Cowboys running back Alfred Morris will be Dallas' lead rusher with Ezekiel Elliott set to serve his six-game suspension, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday, according to Jon Machota of Dallas Morning News.Related: Ezekiel Elliott's suspension reinstated as judge dissolves injunctionJones, who made the announcement during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, added that both Darren McFadden and Rod Smith will get more work as well.Morris has rushed for 105 yards on 13 carries this season, but the majority of that production came on one 70-yard burst.Smith used one 45-yard gain to bring his season stats to a total of 69 yards on 10 carries. Neither player has scored a touchdown.McFadden has yet to play a snap this year, but he's just two years removed from a 1,089-yard season on the ground during which he also caught 40 balls for 328 yards. He totaled 104 yards last season while serving as a backup to Elliott alongside Morris.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins could be cleaning house on offense.Miami's top wide receiver, Jarvis Landry, is available for trade "for the right compensation" following the blockbuster decision to send Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.However, a source told Josina Anderson of ESPN that the Dolphins informed Landry on Tuesday morning that they won't be trading him.Landry caught 288 passes in his first three seasons and is on pace to eclipse 100 receptions this campaign.However, the 24-year-old is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and the Dolphins haven't appeared too interested in handing him the type of extension his numbers likely warrant.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers sent shockwaves throughout the NFL by trading for Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots, but they made the move without first agreeing to a contract extension with the quarterback, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.While the 49ers will obviously try to extend Garoppolo, a deal between the team and its newly acquired franchise player isn't "imminent," added Rapoport.Garoppolo has a chance to boost his value in the second half of the season, while the 49ers are likely looking to evaluate him before committing to a big-money extension, knowing they have the franchise tag to fall back on.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins have traded starting running back Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles for a fourth-round pick, the Eagles announced Tuesday.The blockbuster move gives the Super Bowl hopeful Eagles a legitimate star in the backfield to play alongside MVP candidate Carson Wentz.Meanwhile, the 4-3 Dolphins were in need of a major shake-up on offense after being shut out by the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. They rank dead last in yards and points per game over the first seven games of the year.However, giving up on Ajayi - who made the Pro Bowl in 2016 after a 1,272-yard campaign - is a radical move by head coach Adam Gase and the Dolphins' front office.Ajayi has struggled this season, averaging 3.4 yards per carry and failing to score a touchdown. But he remains Pro Football Focus' sixth-ranked running back, since his lack of production can largely be blamed on Miami's offensive line.Miami is left with Kenyan Drake and Damien Williams at running back.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks star safety Earl Thomas is "a long shot" to suit up for Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins after injuring his hamstring in Week 7, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports, citing a source.Thomas suffered the injury attempting to defend a 72-yard Houston Texans touchdown in the fourth quarter and wasn't able to return.The three-time All-Pro has been in scintillating form, as usual, this season, most recently intercepting Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and running it back for a touchdown.Bradley McDougald would likely get the starting nod if Thomas is unable to play.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Denver Broncos are considering making a switch from starter Trevor Siemian to former first-round pick Paxton Lynch, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.Lynch hasn't played all season due to a right shoulder injury, but was able to fully participate in practice late last week.The Broncos are in desperate need of a jumpstart to their offense, which ranks 24th in points per game. While the offensive line and running game deserve a significant portion of the blame for the struggles, Siemian appears to be holding the unit back.The second-year starter threw three interceptions in Monday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, his third straight game with two or more turnovers.At 3-4, and with the Chiefs already a near-lock for the division, Denver is running out of time to make a change under center.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan won't need surgery for the shoulder injury he suffered in Sunday's win over the Los Angeles Chargers, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Hogan is tied with tight end Rob Gronkowski with a team-leading four touchdowns, and he's racked up 33 catches for 438 yards.He could still miss multiple weeks, but the Patriots' Week 9 bye gives him a chance to get healthy. The team will reassess the injury early next week.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Football is fun again.The first half of the season has seen an abundance of touchdowns, and they've been followed by the most imaginative celebrations in recent memory.Here's our collection of the best group celebrations thus far, rated on a scale of one to five stars:BobsledThe bobsled is a touchdown-celebration staple. The Packers perfected it in celebration of a Week 5 score against the Dallas Cowboys. Randall Cobb took the driver's seat, Davante Adams hopped in behind him, and Jordy Nelson played the brakeman.Scorecard: The celebration was well executed, but a little bit understated, as the trio seemed almost bashful about drawing attention to themselves. Gotta own it. ★★★Home RunIt seemed almost impromptu, but the Eagles' receiving corps came together quickly to pantomime an at-bat resulting in a home run. Nelson Agholor threw the heater, Alshon Jeffery set up as the catcher, and the cherry on top was quarterback Carson Wentz in perfect position as the umpire. A certified hit.Scorecard: No complaints here. The Eagles pulled it off with ease. Extra props for the sequel, in which Jeffery charges the mound after getting hit by a pitch. ★★★★Bench PressThe Steelers have clearly been working on their group celebrations. In Week 8, Le'Veon Bell, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Antonio Brown, and almost the entire offensive line got together for a bench-press routine.Scorecard: The Steelers get extra points, as star players were willing to fill menial tasks for the sake of the performance. JuJu as the bench, AB as the spotter, Alejandro Villanueva and David DeCastro holding the