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Editorial: A test for the NFL and the Vikings
It isn't uncommon for the playing status of an injured football player to be described as "day to day." It's novel for an entire team to acquire that status, but that's the situation the Minnesota Vikings find themselves in after possibly becoming the receiving party in the NFL's first outbreak of COVID-19.
"Novel" like the coronavirus itself, ...Read more
What's wrong with the Falcons defense?
The Falcons' defensive braintrust was supposed to have fixed all of the team's problems last season when they went 6-2 over the last eight games.
Falcons assistant coaches Jeff Ulbrich and Joe Whitt Jr. addressed some of the unit's issues as they are preparing to face the Green Bay Packers (3-0) at 8:15 p.m. Monday at Lambeau Field.
"I think ...Read more
Charles McDonald: Some of NFL's 0-3 teams still have chance due to expanded playoffs
Six teams have gotten off to an 0-3 start this season, but not all of these winless teams have the same outlook.
It'll be hard for any of these teams to make the playoffs, but there are more chances for teams that stumble out of the gate to get into the playoffs this year since there will be seven teams making the postseason in each conference ...Read more
Lions' defense faces toughest test yet with 'dynamic, deceptive' Alvin Kamara up next
Remember Aaron Jones? Of course you do. How could you forget? Two weeks isn't long enough to shake that nightmare.
Before the Detroit Lions' snapped their 11-game losing streak last weekend against the Arizona Cardinals, Jones ran roughshod on Detroit's defense, racking up a career-best 236 yards from scrimmage in the Packers' 42-21 win.
In ...Read more
Good cause, bad judgment as Raiders players eschew masks at Darren Waller fundraiser
Whether the NFL season grinds to a halt over positive coronavirus tests or not is to be determined.
One thing's for sure - the Raiders, fair or not, are becoming poster children for violating coronavirus protocol.
A fundraiser Monday night on behalf of the Darren Waller Foundation was the Raiders' third and the most serious known breach of ...Read more
Sam Farmer's Thursday night NFL pick
NFL Thursday
DENVER (0-3) AT N.Y. JETS (0-3)
TV: 5:20 p.m. PDT, NFL.
Line: Broncos by 1.
Over/under: 40.
Sam Farmer's pick: Denver's defense is decent against bad teams, and the Jets fill the bill - they are awful. Watch for Broncos to run a hurry-up offense with Brett Rypien and nickel and dime the Jets with short passes. Denver has ...Read more
NFL: Teams could lose draft picks if coaches flout mask rules
Concerned that not all NFL coaches are wearing protective masks properly on the sideline, the league now reserves the right to take away draft picks from teams that flout the rules.
In a memo sent Wednesday to all 32 clubs, Troy Vincent, the league's executive vice president of football operations, reminded teams of the importance of adhering ...Read more
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has illness not related to COVID-19, coach Brian Flores says
Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa did not practice on Wednesday due to an illness coach Brian Flores stressed is not related to COVID-19.
Tagovailoa has a fever, and the hope is he can return to practice later this week ahead of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks at Hard Rock Stadium.
"Tua will be out (Wednesday). He'll ...Read more
Vikings plan to return to facility Thursday
MINNEAPOLIS - The Vikings plan to be back at practice on Thursday and play in Houston on Sunday, days after eight positive COVID-19 cases from their previous opponent forced them to close their team headquarters for two days.
General manager Rick Spielman said Wednesday the Vikings are "optimistic we'll be back in the building" on Thursday for ...Read more
Titans-Steelers game being postponed after coronavirus outbreak
After the NFL's first COVID-19 outbreak, Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans is being postponed.
"The Steelers-Titans game, originally scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, will be rescheduled to allow additional time for further daily COVID-19 testing and to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game ...Read more
Jaguars' D.J. Hayden asserting himself to help rookie cornerback CJ Henderson
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Since a dismal performance against Miami last week, the Jaguars have been soul-searching and honing in on correcting mistakes.
They are looking to regain their footing this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals on the road after back-to-back losses to the Titans and Dolphins.
Like cornerback D.J. Hayden, some of the ...Read more
Manish Mehta: Jets coach Adam Gase is circling the drain, but GM Joe Douglas owns this mess too
NEW YORK - The Jets will throw their proven losing head coach to the wolves when the brain trust feels the need to seek shelter from the avalanche of warranted criticism.
Adam Gase will be the sacrificial lamb at some point. He should be. But a larger concern remains for this wayward franchise. A frustrated fan base searching for a flicker of ...Read more
Marcus Hayes: Missing: Eagles coach Doug Pederson
PHILADELPHIA - Where is Real Doug Pederson? Where did that guy go?
Real Doug Pederson gambles like Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Real Doug Pederson rolls the dice more than Leroy Brown. Real Doug Pederson had more gadgets up his sleeve than James Bond and more flavor than Flav, but this Doug Pederson is just ... Bland. Blah. Blech.
Who is this ...Read more
Dolphins' Fitzpatrick praises Tua: 'There are a million different throws that he makes that I can't'
Along with starting at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick also knows his role is to tutor and mentor rookie Tua Tagovailoa.
Fitzpatrick takes pride in being in this position and thinks of passing along any tidbits or advice as paying it forward to Tagovailoa like other coaches and quarterbacks have done for him in his ...Read more
David Murphy: The NFL can take a lesson from baseball's outbreak. Damn the positives, full speed ahead
Remember when everybody wanted to kick the Marlins out of Major League Baseball and staple Rob Manfred through the toenails to a wooden pike outside the city gates? Man, that was a crazy week. The Phillies went seven straight days without playing a game. The commissioner's office warned the players that the season was in jeopardy. The scribes ...Read more
Brad Biggs' Week 4 NFL rankings
Brad Biggs' NFL power rankings for Week 4 of the 2020 season. Last week's ranking in parentheses.
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1. Chiefs 3-0 (1)
In the battle of the NFL's last two MVPs, Patrick Mahomes dominated the show Monday night, completing 31 of 42 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-20 blowout victory in Baltimore. One touchdown pass went to left...Read more
Fantasy football Week 4: Add and drop
Each week I'll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football - I define "widely available" as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues - and some guys who are probably better off in the free-agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.
Follow me on Twitter @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the ...Read more
Mike Preston: Ravens' blowout loss to Chiefs the kind that scars teams for entire season
BALTIMORE - These are the kind of losses that scar teams, sometimes for the entire season.
The Kansas City Chiefs didn't just physically beat the Ravens on "Monday Night Football," but might have damaged their psyche as well. After two straight close losses to the Chiefs in the regular season, the Ravens were blown out by the defending Super ...Read more
Dan Wiederer: Don't be angry at Mitch Trubisky. Don't feel sorry for him either. And don't write him off as Bears QB.
CHICAGO - Don't be angry with Mitch Trubisky. It's the wrong emotion. Disappointed? Sure. Unfulfilled? Totally fair. But angry? Nah, that's misguided. It's misdirected energy.
Trubisky's benching Sunday in Atlanta became an official demotion Monday. Matt Nagy told his quarterbacks first, then shared the news with the world.
Nick Foles will ...Read more
Titans, Vikings close facilities after three Tennessee players, five staffers test positive for coronavirus
The NFL's first COVID-19 outbreak has hit.
The Tennessee Titans have shut down their facilities until Saturday after three players and five staff members tested positive for the virus, the league announced.
The Minnesota Vikings, the Titans' opponent this past Sunday, also shuttered their facility due to contact tracing protocols.
Neither ...Read more
