CARDINALS TRY TO SNAP 4-GAME LOSING STREAK WHEN THEY HOST PACKERS
Green Bay (3-1-1) at Arizona (2-4)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., EDT, Fox
BetMGM line: Packers by 6 1/2.
Series record: Packers lead 47-26-4.
Against the spread: Packers 2-3; Cardinals 3-3.
Last week: Packers beat Bengals 27-18; Colts beat Cardinals 31-27.
Last meeting: Packers beat Cardinals 34-13 on Oct. 13, 2024, in Green Bay.
Packers offense: overall (9), rush (12), pass (10), scoring (8).
Packers defense: overall (5), rush (1), pass (11), scoring (10).
Cardinals offense: overall (22), rush (17), pass (24), scoring (20T).
Cardinals defense: overall (24), rush (13), pass (28), scoring (14).
Turnover differential: Packers minus-1; Cardinals plus-1.
Packers player to watch
RB Josh Jacobs has rushed for two touchdowns and gained at least 150 yards from scrimmage in each of Green Bay’s past two games. He rushed for 93 yards on 18 carries and caught five passes for 57 yards against the Bengals despite dealing with an illness. Jacobs said after the game he had vomited on a couple of occasions during the game.
Cardinals player to watch
TE Trey McBride has been one of the few constants in an up-and-down season for the Cardinals’ offense. The fourth-year Colorado State product is on the way to another productive season with 37 catches with 347 yards and two touchdowns through six games.
Key matchup
The Cardinals have been a run-first team for much of third-year coach Jonathan Gannon’s tenure, but the Packers have the NFL’s best rushing defense. On top of that, Arizona’s top two running backs — James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee) — are out with injuries.
Key injuries
Packers: DL Devonte Wyatt (knee) and K Brandon McManus (quadriceps) didn’t play against Cincinnati and didn’t practice Wednesday. DL Lukas Van Ness (foot) and OT Zach Tom (oblique/back) also didn’t practice Wednesday. WR Christian Watson has been practicing on a limited basis as he works his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. WR Jayden Reed (foot/shoulder) is on injured reserve and will miss a fourth straight game.
Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray (foot) and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion) are part of a long injury list. Murray missed last week’s game. RB Emari Demercado (ankle) and WR Zay Jones (knee) were held out of Wednesday’s practice, which was a walkthrough. Rookie DL Walter Nolen III (calf) had his 21-day practice window opened in his return from the PUP list. He could be activated at any time over the next three weeks.
Series notes
The two teams have split the past 10 games going back to 2003. The first meeting in the series goes back to 1921, which is the second-oldest rivalry in NFL history.
Stats and stuff
The Packers have won their past 11 regular-season games against NFC West teams. … Packers coach Matt LaFleur (70-34-1) has reached 70 career wins in the shortest amount of time by any coach since Bill Cowher also got his 70th win in his 105th game in 1998, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. … The Packers are seeking their first road victory. They lost 13-10 at Cleveland and tied Dallas 40-40 in their first two road games. … The Packers are outscoring teams 24-0 in the first quarter of games. … The Packers are allowing a league-low 73 yards rushing per game. … Packers CB Keisean Nixon has nine passes defensed to rank second in the NFL, behind Cincinnati’s D.J. Turner (11). … Packers DE Micah Parsons has six quarterback pressures per game according to Next Gen Stats to match Pittsburgh’s Nick Herbig for the highest average in the league. … Lucas Havrisik probably would be Green Bay’s kicker on Sunday if McManus remains unavailable. Havrisik filled in for McManus against the Bengals and made both of his field-goal attempts, from 43 and 39 yards. … The Packers are converting an NFL-leading 52.3% of their third downs. … The Packers have forced only two takeaways all season. … This is Arizona’s only home game in a span of 40 days from Oct. 6 to Nov. 15. … All of Arizona’s six games this season have been decided by a touchdown or less. The team has lost four straight games by a combined nine points. … LB Mack Wilson Sr. leads the team with 50 tackles. … QB Jacoby Brissett started for the injured Murray in last week’s game vs. the Colts, completing 27 of 44 passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. It was the fifth time in Brissett’s career he has thrown for at least 300 yards. … McBride has at least five catches in eight straight games going back to last season. … Edge rusher Josh Sweat has four sacks in three home games this season.
Fantasy tip
Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden hasn’t scored a touchdown yet this season, but he had a career-high 86 yards receiving against the Bengals and has made some big catches in clutch situations in Green Bay’s past two games. Any teams that have been keeping Golden on their benches so far this season might want to insert him into their starting lineups this weekend.
