' rating in the betting market extended as high as it's been all year before they lost to the Browns. Meanwhile, trying to figure out the Bengals' rating through the ups and downs of Joe Burrow's health has been a puzzle all season.With even more moving parts than the usual Thursday headache, we're searching for something we can rely on, and that's Burrow as an underdog. The Bengals' quarterback is 13-7 against the spread when he's expected to lose, and the more points he gets, the better the record, often winning outright. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson fell to 26-34 (43.3%) ATS as the favorite.The betting market isn't fooled by the Steelers' 6-3 start and is also bearish on the Browns. That's good for anyone with tickets on the Ravens to win the AFC North at +225, especially since you can come back and grab the Bengals at +375 before this game to corner the market before the stretch run. That might be a good play even without that original position since Cincinnati is live to win this game if the chips fall its way concerning player availability.Pick: Bengals (+3.5)Keaton Mitchell: Over 46.5 rushing + receiving yardsIn the first 10 plays last Sunday, Keaton Mitchell had an electric 39-yard touchdown run and a 32-yard reception. On the 13th play from scrimmage, Jackson almost found Mitchell for a deep touchdown. Assuming the Ravens script their first 15 plays, they may have accidentally shredded that screenplay as they gave Mitchell the ball just two more times the rest of the game.Things can move awfully quickly on the sidelines of an NFL game, so we'll forgive the Ravens for forgetting about their speedy tailback and believe they at least planned to get him the ball and will do a better job of that for 60 minutes Thursday.Tanner Hudson: Anytime touchdown (+500)With five targets on 16 snaps against the Bills and seven more in only 20 plays against the Texans, Burrow seems to have faith in Tanner Hudson.The one notable change out of the Bengals' bye is their desire to throw to the tight end. Hudson missed three games around the week off, but returning to the lineup against Buffalo has provided Burrow with a top target - one whom the QB will look at once Cincinnati approaches the goal line.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Michael Leone of Establish The Run joins Boone to discuss the biggest fantasy questions for Week 11.

Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich said Wednesday that he's taking back play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Thomas Brown for Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys, according to team reporter Darin Gantt.Reich added that he hasn't been given an ultimatum from Panthers ownership. He cited his experience and desire to improve the offense for the change but said it'll remain a collaborative process."If I have something to give the team, I want to give it," he said.Reich began his first season in Carolina as the offensive play-caller but ceded the duties to Brown in mid-October.The head coach said it was always his plan for Brown to take over and the move wasn't related to the offense's struggles during an 0-6 start.The Panthers continue to be among the NFL's worst offenses while sitting at 1-7, ranking 29th in points per game (17) and 30th in total yards per game (275.6).Meanwhile, No. 1 pick Bryce Young has fallen short of expectations. The rookie quarterback has thrown for just 1,560 yards and eight touchdowns against seven interceptions while taking 29 sacks (tied for fifth-most).Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen believes the players should shoulder some blame for the team's decision to fire offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey."I love Dorsey. As a human being, he's one of the good ones," Allen said Wednesday, per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. "Sad to see him go. The fact is, if we played better as a team, we probably don't have to make a move like that."He added: "Offensively, we have to play better football."Buffalo fired Dorsey on Tuesday. He joined the team as quarterbacks coach in 2019 and was elevated to offensive coordinator in 2022 when Brian Daboll took the New York Giants' head coaching job.The Bills' offense ranks seventh in yards per game this season, but the team has struggled to consistently put up points as of late. Since Week 5, 21% of Buffalo's offensive drives have ended in a turnover, ranking last in the NFL.The Bills are on a 2-4 run and haven't eclipsed 25 points in a single contest during that span. The defense has also been a problem, ranking last in EPA per play on defense since Week 5, per Ben Baldwin's database."Our backs are against the wall. The clock's ticking. We don't have much more wiggle room. We understand that," Allen said, per Buscaglia.After Dorsey's firing, the team promoted Joe Brady from quarterbacks coach to interim offensive coordinator. He was the passing-game coordinator for LSU's dominant 2019 offense before joining the Carolina Panthers as offensive coordinator in 2021. He was fired following Week 12 of the 2022 campaign."He's got a lot of juice to him," Allen said of Brady, according to Buscaglia.The 5-5 Bills will face off against the New York Jets in Week 11.