Aaron Rodgers has given extra tickets to Green Bay-area police officers for Thursday night's game against the Chicago Bears.The Packers' star quarterback often sends fans on scavenger hunts for tickets prior to home games, but tweeted out that he's given them away this week to members of the police force.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford has been ruled out for a third consecutive game, head coach Mike Zimmer announced Thursday.Bradford continues to recover from a knee injury.Backup Case Keenum will receive a third straight start Sunday against the Detroit Lions. He has completed 45-of-70 pass attempts in his two starts, passing for 536 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.Zimmer said Bradford is "feeling better, just not ready to play," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien said Thursday he expects wide receiver Will Fuller to make his season debut Sunday against the Tennessee Titans."I would see him being ready to go on Sunday," said O'Brien, according to Drew Dougherty of the Texans' official site.Fuller has been sidelined since the start of August after breaking his collarbone in practice.The 23-year-old had a strong start to his rookie season in 2016, but cooled off as the campaign went on. The pass-catcher's game-breaking speed should bring an extra dimension to the Texans' offense.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers receiver Kelvin Benjamin is expected to play Sunday against the New England Patriots, head coach Ron Rivera said Thursday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.Benjamin suffered a knee injury last weekend against the New Orleans Saints, but Rivera noted earlier in the week that he'd avoided any structural damage.There was initially some concern over the ailment, as the 26-year-old missed all of 2015 with an ACL injury in the same knee.Benjamin has struggled out of the gates in 2017, making just nine receptions thus far.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story/video contains coarse language

Defensive tackle Akeem Spence's show of unity with his Detroit Lions teammates in a peaceful protest before Week 3's game against the Atlanta Falcons wasn't without consequence.Spence claims his pregame actions cost his father a job working on a house.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett practiced Thursday for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in early September.

Denver Broncos rookie offensive tackle Garett Bolles is ranked as Pro Football Focus' No. 31 tackle. It's an admirable ranking, considering the tasks he's been handed through his first three NFL games.In Week 1, the 20th overall pick in the 2017 draft faced the Los Angeles Chargers' duo of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. In Week 2, it was Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, who leads the NFL in sacks.Bolles then played through what was recently considered a serious leg injury in Week 3, against the Buffalo Bills, and was one of PFF's highest-graded tackles for the week.The promising rookie has another Herculean task in Week 4, as he'll be staring into the eyes of Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack."I'll be ready to go and I know he's going to be ready to go," said Bolles, according to Aric DiLalla of denverbroncos.com. "I'm just excited I get to play such a great opponent like that. It makes football fun when you see a player like that because he works so hard for what he does. You have to learn from people like that as a tackle so that you can be the best just like him."Bolles will look to use what he's already learned from the best."(Mack is) the best player behind Von Miller," Bolles said, "because that's the best player in the world, in my opinion. Khalil Mack is a great player, a great leader, and you see his intensity out there making plays. I give him all the props in the world because that man is a great man and he's changed the game."The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Mack has recorded two sacks through his first three games, mostly by using a signature one-arm shove of the men standing between him and the opposing quarterback. Bolles has been working on a solution."It's like math, man. There's different numbers that come in front of you, and you've got to solve the issue. That's how football is as a tackle. You're on the edge, and things are going to come and guys are going to move and guys are going to bring things from different positions, and you've got to be ready to roll and smack the guy that's in front of you."Bolles views Mack as just another teacher capable of helping him become one of the best at his position."Every pass-rusher has their move. Von has his moves, Quil (Shaquil Barrett) has his moves, and a lot of guys have their moves. What he does is special. You have to be on your toes every day as a tackle. I'm grateful because as I go into this game I'm going to learn a lot after the game. I'm going to learn things and he's going to teach me new things."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

(Warning: Story contains coarse language)NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said Thursday "there is no league-wide directive" regarding how teams should approach the national anthem in the wake of daily criticism from President Donald Trump over wide-spread protests, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.However, while the NFL isn't looking to demonstrate in one singular, planned way, Lockhart said the league's hierarchy is "unified" following a two-day meeting in New York City."They're unified in the sense that attacks on the league are unfair and unfounded," Lockhart said, according to MMQB.com's Albert Breer.Asked about statements made about the league in the last 12 hours, Lockhart said: "They're not accurate. They're not factual," but made no specific mention of Trump, according to The Washington Post's Mark Maske.Trump said Thursday he believes NFL owners "are afraid of their players."Roughly 180 players across the NFL protested during the "Star-Spangled Banner" in some form, with some opting to kneel or sit while others stood with linked arms.The increased demonstrations came in the wake of Trump calling for any player who protested to be "fired" during a rally in Alabama last week. Trump also referred to any protesting player as a "son of a bitch."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 DeShaun Watson were a comic book superhero, he’d be Daredevil – Marvel’s “Man Without Fear”. If he had a theme song, it would be Bone Crusher’s 2003 club thumper, “Never Scared”. And if Watson played his football in the early 90’s, he’d be sponsored by “No Fear” (remember those shirts?).