bar, and Ramon Foster shouting encouragements while Chris Hubbard took pictures. Great teamwork. ★★★★Duck, Duck, GooseA schoolyard favorite. On the national stage, during a Monday night game, Kyle Rudolph and the Vikings broke out in a game of "Duck, duck, goose."Scorecard: The Vikings are commended for including receivers, linemen, and even the touchdown passer, Case Keenum. We have to deduct a point for the team account referring to the game as "Duck, Duck, Gray Duck," though. ★★★★Hide & SeekThe buildup was slow, but once it hit, it was unmistakable. Smith-Schuster put his face in his palms as he mock counted to 10 and Bell took off in search of a place to hide.Le'Veon's last glance back at JuJu and JuJu's point when he found his friend behind the goalpost made it all seem so genuine.Scorecard: Two of the Steelers' youngest players pulled off the childhood game to perfection. Smith-Schuster and Bell's youthful enthusiasm was heartwarming. ★★★★★Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph could barely believe his eyes after watching his team cough up five turnovers in Monday night's 29-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.After losing their third game in a row, Joseph commended some parts of his team's performance, but crucial mistakes - three interceptions and two fumbles - took them out of contention."I'm going to watch the film tonight and tomorrow obviously, like most coaches would do and see, but tonight, our defense played winning football in my opinion. Our offensive line blocked - we ran the ball for 177 and the pass (protection) was better," Joseph told reporters after the game."But, it all falls back to turning the ball over five times. That's insane. You can't win turning the ball over five times. Guys work too hard along with coaches and players to have a big game and give it away five times. Its mind-boggling."The Chiefs scored the first points of the game on a 45-yard fumble return.Joseph cited the Broncos' ability to keep the contest within two scores for not wavering from starter Trevor Siemian. Siemian threw three picks with only one touchdown and 198 passing yards in the loss."To go back with our quarterback, in my opinion, was the right decision," said Jospeh. "Obviously it didn't end well."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Harrison Butker kicked five field goals, Marcus Peters returned a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the turnover-prone Denver Broncos 29-19 on Monday night.Alex Smith threw for 202 yards and a touchdown, most of it going to tight end Travis Kelce , who hauled in seven balls for 133 yards and the score. The Chiefs (6-2) also intercepted Trevor Siemian three times and hopped on two fumbles to beat Denver (3-4) for the fourth straight time.Siemian finished 19 of 36 for 198 yards and a touchdown, and has now thrown eight picks and only three TD passes in the past five games. The Broncos have lost all but one of them.It was a crucial bounce-back win for the Chiefs, who had their 12-game AFC West winning streak snapped 10 days ago in Oakland. The Chiefs had won five straight to start the season before losing to the Steelers and then to the Raiders on Derek Carr's last-second touchdown throw.It started just like old times, too: Jamaal Charles with a run, the Chiefs with a touchdown.The only difference was Charles, who went to four Pro Bowls with the Chiefs, was back in Kansas City with the Broncos. And the TD came when the opportunistic Peters stripped him, picked up the loose ball and returned it 45 yards for the opening score.When the Chiefs were on offense, they went right to Kelce, who also had success against the Broncos in both of their meetings last season. He beat Darian Stewart for a 29-yard TD catch and a 14-0 lead.The Chiefs were threatening to put the game out of reach later in the first quarter when coach Andy Reid got cute with the play-calling. Rather than keep the ball in the hands of Smith, who hasn't thrown a pick all season, he let wide receiver Tyreek Hill throw it - and he was intercepted in the end zone.Kansas City still led 20-3 when the Broncos' offense finally found some rhythm.They marched 60 yards to set up their second field goal by Brandon McManus, and then capped an 80-yard drive with Booker's touchdown run. It was just the second time Denver had reached the end zone in 13-plus quarters, but it got coach Vance Joseph's team within 20-13 with a quarter to play.Butker answered with another field goal, and the Chiefs defense held on fourth-and-4 near midfield to get the ball back. Butker added two more field goals, the last with 4:41 left, giving him 18 consecutive made attempts and putting the game out of reach.INJURY REPORT: Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders (ankle) and LB Todd Davis (ankle) were inactive, as was Chiefs RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (knee). Kansas City lost WR Albert Wilson (hamstring) and OLB Dee Ford (back) in the first half and neither returned to the game.UN-INJURED RESERVE: The Broncos activated LB Shane Ray and the Chiefs activated CB Steven Nelson before the game. Ray returned to the lineup after missing the first six games with a torn ligament in his left wrist, while Nelson had been on injured reserve following core muscle surgery.HALL OF AN HONOR: The Chiefs renamed the broadcast booths at Arrowhead Stadium for Hall of Fame player and broadcaster Len Dawson before the game. The 82-year-old Dawson led the Chiefs to victory in Super Bowl IV. He is retiring from work as a radio color analyst after the season.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Lynch just may know what he's doing.As his team sits 0-8, with five of those losses coming by one score, Lynch took a look at the holes in his roster and determined he had an opportunity to have his cake and eat it too.The San Francisco 49ers first-year general manager reportedly pulled off a blockbuster deal Monday evening, acquiring quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots for a second-round pick - the same round the passer was selected in, in 2014.With the move, the 49ers checked off a box that many teams have been hoping to do, getting a potential franchise quarterback who's still in his prime. San Francisco had been assumed to be a team in the hunt for one of the passers in the 2018 draft class with their top pick, going after the likes of unproven prospects Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, or another college quarterback.While still keeping that top pick, Lynch managed to bring in a 26-year-old with a more complete resume than that of any collegiate player. Garoppolo has three-and-a-half seasons of experience behind Tom Brady, two Super Bowl rings as a backup, and legitimate experience starting NFL games, which he won.GameScoreYardsComp. %TDsINTsat ARI23-2126472.710vs. MIA*31-2423269.230*Exited game in second quarter due to injuryThe Patriots liked Garoppolo so much that they reportedly turned down trades for first-rounders last spring, with the hope they could keep the young quarterback on the roster long enough to eventually replace Brady. Unfortunately for New England, it couldn't get the return it reportedly wanted when the time came to deal the quarterback, whose contract expires after this season.Garoppolo may be the ideal veteran to speed up the 49ers' rebuild. Apart from his background with the most successful organization, Garropolo has drawn comparisons to Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins by the team's former GM Scot McCloughan, who is regarded as one of the best evaluators in the NFL. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had plenty of success with Cousins in Washington and rumored to want to bring him to San Francisco this offseason.The 49ers certainly have more holes to fill on their roster outside of the quarterback position, but they have what will likely be a top-five pick - due to their current record - and still keep the New Orleans Saints' second-rounder from a deal during the last draft.In his first year as an executive, after going from the field to the broadcast booth, Lynch has pulled off a minor miracle by bringing in what would have been the most coveted quarterback in the NFL if he hit the market in March, without jeopardizing the team's future. Garoppolo's expiring contract means the 49ers will have to pay up and pay up soon, but that's fine - the 49ers currently have over $60 million in cap space.While two solid starts may not be enough of a sample size to inspire the entire 49ers fan base to run out, buy a Garoppolo jersey, re-up their season tickets, and book a trip to next year's Super Bowl, Lynch should be ecstatic with his performance based on what it usually takes to acquire a potential franchise quarterback.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott had his temporary restraining order dissolved by New York judge Katherine Failla Monday, reinstating his six-game suspension for domestic abuse

The New England Patriots have traded quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2018 second-round pick, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The 49ers are releasing veteran Brian Hoyer in a corresponding move, a source told Schefter. Garoppolo will join rookie C.J. Beathard in the 49ers quarterback room. He's not expected to play Sunday versus the Arizona Cardinals as he gets acclimated to his new team.Garoppolo was drafted by the Patriots with the last pick of the second round in 2014. He started two games for the team in 2016, winning both contests while throwing for 496 yards and four touchdowns in that span.San Francisco owned two second-round picks but sent their original to New England, which should be high as the team currently sits with a 0-8 record.Tom Brady is currently the only active quarterback on the Patriots roster.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Houston Texans traded left tackle Duane Brown to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for cornerback Jeremy Lane, a 2018 fifth-round pick, and a 2019 second-round pick, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Lane and Brown both appeared to confirm the trade via social media:

Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders is inactive for Monday Night Football versus the Kansas City Chiefs as he continues to nurse an ankle injury.Sanders, who hasn't played since Oct. 15, expects to return for Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey wasn't too pleased with the way Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions ended.Pouncey called out the Lions defensive line for rushing off the ball when the Steelers were kneeling late in the game."You have to show sportsmanship," Pouncey told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "You just lost the game. We're taking a knee. What are you trying to prove right now? If anybody's playing [dirty], that's dirty s--- right there. They literally tried to attack me, come off 100 miles per hour. I ain't going for that ... Do it during the game. You want to do it while we're taking a knee? It's a general rule of sportsmanship. You don't do that type of s---."Lions defensive tackles A'Shawn Robinson and Akeem Spence came off the ball hard, leading to a scuffle and the ejection of Robinson for throwing a punch at Steelers guard, Ramon Foster.Spence countered by accusing the Steelers offensive line of some questionable blocks."I looked on the big screen, and it looked kind of crazy. It was like I beat him, then Foster came on me. Then Pouncey came to dive at my legs to try and help Foster out. I thought it was kind of dirty. But, I mean, it's football," Spence said.Spence played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Greg Schiano made rushing on a kneel-down play infamous, but denied diving at the Steelers' legs on this play, though."Nah, we used to go at people's legs, which I thought was really cheap," Spence said. "It wasn't nothing like that. Just came off with my hands up high, just playing ball. Nothing crazy. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just got a little chippy."Pouncey didn't see it that way."I don't even play dirty like that, but once someone does some cheap s--- like that, that's some bulls---. I can't respect a man like that," Pouncey said. "Knowing we're just about to snap the ball and stand there and you want to fire off? That's player safety. It's a general, common thing. What if I just fired off the ball and cut him?"Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Lions can trade Eric Ebron if they want, or not - it's all the same to him.After Sunday night's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the veteran tight end addressed reports that he could be moved out of Detroit before Tuesday's deadline."I mean, it is what it is," Ebron told John Niyo of The Detroit News. "They got till Tuesday. It's a business. If they feel like they want to cut ties with me, then they cut ties."If they feel like they can continue to use me and my skills and my abilities, then, (expletive), let's do it."The former first-round pick has not lived up to expectations since being drafted and can see the benefits of moving on to a team that wants to acquire him. Ebron pointed to Joe Haden, who was released from the Cleveland Browns and signed with the Steelers before the season."I mean, you look at Joe Haden out there," Ebron said. "He did his thing in Cleveland and he’s doing even better out here now. So there’s a lot of people that just need a change of scenery."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Monday quarterback Joe Flacco's "symptoms are zero," adding, "I think there's a good chance he'll play," according to the team.Flacco was forced from Thursday's game against the Miami Dolphins and almost immediately placed in the league's concussion protocol after taking a big hit to the head.He was replaced by backup Ryan Mallett, who went 3-for-7 for 20 yards and a touchdown.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said tight end Jordan Reed likely won't play Week 9 due to a hamstring injury, according to John Keim of ESPN.Reed sustained the injury in the first half Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. He had made just one 5-year catch.He's in jeopardy of missing next week's game against the Seattle Seahawks.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Bears linebacker Jerrell Freeman has been suspended 10 games for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.While Freeman is on the Bears' Reserve/Injured list, he'll begin serving the suspension immediately, which will run over the next 10 regular-season and/or postseason games.With the Bears owning a 3-5 record, the suspension is likely to last through Week 2 of next season.Freeman released a statement:

The Chicago Bears announced Monday that injured tight end Zach Miller underwent successful surgery to repair a torn artery in his left leg.Miller sustained a dislocated knee Sunday against the New Orleans Saints and was rushed to University Medical Center New Orleans to undergo emergency vascular surgery on a torn popliteal artery.Related: Doctors trying to save Zach Miller's legThe operation involved grafting tissue from Miller's other leg to repair the damaged artery. The surgery was reportedly necessary to save his leg."Successful surgery was performed immediately on Sunday by the UMC vascular surgeons to stabilize his injury," the Bears announced Monday afternoon."Zach remains at UMC, along with Bears medical personnel, where he will stay under further evaluation."Miller will next undergo an MRI on the blood flow and anatomy of the injured leg, Mortensen reports.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the NFL season approaches the halfway point, several notable players have finally ended touchdown droughts. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones found pay dirt in Week 7, while Minnesota Vikings receiver Adam Thielen and Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell had to go to London in Week 8 for their first scores of the season.Here's a look at five other notable players/units who are each still in search of their first touchdown of the season.Jay Ajayi, RB, Dolphins(Photo courtesy Action Images)Ajayi's on pace to exceed last year's carry total and his usage in the passing game has also increased, but his yards-per-carry rate has dropped from 4.9 to 3.4. He has just two games with a play of at least 20 yards (he had six last year), and has no plays of more than 25 yards after topping 50 on three occasions in 2016.He's the only Dolphins player to receive a red-zone carry, but has failed to score on all 11 of his attempts, according to NFL Savant. The Dolphins rank seventh in red-zone touchdown rate even without Ajayi's help, according to Team Rankings, so the scores will come as he maintains a stranglehold on the workload.Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos(Photo courtesy Getty Images)Thomas ranks fourth on the Broncos in red-zone targets, with running back C.J. Anderson (eight) leading the way. Anderson's caught six of those targets, but has converted just one for a touchdown. Receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Bennie Fowler have each received seven targets, and both have scored two touchdowns.Thomas caught 16 of 23 red zone targets in 2016 and scored four touchdowns inside the 20-yard line, leading the team in all three categories. His catch rate this season is right around his career average, and his average length of reception is at its highest of the past three years. A Broncos offense that ranks just 29th in red-zone percentage should shift its attention toward its top receiver.C.J. Prosise/Eddie Lacy/Thomas Rawls, RBs, Seahawks(Photo courtesy Getty Images)The Seahawks have scored just two rushing touchdowns this season, with those coming from quarterback Russell Wilson and rookie J.D. McKissic. McKissic has scored one receiving touchdown as well, as did fellow rookie Chris Carson prior to his season-ending injury.The above trio has failed to score either as runners or receivers this year, while racking up a combined 91 touches. Each has received just one red-zone target, while Rawls and Lacy have failed to score on their 14 combined rushing attempts inside the 20.Pierre Garcon/Marquise Goodwin, WRs, 49ers(Photo courtesy Action Images)49ers quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and C.J. Beathard have thrown touchdowns to a group consisting of tight ends George Kittle and Garrett Celek, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, running back Matt Breida, and wide receivers Aldrick Robinson and Trent Taylor.Receivers Garcon and Goodwin, who rank first and second, respectively, in both targets and yards have been shut out. Goodwin ranks second on the team with nine red-zone targets, but he's caught just one of those, while Garcon has caught three of his five looks but has been kept out of the end zone. There's very little touchdown upside in the 49ers' offense.Corey Davis, WR, Titans(Photo courtesy Action Images)Davis, the top receiver selected in the 2017 draft, has played just two games this season, and none since Week 2. He has a chance to return from a hamstring injury in Week 9, when he'll immediately be able to help a Titans offense that's ranked 31st in red-zone touchdown percentage.Backup tight end Phillip Supernaw has scored the team's lone red-zone receiving touchdown on the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A hearing into the preliminary injunction that suspended Ezekiel Elliott's possible six-game ban will be held Monday at 5 p.m. ET in New York, and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is hoping it will provide his running back a proper defense."What is important is he gets a fair shake," Jones said, according to Judy Battista of NFL.com."Zeke has in no way, by any standard in this country, done anything wrong. He's done nothing wrong. We, the league, have tried to say he's done something we disagree with. We all don't agree with that. I want him to get a fair shot. He deserves that."Judge Katherine Polk Failla will hear the arguments in the case and is expected to render a ruling within the week, ESPN's Dan Graziano reports.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back Leonard Fournette returned to practice Monday, according to Ryan O'Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.Fournette missed the Jaguars' 27-0 beatdown of the Indianapolis Colts due to an ankle injury, but he appears to have healed during the team's bye week.The rookie has racked up 596 rushing yards on 130 attempts, scoring six touchdowns on the ground while adding 15 receptions and 136 yards with one score in the air.Chris Ivory rushed 17 times for 47 yards and his first touchdown of the season while replacing Fournette in Week 7.The Jaguars will host the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9.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.We’re heading into Week 9 of the NFL season, and the whole Ezekiel Elliott situation is still not resolved, which is forcing oddsmakers to tap the brakes a bit. Covers takes a look at opening lines on a quartet of next weekend’s contests, with insights from Scott Cooley, odds consultant for offshore sportsbook Bookmaker.eu.

