After a major shakeup in the front office this week, will the Cleveland Browns finally snap a 12-game losing streak to start the season and get a win?If the beleaguered club has any chance of avoiding an 0-16 season, this Sunday's home game against the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers is likely their best shot.While they are 0-12 on the season, the Browns actually have a very stout rushing defense, something that should limit what has become a Packers' run-heavy offense since Rodgers went on injured reserve. That will likely put the fate of Green Bay in Brett Hundley's hands, a backup who has been hot-and-cold in his time as a starter.Cleveland finishes the season by hosting the Baltimore Ravens before traveling to the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. While the Bears contest offers hope, the other two seem to be definite losses. That situation makes Sunday likely the best chance for the Browns to finally notch a win this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs suspended corner Marcus Peters for Sunday's divisional matchup with the Oakland Raiders, but the ban may stem from more than his outburst during last week's game against the New York Jets.The suspension also involved an argument with a coach while on the way to the airport after last week's game, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on "Good Morning Football Weekend."Peters threw a referee's flag into the stands during the Jets game and walked to the locker room on the assumption he had been ejected, though he wasn't.The Chiefs will have to face the fellow 6-6 Raiders with a chance to take the division lead without their top-flight corner.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Everyone saw it.Tom Brady screamed at his offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels on the sidelines Sunday, and it appeared to be a one-sided conversation.

James Harrison wouldn't have re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason if he knew his role would be as diminished as it's been.The 39-year-old edge rusher has appeared in only four of the Steelers' 12 games this season, amassing a meager 29 snaps in those outings."Oh, yeah," Harrison told Michele Tafoya of NBC Sports when asked if he would've signed elsewhere for more playing time. "Who wants to not play?"After collecting at least five sacks in each of the previous three campaigns with the Steelers, Harrison has one this year.Pittsburgh was believed to be saving what's left in the 15-year veteran's gas tank for the season's stretch drive, but there's been no indication his role is set to expand as the playoffs approach.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles fans were out in full force the last time the team visited Los Angeles, with Philip Rivers noting afterward that it didn't feel like a home game for the Chargers.To ensure that doesn't happen again Sunday when the Rams host the Eagles, FOX Sports has posted an online casting call in an effort to have fans attend its pregame show outside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.The casting call reads as follows:

The Pittsburgh Steelers will let injured linebacker Ryan Shazier know they're thinking about him with a symbolic gesture.A number of Steelers will take the field Sunday wearing cleats with Shazier's image and the hashtag #Shalieve painted on them.

Peyton Manning versus Ryan Leaf. Andrew Luck versus Robert Griffin III. Jameis Winston versus Marcus Mariota.NFL history is dotted with matchups between quarterbacks selected with the top two picks in the same draft.Manning's first win came against Leaf. Griffin missed his scheduled date with Luck in 2014. And Mariota bested Winston in their first-ever pro game.The next chapter of that storied history will take place Sunday, when Jared Goff - the first overall pick of the 2016 draft - and the Los Angeles Rams host Carson Wentz - the second overall pick - and the Philadelphia Eagles.Here's a look at how the quarterbacks compare entering their massive Week 14 showdown:AccuracyBoth passers are enjoying superb sophomore seasons. Wentz has commanded the Eagles to a 10-2 record, tied for the league's best, while Goff has led the Rams to a 9-3 record and an impressive turnaround from a four-win season.Both the Rams and Eagles share the league lead in scoring offense at 30.1 points per game, and their quarterbacks own near-identical stats.Goff enters Week 14 with a 62.2 completion percentage to Wentz's 60.7 percentage. Both have shown poise, but Goff's ball placement in a deep-passing offense earns him the nod in this category.Advantage: GoffPocket presenceBoth players are protected by superior offensive lines. Los Angeles reinforced theirs by signing Andrew Whitworth in the offseason, and Philadelphia, despite losing Jason Peters after seven weeks, continues to keep Wentz upright.Goff's presence in the pocket has grown by leaps and bounds since his rookie year, but Wentz's highlight reel is littered with examples of his exemplary vision, timing, and awareness.

The Cincinnati Bengals placed corner Adam Jones on injured reserve Saturday, signaling the end of the season for the 11-year vet.Jones suffered a groin injury in Monday night's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the same play in which he intercepted his first pass of the season.William Jackson will likely take over starting duties in Jones' place.Jones, 34, has one year remaining on his contract, but the Bengals could earn $6 million in cap savings by cutting him.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Video contains coarse languageEminem's newest single, "Untouchable," includes a verse about free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick and his protests.

Even United States federal agents are taking fantasy football ultra seriously nowadays.One of the largest NFL survivor picks pools, Ron & Mike's Football Pool, had its documentation and money - collected by pool organizers - seized by federal agents who shut down the competition, sources told ESPN's Darren Rovell.There were at least five pools within the organizers' control with a minimum of $2.5 million at stake for the winners. A note was sent to users who were still competing in the pools after their website was voluntarily shut down.