Rishard Matthews is following up his anthem demonstration by opening up his wallet.The Tennessee Titans receiver announced Thursday he'll donate $75,000 to "organizations working in oppressed communities." Matthews declared earlier in the week he would be kneeling during the anthem until Donald Trump apologizes for comments ripping those who do so.Matthews played with Colin Kaepernick in college at Nevada and his family also has strong military ties. His father served for 23 years and his brother was a marine who died in Afghanistan."I've actually had a lot of military people reach out to me to say, 'good job for standing up for your rights and people who don't have a voice,' and that they 'support me whether I decide to stand or kneel,'" Matthews said Wednesday, according to Cameron Wolfe of ESPN. "People keep using the military as a distraction. It's not anything about the military. It's about social injustice."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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 4.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.Standard

Joe Flacco is looking at the glass half full where the Baltimore Ravens offense is concerned.Despite struggling this year, including a disastrous performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend, Flacco is focusing on the positives."I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves when, all of a sudden, we say we haven’t played well for three weeks," Flacco told John Eisenberg of the team's official website. "We played terribly last week; there’s no way around that. But the other two weeks, we did what we had to do to win and I don’t think that’s anything we can hang our heads over."Flacco was a mere 8-of-18 for 28 yards against the Jags and has only thrown three touchdowns to four interceptions on the season. That said, the Ravens are still 2-1, something Flacco believes is most important."We did what we had to do to win," Flacco said. "All of a sudden when you lose one and didn’t play well, you act like you haven’t played well at all and it’s not true. Statistically it wasn’t the best performance (in the first two games), but we did what we needed to do to win the football game, and that’s what this is all about."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

AFCKansas City Chiefs rookie running back Kareem Hunt was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September. After a season-ending injury to starter Spencer Ware, Hunt has become the crux of the Chiefs' offense, rushing for 401 yards on 47 carries and four rushing touchdowns. Hunt also added another 137 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver. The first-year pro leads the league in scrimmage yards, and is more than 150 yards ahead of his nearest competitor. He joins Barry Sanders, Edgerrin James, and Mike Anderson as only rookies to win Offensive Player of the Month.Melvin Ingram has lived up to his big-money offseason contract over the first month of the season, and has been rewarded with AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors. The Los Angeles Chargers defensive end leads the conference with 5.5 sacks, including a three-sack performance in Week 3 against the Chiefs. He's also racked up 14 total tackles.Tennessee Titans kicker Ryan Succop is the AFC's Special Teams Player of the Month. The 31-year-old has hit 10 of 11 field-goal attempts in three games - with a long of 52 yards - and he leads the NFL in scoring.NFCLos Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley took home the NFC Offensive Player of the Month award. Gurley's six total touchdowns are tied for the league lead with Hunt. The third-year runner has a below-average 3.8 yards per attempt, but has caught 13 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns, one of which came during a dominant three-touchdown, 149-yard performance in Week 3's thrilling Thursday-night win over the San Francisco 49ers.Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence earned NFC Defensive Player of the Month honors. The NFL's sack leader with 6.5, Lawrence is in the midst of a breakout season in his fourth NFL campaign. The pass-rusher took down Carson Palmer three times in Week 3, and he's the first defensive lineman in Cowboys history to be named Defensive Player of the Month.Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater took home NFC Special Teams Player of the Month after hitting on all six of his field-goal attempts, four of which came from 55 yards. His four successful 55-yard kicks are the most by a player from that distance in a single season. Prater was also forced to punt four times due to an injury to Kasey Redfern in Week 1.RookiesIn addition to AFC Offensive Player of the Month honor, Hunt also took home the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Month award.Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White was named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month. The first-rounder leads the Bills in pass breakups with seven and has surprised with his performances as a Day 1 starter.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some Green Bay fans aren't pleased with the Packers linking arms last Sunday during the national anthem.Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said the team wanted to show a united front and urged fans to join this week against the Chicago Bears. Criticism continues, however, with some fans threatening to return their season tickets and shares in the franchise."I am so ashamed of and appalled by the ignorance of any NFL player who would dare disgrace our stars and stripes or the memory of hundreds of thousands of fallen U.S. heroes who paid with their lives so that we may live free," Steven Tiefenthaler, a Packers shareholder and 20-year U.S. Air Force veteran, told Richard Ryman of USA TODAY Sports.Tiefenthaler added, "My allegiance to our American flag and to our national anthem will always stand far above any loyalty to the NFL or to the Green Bay Packers organization."Laura Hapke is on the team's waiting list for season tickets and her mother is a Packers shareholder. She typically meets up with other Green Bay fans in Orange, Calif., to watch the games, and said if things continue she will re-evaluate her allegiance to the team."If they come out and say they are more into politics than patriotism, I'll have to rethink it," Hapke said. "It will break my heart, but I'll have to rethink it."Packers director of public affairs Aaron Popkey said the organization has heard the criticism from fans."If