Carolina Panthers receiver Kelvin Benjamin avoided a major knee injury in Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Benjamin left the contest and did not return, but Rapoport notes a source says the receiver is "fine."The 26-year-old missed all of 2015 with a torn ACL in the same knee, so the Panthers will certainly be breathing a sigh of relief.Benjamin only has nine receptions on the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Panthers appeared to be one of the only teams, if not the only one, that didn't protest Sunday following Donald Trump's comments against NFL anthem protesters over the weekend. However, one man was missing from the sidelines.Julius Peppers decided to stay in the locker room during the playing of the national anthem. The Panthers veteran later explained he meant no disrespect to first responders or military members, rather stating it was about "making a decision as a man on my two feet.""I thought it was appropriate to stay in (the locker room)," Peppers told reporters after Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints. "We know what went on this week with the comments that were made by the president, and I felt like he attacked our brothers - my brothers, in the league. I felt like it was appropriate to stand up with them and stay in the locker room."None of the Panthers who were on the field took a knee, raised a fist, or linked arms during the anthem.Head coach Ron Rivera said he told players Saturday night that he felt they should stand for the anthem, according to the Observer's Jourdan Rodrigue.Peppers said he felt it was important to take a stance."I know a lot of people might not understand it. A lot of people might be upset about it and that's fine," said Peppers. "I'm doing things that I feel are right, things that I believe in."There's only a few times in a man's life where you have a chance to stand up for something that you believe in and make a statement. So today, I thought that was that chance and I took it."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Following his first of two touchdowns Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, Odell Beckham Jr. immediately dropped to all fours and mimicked a dog relieving itself with one leg raised.When asked about the celebration postgame, Beckham offered a very simple explanation."I don't know. I'm in the end zone. I'm a dog. So I acted like a dog," Beckham said, per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.The New York Giants star would find the end zone again less than two minutes later, opting to raise a fist for his second celebration. He refrained from offering a definitive answer when asked if it was in support of various players protesting around the league.

Richard Sherman is in a feisty mood Sunday.The Seattle Seahawks cornerback was penalized for holding and pass interference on a play against the Tennessee Titans, before receiving an unsportsmanlike penalty for arguing the initial calls.Sherman wasn't done there. The veteran was dinged for another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty not long after for hitting Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota late out of bounds.The hit caused a minor scuffle before cooler heads eventually prevailed.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Week 3 of the 2017 season has become the week of the upset as a barrage of betting favorites have fallen to teams perceived to be worse.But which underdog's win was most surprising? Let's take a look.Jaguars blow out RavensVegas Line: Ravens -3.5The Jaguars and Ravens got the unusual Sunday started in the morning from London. Baltimore had allowed 10 points over two games and then gave up 44 through 60 minutes.Joe Flacco had a career-low 28 yards passing with two interceptions, while Blake Bortles shredded the Ravens' defense - which had eight interceptions in its first two contests - for 244 yards and four touchdowns.Saints' pass defense stifles PanthersVegas Line: Panthers -6The Saints came into Sunday's game with the worst passing defense in the league and without their top three cornerbacks. It looked like it would be an an easy day for Cam Newton's passing offense.Instead, New Orleans' defense picked off Newton three times and held the former MVP to 167 passing yards, with running back Christian McCaffrey accounting for 101 of those in the 34-13 loss.Jets win gameVegas Line: Dolphins -6It's shocking enough that the Jets won a game. It's just embarrassing for the Dolphins that they almost had a shutout, too.Jay Cutler had the worst day of his short Dolphins career, completing 26-of-44 passes for 220 yards and one garbage-time touchdown as Miami's rushing game only put up 30 yards on the Jets' defense. Josh McCown was able to outthrow Cutler on 21 fewer attempts to help win the game 20-6.Broncos fall in BuffaloVegas Line: Broncos -3After destroying the Dallas Cowboys a week earlier and entering the conversation about Super Bowl contenders, the Broncos fell flat in Buffalo on Sunday, losing 26-16.Despite outgaining the Bills 366 to 272 in total yards, the Broncos struggled to get into the end zone, settling for three field goals inside 40 yards while notching just one touchdown. One the other side, the Bills got plenty of luck with their red-zone trips.Bears outduel Steelers in OTVegas Line: Steelers -7You just can't sleep on the Chicago Bears. After almost beating the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, the Bears completed the upset Sunday, taking down the Steelers in overtime 23-17.Mike Glennon needed only 101 yards passing as Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen combined for 216 rushing yards, including a 19-yard overtime score. Steelers star weapons Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown combined for 208 yards, but the rest of Pittsburgh's offense struggled to do damage.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady's late-game heroics powered the New England Patriots to another victory Sunday, but the talk afterward turned to the quarterback's pregame actions and Donald Trump.Brady linked arms with receiver Phillip Dorsett during the national anthem and was asked about the gesture postgame."I just think there's just a great love for my teammates," Brady said in a team release.Other players took a knee during the anthem, which was received with boos by some Patriots fans. Brady tried to sidestep the controversy surrounding Trump's criticism of players protesting."I'm not getting into any of that," Brady added. "Like I said, I speak for myself. I believe what I believe. You guys know me. I'm a very positive person, so I try to just live by example and say positive things about people. I try to control my own emotions, and no matter what anyone says, I'm going to have a positive outlook, certainly with my teammates."We all go through ups and downs and there's struggles and it's life and we're all trying to navigate it as best we can. So, I believe that love is the greatest thing we have that overcomes a lot of things."All eyes were on the national anthems prior to Sunday's games after Trump ripped protesters at a rally Friday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: this story contains coarse languageBuffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy doubled down on his comments about President Donald Trump following Sunday's win over the Denver Broncos, stating that the commander in-chief is "acting like a jerk."McCoy previously called Trump an "asshole" after the president asked NFL owners to fire players who protested during the national anthem.During the anthem prior to Sunday's game, McCoy continued to stretch and warmup, refusing to alter his routine.Here is the full extent of McCoy's comments via ESPN's Mike Rodak.