EAGLES EMERGE FROM SOBERING SELF-REFLECTION, EAGER TO SEE WHAT’S BEEN FIXED VS. WELL-RESTED VIKINGS
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After their worst performance in more than a year, the Philadelphia Eagles have had some extra time to try to sort out their problems, iron out their inconsistencies and air out their feelings.
The defending Super Bowl champions will be quickly challenged to show they’ve made some strides.
The Eagles, after a humbling 34-17 defeat in prime time by the division-rival New York Giants and a 10-day break to reexamine their lineups, mindsets and schemes, play at Minnesota on Sunday.
“There was a little bit of rest and relaxation, and then there was a lot of trying to figure things out,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “We have a lot of thoughts, a lot of things that we want to put into action.”
The Vikings (3-2) are coming off even more time for rest and reflection, after splitting an historic two-game road trip to Europe and taking their much-needed bye week. They not only have multiple strengths that should match up well for them with some of the early season vulnerabilities that have been on display by the Eagles, but they’re much healthier as a team now after a series of injuries sidelined several key players.
The Eagles (4-2) must try to fix an offense that ranks third-worst in the NFL in total yards against a Vikings defense allowing the second-fewest passing yards per game in the league.
“They’re the defending champs,” Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “I’m not really looking at the numbers, just the history and the talent that’s there, the explosiveness that’s there. We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us.”
Saquon Barkley, a 2,000-yard rusher in 2024, hasn’t come close to an 100-yard game yet. Quarterback Jalen Hurts hasn’t played like the Super Bowl MVP he was last season. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, both multiple-time 1,000-yard receivers, have both expressed discontent with their role. After the loss to the Giants, six-time Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson ripped the “predictability” of the offense.
“I feel like we’ve been very stagnant offensively,” Johnson said. “We’ve really put the defense in a bind the last two weeks.”
Wentz’s career comes full circle
One of the many injuries the Vikings have had to navigate was a high ankle sprain that has sidelined quarterback J.J. McCarthy for the last three games.
Carson Wentz has filled in admirably, having joined the team just six weeks ago, and Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has stressed his desire that McCarthy not only demonstrate he’s fully healthy but fully ready to resume running the offense before he’s reinstalled as the starter. That puts Wentz in position to face the team that drafted him second overall in 2016 and replaced him with Hurts five years later.
Having made Minnesota his sixth stop in six seasons, however, Wentz is too far removed from his time in Philadelphia to take any extra emotion into the game Sunday. Johnson, Hurts and left tackle Jordan Mailata are the only three offensive players still around from Wentz’s time.
“There are still guys in that organization, a lot of good people that I still have a lot of care for and respect for,” Wentz said, “but at the same time that feels like multiple lifetimes ago.”
Who’s snapping the ball?
The injury bug in Minnesota has hit the offensive line the hardest, but the patchwork group delivered a remarkable performance in the comeback win over Cleveland in London.
Most notable was the job done by fill-in center Blake Brandel, who was the starting left guard last season and originally a tackle who had never before played in the middle. Ryan Kelly, the original starter, is on injured reserve with a concussion. Backup Michael Jurgens was sidelined the previous game with a hamstring injury.
“The way Blake handled this game, I think we might be looking at a situation where this could be his best position of all five across the line,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said.
Hold on tight
The Vikings have lost four fumbles in five games, including two against the Browns that were big momentum killers. The first one set up a touchdown for the Browns.
“Ball security has to be a premium for the way we’re going to win games,” O’Connell said.
The last time the Vikings faced the Eagles, a 34-28 loss in Philadelphia in Week 2 of the 2023 season, they lost four fumbles.
Play-calling status quo
First-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has been an easy target for frustrated Eagles fans, but Sirianni refused to second-guess or micromanage his lieutenant.
“Not in this sport is it ever on one person, and we’re not in the business of assigning blame,” Sirianni said. “I know that we live in a world that wants to assign blame, point the finger, but that’s not the reality of what good teams do.”
Corner backs to the wall
The Eagles have only three interceptions in six games, just one by a defensive back: rookie safety Andrew Mukuba.
While Cooper DeJean’s performance has been steady since he capped his rookie season with an interception return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl, the rest of the cornerbacks have been uneven at best, with neither Kelee Ringo and Adoree’ Jackson taking hold of the spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell. That’s a recipe for trouble against a dangerous group of Vikings pass-catchers led by All-Pro Justin Jefferson.