they want to return (season tickets) and don't want to be a shareholder, we'll accept them," Popkey said, adding that he was aware of one share being returned, but no season tickets.The Packers host the Bears on Thursday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Three games into the NFL season, J.J. Watt - a three-time Defensive Player of the Year - has yet to register a single sack.Dating back to last season, the Houston Texans' star defensive end's sack-less streak stretches to four games. Watt has never gone five straight games without taking down a quarterback.However, Watt - who missed most of the 2016 season due to a back injury - says he doesn't care about his individual stats."I think that stat-watching becomes very tricky," Watt said, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. "Just because the numbers may not be there, whatever it may be, it's not necessarily always reflective of exactly what's happening. If I have to take on two guys or three guys for our guys to go get four forced fumbles in a game, I'll do that all game long. I don't care. If I end the year with zero sacks but we have 40 as a team and 20 forced fumbles, I'll take that all day long."Especially the older I get in my career ... I don't care about the stats, to be honest with you. All I want to do is win football games. But they will come. Like you said, the hits are there. They're coming. But if teams are going to throw the whole house and the kitchen sink at me, we have some incredible players who are going to make great plays."Watt was critical of his Week 1 performance in which he looked far from his dominant self, but he's looked more and more comfortable as the season continues.While the four-time Pro Bowler might not have any sacks, he was Pro Football Focus' top-ranked interior defensive player in Week 3.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Week 4 of the NFL season is about to get underway Thursday, and any rumors of Colin Kaepernick being considered by an NFL team have gone quiet.The free-agent quarterback remains unemployed since starting the national anthem protest movement last season, with some believing the league is blackballing him.Cam Newton has yet to be among those that kneel during the anthem, but he doesn't want the NFL world to forget about the "ultimate sacrifice" Kaepernick made with his career by protesting against racial inequality and police brutality."My hat goes off to the Colin Kaepernicks of the world," the Carolina Panthers' star quarterback said, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer. "He's made the ultimate sacrifice (as a player) and I respect that wholeheartedly. I can't let a moment go by without shedding light to that: A person that does have the talent to play, a person that should be in this league, but I feel as if he's not getting his just due because of his views."But that's a legend, right there. For him to think outside of himself, to raise awareness of something that, this is 365 days removed from his first initial stand, and now here we are doing the same things. And now everybody is kind of understanding what his reasoning was, and I respect that."The Panthers, save for Julius Peppers, who stayed in the locker room during the anthem, were one of the few teams who didn't do any demonstrations.Newton has previously been wary of talking about his social views, but he said he believes it's his "duty" to speak for the oppressed after witnessing injustices growing up just outside Atlanta."That doesn't mean where I'm from, they don't see it," Newton said. "How I view things, it's not the Cam you see (before you) today. I often remind people of where I'm from - I'm from Atlanta, Ga., by way of College Park. And it's a lot of stereotyping, it's a lot of cultural division, so to speak, in those areas."So the person that I am now, if I were to see a person of a different race, of course I'm going to get their best behavior. But when you go back to those sides of College Park, of East Point, Ben Hill, Bowen Homes. ... A person growing up, walking down the street, may not have the same cushion, so to speak, from a policeman. That's what I mean."I feel like it's my job, my duty, my fine print as a person that people do look up to and people love to critique, that I represent those people knowing that we haven't been getting our just due. And I would want the people from the top to understand that as well as the bottom understand the top. It's going to take us to come together and unify."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just when we thought Thursday Night Football was doomed for another snoozefest, the Los Angeles Rams beat the San Francisco 49ers in a 41-39 thriller last week.Related: Thursday Night Fun: Rams-49ers just saved the NFL seasonIt's going to be tough for the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers to top that this Thursday in Wisconsin, but with Aaron Rodgers under center, anything is possible.The wager: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (-7)For most of last Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals it looked as though the Packers would drop to 1-2 on the campaign. Then Rodgers flashed his trademark brilliance and led Green Bay on a game-tying drive in the last minute of regulation, before taking the offense down the field to win in overtime. The quarterback will have to be in top form again on Thursday, as it appears the Packers will be without both starting offensive tackles.The Bears rebounded from an 0-2 start with a surprising 23-17 home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, thanks to a powerful rushing attack. The two-headed monster of Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen ran wild in the overtime victory, combining for 216 yards and two touchdowns.Chicago's defense held firm against Ben Roethlisberger in that game, but stopping Rodgers is a whole different animal. Look for the star pivot to have a big day, and the Packers' defense to limit the run and force Mike Glennon to beat them. Packers 28, Bears 17Thursday picks record: 2-1Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some NFL coaches and owners - unlike most players - have been hesitant to directly criticize Donald Trump following his comments calling for those protesting during the anthem to be fired.San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan may be in his first season in his position, but he's already prepared to speak his mind when it comes to Trump's remarks."I was pretty bothered by it," Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday regarding Trump’s comments last Friday, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "I think the same way most people were. I think I’ve got a lot of regard for that position. I have my whole life. It’s a very important, big position to be the leader of our country and when you hear something like that, it definitely bothered me, especially when he’s calling out people that you’re associated with."But the most bothersome thing is how everyone sees that position in our country and you expect that position to be the best leader possible and when I think of being a leader, I think of bringing people together. All I know is the quotes I read and when I read those quotes, I think that’s the opposite of what you’re expecting."Shanahan's opinions certainly aren't different from most of those within his organization. CEO Jed York criticized Trump for his "callous, offensive" comments. Safety Eric Reid, who was the first to kneel along side Colin Kaepernick a year ago, recently wrote a piece published by the New York Times detailing his account of the first steps of the NFL protest movement.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tennessee Titans are not backing down from Donald Trump or anyone who wants to criticize them for protesting during the national anthem.With some fans threatening to boycott games, Titans tight end Delanie Walker has a suggestion: If you don't want to show up, don't.Related: Titans' Matthews to kneel for anthem until 'the president apologizes'Walker said Wednesday that fans have "freedom of choice," and that most who are upset don't understand what the protests are about."First off, I’m going to say this: We’re not disrespecting the military, the men and women that serve in the Army. That’s not what it’s all about," Walker told Jason Wolf of The Tennessean. "If you look at most of the guys in here - I've been in the USO. I support the troops. This is not about that. It's about equal rights, and that’s all everyone is trying to show, is that we all care about each other."And the fans that don’t want to come to the game? I mean, OK. Bye. I mean, if you feel that’s something, we’re disrespecting you, don’t come to the game. You don’t have to. No one’s telling you to come to the game. It’s your freedom of choice to do that."Walker took to Twitter after Wolf's article was published to back up what he said earlier in the day.

Terrell Suggs has played against Ben Roethlisberger long enough to call his bluff.The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback characteristically shouldered the blame for his team's upset loss to the Chicago Bears last Sunday. After 14 years of seeing Roethlisberger play up injuries and flirt with retirement, Suggs knows Big Ben is playing coy ahead of their two teams' matchup this week."Oh Ben (sighs). He's setting us up," Suggs said, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. "Yeah, you know, he's playing mind games. The rat bastard. He's setting us up."Tell Ben I'm onto his tricks. I know what he's doing. I'm not going to let him fool me with trickery and Jedi mind tricks."The Ravens may be coming off a bad loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they aren't going to assume Roethlisberger is going to gift them a rebound win.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears a transition to political office for Peyton Manning can be ruled out.Soon after Republican Rep. Scott DesJarlais said Manning had emerged as a prospective candidate to run for a Senate seat in Tennessee, the former quarterback shot down the notion."I certainly have an interest in politics and in our country. I just have zero interest in being a politician," Manning said Wednesday on 1045 The Zone in Nashville.Prior to his decorated NFL career, Manning was a prodigious talent at the University of Tennessee, where he finished second to Charles Woodson in 1997 Heisman Trophy voting. Manning committed to Tennessee after winning national high school Player of the Year awards from several publications while starring for Isidore Newman School in his hometown of New Orleans, La.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cam Newton was pleased with the progress made after he and other select Carolina Panthers players met with team owner Jerry Richardson on Tuesday.Carolina was one of the only teams in the league that didn't demonstrate during the anthem on Sunday, aside from Julius Peppers, who stayed in the locker room during the rendition. Richardson later released a statement on Monday saying he feels "politicizing the game is damaging" before inviting players to his home for a discussion on social issues.One day after Richardson's statement, cornerback Captain Munnerlyn told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer that Panthers players wanted to do more but were "scared" to protest on the field due to the owner's strong political beliefs and North Carolina "being a military state."Newton characterized the subsequent meeting with Richardson as "extremely productive and a step in the right direction for us as an organization," and did not rule out a team demonstration this Sunday, according to NFL.com."We met with Mr. Richardson to just kind of discuss certain things that were on our minds and on our hearts from different perspectives ... the different people that were over there, they come from different backgrounds and have different views," Newton said Wednesday. "And one thing about it, we expressed those views, and more importantly, that everybody is entitled to their own thought process."Though Newton is one of the most popular and influential stars in the league, he said he doesn't feel pressure to take action during the anthem. Still, he took time to voice his respect for Colin Kaepernick and others who've protested."My hat goes off to the Colin Kaepernicks of the world - he's made the ultimate sacrifice, and I respect that wholeheartedly," Newton continued. "And I can't let a moment go by without shedding light to that. A person who does have the talent to play, a person that should be in this league, but I feel he isn't getting his just due because of his views. But that's a legend right there."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz will donate his game check from Week 3's victory over the New York Giants to charity upon kicker Jake Elliott's request.Wentz was mic'd up for Sunday's game and said he'd give Elliott his paycheck if the kicker hit a game-winning 61-yard field goal, which he did.Elliott refused Wentz's gift, however, opting instead to donate the money to a charity of his choosing, according to Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk.It's certainly a generous gesture by the rookie Elliott, who joined the Eagles after being waived by the Cincinnati Bengals in September.