The newest leader of the Cleveland Browns' front office has been tasked with the same assignment that each of his last dozen predecessors have had - find a good quarterback.As Browns owner Jimmy Haslam introduced new general manager John Dorsey at Friday's press conference, he made it clear that finding a leader under center is the top goal."That will be John's No. 1 priority,'' Haslam said Friday, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "The Cleveland Browns are not going to be successful until we get a quarterback. We're going to do whatever it takes to find a quarterback we need to be successful."Of course, the Browns have invested ample draft picks and free-agency money to acquire passers in recent years, with 2017 second-rounder DeShone Kizer, 2016 third-rounder Cody Kessler, and 2016 signee Kevin Hogan currently occupying their quarterback room. Haslam said those pivots will be part of the evaluation process, but that other options will most definitely be considered."We obviously have DeShone,'' Haslam said. "We have two other quarterbacks on the roster. We're going to look at free agency, and we're going to look at the draft. We have a substantial amount of capital."During the process, we've gotten to know each other very well over the last several weeks. (Dorsey) would tell you if you asked him, 'What did Jimmy ask you more than anything?' It was about quarterback."For his part, Dorsey said he'll spend time evaluating the quarterbacks on the roster and that he likes Kizer, having worked him out as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs' front office before last spring's draft.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In his maiden season as a starter, having missed the first game of the year, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett has survived an NFL-high 47 sacks in 2017, and it hasn't gone unnoticed by his teammates.The second-year pro says it is "fun" for him to take hits and get back up, though he's generally not a fan of taking shots from defenders. Veteran running back Frank Gore has seen plenty of quarterbacks through his 13 NFL seasons, but few who can take a lick and keep ticking like the young passer, who turns 24 next Monday."He's tough as f---," Gore told ESPN's Mike Wells. "I forget sometimes he’s so young, because for him to come in and do what he did and stay focused and his mind stays strong..."I can tell he’s happy to be in this situation. To be the man, even though he’s been taking a beating this season. He’s happy he’s gotten this opportunity to play and to show he can be a starting quarterback in this league."Brissett has had a rough go of things since being traded from the New England Patriots at the end of training camp, but he's battled through the struggles, passing for 2,542 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 206 yards and three scores.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Eli Manning's benching a week ago had at least one New York Giants supporter seriously crossing the line in the player-fan relationship.Not long after the team announced Manning's lengthy starting streak would end in favor of Geno Smith III, the new starting quarterback's father, Geno Smith Jr., received a disturbing phone call from an unhappy fan."I was just at work," Smith Jr. told Dan Duggan of NJ Advance Media. "I answered and he was like, 'Geno?' So I just listened and he was like, 'Is this Geno?' I was like, 'Yeah.' He was like, 'Your son better not start or we're going to kill you.' I kind of just laughed and then he hung up."Smith Jr., 43, was monitoring workers who were aiding relief efforts by FEMA in South Florida when he got the call from an unrecognized number with a Missouri area code. He was not particularly alarmed by the threat."If someone was going to kill me, they ain't going to call me and tell me," Smith Jr. said.His son, who will be backing up Manning this weekend, was a little more rattled by the call, but took comfort in how his father dealt with it."I think my dad handled it well," the Giants quarterback said. "He kind of just hung up the phone. It's just kind of shameful that would be happening because of someone doing their job. When he told me that, I was like, 'What?'"But you kind of get a sense of comfortability from him. He was like, 'Man, it's nothing, don't worry about it. Just do your thing, play your game.' So that was why I was able to be easy with it."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through 15 years as a player, John Lynch put up a potential Hall of Fame career with nine Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl title.However, the former safety believes his teams could have achieved more with a quarterback like the one he traded for in his current role as general manager of the San Francisco 49ers."I say, 'Man, I could have had five rings if I had a guy like that because in Tampa we never had that,'" Lynch joked to KNBR about Jimmy Garoppolo on Friday, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.Garoppolo started his first game for San Francisco last Sunday, and led the team to its second win of the year. The former New England Patriots quarterback completed 26 of 37 passes for 293 yards in the victory over the Chicago Bears, impressing Lynch with more than just his physical abilities."I think great leaders, great players… I think the greatest quality that you can't measure: Do they make people around them better?" Lynch added. "I don't think you can argue that he didn't do that for everybody on the field the other day."Lynch also recognized that the victory was just one game against one of the league's weaker team, and advised fans to "pump the brakes and say, 'Hey, let's go see what we do this week.'"Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters has been fined $24,309 for throwing an official's flag into the stands after a penalty was called on his team in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's loss to the New York Jets, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.Peters has also been suspended one game by his team following the incident. He will miss Sunday's clash with the Oakland Raiders.The third-year pro has made 41 tackles, five pass deflections, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles through 12 games this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee will play Sunday against the New York Giants after missing his team's past three games with a hamstring problem.Lee was taken off the Cowboys' injury report after fully participating in practice Friday.The veteran linebacker has recorded 52 tackles this season.Lee was named to the Pro Bowl in consecutive seasons and earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2016, serving as the anchor of the Cowboys' defense. With Dallas fighting to remain in the playoff race at 6-6, Lee's return to the lineup couldn't come at a better time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With Roger Goodell's new extension reportedly worth $200 million over five years - almost doubling Tom Brady's annual salary - the New England Patriots quarterback has finally found someone he doesn't feel guilty sticking the dinner bill with.Brady wasn't as shy to comment on Goodell after the reported contact signing as he was when the two were engulfed in a legal battle over Deflategate."That’s a lot of money and obviously NFL business is going well," Brady told Westwood One radio on Thursday night about Goodell's deal, according to NBC Sports Boston. "He can pick up a lot of checks now.""Maybe he’ll take me out to dinner sometime," the quarterback added in a joking fashion.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cleveland Browns released wide receiver Kenny Britt after signing him to a four-year, $32.5-million contract in the offseason, the team announced Friday.The 29-year-old will go on waivers, but is expected to go unclaimed. In that case, he would then be free to sign with a team of his choosing.Britt played in nine games for Cleveland this season, making 18 catches for 233 yards and two touchdowns.The move comes just one day after the Browns fired executive vice president Sashi Brown and replaced him with new general manager John Dorsey.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calais Campbell may win Defensive Player of the Year in his first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it won't be his only reward for his play in Florida.Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry officially proclaimed the defensive end "Mayor of Sacksonville" on Friday.