“We’ve got to settle in and find somebody out there that we can rely on,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “I think we have the guys that can do that. We’ve just got to get them playing better.”
EAGLES TAKE AN UNFAMILIAR LOSING STREAK ON THE ROAD TO FACE THE REFRESHED VIKINGS
Philadelphia (4-2) at Minnesota (3-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox.
BetMGM line: Eagles by 2.
Against the spread: Eagles 3-3; Vikings 3-2.
Series record: Eagles lead 16-15.
Last meeting: Eagles beat Vikings 34-28 in Philadelphia on Sept. 14, 2023.
Last week: Eagles lost at Giants 34-17; Vikings had bye, beat Browns 21-17 in London on Oct. 5.
Eagles offense: overall (30), rush (25), pass (29), scoring (15)
Eagles defense: overall (21), rush (26T), pass (12), scoring (19)
Vikings offense: overall (25), rush (21), pass (19T), scoring (12)
Vikings defense: overall (6), rush (24), pass (2), scoring (5)
Turnover differential: Eagles plus-2; Vikings minus-2.
Eagles player to watch
CB Cooper DeJean. After capping a promising rookie season with an interception return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl victory over Kansas City, DeJean is one of the few Eagles standouts who hasn’t had a noticeable drop-off in performance while serving as the anchor of a tenuous secondary. The Eagles have only three interceptions in six games and just one by a defensive back, rookie safety Andrew Mukuba.
Vikings player to watch
WR Jordan Addison. After being benched for the first quarter in London for missing a walk-through practice, Addison delivered the go-ahead touchdown catch with 25 seconds left to beat the Browns. He’s been targeted 14 times in two games since returning from a three-game suspension for an offseason drunken driving arrest and will undoubtedly continue to be a key part of the passing attack moving forward. Addison had a 62-yard touchdown reception against the Eagles in 2023.
Key matchup
Eagles RB Saquon Barkley vs. Vikings front. The 2024 AP Offensive Player of the Year award winner hasn’t come close to the rushing production he enjoyed during his 2,000-yard season while averaging a sluggish 3.4 yards per attempt. Meanwhile, the Vikings have slipped badly with their run defense after ranking second in the NFL last season in rushing yards allowed per game and fourth in yards per attempt. Injury absences of LB Blake Cashman and OLB Andrew Van Ginkel have played a significant part in the decline.
Key injuries
LG Landon Dickerson (ankle) missed the previous game along with backup TE Grant Calcaterra (oblique) and DT Jalen Carter (heel). CB Quinyon Mitchell (hamstring) was injured during the Giants game and didn’t return. Dickerson, Carter and Mitchell were all back at practice on Wednesday. … With Nolan Smith (biceps) on injured reserve for at least one more game and the unexpected retirement of Za’Darius Smith, the depth at edge rusher is thin behind starters Jalyx Hunt and Azeez Ojulari.
Vikings: Five original starters, QB J.J. McCarthy (ankle), RT Brian O’Neill (knee), LG Donovan Jackson (wrist) on offense and Cashman (hamstring) and Van Ginkel (neck), returned to practice on Wednesday after missing varying numbers of games. McCarthy’s status will be judged just as much on his readiness and mechanics as his foot, after missing a month’s worth of practices. … C Michael Jurgens (hamstring), who had taken over for sidelined starter Ryan Kelly (concussion), was also back in the mix after sitting out in London, but the Vikings could opt to keep Blake Brandel there after a successful debut at the position. … RB Aaron Jones (hamstring) must miss at least one more game on injured reserve.
Series notes
The Eagles last beat the Vikings in Minnesota in the wild-card round of the 2008-09 playoffs, a 26-14 victory at the Metrodome. They’re 4-0 in the playoffs against the Vikings. … The Vikings won in 2019 the only game to date between the teams at U.S. Bank Stadium, where the Eagles won Super Bowl 52 after beating the Vikings in Philadelphia in the NFC championship game after the 2017 season. … The Eagles have won nine of the past 13 matchups with the Vikings, including the only two between current coaches Nick Sirianni and Kevin O’Connell in 2022 and 2023.