The NFL trade deadline is quickly approaching and it's the lone time of year where you can expect mid-season transfers.We don't know where the chips will fall, but history has dictated that a few contenders could emerge out of nowhere with some seismic moves. Here are the three best trade deadlines in NFL history:Patriots trade Mike Haynes to Raiders for 1st, 3rd-round picks (1983)This trade certainly wasn't without controversy as a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order in Haynes' lawsuit against the NFL. Haynes asked a federal court to challenge the application of the league's trade deadline rules after the NFL initially voided the deal between the Patriots and Raiders. The veteran cornerback held out for the first half of the 1983 season in search of a contract that would make him the NFL's highest-paid defensive back. He got more than he bargained for, however.Haynes formed one of the most formidable cornerback pairings in league history alongside fellow Pro Bowler Lester Hayes and the Raiders continued to steamroll the competition. During Super Bowl XVIII, Haynes recorded an interception as the Raiders routed the Redskins 38-9. Haynes was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Cowboys trade Herschel Walker, 4 picks to Vikings for 5 players, 8 draft picks (1989)The foundation of the Cowboys' dynasty in the 1990s was built off this trade. Dallas began the 1989 season with a 0-4 record and head coach Jimmy Johnson decided that trading their best player was the only way for drastic improvement. Johnson's instincts proved correct, trading Walker, a 3rd-round, 5th-round, and 10th-round pick, along with another 3rd-rounder in the 1991 NFL draft in exchange for Jesse Solomon, David Howard, Issiac Holt, Darrin Nelson, Alex Stewart, and a host of picks that turned the Cowboys from an afterthought into a powerhouse.Dallas used Minnesota's 1st-round pick in 1990 to trade up four spots, selecting Emmitt Smith, who became the NFL's all-time rusher. The haul didn't stop there, as the Cowboys used the Vikings' 1st-round pick in 1991 to select Alvin Harper, and their 2nd-round pick in 1992 to take Darren Woodson, a five-time Pro Bowl safety.The Cowboys ought to pay the Vikings royalties for their worldwide appeal.Bills trade Marshawn Lynch to Seahawks for 4th-round pick, conditional 5th-round pick (2010)This is a mistake the Bills will rue for a long time. Lynch was chastised for his off-field indiscretions and was viewed as expendable by Bills management, who traded him to a Seahawks team in search of top-end talent. The rest is history.Lynch developed into one of the marquee running backs of his generation, recording the iconic Beast Quake and Beast Quake 2.0 runs during his tenure with the Seahawks. The 31-year-old made four consecutive Pro Bowls (2011-2014), led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in consecutive years (2013, 2014) and steered the Seahawks to their lone Super Bowl win in 2013. Lynch turned into an icon for his Super Bowl press conferences, while the Bills made poor use of their draft picks - which amounted to Chris Hairston and Tank Carder.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Amid reports that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is visiting specialists to determine why he's experiencing soreness in his surgically repaired throwing shoulder, he's not close to returning to practice with the team, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star reports.Luck made his much-anticipated return to practice in early October, but had a setback, the team announced on Oct. 18, and hasn't practiced since.While the Colts have not made any decision on Luck's status moving forward, current circumstances suggest the possibility of him playing in any games this season is also in jeopardy.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller suffered a gruesome leg injury in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, which head coach John Fox characterized as a dislocated left knee. But the damage appears to be much more severe.Miller underwent emergency surgery in New Orleans to repair a damaged artery, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports. Surgeons aren't just trying to mend the injury, but save Miller's leg, ESPN's Adam Schefter adds.Vascular surgeons were called in for an operation that involved grafting tissue from Miller's other leg to repair the damage to the artery in his left leg, Mortensen reports.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Deshaun Watson may not have won the game, but he won a great deal of respect Sunday.The rookie Houston Texans quarterback dazzled with 402 passing yards, four touchdowns, and eight rushes for 67 yards in a back-and-forth battle with the Seattle Seahawks. It was Watson's stiffest challenge of his young NFL career, and he held his own against the Legion of Boom and the voracious Seahawks crowd at CenturyLink Field.Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman made sure to personally compliment Watson after the game."You played the best game any quarterback has ever played against us, and we've played all the legends," Sherman said to The MMQB's Peter King of his exchange with Watson."I respect how you hung in there and kept battling and battling."Those words carry significant weight. The Seahawks have played both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in Super Bowls and have battled it out with the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees in playoff games.But Sherman acknowledges Watson is just getting started."My God, Houston's so lucky," he said. "By next year he's going to be a top-five quarterback in this league, and that includes the two big dogs (Brady and Rodgers). He makes you dig to the deepest part of your competitive juices to beat him."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

DETROIT (AP) JuJu Smith-Schuster scored on a 97-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger late in the third quarter and the Pittsburgh Steelers forced the Detroit Lions to turn the ball over on downs twice in a 20-15 win Sunday night.The AFC North-leading Steelers (6-2) go into their bye week with a three-game winning streak.Detroit (3-4) was coming off its bye and lost a third straight and fourth in five games.Pittsburgh's defense put up a curtain in front of it end zone, forcing the Lions to settle for field goals. When they went for touchdowns, the Steelers stopped them.Detroit coach Jim Caldwell chose to go for it on fourth down from the Steelers 1 trailing by one in the third quarter. Matthew Stafford was sacked as he stepped up out of a collapsing pocket and tried to run up the middle.A snap after missing wide-open tight end Jesse James on the ensuing drive, Roethlisberger dropped back into his end zone and perfectly lofted a pass to Smith-Schuster. The rookie receiver ran for about 70 yards after the catch, running past cornerback Quandre Diggs and pulling away from safety Glover Quin on his way to the end zone.Matt Prater kicked his fifth field goal on the next possession after Caldwell didn't want to go for it on another fourth down from the Pittsburgh 1, drawing boos from a crowd that included a lot of black-and-yellow clad, towel-twirling fans cheering for the visitors.Detroit got the ball back with a chance to drive for a go-ahead TD, but receiver Golden Tate blew it with an unforced fumble at the Steelers 24.The Lions' defense forced Pittsburgh to punt again and they failed to take advantage. After the 2-minute warning, Stafford threw an incomplete pass from the Pittsburgh 8.THROUGH THE AIRSmith-Schuster, selected No. 62 overall out of Southern California, had season highs with seven receptions for 193 yards. His last catch converted a third-and-1 from the Steelers 32, allowing them to run out the clock and to pick up 15 yards when defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson was ejected for throwing a punch.Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown, blanketed for much of the night by cornerback Darius Slay, had five catches for 70 yards.TJ Jones, drafted by Detroit in 2014, had career highs with four receptions and 88 yards. Marvin Jones had six receptions for 128 yards for the Lions, who moved the ball well until they got deep into Pittsburgh territory.INJURIESSteelers: S Mike Mitchell hurt his right ankle, and was replaced by Robert Golden. ... OL Chris Hubbard was evaluated for a concussion.Lions: RB Dwayne Washington left the game with a concussion. ... OT Rick Wagner went out with an ankle injury, and was able to return.UP NEXTSteelers: Idle until playing Nov. 12 at Indianapolis.Lions: Play at Green Bay on Monday, Nov. 6.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ezekiel Elliott will be back in court Monday in New York as his legal battle with the NFL over his six-game suspension continues.The Dallas Cowboys running back will take part in a preliminary injunction hearing which will help decide his fate for the reminder of the season. A similar hearing in Texas went in Elliott's favor prior to the season, but that was overturned on appeal."We're confident in our argument," Elliott said, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "We're confident that I'll be on the field for the rest of the year."Elliott, who has 690 rushing yards this season including 150 in Sunday's win over the Redskins, was suspended for six games before the start of the season for violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy in relation to allegations of domestic violence and has been fighting the league in court ever since."I mean it's really out of my hands," Elliott said. "There's nothing more I can control. Just trust my legal team that they're going to do their job and make sure I'm on the field next week."If Elliott's legal team is unsuccessful at the injunction hearing, it can still appeal the decision which would keep him eligible to play. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has maintained his support for Elliott throughout the process and stresses that making the right decision is the top priority."What is important is he gets a fair shake," Jones said. "Zeke has in no way, by any standard in this country, done anything wrong. He's done nothing wrong. We, the league, have tried to say he's done something we disagree with. We all don't agree with that. I want him to get a fair shot."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets couldn't squeak out a victory in a super-soaked atmosphere against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, and Matt Forte wasn't at all happy with his team's play-calling.The two-time Pro Bowl running back was criticial of offensive coordinator John Morton following the Jets' 25-20 loss, expressing his belief that there weren't enough run plays called given the game's conditions, according to Andy Vasquez of USA TODAY Sports."I only had four carries this game, so I don't really think we ran the ball enough with the weather being the way it was," Forte said. "I think that kind of hurt us."When asked if Forte had thoughts of confronting his offensive coordinator during the game about getting more touches, the running back appeared to be critical of Morton's choice of strategy."No, I mean, it was pretty apparent to everybody," Forte said. "Everybody knows that was the game plan and that's what we wanted to do and I'm not going to get on the headset and tell somebody to do their job."In total, the Jets ran 22 run plays with Bilal Powell leading the team with 14 touches. By comparison, the Falcons ran 32 run plays, but Forte believes the volume of plays on the ground should have been exponentially increased."We only ran the ball maybe 20 times, something like that (22 times)," Forte added. "It should have been at least one person getting 20 carries or something like that with the way the weather was. So I thought we were going to grind them out on the ground like that, but it ended up not turning out that way."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks earned a thrilling victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon, but the win may have come at a cost as safety Earl Thomas was forced from the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.Thomas was replaced on the field by Bradley McDougald after appearing to injure himself on a Texans 72-yard touchdown from Deshaun Watson to DeAndre Hopkins. Thomas was kept out for the remainder of the contest, and is set to undergo an MRI on his hamstring, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.An extended absence from Thomas will certainly affect the Seahawks going forward, and Pro Football Talk reported that Thomas is hoping to not miss any time because of the injury.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers have endured a fruitless season thus far, and it didn't get any better when offensive tackle Joe Staley suffered a fractured orbital bone Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.The injury is not believed to be season-ending, and Staley reportedly expects to play again this season, according to Schefter.Staley, a former first-round pick by the 49ers in 2007, has appeared in 143 games in his career and played his way onto five consecutive Pro Bowl teams from 2011-15.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After he caused a firestorm with his controversial comments earlier in the week, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair attempted to fix things by meeting with the team prior to Sunday's game against Seattle.It appears that didn't do much to quell the controversy, as Duane Brown told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle that the meeting "didn't go too well."McNair apologized for saying, "we can't have the inmates running the prison," about protests during the anthem, claiming that the comment wasn't in reference to the players.Brown also made it clear that the relationship with McNair has not been repaired, and that he wasn't shocked to hear the owners comment. "I don't know. At this point, we're trying to play for each other," Brown said. "I'm sure it will come up again. It's the same as it was before. I said I wasn't surprised. It is what it is."The star offensive lineman wasn't the only player to speak out after the contest as D'Onta Foreman voiced his opinion as well."I'm still upset," Foreman told Wilson. "I feel like some things shouldn't be said."While Sunday's game offered a brief reprieve from the controversy, it didn't take long after the final whistle for things to pick right back up.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

"Tom's the starter. Tom's playing well this camp. Tom has really had a good camp. He's only thrown three incompletions in two games." - Bill O'Brien, Aug. 22, 2017Sure, hindsight is 20/20, but after eight weeks of the season, the Houston Texans' choice to start Tom Savage over Deshaun Watson in their opening game is among the most laughable lineup decisions in NFL history.The former Clemson superstar has continued his dominance at the professional level, and his 402-yard passing performance in Sunday's narrow road loss at Seattle was just his latest masterpiece.Here's what the brilliant Watson has done to transform the Texans from a middling offensive outfit into the most entertaining team in the league.Air showOne of the knocks on Watson during the draft process was doubt about his arm strength. The 22-year-old has laughed in the face of that doubt in the last five games, averaging 9.5 yards per pass - a mark that would lead the entire league this season.With four touchdowns against the Seahawks, Watson broke Kurt Warner's record for most passing touchdowns through the first seven games of a player's career. The No. 12 overall pick has an absurd 16 touchdowns in his past four contests, and his game logs resemble something out of Madden, not actual NFL matchups.OpponentCompletion %YardsTDBengals62.51250Patriots66.73012Titans73.52834Chiefs51.62615Browns58.62253Seahawks65.54024The rookie's helped rejuvenate DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller V, with the pair combining for a monstrous 349 yards receiving Sunday. Perhaps most impressively, those numbers came against the vaunted Seahawks defense.Dual threatNot only is Watson invigorating the passing game, but the first-year player has wowed with his running ability as well. Whether he's leading the league in quarterback rushing yards, or extending plays in the pocket like he did against the Seahawks, Watson's playing style is as fun as any pivot's in recent memory.