The Buffalo Bills could use an extra pair of hands ... and some shovels.Snow has fallen in Western New York and more of the white stuff is in the forecast for the Bills' home game Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.The team is offering $11 an hour and a free ticket to fans 18 years of age and older. The shoveling commenced at noon Friday.

The NFL ruled that the Cleveland Browns completed the provisions of the Rooney Rule before hiring John Dorsey as their new general manager, a league official told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Rooney Rule stipulates that teams must interview at least one minority candidate for any head coach or general manager vacancy before making their hire.Cleveland fired executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown on Thursday, then hired Dorsey later in the evening. Brown served as the team's de facto general manager upon being hired in January 2016.Related - New Browns GM Dorsey: 'Let's re-awake this sleeping giant'The Browns reportedly interviewed former Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley for their vacancy before hiring Dorsey, which would satisfy the rule.Dorsey previously served as general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013-2016.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is considering potential discipline for New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton after he was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert.Payton ran onto the field late in the fourth quarter, charging toward field judge Joe Larrow, who immediately threw a flag.After the game, Payton explained he was trying to call a timeout, a request he was felt went ignored the first time."I said, 'I've already called the timeout.' I probably said it with a little more oomph or vigor than I was supposed to, but I had enough. I gotta be smarter than that."The league can fine or suspended Payton if they feel he violated a rule or made physical contact with an official.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Each week during the NFL season, theScore's Dane Belbeck will handicap every matchup and offer up a three-pack of picks.Week 13 record (includes TNF): 8-8