Stats and stuff
The Eagles have lost consecutive games for the first time since dropping three straight from Dec. 31, 2023, to Jan. 15, 2024, including a wild-card round playoff loss at Tampa Bay. … The Eagles despite their loss last week are tied with Kansas City for the best road record (26-11) in the NFL since Sirianni was hired in 2021. … Sirianni is 8-0 against NFC North teams, including the playoffs. … Eagles QB Jalen Hurts threw his first interception of the season last week and just the second, counting the Super Bowl he won as MVP, in his past 15 games. Hurts did pass for a season-high 283 yards against the Giants. … Eagles WR DeVonta Smith had 131 yards and a touchdown on four catches in the previous matchup against the Vikings in 2023. … The Eagles lead the NFL in red zone scoring rate, with touchdowns on 14 of 16 trips inside the 20-yard line, the best by any NFL team through six games this century. … The Eagles have held opponents to the fourth-lowest completion rate (58.9 percent) in the league. … With McCarthy missing the past three games, Carson Wentz led the Vikings to two wins. Wentz was the second overall pick by the Eagles in the 2016 draft. … Vikings WR Justin Jefferson has eight catches of 20-plus yards this season and leads the NFL since 2020 with 140 such plays. … Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson had a season-high six receptions in the most recent game against the Browns. … Vikings CB Isaiah Rodgers, who has two defensive touchdowns, two forced fumbles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal over his first five games with the team, spent last season with the Eagles. … Vikings OLB Dallas Turner had a career-high seven tackles in the previous game against the Browns. … The Vikings have a plus-24 points differential in the last two minutes of both halves this season, second best in the NFL behind Tampa Bay. … The Vikings have held each opponent to 200 passing yards or fewer for the team’s best five-game average to start a season since 1993.
Fantasy tip
Eagles TE Dallas Goedert, who had nine catches for 110 yards and a touchdown last week against the Giants, has been targeted 20 times by Hurts over the past two games. Goedert has a touchdown catch in four straight games.
VRABEL, PATS HEAD TO TENNESSEE LOOKING TO EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 4
New England (4-2) at Tennessee (1-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
BetMGM NFL odds: Patriots by 7.
Against the spread: Patriots 4-2, Titans 2-4.
Series record: Patriots lead 26-19-1.
Last meeting: Titans beat the Patriots 20-17 in OT on Nov. 3, 2024, in Nashville.
Last week: Patriots beat Saints 25-19, Titans lost at Raiders 20-10.
Patriots offense: overall (16), rush (26), pass (6), scoring (11).
Patriots defense: overall (16), rush (4), pass (25), scoring (T-7).
Titans offense: overall (32), rush (31), pass (31), scoring (31).
Titans defense: overall (22), rush (25), pass (13), scoring (26).
Turnover differential: Patriots even; Titans minus-1.
Patriots player to watch
Drake Maye. The second-year quarterback is thriving in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ system. Maye tied a career high with three touchdown passes last week at New Orleans. He has also had five straight games with a 100-plus passer rating after finishing with a 140.1 rating against the Saints. He enters this week second in the NFL with a 73.2 completion rate. Detroit’s Jared Goff is leading the league at 75.9.
Titans player to watch
Cam Ward. The No. 1 overall pick in the April draft is a big reason why the Titans fired Brian Callahan on Monday, wanting to see improvement out of the offense. Ward completed a career-high 26 passes last week for 222 yards. The rookie has more interceptions (four) than TD passes (3).
Key matchup
The Patriots pass defense against the rookie quarterback. New England is giving up 239 yards per game through the air and ranks last in the NFL in allowing 7.88 yards per pass play. Ward has shown a knack for throwing deep.
Key injuries
Patriots: S Jaylinn Hawkins (hamstring) and LBs Harold Landry (ankle) and Anfernee Jennings (ankle) all sat out the first practice of the week.
Titans: K Joey Slye (right calf) is limited in trying to return after missing last week. WR Calvin Ridley (hamstring) and CB L’Jarius Sneed (quadricep) did not practice Wednesday. OLB Arden Key (quadricep) also didn’t practice after missing last week’s game. DT T’Vondre Sweat (ankle) is practicing, working to return from injured reserve.
Series notes
This will be the first game Patriots coach Mike Vrabel will coach against the franchise that gave him his first head coaching job in 2018. Vrabel coached the Titans to their most recent playoff win in this series, a wild-card victory that was the last for Tom Brady in a Patriots’ uniform. These are two of the original AFL franchises, and this will be the second straight season the Patriots have visited the Titans. The Titans have won three of the past four games between these teams. That includes last season in the most recent game the Titans have won at Nissan Stadium. Mike McCoy will make his debut as the Titans’ interim head coach after Brian Callahan was fired Monday.