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito will start in the team's Week 11 matchup against the Washington Commanders, head coach Brian Daboll confirmed Wednesday."I think he's a good young quarterback to work with. Try to improve him this week from last week. ... He's done a good job improving," Daboll said, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.Daboll added that DeVito is dealing with a shoulder injury but is healthy enough to start, per Pat Leonard of the NY Daily News.DeVito made his first career start in the team's 49-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10. The young signal-caller struggled to move the ball consistently, completing 14 passes for just 86 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.The 25-year-old has played in three games this year, as he replaced an injured Tyrod Taylor in Week 8 and was forced into action when Daniel Jones suffered a torn ACL in Week 9.New York's injury woes could get worse, as wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, cornerback Adoree' Jackson, and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux are in concussion protocol, Dabbol said.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is expected to return for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions after missing the last month with a thumb injury, head coach Matt Eberflus announced Wednesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.Eberflus added that Fields is "progressing well" after practicing in a limited capacity all of last week.Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent took over for Fields, leading the Bears to a 2-2 record while throwing for 859 yards and three touchdowns against six interceptions.Fields began a likely make-or-break season in Chicago poorly. He had only 99 passing yards in a Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and failed to throw for more than one touchdown in each of his first three games.However, the 24-year-old caught fire in the two games prior to his injury, throwing eight scores against just one pick while averaging 9.65 yards per attempt in a loss to the Denver Broncos and a win over the Washington Commanders.With the Bears currently holding the No. 1 pick (via the Carolina Panthers) and the No. 5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Fields' future with the Bears could be determined by his performances in the second half of the season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values and rest of season rankings for each position.Trade Values

The New England Patriots are yet to announce their plans at quarterback, but it appears Mac Jones no longer has the support of teammates.The "vast majority" of players in New England are done with Jones, a source told Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.Another source told Callahan that at least 80% of the Patriots' locker room has lost faith in the third-year quarterback, with the lack of belief coming from both sides of the ball.New England benched Jones for the third time this season after he threw an interception on the penultimate drive of last Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts.Bailey Zappe took over for Jones and was also picked off, sealing the Patriots' eighth loss of the campaign.Head coach Bill Belichick said postgame that he took out Jones because he "thought it was time for a change" but declined to discuss his plans at quarterback moving forward, according to Michael Baca of NFL.com.Jones has thrown the second-most interceptions in the NFL (10) while posting career-worst averages in yards per attempt (6.3) and yards per game (203.1).The AFC East club is on a bye in Week 11 before going on the road to face the 2-8 New York Giants.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets held a players-only meeting on Tuesday following their 16-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday Night Football."The guys talked, and we had the floor," wide receiver Garrett Wilson said Tuesday, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. "It was just us. We got to make sure we're all on the same page about where we're at and how the hell we get out of this funk, man. That was really the message. When it comes from one of your teammates, it always hits different. It always resonates a little bit more."The 4-5 Jets, who rank 30th in points scored per game this season, have suffered two straight losses in which the team didn't score a single touchdown. New York has had almost as many penalties (17) as points (18) during its losing streak, notes Cimini.The team is also dead last in third-down conversion percentage this season, having converted only 30 of 120 attempts on third down."We don't want to finish the season and look back like we should've done this earlier ... so let's talk about it now," Wilson added. "Hopefully, it leads to results, but the reality of us doing that and doing the right thing as far as calling a players-only meeting and talking, it doesn't guarantee anything. We still have to go out and do it."Jets coach Robert Saleh recently backed quarterback Zach Wilson and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Saleh said he doesn't plan to bench Wilson or take the club's play-calling duties off Hackett.Aaron Rodgers, who went down in Week 1 with an Achilles injury in his Jets debut, also showed support for Hackett. The four-time NFL MVP played multiple seasons in Hackett's offense on the Green Bay Packers."I won MVP twice in the same offense, so I'm a believer. I'm a believer in the offense," Rodgers said on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday.He added: "It's easy right now to throw it at the usual suspects, Zach and Nathaniel, but there's a lot of positions that need to play better."The Jets sent a surprising message to their struggling offense Tuesday by releasing third-year running back Michael Carter only two seasons after he led the team in rushing as a rookie.New York visits the Buffalo Bills in Week 11.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Boone discusses the players and defenses with the most favorable fantasy playoff schedules.