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers listed starting offensive tackles David Bakhtiari (hamstring) and Bryan Bulaga (ankle) as doubtful to play against the Chicago Bears on Thursday night.Bakhtiari and Bulaga have been in and out of the lineup this season. They both missed the Packers' Week 2 game against the Atlanta Falcons, a 34-23 loss.Receiver Randall Cobb, who missed last week's game, was removed from the injury report, signaling that he'll be available Thursday.Cornerback Davon House won't play against the Bears, while linebacker Nick Perry and defensive tackle Mike Daniels are both listed as questionable.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aaron Rodgers always seems to find the humor in things.After presumably receiving criticism from fans - for linking arms with his teammates during Sunday's anthem and asking fans to do the same this Thursday night - the Green Bay Packers quarterback pointed to the fact that others on the field aren't standing for the song.

There's arguably no position more stacked with talent in the NFL than wide receiver, thanks mostly to the league's transition to pass-first offenses since the turn of the century.Consequently, it's become harder to separate from the pack and shine. If you ask 10 NFL fans to name the NFL's best wideout outside of the elite five of Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr., Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, and A.J. Green, you'll likely get 10 different answers.But, three weeks into the season, it's becoming obvious one under-the-radar name should be receiving more love: Stefon Diggs.In his third season in the league, the Minnesota Vikings pass-catcher has blossomed, transforming from a chain-mover in the slot to Odell Beckham Lite on the outside.In 2015, Diggs caught 84 passes for 903 yards - a solid output, but his paltry 10.8 yards-per-catch average stood out. However, the emergence of Adam Thielen - who's better suited to the slot - has allowed Diggs to move outside and thrive.In three games this season, Diggs' catch average has leaped to 17.7 yards - eighth-best in the league, and behind seven players with fewer catches - partly due to insane plays like this:

Alejandro Villanueva won't stand alone during the national anthem Sunday, according to teammate Maurkice Pouncey.The Pittsburgh Steelers, save for Villanueva, stayed in the locker room in Week 3 as most of the rest of the league took part in widespread protests.However, with the likes of Ben Roethlisberger saying he regrets the decision, Pouncey confirmed the entire Steelers team will stand for "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the matchup with the Baltimore Ravens."Pittsburgh Steelers will go out there and do the right thing," Pouncey said, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Villanueva said Monday he regrets making his teammates look unpatriotic by being the only Steeler to come out for the anthem."Unfortunately, I threw my teammates under the bus, unintentionally," he said. "Every single time I see that picture of me standing by myself, I feel embarrassed."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott tried his best Wednesday not to get involved in Donald Trump's comments on player protests.Trump has engaged in a nearly weeklong feud with the NFL, calling upon owners to fire players who continue to protest police brutality and racial inequality during the national anthem. The vast majority of the league continued to protest during the anthem, with the Cowboys electing to link arms and kneel together prior to Monday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.Trump praised Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in a tweet Wednesday, however, and Prescott appeared to defend the president's freedom of speech."That's between them, I guess," Prescott told David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. "I'm not here to judge what the president said. I mean, he's free to speak just like the rest of us are. He's going to say whatever he wants. We've all figured that out."For me, it's just about doing the best I can to help this team and show unity about what we're trying to accomplish in this country."Prescott said the Cowboys have yet to decide whether they'll continue to protest for the duration of the season."It's all been positive feedback for me for the most part," he said. "I'm sure it's something we will talk about with the team, with the coaching staff, and figure out what we want to do, if we want to continue to do something like that going forward."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants plan to handle it internally, but head coach Ben McAdoo admitted Wednesday he was irked by Odell Beckham Jr.'s urination touchdown celebration last week."Celebration penalties are things you can't have," McAdoo told Jordan Raanan of ESPN.The display, which drew the ire of Giants owner John Mara, saw Beckham get on all fours and raise one leg as if he was a dog peeing. The celebration resulted in a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.Beckham agreed with McAdoo following a private meeting with Mara on Wednesday, telling NFL Network's Kimberly Jones, "You just can't do it. It doesn't need to be done."McAdoo said such penalties reveal a lack of discipline, and reflect poorly on him as head coach. He added that the Giants have come up with a plan to address any such incidents in the future, according to SportsNet New York's Ralph Vacchiano.Beckham met with Mara on Wednesday and later said the only part of the celebration he regretted was that it drew a flag.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former New England Patriots linebacker and current Houston Texans special teams coordinator Larry Izzo apparently had some unpleasant locker room habits during his playing days.Brandon Meriweather was asked to name his grossest teammate during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Toucher and Rich" show Wednesday, and didn't hesitate to answer that it was Izzo."He used to take dumps and eat his food at the same time," Meriweather said. "He used to come out and not wash his hands. Larry was, oh boy, he was disgusting."It'd be like his breakfast," Meriweather continued. "He'd have his breakfast on a tray in the stall."