When the Cleveland Browns fired executive vice president Sashi Brown on Thursday, head coach Hue Jackson was assured he'd return for the 2018 season.Owner Jimmy Haslam provided even stronger support of his second-year head coach on Friday."We plan on Hue Jackson being our football coach here for a long time," Haslam said Friday as he introduced John Dorsey as his new general manager.Dorsey and Jackson don't know each other well, but the veteran personnel evaluator said he likes what he's seen from afar."I like him as a man. I like his overall offensive schematics. I just like the way the team plays, they play hard," Dorsey said.Haslam also confirmed chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta will remain with the team.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Oakland Raiders receiver Amari Cooper is expected to miss Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs with an ankle injury, ESPN's Dan Graziano reports, citing a source.Cooper suffered the ankle injury and a concussion on a vicious hit in a Week 12 game against the Denver Broncos. As a result, he missed last week's game against the New York Giants.It appears the Raiders will be absent their No. 1 receiver for a pivotal AFC West showdown. Both the Raiders and Chiefs are 6-6 and share the division lead with the Los Angeles Chargers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cleveland Browns introduced their new general manager Friday, and John Dorsey didn't waste any time endearing himself to the fan base."Let's re-awake this sleeping giant, the Cleveland Browns. I'm kind of excited about that," Dorsey said at his introductory press conference.Dorsey takes over a club that is 1-27 in the past two seasons and hasn't made the playoffs since 2002. Dorsey brings with him 26 years of player personnel experience and recently spent four years as the general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs.Despite the Browns' recent history, Dorsey has no qualms about his new gig."This is one of those iconic franchises. This has got one of the most unique fan bases in the National Football League," Dorsey said. "We want to be competitive every year ... and we're going to do that."The Browns are stocked with substantial draft capital, including two first-round picks and three second-round selections in the upcoming draft.Former executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown was fired Thursday, and owner Jimmy Haslam may have hinted at a potential reason for his dismissal."Let me say it this way. The Cleveland Browns are not gonna be successful until we get a quarterback," Haslam said. "We obviously have DeShone (Kizer), we have two other quarterbacks on the roster. We're going to look at free agency and we're going to look at the draft."We're going to do whatever it takes to find the quarterback we need to be successful."Haslam said identifying the right quarterback will be Dorsey's No. 1 responsibility.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matthew Stafford is progressing, but there's no guarantee the Detroit Lions quarterback will be ready to play Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as he recovers from a hand injury."We'll see," head coach Jim Caldwell said Friday of his star pivot's status for the game, according to Tim Twentyman of Detroitlions.com.Stafford suffered the injury in last week's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and while X-rays came back negative, he's been limited in practice all week.At 6-6 and two games behind the Atlanta Falcons for the final wild-card spot - Atlanta also owns the head-to-head tiebreaker - Detroit can ill-afford to pick up a third straight loss.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Running back Adrian Peterson is likely to miss his second straight game Sunday when the Arizona Cardinals take on the Tennessee Titans due to an ailing neck, a source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.The injury, which forced Peterson to miss last week's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, doesn't require surgery, according to Anderson.The 32-year-old has rushed for 448 yards and two touchdowns in six games since being acquired by the Cardinals, averaging 3.5 yards per carry.Arizona owns a 5-7 record and sits third in the NFC West.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It will come down to a game-time decision about whether Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor plays Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.Head coach Sean McDermott made the announcement Friday as his starting quarterback continues to recover from a patella contusion.Taylor was carted to the locker room after taking a hit to his knee in the fourth quarter of last week's loss to the New England Patriots. He initially injured his knee on the first play of the game."Tyrod will be limited (at practice) today. We're still working on who will be our starting QB for Sunday," McDermott said.The coach added he won't put Taylor in a position in which he can worsen his injury.It's expected to snow Sunday in Buffalo.

Hours after the Cleveland Browns fired executive vice president Sashi Brown, the team announced the hiring of John Dorsey as its new general manager. The quick turnaround brought into question whether the team fulfilled the requirements of the Rooney Rule, a policy that ensures teams interview minority candidates for coaching and senior management positions.However, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network the team formally interviewed former Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley before hiring Dorsey.Another source within the Browns organization pointed ESPN's Josina Anderson to its history of hiring minority candidates, including Brown and former general manager Ray Farmer.The Browns will hold a press conference Friday at 11 a.m. ET to introduce their new GM.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman was more amused than bothered by New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton signaling and yelling "choke" from the sideline during the fourth quarter Thursday."Man, I saw it,'' Freeman said following the Falcons' 20-17 win, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN. "That man don't know nothing about choking. He ain't from where I'm from. He don't know about choking. He's a good competitor. The 'competes' probably came out. But we don't let that bother me. He don't know nothing about choking.''Payton's call and gesture may have been a simple instruction to his team, but it may have also been a reference to Atlanta blowing a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl last season.The Super Bowl-winning coach said postgame that he didn't even remember "choking" on the sideline.

SSSQ is a weekly look at the under-the-radar fantasy players you should consider starting, and the 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 14 rankings.StartMatthew Stafford, QB, Lionsat BuccaneersStafford did much more in Thursday's practice sessions, putting him on track to start in the promising Week 14 matchup despite the hand injury he suffered last Sunday. He had thrown multiple touchdowns in four straight games before last week.Fearless prediction: 308 yards passing, three TDsOther QBs to start