Patriots defensive lineman and team captain Deatrich Wise Jr. doesn't think the popular "You are what your record says you are" saying applies to New England."This is a tough season and we have a bad record, but we don't have a bad team," said Wise, who also strongly praised head coach Bill Belichick, according to Matt Geagan of CBS Boston.The Patriots fell to 2-8 for the first time since 2000 after last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts. New England has particularly struggled offensively with Mac Jones at quarterback, ranking 31st in points per game.Meanwhile, the Patriots' defense - often one of the NFL's best under Belichick - is also in the bottom half of the league in both points and EPA per play allowed.Wise likes some of the things he's seen from his team on both sides of the ball, though."We've done a lot of great things," he said Tuesday. "On defense, we continue to have great success. There have been a lot of teams that score a high number of points, and we're consistently stopping them from their yearly average. A lot of good teams come our way, and, besides maybe two games, they leave with their season low."The veteran defender added: "We're doing some great things on offense; the line is moving guys out of the way and holes are being created. ... There are a lot of connections and glimpses of positive plays throughout the game on both sides of the ball and on special teams."Wise, a 2017 fourth-round pick who's spent his entire NFL career with the Patriots, has racked up 37 tackles and two sacks in 2023.He also backed Jones, who was benched again for Bailey Zappe in the fourth quarter versus the Colts after tossing a late interception. The 2021 first-round passer now has 10 touchdowns and 10 picks this season."We still believe in him," Wise said of Jones. "There are a lot of tough things going on, but he's doing a great job handling the criticism that is coming his way. We, as a team, support him and are behind him."New England will visit the 2-8 New York Giants after its Week 11 bye.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Bills have fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, the team announced Tuesday.Quarterbacks coach Joe Brady will be the interim replacement.The move comes after a disappointing 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football that dropped the team to 5-5. The Bills had only 22 minutes of offensive possession while turning the ball over four times."Just felt like it was time for a change," head coach Sean McDermott said Tuesday, according to Kevin Patra of NFL Network. "You know, we need to be a confident offensive football team and find consistent production, and that's really what it came down to."Buffalo's offense still ranks in the top 10 in points and yards per game. However, it's sputtered over the last few weeks. The Bills have failed to eclipse 26 points in a contest since Week 4, going 2-4 during that stretch.Star quarterback Josh Allen's consistent turnovers throughout the season have hampered the offense. He's thrown an interception in all but two games this year and currently leads the league with 11."He can call literally anything on his playbook," Allen said of Dorsey last week, per Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News. "He should be able to point at any given play, and we should go out there and try to execute it and execute it to the best of our ability."He added: "And so, again, that comes down to the guys on the field. And, you know, we've got to be better for him."McDermott hired Dorsey as the quarterbacks coach in 2019 after he spent five years with the Carolina Panthers in the same role. He was upgraded to passing game coordinator in 2021, then promoted to offensive coordinator when Brian Daboll took the New York Giants' head coaching job.Brady was the passing game coordinator for LSU during its historic national championship-winning season. He was hired the following year by the Panthers to be their offensive coordinator but was fired in December 2021. McDermott brought him onto the staff as quarterbacks coach before the 2022 season."Just more than anything, like I just said, is (to) come out with an energy about our offense and what we're doing and move the football and score points," McDermott said of what he wants to see from a Brady-led offense, per Patra. "That's really the offense's job at the end of the day."The Bills will take on the New York Jets in Week 11.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders claimed former New England Patriots cornerback Jack Jones off waivers Tuesday, Jones' agent told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.The Patriots released Jones after he played just 10 snaps in the team's 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10.The 5-foot-11, 180-pound cover man joins a Raiders secondary led by Marcus Peters and Nate Hobbs at cornerback and Tre'von Moehrig at safety. Las Vegas is allowing 198.7 passing yards per game through 10 contests - the eighth-best mark in the league.The 25-year-old's behavior and engagement weren't up to par while the team was in Germany for the contest against the Colts, a source told Boston Sports Journal's Mike Giardi.Jones, a fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft, had previously been disciplined by the team before his release. The corner had missed rehab sessions and talked back to head coach Bill Belichick in January, according to NBC Boston's Albert Breer, which resulted in the team suspending Jones.He was also benched to begin the club's Week 9 matchup with the Washington Commanders, according to The Athletic's Chad Graff.In addition to his issues with the team, Jones was arrested on gun charges in June after bringing loaded, unregistered weapons into Boston Logan Airport. Jones agreed to one year of probation and community service in exchange for the charges being dropped.Jones previously played for Long Beach Polytechnic High School and Arizona State at the same time current Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce was on the coaching staff for each team.Jones has two interceptions, seven pass deflections, a forced fumble, and 42 total tackles in 18 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets released running back Michael Carter on Tuesday, the team announced.Carter, a fourth-round pick in 