Stats and stuff
The Patriots have won three straight games. A victory this week will give New England its longest winning streak since a seven-game streak during the 2021 season. … New England is 3-0 on the road this season. It has started with a road record of 4-0 or better eight times in team history. … The Patriots are fourth in the NFL against the run, allowing 83.5 yards per game. … The Patriots are allowing just 3.46 yards per rush, the third-lowest mark in the NFL this season. … New England is the only team that has not given up 50 yards to a running back this season. It is the first time in team history that has occurred. … Marcus Jones leads the NFL this season with a 23.1 yards per return average … Patriots TE Hunter Henry ranks fifth among New England tight ends with 2,482 receiving yards. He needs 6 yards to move past Jim Whalen into fourth place. … WR Kayshon Boutte had his first NFL game with at least two touchdowns last week at New Orleans. … LB Robert Spillane had his third game this season with 10-plus tackles after finishing with a team-leading 11 total tackles last week. … Titans’ Jeffery Simmons is the third DT in the NFL in the past 17 seasons to have at least 4 1/2 sacks and eight tackles for loss in the first six games of a season. He has joined Geno Atkins (2012 and 2018) and Aaron Donald (2015). … Titans RB Tyjae Spears had 50 scrimmage yards last week. … WR Van Jefferson led the Titans with 75 yards receiving last week. … Elic Ayomanor is the only AFC rookie WR with 2 TD receptions. … TE Chig Okonkwo had a season-high six catches last week. … LB Cody Barton had his second interception of the season last week. LB Dre’Mont Jones had his first sack of the season last week. … CB L’Jarius Sneed had a career-high 10 tackles last week.
Fantasy tip
Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs fared well against the Titans in his career. He has 38 catches (9.5 per game) for 446 yards (111.5 per game) and four receiving touchdowns in four games against Tennessee. That includes 12 catches for 148 yards and three TDs in his most recent game against the Titans (Sept. 19, 2022 with Buffalo).
FALCONS VISIT THE INJURY-RIDDLED 49ERS IN SEARCH OF A THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
Atlanta (3-2) at San Francisco (4-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT, NBC.
BetMGM NFL Odds: 49ers by 2.
Against the spread: Falcons 3-2; 49ers 3-3.
Series record: 49ers lead 48-33-1.
Last week: Falcons beat Bills 24-14; 49ers lost to Buccaneers 30-19.
Last meeting: Falcons beat 49es 28-14 at Atlanta, Oct. 16, 2022.
Falcons offense: overall (2), rush (1), pass (12), scoring (27).
Falcons defense: overall (1), rush (17), pass (1), scoring (7).
49ers offense: overall (6), rush (30), pass (1), scoring (24).
49ers defense: overall (15), rush (14), pass (18), scoring (15).
Turnover differential: Falcons plus-3; 49ers minus-5.
Falcons player to watch
Wide receiver Drake London took over the position against Buffalo when the Falcons were without two receivers who opened the season as starters. Darnell Mooney was held out with a hamstring injury and in a surprise, Ray-Ray McCloud was a healthy scratch because of what Raheem Morris said was a coach’s decision. London had 10 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown.
49ers player to watch
LB Tatum Bethune. With four-time All-Pro Fred Warner out for the season with an ankle injury, Bethune is set to make his second career start for the 49ers. Bethune had played only three snaps on defense before stepping in for Warner last week. He had 10 tackles against Tampa Bay and now will call the defensive signals in Warner’s absence.
Key matchup
Falcons RB Bijan Robinson vs. 49ers LBs. Robinson leads the NFL with 822 yards from scrimmage after gaining 238 last week. Slowing him down will be a tough task for a Niners defense missing Warner, putting heavy pressure on Bethune and Dee Winters.
Key injuries
Falcons: LT Jake Matthews left Monday’s game with an ankle injury and his status is in doubt this week. Matthews has started 183 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. … Edge Jalon Walker (groin), CB Clark Phillips III (triceps, illness) and CB Billy Bowman Jr. (hamstring) also are dealing with injuries this week.
49ers: San Francisco could get TE George Kittle back after he’s missed the past five games with a hamstring injury. … QB Brock Purdy returned to practice on a limited basis this week but it’s unknown whether he will be back or miss his third straight game with a toe injury. … WR Ricky Pearsall (knee) and DL Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) could be sidelined again. … WR Jauan Jennings has been limited by injuries to his ankle, ribs and shoulder.
Series notes
The Falcons have won three of the past four meetings in the series. … Atlanta is 7-4 against San Francisco since leaving the NFC West during the 2002 realignment. … Niners coach Kyle Shanahan spent two seasons as OC in Atlanta and Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich played 10 seasons for the 49ers.