Count Drew Brees on the ever-growing list of NFL players against Thursday Night Football.After losing several teammates and seeing others hobbled throughout Thursday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the New Orleans Saints quarterback knew exactly where to throw the blame for the increased ailments that helped determine the outcome."It's one hundred percent a product of playing on Thursday night," Brees said, according to Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune. "Do you understand what guys' bodies go through in a game? And then to have to turn around four days later and to play?"Is this smart as it pertains to guys’ health and safety? No, absolutely not."Brees lost star rookie running back Alvin Kamara on the first drive of the game due to a concussion, while veteran contributors Michael Thomas and Mark Ingram had to leave the field for treatment on several occasions. Rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore needed multiple oxygen breaks throughout the contest as well.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ATLANTA (AP) Deion Jones made a leaping interception in the end zone with 1:25 remaining and the Atlanta Falcons held on for a crucial 20-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, setting up a three-way race for the NFC South title.Matt Ryan shook off three interceptions to guide the Falcons to Matt Bryant's 52-yard field goal with 3:49 to go, snapping a 17-all tie.The Saints (9-4) were in position to pull out the victory, driving to the Atlanta 11 after Drew Brees converted on fourth-and-1 with a quarterback sneak. On second down, Brees attempted to hit tight end Josh Hill in the back of the end zone.Jones had other ideas. He soared to make the pick , landing flat on this back but holding on to the ball while his teammates mobbed him.The Falcons (8-5) climbed within one game of the division-leading Saints with three weeks to go, as New Orleans squandered a chance to build a three-game lead on the defending division champs. Atlanta is back in the race and gets another crack at New Orleans when the teams meet in the next-to-last week of the regular season at the Superdome.The Carolina Panthers (8-4) are also right in the thick of things.Ryan had three interceptions in a stretch of nine plays at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second. But he tied the game with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu with 9:55 remaining , finishing 15 of 27 for 221 yards.Brees was 26 of 35 for 271 yards and two TDs, but he was kicking himself for trying to force one at the end.On the opening possession, New Orleans lost half of its dynamic 1-2 punch in the backfield when rookie Alvin Kamara took a shot to the helmet and staggered off with a concussion.Kamara was averaging 7 yards per carry and providing a huge weapon in the passing game, averaging 10.2 yards on 60 receptions. When he went out, Mark Ingram was left to carry the load as the ''Boom and Zoom'' duo became simply ''Boom.''Ingram was held to 49 yards on 12 carries as the Saints largely abandoned one of the league's top rushing attacks. Michael Thomas had 10 catches for 117 yards and a TD .With Atlanta trying to drive into position for a tiebreaking field goal in the waning seconds of the opening half, Ryan threw a terrible pass that was picked off by rookie Marshon Lattimore, who was back in the lineup after missing two games with an ankle injury.Lattimore returned it 33 yards to the Atlanta 29 with 4 seconds remaining, setting up Wil Lutz to boot a 47-yard field goal as time expired. But the Falcons caught a break when the Saints failed to have seven blocked on the line of scrimmage, and the penalty resulted in a 10-second runoff that ended the half with the score tied at 10.INJURY REPORTIt was a brutal night for the Saints, which is sure to raise more questions after the health risks of playing on Thursday nights.In addition to Kamara's injury, New Orleans lost another offensive guard and three starters on defense.Guard Senio Kelemete, filling in for injured starter Andrus Peat (groin), left with a concussion. That forced the Saints to go with Josh LeRibeus, the backup center.On defense, the Saints lost linebacker A.J. Klein in the first half with a groin injury. Starting defensive end Trey Hendrickson left with an ankle injury and strong safety Kenny Vaccaro was sidelined with a groin injury.UP NEXTSaints: Host the New York Jets (5-7) on Dec. 17 in the first of two straight home games.Falcons: After a short turnaround for the Thursday night game, Atlanta has an 11-day break before returning to action with a Monday night contest at Tampa Bay (4-8) on Dec. 18.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paul%20newberry---For more AP NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cleveland Browns hired John Dorsey as their new general manager, the club announced Thursday. Dorsey was signed to a four-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Dorsey most recently served as general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013-16. He also has previous experience as an executive with the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.League sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Browns had already interviewed other candidates and satisfied the Rooney Rule during that process. However, the chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance - which works with the NFL to "promote diversity and equality of job opportunity" - said he's troubled by the hire."I'm deeply bothered by it," Wooten said, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I'll be talking to the league about it because it bothers me. It doesn't seem right. Why wouldn’t you interview one of the recommended people?"The Browns reportedly began the interview process before firing Sashi Brown on Thursday, and Dorsey was "among a handful of candidates" who weren't currently attached to a team, according to Mortensen.Dorsey will have control of the Browns' roster in the draft and free agency, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Related: The 3 moves that sank Sashi BrownThe Chiefs made the playoffs in three of Dorsey's four seasons at the helm, winning the AFC West in 2016 before losing in the divisional playoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers.He now takes over an 0-12 Browns team with just one win in the past two seasons.Dorsey will be able to put his stamp on the roster this offseason, as the Browns currently possess 13 picks in the 2018 draft: all seven of their own selections, the Houston Texans' first- and second-round picks, the Philadelphia Eagles' second-round choice, the Carolina Panthers' fourth-round pick, the Chiefs' fifth-round selection, and the Steelers' sixth-round pick.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara was diagnosed with a concussion after leaving Thursday night's game against the Atlanta Falcons.Following a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first quarter, the star rookie was evaluated in the sideline tent and then taken to the locker room.Kamara produced three catches for 25 yards and one rush for 2 yards on the first drive of the game before leaving.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Each NFL team announced its nomination Thursday for the league's prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year award.The award honors "outstanding community service activities off the field as well as excellence on the field." Three finalists will be named in January. The winner, announced at Super Bowl weekend, receives a $250,000 donation in their name to the charity of their choice, while two charities chosen by the other finalists each receive $100,000.Here's this year's complete list of nominees:

The friendship between The Rock and Golden Tate continues to blossom.Tate pantomimed The Rock's famous "People's Elbow" after scoring a touchdown for the Detroit Lions during an Oct. 15 loss to the New Orleans Saints, catching the wrestler-turned-actor's eye.The Rock - also known as Dwayne Johnson - played college football for Miami and made a bet with Tate, a former Notre Dame standout, on the outcome of the November contest between their alma maters. Tate was forced to wear a replica Johnson jersey after Miami won 41-8.Tate's in the midst of another strong season, with 71 receptions for 767 yards and three touchdowns. The Rock wants to help ensure the Lions receiver makes it to the NFL's all-star game for the second time in his career.

Sashi Brown may not have done enough to keep his job as Cleveland Browns executive vice president of football operations, but he believes the team is on the right track.Since he took over as de facto general manager before last season, Cleveland's gone 1-27, and Brown was officially removed from his post Thursday. He then released a statement via the team in which he took responsibility for the lack of success, and gave his former staff members a vote of confidence.

The New Orleans Saints received a major boost to their defense ahead of Thursday night's pivotal NFC South matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.Star rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore will be active, making his return from an ankle injury that has sidelined him since Week 11.Lattimore was selected 11th overall in 2017 and is graded as Pro Football Focus' No. 3 cornerback.Fellow defensive back Marcus Williams is also active for Thursday's game, and as expected, so is running back Mark Ingram.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is playing some of the best football of his career well into his sixth professional season. Can he keep it up for another decade-and-a-half?Wilson, who is likely in the running for NFL MVP this season, said he's aiming to play into his mid-40s, a lofty goal for any QB."I definitely wanna play until my mid-40s," Wilson said to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "I think it's something I've been very passionate about, and taking care of my health and really trying to dive into the longevity now ... For me, it's an everyday process. I have a full-time trainer, Decker Davis; I have a full-time chef as well, Chef Andrea; and I have a full-time [physical therapist] and massage person ... I'm constantly getting work and getting stretched so that way my body can be super mobile and can maneuver really well. That's really key to feeling fresh every day. I have always had a big dream of playing for a long time. So that's always key for me."Wilson has been under constant duress over the past few seasons with his offensive line breaking down in pass protection, but he's emerged relatively unscathed, leading the Seahawks to a 8-4 record this year.Through six terms, Wilson has won a Super Bowl, fallen just short of winning a second, and become one of the faces of the league. There's still a long way to go, however, if he wants to meet his goal of playing into his mid-40s, having turned 29 on Nov. 29.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Not every team qualifies for the fantasy football playoffs, but if yours featured any of these players, the chances are you did.The fantasy regular season wrapped up in Week 13. Much like we do for the real thing, theScore compiled an All-Pro list made up of the top fantasy performers ahead of the playoffs.Using a standard scoring format, here are the season's best players by position:All-Pro first teamPositionNameStatsFantasy pointsBiggest weekQBRussell Wilson3256 pass yds/26 TDs/8 INTs27636RBTodd Gurley939 rush yds/11 total TDs19932RBAlvin Kamara606 rush yds/11 total TDs17830WRAntonio Brown1296 rec yds/9 TDs18132WRDeAndre Hopkins1084 rec yds/9 TDs15728TETravis Kelce871 rec yds/7 TDs12321FLEXLe'Veon Bell1057 rush yds/5 rush TDs/1 rec TD17630DEFJacksonville45 sacks/16 INTs/6 TDs17228KGreg Zuerlein36-of-38 FGs16727Wilson leads all players in fantasy points. Quarterbacks make up the top seven point-scorers on the season, but the Seahawks pivot's mix of passing and rushing put him over the top.Gurley leads all non-quarterbacks in fantasy points and ranks eight spots ahead of the closest rusher, Kamara. The Rams running back ranks second in yards and rushing scores, while Kamara does much of his damage as a receiver.Brown and Hopkins lead the league in both receiving yards and touchdown receptions. The Steelers receiver is in the MVP conversation, while Hopkins went on a tear with Deshaun Watson as his quarterback.Kelce has had a monster season, including four games of at least 15 fantasy points. His latest game was a 21-point performance.At the flex position, Bell was the next rusher or receiver in fantasy points and represents the first back to break the 1,000-yard rushing mark this season.All-Pro second teamPositionNameStatsFantasy pointsBiggest weekQBCarson Wentz3005 pass yds/29 TDs/6 INTs24931RBMark Ingram922 rush yds/9 TDs15631RBKareem Hunt930 rush yds/6 total TDs15339WRTyreek Hill911 rec yds/6 TDs12930WRA.J. Green886 rec yds/8 TDs12922TERob Gronkowski849 rec yds/7 TDs12220FLEXMelvin Gordon775 rush yds/9 total TDs15027DEFBaltimore33 sacks/20 INTs/4 TDs16029KStephen Gostkowski29-of-32 FGs13520Wentz has been a revelation in his sophomore season, and his success has coincided with his entrance into fantasy relevance.Ingram is enjoying a career season for the Saints, while Hunt stormed out of the gates as an RB1. His 39-point Week 1 performance remains the pace-setter.At tight end, Kelce and Gronkowski were separated by a single point. The difference came in receiving yards, with the Chiefs pass-catcher tallying 22 more. Gronk also missed one game due to injury.Waiver-wire superstarsMost of the above stars were expected to shine, but a number of top performers came off the waiver wire.Alex Smith was drafted in just seven percent of standard Yahoo leagues and his average draft position was in the 12th round. The Chiefs quarterback ranked as the third-best QB in fantasy with 240 points.Alex Collins went undrafted in the majority of leagues, but after taking hold of the Ravens' starting job in Week 4, he finished the fantasy regular season as the 19th-ranked running back, ahead of the likes of Joe Mixon and Frank Gore.It could be argued nobody was a bigger surprise in fantasy than Robby Anderson. The Jets receiver was drafted in only 13 percent of leagues at a 13th-round average. He produced the eighth-most fantasy points at his position with a stat line of 821 yards and