LOS ANGELES — In one respect, C.J. Stroud cares very deeply. Witness his success as a record-breaking rookie quarterback for the Houston Texans.

In another respect, Stroud cares not at all.

"Some people develop it at a young age, where you're not concerned with other people's opinions," said Jordan Palmer, widely regarded as a top ...Read more

Devising the perfect Daily Fantasy Sports strategy for the NFL can be a challenge, which is why I'm here weekly to assist.

On DraftKings, it's important to remember you're playing full-point PPR with bonuses if a player surpasses 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards or 100 receiving yards.

Here is my optimal lineup for Sunday's $2.75 million ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The most intriguing short-term question confronting the 2023 Chiefs is whether their postseason path will once more roll exclusively through GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

The more intriguing long-term question is whether future seasons will roll through Arrowhead Stadium at all.

The common thread between the two? It’s...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The analytics I have seen give the Steelers anywhere between a 72 and 76% chance to make the playoffs. I have never understood those numbers as they just seem like guessing, but hey, the people who put together advanced numbers are much smarter than me.

That being said, here is my number breakdown based on my vast knowledge of ...Read more

NEW YORK — On Thursday, Aaron Rodgers and the beat writers who cover the Jets met for an off-camera interview inside the team’s Florham Park training facility.

Before the 24-minute conversation, Rodgers commented on my “Masters of the Universe” T-shirt and the superstar quarterback expressed his love for both that ’80s classic cartoon...Read more

The NFL’s most famous play might also be its most straightforward.

And on Sunday, when the 49ers play the Eagles, it’s must-see TV.

You can call the play the Tush Push, the Brotherly Shove, or, simply, the Eagles’ quarterback sneak.

But no matter the moniker, Philadelphia has run it so often and so effectively that there have been calls...Read more

DENVER — While Sean Payton got big money from the crazy-rich Waltons to coach the Broncos, DeMeco Ryans won the coaching sweepstakes by landing the better job in Houston.

Although the Broncos and Texans bring identical 6-5 records to a game Sunday with huge playoff implications for this season, which of these teams is closer to winning the ...Read more

SEATTLE — What Seahawks coach Pete Carroll didn't do Friday was blame Thursday night's 41-35 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on officiating.

"What I'm not going to do is bellyache about the calls and the penalties," he said when talking with reporters during his usual day-after-game news conference. "I'm not going to do that."

What he did do, ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — There is a growing concern, some might want to call it fear, the Steelers might have another Antonio Brown on their hands. However, in this instance, it's not just one receiver who is guilty of such shameful, sometimes intolerable behavior. It's two.

And they can't simply be dismissed as being what every ego-indulged, self-...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As a senior at Brigham Young in 1980, Andy Reid was considering a career as a sportswriter. If he had gone on that way and, say, later covered the Chiefs, he told me in 2017, “They’d be fun articles to read. You’d look forward to reading them. They’d be colorful.”

But fate had something else in mind after BYU ...Read more

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — To appreciate the newest Miami Dolphins’ final chapter, consider his first one. Two decades ago, he entered geometry class on the first day as a Deerfield Beach High School junior. The teacher was waiting for him.

“Jason Pierre-Paul, you know geometry is a core class,’’ said that teacher, Manny Martin, who was ...Read more

MIAMI — In Week 6, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill delivered one of the top highlights of the 2023 NFL season.

After catching a 41-yard touchdown in the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers, Hill went behind the end zone and grabbed a phone from an NFL videographer on site. Hill then recorded himself hitting a backflip before ...Read more

NEW YORK — Aaron Rodgers is attempting to go where no man has gone before.

That’s play in a game three months after his Achilles surgery.

But why is the soon-to-be 40-year-old Rodgers taking this risk?

“It’s never been a why try, it’s been why not,” Rodgers told reporters on Thursday. “From September 12 on, my goal was to come ...Read more

We’d been waiting for a breakout like last week’s, and our season dearly needed it. The 14-2 mark overall was a season-best and to also go 14-2 against the spread was the stuff of dreams. That one week alone lifted us up over the Mendoza line of .600 outright for the season and into the promised land of over .500 vs. the betting line. The ...Read more

Here’s a look back at Week 12’s action, and fantasy advice for the week ahead:

WEEK 12 RECAP

Packers 29, Lions 22: Jayden Reed has benefited greatly from QB Jordan Love finding his groove recently. The rookie receiver is the overall WR11 in standard formats (WR10 in PPR) since Week 8 with 20 receptions (28 targets) for 266 yards and two ...Read more

DENVER — An arrest warrant has been issued for Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller after he allegedly assaulted a pregnant woman Wednesday in Dallas.

Dallas police officers responded to the 3100 block of North Harwood Street in Dallas about 11 a.m. to a “major disturbance call,” where they found the 34-year-old former Denver Bronco ...Read more

The Los Angeles Times' NFL writer, Sam Farmer, examines this week's matchups. Lines according to FanDuel Sportsbook (O/U = over/under). Last week's record 13-3 (.813); season 109-71 (.606). Using point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, the record against the spread last week would have been 11-4-1 (.733); season 85-92-3 (.480). Off: ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — For a moment, Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson got to feel like he was in high school all over again, slipping on a black and red Northeast High School football jersey over his head on the auditorium stage to the tune of cheers from the entire student body.

Johnson remembers growing up playing high school football at Groveton ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — We'll get to Hines Ward in a moment. What a shame that such a legendary player still has not been enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He's now a semifinalist (one of 25) for the eighth time.

Some claim Ward does't have the numbers. I guess that's correct, if you ignore the fact he had 1,000 catches (one of 14 in NFL ...Read more

DENVER — When Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson entered the league in 2012, his goal was to play until his 40s.

Now at 35 and playing some of his best football since his Seattle days, Wilson is confident he can reach that goal through his drive and work ethic.

“I still got a little speed,” Wilson said with a smile. “Every day, I get ...Read more