Stats and stuff
Both teams rank in the top six in yardage and the bottom 10 in scoring thanks in part to poor red zone play. Atlanta ranks 27th in the NFL by scoring TDs on 43.8% of red zone drives, while San Francisco is 28th at 42.9%. … The Falcons lead the NFL with 151.2 rushing yards per game and rank second in possession average, holding the ball 33 minutes, 8 seconds per game. … The ball-control offense is a big reason Atlanta also ranks first in total defense, giving up only 253.4 yards per game. … The Falcons, who rank second in total offense (378.8), are the only team in the NFL to rank in the top five in both total defense and total offense. … Atlanta’s 443 yards against Buffalo, including 335 yards in the first half, were the most for any NFL team in Week 6. … The Falcons’ improved defense has had 14 sacks, the team’s high total through five games since 2005. The total includes four sacks in Monday night’s 24-14 win over Buffalo. … The 49ers are averaging 291.5 net yards passing per game for their third-highest total through six games and 82.2 yards rushing for their second fewest. … San Francisco has fewer than 85 yards rushing in five straight games for the first time in franchise history. … The 49ers rank 30th in yards rushing per game at 82.2 and last in yards per carry at 3.06. … The Niners have gone an NFL-record 13 straight games without intercepting a pass, covering 404 straight attempts. … Christian McCaffrey has at least 100 yards from scrimmage in every game this season and can tie Roger Craig’s franchise record of seven straight to start a season set in 1988. McCaffrey can become the first player in the NFL with at least 100 yards from scrimmage in each of the first seven games of a season since Adam Thielen in 2018. … K Eddy Pineiro is 15 for 15 on FGs since signing with San Francisco in Week 2 and has the most makes without a miss for any kicker in his first five games with a team. … San Francisco rookie DE Mykel Williams had his first career sack last week.
Fantasy tip
San Francisco WR Kendrick Bourne has 15 catches for 284 yards the past two weeks but could have his share of the passing game reduced with Kittle expected back this week and Pearsall possibly returning. Bourne had only one career 100-yard receiving game before topping 140 in each of the past two games.
JAYDEN DANIELS WANTS A WIN OVER COWBOYS HE CAN CALL HIS OWN AS COMMANDERS TRY TO BOUNCE BACK
Washington (3-3) at Dallas (2-3-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, Fox.
BetMGM line: Commanders by 2.
Against the spread: Commanders 3-3; Cowboys 3-3.
Series record: Cowboys lead 79-49-2.
Last meeting: Commanders beat Cowboys 23-19 in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 5, 2025.
Last week: Commanders lost to Bears 25-24; Cowboys lost to Panthers 30-27.
Commanders offense: overall (13), rush (2), pass (23), scoring (7).
Commanders defense: overall (26), rush (20), pass (23), scoring (13).
Cowboys offense: overall (1), rush (15), pass (2), scoring (3).
Cowboys defense: overall (32), rush (29), pass (32), scoring (31).
Turnover differential: Commanders minus-3, Cowboys minus-2.
Commanders player to watch
WR Luke McCaffrey. After playing in his first 19 NFL games without a touchdown, the younger brother of 49ers star Christian McCaffrey has scored in three of the past four games. That includes a 33-yard TD catch in Week 6 — his only reception of the game. The third-round draft pick out of Rice in 2024 is averaging 31.5 yards on kickoff returns, the highest rate for anyone in the league with at least 10 runbacks.
Cowboys player to watch
QB Dak Prescott missed both Washington meetings last season after tearing a hamstring eight games in. He has found the form of 2023, when he was runner-up in MVP voting and beat the Commanders twice to improve to 11-2 against them in his career. Prescott has thrown at least three touchdown passes without an interception in three consecutive games. A fourth in a row would put him in the company of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Russell Wilson as the only quarterbacks to do that. He leads the NFL in completions (164) and is second in yards (1,617) and TDs passing (13).
Key matchup
The defenses won’t be on the field at the same time, but which struggling unit will get enough done to win the game? Dallas is 32nd in total defense, Washington is 26th. On paper, the Commanders have the edge because they’re a respectable 13th in scoring defense. The Cowboys are 31st in scoring, allowing 30.7 points per game. Both teams are having coverage issues in the secondary, which is good news for Prescott and Jayden Daniels.