An upset-filled Week 3 has featured plenty of teams providing some unexpected hope to their respective fan bases, but also hurting their chances in the 2018 NFL Draft at the same time.Here's a look at four teams who may end up finishing with a better record than they may necessarily desire.New York JetsThe Jets entered Week 3 on the heels of a 45-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders and were outscored by a total of 66-32 in their first two losses of the season.The defense was able to force fumbles from both Jay Cutler and replacement Matt Haack of the Miami Dolphins, while Jets quarterback Josh McCown went 18-for-23 through the air for 249 yards and a score.The offense still scored just two touchdowns on the day, not inspiring long-term confidence. They may be able to compete in their next two games, at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and on the road against the Cleveland Browns. They'll likely be forced back to reality in Week 6 when they host the New England Patriots.Indianapolis ColtsNothing like a home game against the Browns to ease the pain of a 0-2 start.Quarterback Jacoby Brissett dazzled in his second consecutive start, rushing for two scores and passing for one, while completing 17 of 24 pass attempts. Running back Frank Gore managed just 2.3 yards per carry on the day, but he also fell into the end zone for a score.The defense recorded three interceptions off Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer, holding him below 50 percent passing on the day.Word from earlier in the day indicated Andrew Luck could resume practicing next week with a feasible return to play in Week 6. The Colts are in tough next week with a visit to the Seattle Seahawks, but a second win without Luck, over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5, could keep their hopes alive.Chicago BearsThe Bears now have a win and a near upset of the Super Bowl runner-ups sandwiching a blowout road loss at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.The defense forced three Pittsburgh Steelers fumbles and recovered two, while 2016's second-leading rusher, Jordan Howard, gained 138 yards and scored two touchdowns on 23 rushing attempts.Quarterback Mike Glennon needed to complete just 15 of 22 pass attempts for 101 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.The Bears likely won't be able to keep the ball out Glennon's hands this often. Having to rely on their placeholder quarterback is a strategy best avoided, but the rest of the team has showed some competence for when rookie Mitchell Trubisky is finally handed the starting role.San Francisco 49ersThe 49ers don't quite meet requirements for this list, but they looked like a completely different team on a short week than they did in their first two games of the season.After being held to just 12 points through two weeks, quarterback Brian Hoyer broke out for two passing scores and a rushing touchdown, while running back Carlos Hyde added two of his own on the ground.The defense still showed plenty of weaknesses, but head coach Kyle Shanahan may have finally been able to implement the offense he wants his team to run.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller defended his protest during the national anthem, stating that it was a direct response to President Donald Trump's controversial remarks about NFL players Friday.Trump asked NFL owners to fire players who protested during the national anthem. The president received national backlash and several teams made a concerted effort to make a stronger protest, with a few teams refusing to take part in the national anthem.Miller responded following Sunday's 26-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills."We felt like President Trump’s speech was an assault on our most cherished right—freedom of speech," Miller said."I felt like it was an assault on the players. This was the time to do something."