Vontaze Burfict wants Le'Veon Bell to know his role.The Cincinnati Bengals linebacker came to the aid of teammate and rookie running back Joe Mixon on Sunday after Bell commented on Mixon comparing himself to the Pittsburgh Steelers star. Following the Bengals' loss to the Steelers last week, Mixon said he believed he could have produced more than Bell if given an equal amount of touches, and Bell fired back Sunday on Twitter.Burfict then offered his take on the banter between Mixon and Bell, telling Jim Owczarski of The Enquirer that he thinks his teammate is the better talent."Le'Veon is not as good as Le'Veon thinks he is," Burfict said. "So for him to go rattin' on Twitter to talk about my teammate, it's a little bit beyond me. Joe is way better than him. I mean, I play Joe every day in practice and he just has better qualities."Joe is better than him. Put it like that."During last week's game, Burfict kicked a Steelers player, and Bell later tweeted that Burfict's "gotta go."Mixon said he wasn't sure why Bell would tweet about him, but the rookie plans to stay focused on his own play."You know, honestly, I don't know," Mixon said. "I mean, it's unfortunate you feel that way, but like I said, I'm not worried about what he's talking about. I just gotta keep my head down, keep grinding and, you know, it's gonna happen."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After skipping practice Friday in response to Houston Texans owner Bob McNair's controversial comments, DeAndre Hopkins exploded in a big way against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.The star wideout absolutely torched the Seahawks' secondary throughout the contest, finishing with 224 yards on only eight catches with one touchdown.Hopkins was a no-show at practice after learning of McNair's comments referring to players protesting during the anthem as "inmates running the prison."It's the second-biggest game of Hopkins' career, falling just behind a 238-yard effort against the Titans in 2014.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson was hospitalized after Sunday's game versus the Chicago Bears."He's fine," Saints executive vice president of communications Greg Bensel said to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. "He was just a little weak and worn out."The 90-year-old is expected to be released from hospital after further evaluation.Benson purchased the Saints in 1985 and the Pelicans in 2012.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Indianapolis Colts are willing to trade wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, though they'll be looking for a substantial return, sources told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.However, Hilton reportedly isn't willing to renegotiate his contract to facilitate a move. The pass-catcher earns $8 million this season, $11 million in 2018, and $13 million in 2019.The Colts' 2-6 start without Andrew Luck has highlighted the startling lack of talent on the roster.And the losses have appeared to take their toll on Hilton, who called out the offensive line after a shutout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7.Hilton is on pace for his fifth straight 1,000-yard season even without Luck, but he's caught just five passes over the past three games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is rarely predictable. It's what makes the league so special.But sometimes football isn't just unpredictable, it's downright nuts!Here are five stats that few would have believed at the start of the campaign:Rams lead league in points per gameIn 2016, under the stagnant guidance of the king of the .500 finish himself, Jeff Fisher, the Rams' offense was unwatchable.Los Angeles averaged 14 points a game, the worst mark in the league and two-and-a-half points worse than the Cleveland Browns, who almost went winless.Fast-forward to this season, however, and wiz-kid Sean McVay has completely revitalized the Rams' offense. Over the first eight weeks of the season, the Rams lead the league with 30.3 points per game - a near-miraculous worst-to-first turnaround.Jags on pace to break single-season sack recordIf you tried to compare the Jacksonville Jaguars to the '84 Chicago Bears before the season, you'd have been rightfully laughed out of the room.But through seven games, the Jaguars' pass-rush has been historic. Led by veterans Calais Campbell and Malik Jackson, along with promising youngsters Dante Fowler and Yannick Ngakoue, the Jaguars have 33 sacks, including two 10-sack outings.The Jaguars' 16-game projection of 75 sacks would break the Bears' 33-year-old record, and they could be even better down the stretch after trading for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.Pray for Jacksonville's opposing quarterbacks.Texans WR Fuller catches 7 TDs on 11 catches(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Will Fuller's return from a broken collarbone in Week 4 was met with little fanfare. The Houston Texans' second-year wide receiver teased his potential in 2016, but few expected him to make a big impact.How wrong they were, though no one could have predicted how unique his contribution would be. Somehow, Fuller caught seven touchdowns on his first 11 catches on the season and leads the league in receiving scores.With Deshaun Watson playing without fear, Fuller's crazy touchdown streak has a chance to get even crazier.K.C. has no turnovers since 1st play of seasonMost will remember Kareem Hunt fumbling on his first NFL carry on the Kansas City Chiefs' first play of the season, mainly because he followed it up with a historic performance in the win over the New England Patriots.Does anyone remember any Chiefs turnovers since? No? Well, that's because there haven't been any.Somehow, Kansas City hasn't thrown an interception or fumbled in the 71 possessions since. That's 423 straight offensive plays, according to Blair Kerkhoff of The Kansas City Star.Bills have 20-plus points in 13 straight home gamesAn AFC East team dominating offensively at home isn't shocking. The Patriots have made Gillette Stadium a fortress ever since Tom Brady took over as starter 17 years ago.But to think of the Buffalo Bills' offense as a juggernaut would be crazy.Or is it? Believe it or not, the Bills have been piling up the points at New Era Field.