Rarely does Everson Griffen need help finding his way to the quarterback, but the Minnesota Vikings pass-rusher believes he'll get some Sunday from Detroit Lions left tackle Greg Robinson."To be quite honest, he's kind of lazy," Griffen told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "He's lazy. He gets beat on the inside. I think the biggest thing is he's got to compete more. Yeah, he's pretty lazy. I feel the rest of the offensive line, they do pretty well, but to me he's pretty lazy."Griffen, one of the top pass-rushers in the league, has four sacks through three games, and at least one in all three contests. He'll line up Sunday across from Robinson, who's struggled mightily in pass protection since entering the NFL as the Rams' No. 2 overall pick in 2014.Robinson, who was traded to Detroit before the season, is ranked by Pro Football Focus as the second-worst offensive tackle in the NFL this year.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett makes his first career road start on the big stage of Sunday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Already dealing with one of the NFL's top defenses, Brissett believes the inebriation of fans will post an added challenge.“We are playing in the nighttime, so everybody is drunk then. I'm guessing it will be very loud,” Brissett said, according to Kevin Bowen of 1070 The Fan.Sunday's start represents the fifth of Brissett's career, with his previous four providing the benefit of home field. His first road appearance came in relief of Scott Tolzien against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, completing 2 of 3 passes for 51 yards.Brissett got his first taste of prime time with the New England Patriots last season, making his first career start against the Houston Texans in a Week 3 Thursday Night game. He completed 11 of 19 passes for 103 yards, while rushing for his first career touchdown.At the very least, Brissett doesn't need to worry about Andrew Luck looming over his shoulder, after the Colts announced Luck won't be returning to practice before next week.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NFL star O.J. Simpson could be released from prison as early as Monday after being granted parole on July 20, a Nevada prisons official said, according to ESPN's Ashok Moore.Simpson has served nearly nine years of a 33-year sentence for armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. The earliest he could be released was October, as he needed to complete his mandatory nine years.The now-70-year-old was arrested in September 2007 after he and five men stole sports memorabilia - which Simpson claimed was originally stolen from him - from two dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room.In 1995, Simpson was famously acquitted of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

President Donald Trump continued his feud with the NFL on Wednesday, offering a morose assessment of the league's future."The NFL has to change or their business is going to go to hell," Trump said, via Bryan Armen Graham of the Guardian.He did offer some praise to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, however.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger offered a critical self-assessment Wednesday after the team's Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears.The Steelers were upended in overtime, with Roethlisberger going 22-of-39 for 235 yards and a touchdown.He put the blame for the 23-17 loss squarely on himself."The quarterback needs to play better," Roethlisberger said, via ESPN's Jeremy Fowler."I didn't play well enough to win. We lost the game because of me, because I didn't play well enough," he added. "It's not on anyone else. That's how I felt, that's what you've got to do is you've got to own it. And I'll own it."If I play better in that game, I feel we win the game. If I play better in the first two weeks, then we're going to score more points and have a productive offense, and we don't have to answer questions about why our offense isn't where it is."The Steelers aren't in as bleak a scenario as Roethlisberger outlined, tied for the AFC North lead with their arch-nemesis Baltimore Ravens, who they'll square off against Sunday.Baltimore was recently humiliated during a 44-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and will be intent on disrupting Roethlisberger and Co., in a game that ought to reignite one of the NFL's fiercest rivalries.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Williamson is a former scout for the Cleveland Browns and spent 10 years at ESPN as a scout and co-host of "The Football Today Podcast." Find him on Twitter @WilliamsonNFL.Things looked bleak for the Dallas Cowboys in Arizona on Monday.The Cardinals dominated the game early, but after a missed field goal, Arizona was still only up 7-0 as the first quarter ended. Neither team did much on offense in the second quarter, but because the Cardinals didn't go up big despite outplaying Dallas, the Cowboys could stick with their ground game.Dak Prescott also showed great leadership and resiliency, and, before long, Dallas pulled out to a lead that it wouldn't relinquish to bring its record to 2-1, moving it into a tie atop the NFC East.As it was a year ago, the Cowboys' formula for victories is pretty simple. No team in the last decade or longer has had three offensive linemen on par with Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, and Travis Frederick. Prescott was a revelation in his rookie season, but the ball-controlled offense goes through Ezekiel Elliott, who hit his stride as that Week 3 contest went on.That strategy wears down the opponent, but has also masked a defense that isn't exactly brimming with talent. Sean Lee is a great player, and Dallas' defense is much better with him on the field, and there's a lot of hope for Jaylon Smith. Byron Jones is great too, though the rest of the secondary is clearly a work in progress.The real problem has been that the defensive line hasn't made life easier for the second and third levels of the defense. The pass rush just hasn't been there, which is why the Cowboys used their first-round pick on Taco Charlton.But a funny thing is happening this year: the pass rush has come to life, and that was evident Monday night. The Cardinals don't have the best offensive line, and were without two starters, but Carson Palmer was sacked six times.