Drew Brees has always been linked to a potential political career after football by fans, and he was not afraid to address the recent comments from President Donald Trump.The New Orleans Saints' quarterback disagreed with Trump saying NFL players who protest during the national anthem should be fired."I disagree with what the President said and how he said it," said Brees, according to Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate, following Sunday's win over the Carolina Panthers. "I thought it was unbecoming of the office."Saints' head coach Sean Payton echoed similar comments, stating: "We need a little more wisdom from that office."Several Saints players - including Adrian Peterson, Cameron Jordan, and Brandon Coleman - elected to sit out the national anthem. Brees did say that, while he disagrees with Trump, he does not support protesting during the anthem.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

President Donald Trump attempted Sunday to clarify the controversial remarks he made about NFL players during a rally in Alabama."This has nothing to do with race. I've never said anything about race," Trump said at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., according to Abby D. Phillip of The Washington Post.On Friday, Trump asked NFL owners to fire players who protested during the national anthem. His remarks drew widespread criticism from athletes across professional sports, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Richard Sherman, and LeSean McCoy.Many NFL players have said their demonstrations during the anthem are intended as protests against racial inequality and police brutality in the United States.Earlier in the day, the president expressed his approval of players locking arms during the anthem, but said kneeling is "not acceptable."Trump rescinded an invite to the White House for the NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Saturday after Curry and Finals MVP Kevin Durant said they wouldn't go, though the Warriors apparently hadn't actually received an invitation.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but the Detroit Lions fell victim to a questionable decision by the officials at the end of a game.Trailing by four points to the Atlanta Falcons with 2:23 remaining, Matthew Stafford drove 88 yards to the Atlanta 1-yard line, setting up 3rd-and-goal with 8 seconds to play.Stafford would then hit Golden Tate on a quick slant, capturing the victory when the receiver dove into the end zone - or so we thought.

The Atlanta Falcons moved to 3-0 with a 30-26 victory over the Detroit Lions, the win coming by way of another last-second, goal-line stop on the road - their second such stop of the season.The Lions, who fell to 2-1, failed to score after being given 1st and goal following Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant's second third-down penalty of the final drive.On 3rd and goal, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford found wide receiver Golden Tate III, who appeared to stretch into the end zone for the go-ahead score, temporarily putting the Lions up 32-30 with eight seconds left on the clock.After an automatic review determined Tate's knee was down before the ball crossed the goal line, the remaining time was run off the clock in accordance with the automatic 10-second runoff for an overturned scoring play.The Falcons nearly lost their season opener in Chicago, but managed to stop the Bears on four consecutive goal-to-go plays to avoid the upset.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageThe Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans chose to remain in their locker rooms during the national anthem ahead of their Week 3 game Sunday.

The Green Bay Packers will get receiver Jordy Nelson and right tackle Bryan Bulaga back in the lineup Sunday, but they have several key inactives against the Cincinnati Bengals.Receiver Randall Cobb, cornerback Davon House, linebacker Jake Ryan, linebacker Nick Perry, defensive tackle Mike Daniels, and left tackle David Bakhtiari have all been ruled out.The Packers were without both starting tackles - Bulaga and Bakhtiari - last week in their loss to the Atlanta Falcons, while both Nelson and Cobb left during the game with injuries.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers receiver Kelvin Benjamin has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints with a left knee injury after leaving early in the first quarter.Benjamin made two catches for 8 yards and spent most of the first half being looked at by trainers prior to being officially ruled out at halftime.No other Panthers receiver had positive receiving yards at the half.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pick Leonard Fournette was among many NFLers who took a knee during the American national anthem Sunday, although he did it in London, England.After playing the Baltimore Ravens at Wembley Stadium, Fournette responded to some criticism he received on Twitter.

President Donald Trump took note when various NFL teams engaged in multiple forms of protest during the national anthem in Week 3.Trump tweeted halfway through the early block of games Sunday, stating that he finds locking arms acceptable but remains opposed to players kneeling.

(Warning: Story contains coarse language)After President Donald Trump implored NFL owners Friday to "get that son of a bitch off the field" if any player chose to protest during the national anthem, the football community wondered how players and teams would react in the remainder of Week 3.An array of different demonstrations took place Sunday.Texans at PatriotsPatriots quarterback Tom Brady posted an image partly captioned "unity" Sunday morning ahead of the team's game against the Houston Texans. Brady then proceeded to link an arm with Phillip Dorsett. Many of their teammates chose to kneel.

