CHICAGO — If the Chicago Bears can reach the kind of success they are aiming for this season, they will be able to look back on a 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans and chalk it up to a number of factors, most prominently an improved roster.

The defense had 10 hits on quarterback Will Levis, the second-most by the Bears since Week 15 of ...Read more

DENVER — The Broncos are preparing as if they will not be facing their old starting quarterback Sunday.

Russell Wilson (calf) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday for Pittsburgh, but head coach Mike Tomlin on Monday indicated the Steelers were proceeding as if Justin Fields would get his second start of the young season with Wilson...Read more

LOS ANGELES — It's only one game, but the rash of injuries suffered by Rams players in their season-opening loss at Detroit harks back to 2022, when the defending Super Bowl-champion Rams were ravaged by injuries that contributed to the worst Super Bowl hangover in NFL history.

On Wednesday, the Rams placed receiver Puka Nacua (knee sprain) ...Read more

ATLANTA — It was a bad first game, which can happen. But what if it was more than that? What if Kirk Cousins wasn’t just rusty? What if he’s really and truly not ready? What then?

Confession: This correspondent isn’t a fan of conspiracy theories. Sometimes a cigar, as the doctor from Vienna suggested, is just a cigar. Sometimes — ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Giants didn’t just fail to score a touchdown in Week 1. They had no offensive identity in their first game pivoting off a Saquon Barkley-centric attack.

What does Brian Daboll, the head coach and play caller, want their identity to be this season?

“Scoring points,” Daboll said Wednesday.

Funny, but Daboll can’t start...Read more

CHICAGO — Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus called Rome Odunze “day to day” as the rookie wide receiver recovers from a sprained MCL in his left knee.

Odunze, the No. 9 pick in this year’s draft, stretched with the Bears before practice Wednesday but was not set to participate in individual or team drills after he injured his knee late ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Less than a week ago, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey stood before reporters and with clipped answers said he expected to play against the New York Jets.

McCaffrey met the media again Wednesday and said the same thing about Sunday’s road game in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.

“My mentality is that I’...Read more

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — This is the third time in eight months I’m writing a column about Tyreek Hill’s life off the field.

Why is that?

I haven’t written a single column about any other Miami Dolphins player’s headline-making off-field behavior.

But here I am writing about Tyreek once again.

Someone — coach Mike McDaniel, general ...Read more

NEW YORK — In 2014, as the leader of the Packers, Aaron Rodgers famously told Green Bay fans to “relax” after the team got off to a 1-2 start.

Following a disappointing 32-19 drubbing by the 49ers on Monday Night Football to begin the season, the four-time NFL MVP echoed a similar message to Jets fans.

“I always think we have to stay ...Read more

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 X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown if you ...Read more

MIAMI — One of the more well-known Biblical verses hits a bull’s-eye on my sentiments regarding the recent saga the Miami Dolphins are involved in.

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone,” — John 8:7.

Nobody is arguing that Tyreek Hill wasn’t a victim on Sunday’s exchange with police, hours before ...Read more

MIAMI — Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill on Wednesday expressed regret for not immediately following police orders after a traffic stop on Sunday but also called for the dismissal of the police officer who pulled him from his vehicle and handcuffed him after he refused to pull his car window down completely.

At a Wednesday news conference at ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Former President Donald Trump continues to associate himself with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany as he seeks to win November’s election.

Patrick, however, said Wednesday he was not going to publicly align himself with either presidential candidate.

During a Wednesday morning interview on Fox ...Read more

GREG COTE’S NFL WEEK 2 THURSDAY PICK

BILLS (1-0) at DOLPHINS (1-0)

Line: MIA by 2 1/2.

Cote’s pick: MIA, 27-23.

TV: 8:15 p.m. Thursday, Prime Video.

The Dolphins are an exceptionally tight-knit team that was given a reason to draw even closer with Sunday’s unnecessary and violently ugly detainment of star Tyreek Hill over a traffic ...Read more

Chiefs players gave the team’s training staff a failing grade in last season’s NFLPA report card, and it seems at least one Baltimore Ravens player would agree with that.

Baltimore linebacker Kyle Van Noy suffered a fractured orbital bone during the Chiefs’ 27-20 win over the Ravens Thursday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in the NFL ...Read more

TAMPA BAY, Fla. — One week into the season, and Baker Mayfield leads the NFL in touchdown passes and quarterback rating.

He also leads in payback, comeuppance and middle fingers.

Yes, 2024 has the potential to be Mayfield’s tour of revenge. He’ll likely deflect the praise and tone down the gloating, but this is the week when, as Michael ...Read more

It’s a rare thing for a quarterback to be an afterthought in an NFL game.

But that’s what San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was Monday night in Santa Clara, Calif.

As the 49ers and backup tailback Jordan Mason ran left, right, and center on the New York Jets, Purdy — who finished in fourth place in league MVP voting last season...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Even before Mike Tomlin announced that Russell Wilson likely would be out again this week against Denver, I had come to the conclusion that the Steelers' best path forward this year was to stick with Justin Fields as their starting quarterback.

I didn't think that would be the case during training camp and advocated that Wilson ...Read more

The Las Vegas Raiders’ offseason and preseason did not solve their near-chronic problems at quarterback.

Their best option?

Pull a Chargers.

That is, lose most of your games at a time when a potent QB class is heading toward the NFL draft.

Admittedly, it takes more than on-field ineptitude. Good luck is needed for the high draft slot to ...Read more