2021, amassed 964 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns as a rookie but hasn't been able to replicate that production since. He's racked up only 106 total yards this year - down from 402 yards in 2022 - and has yet to score a TD in 2023.With only eight carries in 2023, the 24-year-old, who expressed frustration with the team's offensive production earlier this season, ranks third among Jets running backs in rushing attempts behind Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook. Carter has also caught 15 passes.Carter's release presumably clears the way for fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda, who has yet to play this campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Upsets happen in the NFL. Each game amounts to an average of 10 possessions per team - if a few go awry on each side of the ball, the better squad is suddenly in trouble.When games continue to bewilder us even with the benefit of hindsight, it's not just about a shocking result. The Cowboys' Week 3 loss to the Cardinals remains a head-scratcher, but the Panthers' win over the Texans in Week 8 gets weirder with time. It's hard to believe Houston was merely a field goal favorite in Carolina.The "Huh? Hall of Fame" for the 2023 season isn't just limited to wins and losses. Mac Jones threw for 316 yards in Week 1 against the Eagles.Conversely, the Jets' win over the Bills on Monday night in Week 1 seems less of a stunner now. Everything that's happened with Buffalo's season since is believable in retrospect. That reinforces the idea that the Bills' rating needs to be lowered more and more each week, whereas other surprise results are excusable as flukes.How ratings workEvery week, we'll look at what the betting market thinks of each team based on the closing lines from that week's games. The "rating" column is an educated guess at the oddsmakers' rating to create a point spread, with the specific number being the percentage chance that the team beats an average opponent on a neutral field. Ratings aren't rankings. The closing line is considered a better reflection of a team's value than one game.The range column is my evaluation of what each team is capable of. It's our job as handicappers to determine where, within its range, a team will play based on factors like on-field matchups and roster/injury issues. The earlier it is in the season, the wider the range a team may have.Market ratings and our rangeTEAMRATINGRANGE49ers7460-80Eagles7360-80Cowboys7160-80Chiefs7060-80Ravens7055-75Lions7050-70Dolphins6955-75Bills6555-75Bengals6050-70Chargers5750-70Jaguars5745-65Browns5540-60Saints5340-60Seahawks5240-60Texans4630-50Steelers4540-60Broncos4335-55Falcons4235-55Buccaneers4230-50Colts4125-45Packers4035-55Titans4035-55Jets3930-50Commanders3935-55Vikings3735-55Patriots3630-50Raiders3430-50Rams3230-55Cardinals3020-40Bears2620-40Panthers2020-45Giants1225-45Cue the Stringer Bell GIFs - the 49ers are back up. With Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams back and Chase Young in the mix, its ascent shouldn't come as a surprise, especially since it routed the Jaguars. With the Eagles, Chiefs, and Dolphins getting the week off, the 49ers sit atop the market's ratings.The Lions moved from a virtual pick'em early in the week of their matchup with the Chargers to +3 before seeing buyback on Los Angeles on Sunday. The Bolts beat the Jets just six days earlier. Though it wasn't an impressive performance, downgrading them seemed harsh, so the move was more about a pro-Detroit stance. Those willing to wait to bet the Chargers got away with a push, while those betting on the Lions under a field goal got the money.Speaking of taking money, the Buccaneers got bet late in the week, though not quite up to -3. Is that about the market selling the Titans off a loss on the road to the Steelers? With extra rest, that seems unlikely. It thus has to be market interest in the Bucs after their offense showed success in Houston a week earlier.The Browns beat the Ravens, but did we learn anything definitive about Cleveland? For the third straight week, a Browns game featured a massive ricochet at the line of scrimmage. After the Seahawks caught one three weeks ago in beating the Browns, Cleveland caught the last two, putting it in a position to win in Baltimore despite trailing by 14 in the fourth quarter.The market didn't buy into Joshua Dobbs, opting to still believe in the Saints: Two mistakes that led to a pretty obvious bet to make.At the bottom of the NFL, our new challenge is to find the correct rating for the Cardinals now that Kyler Murray is back. It didn't help that the Falcons might not be rated low enough. Meanwhile, Tommy DeVito's Giants have plunged to Arizona's former position under our artificial floor of incompetence: 20/100.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin wants quarterback Kenny Pickett to elevate his play in the second half of the season."Man, we're gonna need more. Particularly as this road narrows," Tomlin said of his quarterback, according to Noah Strackbein of Sports Illustrated.Pickett has yet to eclipse 235 passing yards in a single game this season. Pittsburgh's offense has struggled to produce consistently, ranking 26th in points per game and 28th in yards per contest this campaign.Despite being outgained in every game, the Steelers are 6-3 after ripping off victories in four of their last five contests."Guys like Kenny and myself, we're measured by wins and losses," Tomlin said. "He and I talk about that often and openly. We know what our jobs are. Our jobs are to win. And so, that's where we are. That's where our focus is."Pittsburgh's defense has carried the team, forcing a league-leading 18 turnovers while allowing only 20.2 points per game. However, the offense deserves some credit for the team's latest hot stretch.The Steelers' offense ranks 14th in EPA per play since Week 5, per Ben Baldwin's database, a drastic increase after sitting 31st through the first four games.A big part of that is Pickett taking care of the ball. The 25-year-old hasn't thrown an interception since Week 4 and ranks second behind only C.J. Stroud in interceptions from starting quarterbacks in 2023.Pittsburgh faces the Cleveland Browns in Week 11.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 11.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