Players who kneeled during the national anthem before the Cleveland Browns-Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots-Houston Texans games weren't supported by all fans in attendance.Both sidelines at the Colts-Browns contest heard boos after groups of players protested during the anthem following President Donald Trump's remarks on Friday and Saturday.

Tom Brady was among the New England Patriots players who stood with their arms linked during the national anthem prior to Sunday's game against the Houston Texans.Sixteen Patriots players also took a knee while "The Star-Spangled Banner" was performed, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis has done a 180 on anthem protests.Davis admitted he met with star players Derek Carr and Khalil Mack last season and asked that they refrain from conducting any national anthem protest while in uniform."I had previously told them that I would prefer that they not protest while in the Raiders uniform. And should they have something to say, once their uniform was off, I might go up there with them," Davis told Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.However, in light of recent comments from President Donald Trump in which he instructed team owners to "fire" any player that protests, Davis has changed his tune."Over the last year, though, the streets have gotten hot and there has been a lot of static in the air and recently, fuel has been added to the fire," he said."I can no longer ask our team to not say something while they are in a Raider uniform. The only thing I can ask them to do is do it with class. Do it with pride."The Raiders visit the Washington Redskins in the Sunday night spotlight, so it remains to be seen how the club will approach "The Star-Spangled Banner."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through two games, the New York Giants have scored just one touchdown. They have twice as many field goals.Odell Beckham is no fan of that trend.Heading into the Giants' Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Beckham let it be known via his new cleats that he's completely against field goals.

(Warning: Story contains coarse language)Rex Ryan would like a do-over regarding his public support for Donald Trump.The former Buffalo Bills head coach and current ESPN analyst introduced the then-presidential candidate at a rally in Buffalo in April 2016, but he expressed his regret on "Sunday NFL Countdown" following Trump's shocking comments Friday about NFL player protests during the national anthem."Everyone's always been united. Yeah, the views are different but lemme tell you: I'm pissed off," said Ryan, according to CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson. "I'll be honest with you. Because I supported Donald Trump. When he asked me to introduce him at a rally in Buffalo, I did that. But I'm reading these comments and it's appalling to me and I'm sure it's appalling to almost any citizen in our country. It should be."You know, calling our players SOBs and all that kind of stuff, that's not the men that I know. The men that I know in the locker room I'm proud of. I'm proud to be associated with those people. I apologized for being pissed off but guess what? That's it, because right away I'm associated with what Donald Trump stands for and all that because I introduced him. I never signed up for that, I never wanted that. That doesn't mean I support 100 percent of the things he says."

Warning: Story contains coarse languageMiami Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills has questioned why more NFLers aren't participating in protests.On Sunday, many of his teammates will be taking part.After President Donald Trump called for NFL owners to "get that son of a bitch off the field" if a player protests during the national anthem, many of the Dolphins are wearing #ImWithKap shirts during pregame warmups ahead of their game against the New York Jets.

Marcedes Lewis had himself a day against the Baltimore Ravens in London.After being held without a catch in the first two games of the season, the Jacksonville Jaguars tight end put up three scores on the day, as the Jags dominated the Ravens 44-7. Lewis caught his third on this fade from Blake Bortles.

The continued protests during the national anthem have split NFL fans.Those against the gestures have been vocal, as was one Baltimore Ravens fan who - upon watching his team kneel or link arms for the anthem Sunday - announced he would be selling his season tickets.Former Raven James Ihedigbo spoke up and offered to "buy them and give them away."

The New York Giants will have cornerback Janoris Jenkins back when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.Jenkins was sidelined for Monday's loss to the Detroit Lions due to an ankle injury, but it was reported the team was optimistic he would be healthy enough to return this week.The Giants are looking for their first win of the season and getting their top cover man back will certainly help the cause.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Garett Bolles has made a miraculous recovery.After it was reported Bolles was set to miss a couple of weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain and bone bruise versus the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday, the Denver Broncos left tackle will play this week against the Buffalo Bills. Bolles was carted off against the Cowboys, but he surprised everyone this week when he returned to the practice field ahead of schedule.The Broncos will be happy Bolles is ready to go, as he'll likely be tasked with slowing down Bills pass rusher Jerry Hughes, who already has two sacks on the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower and running back Rex Burkhead are inactive for Sunday's game against the Houston Texans due to knee and rib injuries, respectively.Both were listed as questionable.It's the second straight missed game for Hightower after sustaining the injury in Week 1, though he reportedly should return next week.With Burkhead out, the Patriots should give more touches to Dion Lewis behind James White and Mike Gillislee.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.