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Charlton has shown some promise but isn't a full-time player, and Maliek Collins has certainly improved from the interior, but it's Demarcus Lawrence who's taking this unit to a whole other level.Lawrence tormented Palmer on Monday, finishing the evening with three sacks. He routinely whipped Jared Veldheer, the Cardinals' best lineman. Arizona gave Veldheer more and more help as the game went on, but to no avail. Lawrence continued to wreak havoc with a fantastic display of burst off the snap, a combination of speed and power, and a nice array of pass-rush moves. He's highly athletic with rare flexibility.When Lawrence entered the league, he needed to get stronger, and he's clearly done that without losing his agility. He was relentless in his pursuit of Palmer and brought it snap after snap.Talent has never been a problem for Lawrence, but staying on the field has been. He missed significant time in his rookie season, as well as in 2016. A major back issue was his latest obstacle, and there were concerns that he might never be the same player because of it.Clearly, that isn't the case. In fact, Lawrence is better than ever. And because of it, Dallas' defense is in much better shape now than it was last year, when the Cowboys went 13-3 and won the NFC East.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy told Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly he doesn't have to apologize for his controversial remarks regarding the protests held during the national anthem.McCoy continued stretching during the anthem, drawing the ire of the former Bills legend, who was furious that the Bills didn't stand prior to Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos, sounding off on Instagram and the radio."I like LeSean McCoy, don't get me wrong, but I totally, 100 percent I disagree with what he did," Kelly said Monday on 97 Rock in Buffalo. "You want to kneel? Fine. But when you go and do what he did yesterday, that sort of bummed me out. And I lost a lot of respect for him. ... You want to kneel? That's your prerogative. I would never do that. I will always stand, thank the good Lord for everything I got. But when you disrespect the way he did and just go by his everyday duty in the national anthem being sung? Uh-uh. I won't go for that."McCoy said there's no animosity between him and Kelly, however."Like I texted him, he said some things to the media that he probably could have said to me, but it doesn't really matter to me," McCoy said, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News. "I like Jim Kelly. He texted me and I just told him, 'Hey, you're human. People have their own opinions. And what you said? You don't have to apologize for it. I don't think you're wrong. That's how you felt, I understand. You're human.'"I told him exactly, 'My respect for you hasn't changed. It's still very high.' He was a hell of a player and I respect him when I met him and even the relationship we've had so far. It didn't affect me at all."It appears McCoy is trying to resolve any conflict with Kelly, arguably the most beloved player in franchise history, amid one of the most contentious political climates in recent memory.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford will miss yet another day of practice Wednesday, but the team remains optimistic about his chances of returning to the field in Week 4."We're doing everything (we) can," said head coach Mike Zimmer, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.Bradford hasn't been able to play since his outstanding performance in the Vikings' season opener, when he completed 84.4 percent of his passes and threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns.Backup Case Keenum looked much better in his second start of the season, throwing for 369 yards and three scores against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.The Vikings play host to the Detroit Lions in Week 4. The unclear quarterback situation is keeping their game line off the board, according to Covers.com.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn told reporters Wednesday that he encourages fans to join his players in locking arms during the national anthem.Quinn said the Falcons are trying to send a message of "solidarity."The Falcons linked arms prior to Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions in an ostensible protest against racial inequality and police brutality, following Donald Trump's incendiary remarks during a rally in Alabama on Friday.Trump said NFL owners should fire players who protest during the anthem, and his comments were met with widespread condemnation and derision from the sports world at-large. Several players and teams released statements denouncing his comments.The Falcons host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.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.Each week, Monty Andrews breaks down some of the underlying betting mismatches on the National Football League slate, giving you an inside edge when handicapping the schedule and setting your daily fantasy lineup.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck will not practice this week, head coach Chuck Pagano told George Bremer of CNHI Sports Indiana on Wednesday.Pagano said Luck is still a week away in his throwing progression, as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. Luck was already ruled out of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday.Jacoby Brissett is expected to start for the third consecutive game in Luck's absence."He's doing great," Pagano said, according to ESPN's Mike Wells. "Nothing's changed. We were hopeful, and it didn't work out."Luck's return would be a massive boost to a 1-2 Colts team that has often looked lost without him under center.