Key injuries
Commanders: WR Terry McLaurin, Daniels’ favorite and best option, has missed the past three games with a quadriceps injury. … WR Noah Brown, another starter, was placed on injured reserve with knee and groin injuries, sidelining him at least another four games after he missed four already. .. RG Sam Cosmi has been out all season after tearing a knee ligament in the playoffs, but his 21-day practice window is open. He appears set to return against Dallas. … DE Dorance Armstrong, who spent his first six seasons with the Cowboys, is nursing a hamstring injury. He’s fifth in the NFL with 5 1/2 sacks.
Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb, rookie RG Tyler Booker and WR/KR KaVontae Turpin are trending toward returning after missing multiple weeks. Lamb and Booker have been out three weeks with high ankle sprains, and Turpin has a foot injury that sidelined him the past two games.
Series notes
Daniels didn’t beat Dallas during his dynamic rookie season in 2024. He threw two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 34-26 loss at home last November when the teams combined to score five touchdowns in the last five minutes. Daniels was watching when Marcus Mariota led the winning drive in a mostly meaningless regular-season finale last season. The Commanders were only playing for seeding after qualifying for the playoffs. Daniels didn’t play in the second half.
Stats and stuff
The Commanders have alternated wins and losses so far this season. … In each of Daniels’ four games — he missed two with an injured left knee — he has at least 200 yards passing and at least one TD pass, the first Washington quarterback to start a season that way since Kirk Cousins in 2014. … LB Von Miller is up to 133 sacks, moving him ahead of Lawrence Taylor and into 14th place since the NFL began officially recording the statistic in 1982. … LB Bobby Wagner is second in the NFL with 65 tackles. … Washington has just three takeaways this season; only two clubs have produced fewer. … The Commanders had three turnovers against the Bears, equaling their total from the season’s first five games. Daniels was responsible for two, an early interception and a late fumble on a botched handoff to RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The rookie seventh-round draft pick also lost his own fumble in that game, his second week in a row with a fumble. … Prescott is one game shy of Tony Romo’s club record of 67 games with a passer rating of at least 100. … RB Javonte Williams is tied for third in the NFL with five touchdowns rushing and fourth with 476 yards rushing. … TE Jake Ferguson has a touchdown catch in three consecutive games. Jason Witten, the club’s career leader in catches and yards receiving, is the only Dallas tight end with a longer TD streak. It was five in 2010. … If Lamb returns, he needs 51 scrimmage yards to be the fastest to 7,000 in club history. … CB Trevon Diggs has an interception in his past two home games.
Fantasy tip
Cowboys WR George Pickens has a five-game touchdown streak, with six total in that span. It’s already a career high. He has thrived in the three games Lamb has been sidelined, so the question will be how many targets he gets if Lamb returns.
RAMS AND JAGUARS MEET IN LONDON’S WEMBLEY STADIUM WITH A 5TH WIN AT STAKE
Los Angeles Rams (4-2) vs Jacksonville (4-2) in London
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EDT, NFL Network.
BetMGM NFL odds: Rams by 3.
Against the spread: Rams 4-2, Jaguars 4-2.
Series record: Rams lead 5-1.
Last meeting: Rams beat Jaguars 37-7 on Dec. 5, 2021, in Los Angeles.
Last week: Rams beat Baltimore 17-3; Jaguars lost to Seattle 20-12.
Rams offense: overall (5), rush (22), pass (3), scoring (16).
Rams defense: overall (8), rush (15), pass (9), scoring (3).
Jaguars offense: overall (17), rush (11), pass (15), scoring (17).
Jaguars defense: overall (23), rush (8), pass (30), scoring (T7).
Turnover differential: Rams plus-3; Jaguars plus-8.
Rams player to watch
WR Davante Adams has scored at least one touchdown in each of his four games against Jacksonville. He has 30 catches for 460 yards and six TDs in four outings against the Jags, including three victories, and could be Matthew Stafford’s go-to option with leading receiver Puka Nacua dealing with an ankle injury.
Jaguars player to watch
Two-way rookie Travis Hunter is still looking for the first touchdown of his NFL career. Hunter has 20 receptions for 197 yards, including several eye-popping plays. He has played 257 of his 405 snaps (63%) on offense and could see more targets with Brian Thomas Jr. dropping passes and hesitating in traffic.
Key matchup
Rams LBs Jared Verse and Byron Young versus Jaguars OTs Walker Little and Anton Harrison. Verse has nine QB hits in the past two weeks, and Young ranks second in the NFL with 7 ½ sacks. They face a duo that had its hands full with Seattle’s DeMarcus Lawrence and Leonard Williams last week; Trevor Lawrence was sacked a season-high seven times.