Multiple teams may be interested in the services of Calvin Johnson, but it seems the Philadelphia Eagles are not one of them.Steven Albritton of KMBC in Kansas City reported Sunday that the Eagles were "aggressively pursuing" acquiring Johnson's rights from the Detroit Lions, but a source with knowledge of the situation later told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the report is false.Multiple teams have contacted the Lions regarding the services of the six-time Pro Bowl wideout, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Lions have apparently instructed those teams to get in touch with Johnson to discuss whether he has any interest in coming out of retirement.If a franchise is able to convince Johnson to return, his base salary of $16 million from 2016 would be reinstated prior to the Lions' decision to retain, trade, or release him, according to Florio.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the NFL season barrels toward its midpoint, some teams are beginning to separate themselves from the pack - but for others, it's not even clear which direction they're trending in.Here are three teams we just haven't been able to get a read on in the first two months of the campaign.Atlanta Falcons The Falcons burst out to a 3-0 start and seemed hell-bent on avenging their Super Bowl collapse. Then they dropped three consecutive games to AFC East opponents, stumbling against the Bills, Dolphins, and Patriots before edging the Jets on Sunday. Who are this year's Falcons and what have they done with last year's juggernaut?For starters, Matt Ryan isn't in anything close to last year's MVP form. He's thrown nine touchdowns against six interceptions this season while lacking the masterful command of the game he exhibited constantly in 2016. Julio Jones has been nonexistent in the red zone, despite offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian's promise to find him more often. Atlanta blew the opposition's doors off last year, averaging a league-best 33.8 points per game; this year, they're averaging 21.8.When Kyle Shanahan bolted to take the 49ers' head coaching job, many predicted the Falcons' attack would take a hit as a result, and those people have been proven correct. Will the high-octane offense that was the talk of the NFL last year return?Carolina Panthers The Panthers are proving to be the league's ultimate Jekyll and Hyde team; no one can figure out if they're a Super Bowl contender or should tank the rest of the year.Judging this team on a week-to-week basis has proven impossible. The Panthers beat quality opponents such as the Patriots, Lions, and Bills, but couldn't register a touchdown against the Bears. At 5-3, the Panthers are in an excellent spot, but would anyone be surprised if they collapsed down the stretch?Cam Newton is at the center of this conundrum, throwing 10 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. At his best, Newton is an MVP-caliber quarterback, but he's only played up to his potential once, a virtuoso performance against the Lions on Oct. 8. Newton and the Panthers have the potential to get back to the Super Bowl, but they're as unpredictable as it gets.Oakland Raiders Oakland entered the season as a trendy Super Bowl pick but has flopped miserably throughout the first half. With a 3-5 record, however, all hope isn't lost.Derek Carr missed one game with a back injury - and the Raiders lost 30-17 to the Ravens. When he has played, he's been inconsistent: During wins, he's thrown eight touchdowns with no interceptions, and during losses, he's thrown four touchdowns and six interceptions. The Raiders need Carr to be at his best - or, at the very least, they need him to not crumble during tough games.Though Khalil Mack has recorded just 0.5 sacks during his last four games, it's hard to blame him for his relative lack of production when the rest of the Raiders' defense is also at fault. This team is loaded with talent; the question entering November is whether the Raiders can be as good as the sum of their parts.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots are optimistic about Chris Hogan's status after he suffered a right shoulder injury during Sunday's win over the Los Angeles Chargers, a source told Mike Reiss of ESPN.Hogan - who had his arm in a sling - will reportedly undergo an MRI on Monday morning.The Patriots are on a bye next week, so if New England's assessment of the situation is correct, the pass-catcher shouldn't be in danger of missing much - if any - time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joey Bosa claimed a piece of NFL history Sunday, as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive end set the league record for most sacks through the first 20 games of a career, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.Bosa recorded the 19th sack of his career Sunday against the New England Patriots, breaking the previous record of 18.5 that Aldon Smith set in 2012 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.The 22-year-old second-year player now has 8.5 sacks through eight games this season. Bosa recorded an impressive 10.5 sacks last season despite missing the first four games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Following owner Bob McNair's controversial comments in an article published earlier this week, the majority of the Houston Texans took a knee during the national anthem of Sunday's game at Seattle.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)McNair was criticized after an ESPN story quoted him comparing players protesting during the anthem to "inmates running the prison."After learning of the comment, DeAndre Hopkins was a no-show at practice Friday and a number of players considered walking out of the facility. The full roster made the trip to Seattle, and most players opted to take a knee during the anthem against the Seahawks.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.