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Justin Timberlake might be bringing sexy back to the Super Bowl.Timberlake is finalizing a deal to rock your body and perform the halftime show of Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis on Feb. 4, Us Weekly reports.However, it appears Jay-Z may have to cry me a river as Timberlake will be performing alone despite reports the two may collaborate."As of right now, it will just be Justin - no surprise performers," a source told Us Weekly.Apparently, what goes around ... comes around, as Timberlake took part in the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004, which was mired in controversy after he pulled part of Janet Jackson's costume off at the end of "Rock Your Body," exposing her breast in what Jackson later referred to as a "wardrobe malfunction."There's been no word if the performance will be longer than 4 minutes, though.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The CFL announced Wednesday it won't register any contract for former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel this season, and will only allow him to play in the league next year if he meets certain conditions spelled out by the commissioner."The specifics of those conditions are confidential and will not be disclosed," a statement from the league read.Manziel, who had an in-person meeting with commissioner Randy Ambrosie, will remain on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' exclusive negotiating rights list until Nov. 30, according to the statement.Known as Johnny Football, Manziel is intent on resuming his career after addressing numerous off-field issues. He worked out for the Tiger-Cats in August, but Hamilton said at the time it chose not to offer him a contract.Manziel released the following statement Wednesday:

New York Jets running back Matt Forte is likely to miss Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars after being ruled week to week with a toe injury, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The Jets signed free agent Travaris Cadet for additional depth with Forte potentially sidelined.Bilal Powell and rookie Elijah McGuire should split carries against Jacksonville and its 28th-ranked run defense.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

AFCTom Brady was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for a second consecutive week, making it the fourth time in his career he's accomplished the feat. Brady went 25-for-35 for 378 yards and five touchdowns through the air, as the New England Patriots beat the Houston Texans in Foxborough. His play of the game came in the form of a game-winning, 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandin Cooks with 23 seconds left.New York Jets safety Terrence Brooks recorded interceptions off Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler and punter Matt Haack. Brooks becomes the first Jets defensive player to win the weekly honor since cornerback Darrelle Revis in 2015.Stephen Hauschka had his best game with the Buffalo Bills, making all four field-goal attempts and both extra-point attempts to be the difference in a 26-16 upset over the visiting Denver Broncos. Hauschka kicked two field goals over 50 yards, double his total of last season with the Seattle Seahawks.NFCKirk Cousins tied Mark Rypien for the Washington Redskins all-time franchise record with his fourth Player of the Week award. Cousins completed 25 of 30 pass attempts, turning in a season-high 265 passing yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a convincing prime-time victory over the Oakland Raiders.Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence sacked Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer three times to join Sean Lee and David Irving as the only Cowboys defensive players to win a Player of the Week award in the past five seasons. Lawrence continues to be the cornerstone of the Cowboys defense, racking up 16 combined tackles and 6.5 sacks through three games.In just his second game since being signed off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad to replace injured kicker Caleb Sturgis, Philadelphia Eagles rookie Jake Elliott took home Special Teams Player of the Week. He made two of three field-goal attempts, including a game-winning 61-yarder as the Eagles topped the New York Giants 27-24 as time expired.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb said he's optimistic about playing Thursday against the Chicago Bears after being a full participant in practice Tuesday, according to NFL Network's Omar Ruiz.He missed Week 3 with a chest injury.With Cobb sidelined, Geronimo Allison exploded for 122 yards on six catches in Green Bay's overtime win.Cobb was his usual efficient self over the first two games of the year, racking up 15 catches for 145 yards.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carson Palmer's erratic play in Week 2 motivated Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians to call out the performance of his veteran pivot.However, Arians changed his tune after Palmer lit up the Dallas Cowboys for 325 yards and two touchdowns during Monday night's loss, despite being sacked three times and hit on 11 occasions."I don't think our quarterback could have played any better," Arians said, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. "He was lights-out from the start to finish. Even getting hit that many times, he moved his feet great. He was sound around the pocket."He added: "This is the best I've seen him in about two or three years."The regression the 37-year-old Palmer showed in 2016 has seeped into 2017, with the passer's arm strength and decision-making becoming increasingly questionable.Palmer's strong performance against Dallas, however, should give the Cardinals hope that he's capable of shouldering the offensive workload with star running back David Johnson sidelined.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.