The inexplicable ending of the AFC divisional-round playoff game two seasons ago - the 13 Seconds game against the Kansas City Chiefs that the Buffalo Bills somehow conspired to lose - seemed like the nadir of the Sean McDermott era for a franchise that was quite familiar with nadirs.But it turns out it might have been the peak.A 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos in Buffalo on Monday Night Football leaves the Bills at 5-5, which is bad enough for a preseason Super Bowl contender. The schedule gets harder from here, and in an AFC with 11 teams at or above that mark, the Bills could already be doomed. At least they got the heartbreak out of the way early this time.It's not just that they lost on Monday night; this is a franchise with a lot of experience in gut-punch, prime-time defeats. It's that they were poised to win despite playing a largely disastrous game, one in which the offense remained stuck in its six-week funk and in which the defense kept them in it against a Broncos offense that was, weirdly, not trying all that hard to score points.It's that McDermott, having successfully called an all-out blitz to sack Denver quarterback Russell Wilson and push the Broncos out of field-goal range with 35 seconds left and no timeouts, called yet another all-out blitz. Given a second chance to get rid of the ball quickly and test an exposed Buffalo secondary, Wilson did precisely that, lofting a pass in the direction of Jerry Jeudy, who drew a pass-interference penalty that effectively won Denver the game by setting up a field-goal attempt.Even then, the Bills were almost gifted the win, as Denver rushed the kick with time winding down. Wil Lutz missed it, but the Bills had 12 men on the field, and Lutz hit the second attempt from 5 yards closer.On the sidelines, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen was wide-eyed in shock, likely trying to process the stunning defeat while realizing that, as the Bills' quarterback, this might just be his fate now. Buffalo is where 99% win probabilities go to die. Rich Barnes / Getty ImagesAfter the playoff loss to the Chiefs in 2022, two things were evident. In Allen, the Bills finally had a quarterback who made them a title contender. His raw talent successfully honed, he had gone into Arrowhead Stadium and traded haymakers with Patrick Mahomes. But in McDermott, the Bills also had a head coach who had overseen an all-but-impossible collapse in those final 13 seconds and, notably, never really owned up to it.That was the nagging question, then: Sure, Allen was a thrilling player, but with McDermott in charge, was there a ceiling on how good this team could be? A big part of the head coach portfolio is late-game management, and McDermott hadn't proven he was good at it and got annoyed when he was asked about it.Eighteen months later, the Bills have thwacked their head on the McDermott ceiling. The combination of the late blitz call and the 12th-man penalties on Monday night is entirely on the coaching staff, especially when the Broncos had already executed a quick field goal at the end of the first half and were obviously setting themselves up to try the same thing. If McDermott is the kind of coach who benches a running back for fumbling the ball, which he did to James Cook in the first quarter, why not hold himself accountable for making avoidable mistakes?Perhaps that will come later. For now, Buffalo's response has been to fire offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who couldn't lift Allen and friends out of a funk that has lasted since the Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins.Whether Dorsey deserves the bulk of the blame for that is questionable. While the offense has rarely been in rhythm, it has also been plagued by mistakes - drops, fumbles, interceptions - that can't be attributed to scheme or play calls. But it's also possible that the mistakes would clear up if the offense ever operated as it did in the glory days of 2021 under former coordinator Brian Daboll. Chicken? Egg? Unclear.The Bills were supposed to take advantage of a relatively easy early-season schedule to set themselves up for some tough tests on the way to the playoffs: Philadelphia, Kansas City, and Dallas all await in the coming month. Instead, the Bills lost games to Zach Wilson and Mac Jones, two quarterbacks who could be engaged in a season-long duel to see which is more inept. They almost lost at home to the New York Giants, who are 2-8 and gave up 89 points in two losses to the Dallas Cowboys. The Bills managed 14. And now, they've lost to a Broncos team that gave up 70 points to the Dolphins and seemed content to play 1970s football against Buffalo - all short throws and runs. And it worked. (Barely.)McDermott, the most successful coach the Bills have had since Marv Levy, needs to figure out how to turn this thing around. He started with Dorsey. It was always unlikely that he would start with himself.Scott Stinson is a former national sports columnist for Postmedia News.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 1The Eagles held on to the top spot during their bye. Next up: a Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs.2. Kansas City Chiefs (7-2)Previous rank: 3Like the Eagles, the Chiefs were also on a bye. A prime-time matchup against Philly next Monday will be for all the marbles in our power rankings and the title of NFL's biggest superpower.3. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)Previous rank: 2The Ravens squandered a 15-point lead in their loss to the Browns. That just can't happen if this team wants to contend in an ultracompetitive AFC.4. Detroit Lions (7-2)Previous rank: 5The Lions made yet another statement by going into L.A. and emerging victorious in a back-and-forth shootout with Justin Herbert and the Chargers.5. Dallas Cowboys (6-3) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 6Shutting down Giants rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito was a given. But, it must have felt good to lay a season-high 49 points and 640 yards on their divisional rivals.6. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)Previous rank: 4After reeling off four straight wins, the Bengals came crashing back down to earth with a home loss to the Texans. Cincinnati may have little margin for error the rest of the way if it wants to return to the playoffs.7. San Francisco 49ers (6-3)Previous rank: 9Panic has subsided in San Francisco. After losing three straight, the 49ers are healthy and winning again. They signaled their return by dismantling the Jaguars.8. Miami Dolphins (6-3)Previous rank: 8The Dolphins had a lot to reflect on during their bye after losing to the Chiefs in Week 9. Luckily for them, they get the Raiders and Jets next to work out any of their issues.9. Cleveland Browns (6-3)Previous rank: 13These Browns are resilient. Despite being banged up, Cleveland ripped off 16 unanswered points to leave the division rival Ravens speechless.10. Houston Texans (5-4) Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 14Things in Houston are going infinitely better than they were a year ago. Buoyed by amazing quarterback play from C.J. Stroud and confident coaching, the team has almost doubled last season's win total.11. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3)Previous rank: 7When the Jaguars are on, they look like one of the league's best teams. When they're off, they get trounced by the opposition.12. Seattle Seahawks (6-3)Previous rank: 12Seattle is about to begin a brutal stretch of games against division opponents and contenders, but the team has to feel good entering that gauntlet at 6-3.13. Los Angeles Chargers (4-5)Previous rank: 10Year after year, the Chargers field a talented team that just can't seem to put it all together. Another fumbled game or two and the Bolts could tumble dramatically in future rankings.14. Buffalo Bills (5-5)Previous rank: 11The Bills' turnover woes continue to haunt them. Buffalo gave the ball to the Broncos four times Monday night.15. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) Joe Sargent / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 15The stats aren't great, but the record is strong, and the Steelers are still squarely in the mix for the AFC North crown.16. Minnesota Vikings (6-4)Previous rank: 18Kevin O'Connell is making a case for Coach of the Year. The Vikings are 5-0 since Justin Jefferson was placed on injured reserve despite losing Kirk Cousins for the year and leaning on newcomer Joshua Dobbs.17. New Orleans Saints (5-5)Previous rank: 16The Saints enter their bye week at .500 and in first place in the NFC South despite inconsistent play from both their offense and defense.18. Indianapolis Colts (5-5)Previous rank: 23Gardner Minshew is doing just enough to keep the Colts afloat while Jonathan Taylor rounds into form. The latter has scored a touchdown in three of the team's last four games.19. Washington Commanders (4-6)Previous rank: 19All but two of the Commanders' contests this campaign have finished as one-score games. They've been on the wrong end of those close calls in three of their last four matchups.20. Las Vegas Raiders (5-5) Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 26The Raiders' last two games have been a blowout win and a last-second victory assisted by a Robert Spillane interception. Interim coach Antonio Pierce has breathed new life into this squad.21. New York Jets (4-5)Previous rank: 17Aaron Rodgers' potential return won't matter much if Zach Wilson can't do enough to keep this team afloat. Gang Green will look to rebound against the Bills after suffering back-to-back losses.22. Denver Broncos (4-5)Previous rank: 25It wasn't pretty, but Denver managed to eke out a win against the Bills thanks to an opportunistic defense. The Broncos have now won three in a row.23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)Previous rank: 24The Bucs finally returned to the win column against the Titans, which ended a four-game losing streak. Tampa Bay remains squarely in the chase for the NFC South crown despite the skid.24. Los Angeles Rams (3-6)Previous rank: 22Matthew Stafford's return to the lineup will give the Rams a chance to make some noise down the stretch, but they'll need to be nearly perfect.25. Atlanta Falcons (4-6) Mike Christy / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 21The Falcons managed just 70 passing yards against the Cardinals, who employ one of the league's worst defenses. Something needs to change in Atlanta.26. Tennessee Titans (3-6)Previous rank: 20It's all about Will Levis for the rest of this season. It's been an up-and-down few weeks for the rookie quarterback since taking over, but he's certainly shown some potential.27. Chicago Bears (3-7)Previous rank: 28Beating the Panthers last week improved the chances of Carolina's top pick, acquired by the Bears in last year's draft-night blockbuster, being first overall.28. Arizona Cardinals (2-8)Previous rank: 32Kyler Murray's return marks an exciting time for the Cardinals. This team should be much more competitive down the stretch.29. Green Bay Packers (3-6)Previous rank: 27Things aren't going well in Green Bay. Jordan Love might need a productive stretch run to keep the Packers from taking a quarterback early in the 2024 draft.30. New York Giants (2-8) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 30The Giants' collapse could be a blessing in disguise, as this might be a great year to be in a position to draft a quarterback. But will they be bold enough to give up on Daniel Jones already?31. New England Patriots (2-8)Previous rank: 29It feels like we're nearing the end of the Bill Belichick era in New England. This team needs to tear it down and start over.32. Carolina Panthers (1-8)Previous rank: 31The Panthers haven't been able to get anything out of Bryce Young after trading up to select him last spring. Frank Reich could find himself on the hot seat if that doesn't change soon.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver-wire pickups.Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.Week 11 byes

The Denver Broncos forced four turnovers - including three on Josh Allen - on their way to a dramatic 24-22 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Monday.Despite the takeaways, the Broncos still needed a late game-winning drive and a few lucky breaks to secure the win. Wil Lutz's initial attempt at the game-winning field goal bounced back off the upright, but he was gifted another opportunity after the Bills were flagged for having 12 players on the field.Lutz drilled his second try for the decisive score that dropped the Bills to an even 5-5 on the season.