seven touchdowns.At tight end, Giants rookie Evan Engram owns the fifth-most fantasy points with 88. He became the focal point of New York's offense after injuries to many of the team's receivers, though emerged as a threat early in the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints rookie Alvin Kamara has become one of the league's most electrifying players during his rookie season and has excelled in Sean Payton's offense.It was nearly an entirely different scenario altogether, however, as the Saints came close to missing out on the standout running back during the 2017 NFL Draft.In a profile by Bleacher Report's Dan Pompei, Payton revealed that Kamara was the 28th-ranked player on the Saints' draft board, but cornerback Marcus Williams, their 27th-ranked player, was still available at their No. 42 pick. New Orleans drafted Williams and had to engineer a trade with the San Francisco 49ers, sending a 2018 second-round pick and a 2017 seventh-rounder to draft Kamara 67th overall.Payton revealed how he became enamored with Kamara after the youngster aced a workout on short notice."I said then, 'I've got to have that player,'" the head coach said. "And it has been a while since I felt that way about anyone."Kamara is quickly emerging as a leading candidate to capture Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Splitting carries with Mark Ingram, the Saints have one of the most prolific running games in the NFL and lead the NFC South at 9-3 in large part due to the pair's exploits.It would be easy to get frustrated with split duties, but Kamara is loving every minute of starring alongside Ingram."Whatever my role is, I'm going to play it," Kamara said. "If it turned into 'you got to get 30 carries,' I'm going to do it. But I feel you got to have two backs at least to be successful in this league. We have a good balance between me and Mark. It's been easy with me and him having the relationship we have and both being productive without any kind of friction between us."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Covers.com is the biggest and best source for sports betting information, providing unrivaled and original content sports bettors cannot live without.If you want to find out how good a NFL team really is, watch them in crunch time. A dwindling clock and a deficit on the scoreboard will show you their true colors: they’ll either rise to the challenge or flop flat on their face.The same way a missing power cord and slowly-draining laptop battery has given me an hour and 16 minutes to write this week’s NFL Underdogs column. How good will my Week 14 picks be? How many spelling and grammar errors will have to be edited out?Oh, crap, 1 hour and 12 minutes…One team that has crumbled in crunch time is the Los Angeles Chargers, who couldn’t shake that lawn chair mentality (fold up and go home) even after the move from San Diego. Over the past few seasons, the Bolts have watched more than a few late-game leads and tightly contested fourth quarters morph into a tick in the loss column.They nearly added another collapse to their resume against the Browns last week, allowing Cleveland to hang around all game. While Los Angeles still got the 19-10 win it couldn’t do enough in the fourth quarter to cover the 13.5-point spread and gave Browns backers (if they even exist) just their third ATS victory of the season – the first since Week 7 – and only their sixth ATS payday over the past two years.An ATS loss to Cleveland should really be treated like a defeat on the season, and if not it’s definitely a sign that the sky might be falling. The Bolts have played some solid football the past two months, winning six of their last eight but it’s not enough to suppress years of wobbly knees in the championship rounds.Washington has 10 days to prep for this trip to L.A. after a rough Thursday night showing against a desperate Dallas team last week. Before that game, the Redskins had split their previous four games with losses to Minnesota and New Orleans – two teams with a combined 19 wins on the season. Before the Thursday nighter, Washington had played tough on the road and comes into Week 14 with a 12-5 ATS mark in its last 17 away games.Yeesh, only 48 minutes left. “Battery saver mode” my ass…Pick: Redskins +6Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams (+2.5, 48)This will be my third straight week going against the Rams in this column, playing the Saints in Week 12 and the Cardinals in Week 13. After back-to-back ATS losses, you’d think I’d have learned my lesson, but when else is a strictly underdogs column going to see a 10-win team getting the points?I’ve said this before, while the Rams look amazing at times, I am not sold on their resume. Save for the Saints win, the only other victories that impress me are wins over Jacksonville and Dallas.The Eagles haven’t face too much competition either, playing a series of broken teams in the five games before last week’s loss in Seattle. However, when Philadelphia did beat those bad teams, it beat the living snot out of them – and covered along the way.With Christmas shopping in full swing, bringing out the bargain hunter in all of us, I just can’t turn away from a good deal. Do I really want the Eagles here? Maybe not. Can I pass up the points on a team this good? No, no I cannot.Pick: Eagles +2.5Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (+4)The Giants have been left for dead a few times this season, and each time they shocked football bettors with sudden signs of life – like the “sloth” scene in Seven. Good lord, that scared the hell out of me.In Week 6, after a 0-5 start to the schedule and losing Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall, New York was a 13.5-point underdog in Denver (hard to believe the Broncos were faves that big), and left Mile High with a 23-10 victory.Then, after losing to the winless 49ers in Week 9, the G-Men were 10-point home pups hosting Kansas City. Again, N.Y. defied logic and knocked off the Chiefs in an ugly 12-9 overtime affair.And in Week 13, with face of the franchise Eli Manning benched and head coach Ben McAdoo ablaze, a Geno Smith-led Giants team fought valiantly as 10-point underdogs in Oakland, losing 24-17 but covering the spread.McAdoo is gone, replaced by Steve Spagnuolo, and Manning is back under center for a classic NFC East rivalry with the Cowboys. The Giants don’t have much to play for other than pride. Well, pride and derailing Dallas’ hopes of a NFC wild card spot.Would have loved to get this line at the opener of Giants +6, but I’m happy getting more than the field goal.Pick: Giants +4And with nine minutes of battery juice to spare!Last week: 1-2 ATS

Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson rejected the notion of a power struggle between himself and former executive vice president of player personnel Sashi Brown during a press conference Thursday.Brown was fired Thursday, but Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said Jackson will remain head coach through 2018.During Brown and Jackson's shared tenure, the Browns have a 1-27 record over the past two seasons.Jackson will continue to lead the Browns through a massive rebuild but said he didn't try to push Brown out during a trying season as his team remains winless."I didn't win a power struggle. I don't see a power struggle," Jackson said via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.Jackson said he believed Haslam will allow him to be involved in trying to find the team's next GM. Although Brown didn't have the official title, he served as the team's de facto GM during his tenure.

Buffalo Bills corner Tre'Davious White danced around a question regarding a text it's believed he sent to ESPN analyst Ryan Clark about the hit he took from Rob Gronkowski last Sunday.Gronkowski struck White in the back of the head while he laid vulnerable on the field after an interception. The blow resulted in a suspension for the New England Patriots tight end and a concussion for White.On Thursday, White was asked if he sent Clark a text that read, "the whole hood want 'em" in reference to Gronkowski, but the corner refused to confirm or deny the speculation."That's between me and Ryan. ... Nobody knows other than me," White said, according to ESPN's Mike Rodak.When asked about the play itself, White was more forthcoming."I'm laying there. He snuck me with my back turned," White said of Gronkowski's hit. "He could have broke my neck. I mean, I got a son to raise (and) all that. People don't think about that when they just react."I'm glad I had my mouthpiece in. I probably could've bit my tongue off. I bit my lip pretty bad. Terrible headache. It is what it is. He did what he wanted to do. ... He is what he did. Dirty shot, so what does that make him? Dirty player. Simple."Gronkowski is a native of Amherst, N.Y., a short drive from Buffalo.The Bills and Patriots will meet again in Week 16.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier underwent spinal stabilization surgery Wednesday night, according to a joint statement from University of Pittsburgh Medical Center neurosurgeons and the Steelers' team physicians.

SkyCam is back.NBC announced Thursday that the upcoming Thursday Night Football game between the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 14 will be shown primarily through the use of SkyCam.

theScore's Justin Boone is coming off his fourth top-10 finish in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition. Follow the links below to see his updated rankings for Week 14.The final rankings will be released Sunday morningStandard