Two-time Super Bowl champion and three-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul plans to sign with the New Orleans Saints, he confirmed to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.Pierre-Paul was in New Orleans for a workout with the team Monday. He will be joining the practice squad, a club spokesman told ESPN's Katherine Terrell.The 34-year-old spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens, where he started 13 games. Despite playing in 60% of the Ravens' defensive snaps, Pierre-Paul was limited to just three sacks, three quarterback hits, and five tackles for a loss.Pierre-Paul previously spent four seasons, spanning from 2018-2021, playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He won his second Super Bowl with the Bucs at the conclusion of the 2020 campaign and recorded 12.5 sacks in 2018, his best season with the franchise.A first-round pick in the 2010 draft, Pierre-Paul built his reputation as a dominant pass-rusher with the New York Giants. He won his first Super Bowl with the club in 2011 after recording a career-best 16.5 sacks.The Saints have notched just 18 sacks through 10 games with no player recording more than 5.5 sacks. New Orleans sits at 5-5 but owns the top record in the NFC South.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Boone discusses the latest injuries and the top players available on the waiver wire.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is unlikely to play in Thursday night's game against the Baltimore Ravens due to his hamstring injury, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.It would be Higgins' third missed game of the campaign. The hamstring ailment sidelined Higgins for the team's 30-27 loss against the Houston Texans in Week 10, and he missed Week 5 because of a rib injury.The 24-year-old has posted 27 receptions for 328 yards this season. Both marks rank third on the team, trailing Ja'Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd. He's also caught two touchdowns.Higgins has hauled in 242 receptions for 3,356 yards and 21 touchdowns in 53 career games since being selected with the No. 33 pick in the 2020 draft. The Clemson product is in the final year of his rookie contract and is slated to hit free agency after the 2023 campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is expected to start Week 11 against the Seattle Seahawks, head coach Sean McVay said Monday.Stafford is dealing with a thumb injury that sidelined him for the team's Week 9 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Los Angeles was on a bye last week.The 35-year-old is able to grip the ball and throw in individual drills, McVay said, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic. However, McVay added that Stafford is still not 100% and "he'll be pushing through," per Greg Beacham of The Associated Press.Stafford suffered the injury in the club's Week 8 loss to the Dallas Cowboys after hitting his hand on an opponent's helmet late in the first half. He returned for the second half but was forced to leave for the remainder of the game after catching a two-point conversion in the third quarter.Los Angeles struggled without its gun-slinger against the Packers, mustering only 187 yards of total offense with Brett Rypein starting at quarterback. Rypein was waived the following week, and the Rams signed free agent Carson Wentz to be Stafford's backup.Linebacker Ernest Jones (knee) and offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (ankle) are also expected back this week, according to team reporter Stu Jackson.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets' season continued to unravel in prime time with a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday night, but head coach Robert Saleh is still sticking by quarterback Zach Wilson and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.Saleh said Monday that Wilson will remain the team's starter and Hackett will keep play-calling duties despite the offense's woes and a 4-5 record."Nothing with the quarterback, nothing with the play-caller," said Saleh when asked about potential changes.He added the team will instead look to make adjustments "schematically" and "find ways to feature more of the things our guys are comfortable with."Saleh said he thought Wilson played well against the Raiders."It is hard to make changes just to make changes, to pacify something," he said, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic.Wilson threw a crucial red-zone interception with 1:14 left and the Jets trailing by four. New York got another chance to get a game-winning score after the Raiders punted, but its final drive, which included a failed Hail Mary attempt, fell short.New York's per-game averages of 16 points and 179.2 passing yards both rank 30th in the NFL. The AFC East club has only exceeded 25 points in one game this season.The Jets face a make-or-break two-game divisional stretch. They go on the road against the Buffalo Bills before hosting the Miami Dolphins.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Houston Texans seem to have found their quarterback of the future.C.J. Stroud continued his impressive rookie campaign by leading a game-winning drive on the road over Joe Burrow and the Bengals on Sunday.Stroud's now thrown for 2,626 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only two interceptions this year.As a result, the former Ohio State standout is running away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He's priced at -2500 to claim the honor, which equates to an implied probability of 96.2%.Stroud is now garnering attention in the MVP market thanks to his sensational play and the Texans' surprising 5-4 record.MVP oddsPlayerOddsPatrick Mahomes+300Jalen Hurts+375Lamar Jackson+400Tua Tagovailoa+750Joe Burrow+1000Christian McCaffrey+1600Josh Allen+2000Brock Purdy+2500C.J. Stroud+2500Jared Goff+2500Dak Prescott+4000Trevor Lawrence+4000Tyreek Hill+4000Stroud is +2500 (3.8% implied probability) to become the first rookie to win the MVP award since Jim Brown did so in 1957. He'd become the first-ever quarterback to pull off the feat if he can vault a list of the league's biggest stars.His odds of winning MVP have shortened drastically over the past two months. Stroud was +7500 prior to Week 10 and +25000 (bet $10, win $2,500) on Sept. 25.However, he has no shot at the award if his Texans don't make the playoffs. They're currently +110 to punch their ticket to the postseason. Their remaining schedule is on the easier side, though, with only two of eight games against teams with a winning record.Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Lamar Jackson - three quarterbacks leading teams in consideration for the best in the league - top the betting board. But no one has truly separated themselves from the pack, which could be the perfect recipe for Stroud to make history.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots are waiving cornerback Jack Jones, his agent confirmed Monday."We want to thank the Patriot organization for drafting Jack. Jack is an immense talent and looks forward to making an immediate contribution on his next team as soon as Sunday," his agent said, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.New England selected Jones in the fourth round of the 2022 draft out of Arizona State. The team benched him for the first two drives of the Week 9 matchup against the Washington Commanders, according to Chad Graf of The Athletic.Jones reportedly sulked on the bench by himself while the rest of the team stood on the sideline.The 25-year-old was arrested in June for trying to bring two loaded, unregistered guns into Boston Logan Airport. The charges were dropped after Jones agreed to a one-year probation and 48 hours of community service as part of a plea deal.He reportedly liked a tweet on the day of the game against the Commanders saying he should've "just pleaded guilty at this point," according to MassLive's Mark Daniels.Jones suited up in the team's Week 10 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany, registering two tackles on 10 defensive snaps.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Denver Broncos rejected three trade offers after fielding calls from seven teams about the availability of star cornerback Patrick Surtain II, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Denver never considered dealing the promising 23-year-old defensive back due to his talent and potential, Schefter reports.The San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles inquired about possible trade scenarios, a source told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. Denver was reportedly unwilling to part with Surtain unless it received a major haul in return. The Niners opted to acquire pass-rusher Chase Young, while the Eagles brought in safety Kevin Byard prior to the deadline.Head coach Sean Payton told reporters following the Oct. 31 trade deadline that the team wasn't shopping anyone.Despite the Broncos' struggles over the last few seasons, Surtain has emerged as a productive piece in the secondary. The 2021 first-round pick has recorded 148 tackles, 32 passes defended, and seven interceptions through 41 games. He was named a first-team All-Pro and earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2022.The Alabama product recorded 30 tackles and an interception in eight games this season. Surtain is playing on his rookie contract. The Broncos can exercise the fifth-year option in his deal after this season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud is in the midst of one of the best first-year quarterback seasons in NFL history, having led a second straight game-winning drive Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.With the Texans in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt, head coach DeMeco Ryans appreciates that he has a special player under center."The thing about C.J. is it's the calm in the chaos," Ryans said, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. "He doesn't waver. He's confident that he's going to make plays, and the moment isn't too big for him."The calmness starts for him in that he's played in a lot of big games at Ohio State. He's been under the big lights before. They're bright lights, and he's made big plays. He doesn't get wide-eyed when the moment comes."The No. 2 pick threw just his second interception of the season to give the Bengals a chance to tie the game 27-27, but he made up for it by driving 55 yards in 93 seconds, setting up a game-winning kick for Matt Ammendola.Stroud also threw a touchdown in the final minute against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, and his ability to thrive in clutch situations has spread confidence among his teammates."Nobody panicked," wide receiver Tank Dell said. "Everybody stayed levelheaded. C.J. has all the ability in the world. He's one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. There are a lot of great quarterbacks in the NFL, but he's already putting his stamp on that. When you've got 7 back there, you don't panic, because you know what he brings to the table."Through his first nine starts, Stroud ranks first in the NFL in passing yards per game (291.8), third in yards per attempt (8.3), and sixth in passer rating (101.0). His NFL-best touchdown-to-interception ratio of 7.5 is almost double that of the second-best quarterback."I never get down in the dumps, because I know we have a quarterback like that," defensive end Jonathan Greenard said.The Texans - who occupy the No. 7 spot in the AFC and sit one game behind the Jacksonville Jaguars - will look to win their third straight game in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.