Key injuries
Rams: Nacua (ankle) didn’t practice Wednesday and seems unlikely to suit up in London, but coach Sean McVay acknowledged the star wideout might be able to play even if he didn’t practice all week. RT Rob Havenstein (ankle) and backup RB Blake Corum (ankle) also missed practice. WR Tutu Atwell (hamstring) and LB Omar Speights (ankle) were limited, but McVay is optimistic both will play.
Jaguars: LB Devin Lloyd, the AFC defensive player of the month for September, didn’t make the trip because of a calf injury. Ventrell Miller will start in his place. C Robert Hainsey (hamstring) hopes to return after missing last week’s game.
Series notes
The Rams have won five of six meetings, including three consecutive lopsided affairs. Jacksonville’s only win came in overtime in 2009. The Jaguars have not topped 23 points in any of the previous six games.
Stats and stuff
Will Wembley deliver more scoring than other overseas games? No team reached 24 points in three consecutive weeks of international games. … First-year Jaguars coach Liam Coen spent four seasons (2018-20, 2022) working under McVay, so they should know each other’s strengths, weaknesses and tendencies well. … This is the first overseas meeting between the Rams and the Jaguars. The Rams are 2-2 in London, including a victory at Wembley Stadium in 2019. The Jaguars are 7-6, having played the most international games, the most in London (13) and the most at Wembley (11). … The Rams spent the week in Baltimore and will fly across the pond Friday, taking a much different approach to the international game. The Jaguars, meanwhile, landed Tuesday morning and practiced three days in London. … Stafford is one of two NFC QBs, along with Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, with a 95-plus rating in five games this season. … RB Kyren Williams has at least 50 yards from scrimmage in 34 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. He’s one of four players to score in 25 games since 2023. … LB Nate Landman had a career-high 17 tackles last week. … CB Darious Williams faces the team he spent two years (2022-23) with. … Trevor Lawrence is looking for his fourth consecutive game with a 90-plus QB rating. He has a 90-plus rating in five of his six international starts. He has at least one TD pass in six consecutive games in London. … RB Travis Etienne has 417 yards from scrimmage and three TDs in four international games. … DE Josh Hines-Allen has 3 1/2 sacks in his past four international games. … CB Greg Newsome, traded from Cleveland to Jacksonville last week, is playing his second game in three weeks in London. He will become the fifth player in NFL history to play in two international games with different teams in the same season.
Fantasy tip
Consider Rams TE Tyler Higbee a sleeper. He caught four passes for 40 yards and a TD in his return from a hip injury last week, and the Jaguars have allowed tight ends to catch 13 passes for 190 yards and two TDs over their past three games.
PANTHERS GOING FOR 3 WINS IN A ROW FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH BRYCE YOUNG AS QB WHEN THEY FACE 0-6 JETS
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Bryce Young’s arrival in Carolina came with huge expectations.
He was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, hoped by the Panthers to be the quarterback to help lead the franchise back to respectability, the playoffs and perhaps someday much more.
Well, small steps first.
The Panthers (3-3) head to New York to play the winless Jets (0-6) on Sunday and look to win three straight games for the first time with Young as their starting quarterback. They also haven’t had a .500 record this deep into a season since they were 5-5 in Cam Newton’s second stint with the team in 2021.
“So proud of this group that just continues to fight and scratch and claw and just get it done,” coach Dave Canales said after the Panthers’ 30-27 win over the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday.
There’s a feeling among the players that things are different now for a team that has a franchise-worst seven-year playoff drought, tied with Atlanta for the NFL’s second-longest active skid behind only the Jets. Young agreed with guard Damien Lewis, who posted on social media that he feels a culture change is underway in Carolina.
“I feel like we’re definitely continuing to build and grow in the right direction,” Young said. “I’m embracing the culture, embracing the ownership and all the little things, and I think us being able to come into our own, it’s been great. It’s been great to be a part of, and it’s been great to be a leader through it.
“So, you know, there’s still work to do. Still so much for us to build off of.”
The Panthers will have to solve their road woes if they hope to keep things rolling. Carolina is 0-3 away from Bank of America Stadium and been outscored 95-45 in those games.
Meanwhile, the Jets are 0-6 for the third time in franchise history and will try to avoid joining the 1996 and 2020 squads as the only teams to drop their first seven games.
Aaron Glenn is the first Jets coach to begin his tenure with six losses, and fans already frustrated with the team’s 14-year playoff drought are already losing patience.
“I understand how it looks on the outside, and the thing is, I told you guys and I told the fans, man, do not let go of the rope,” Glenn said. “The thing I know we’re doing is we’re trying to build a solid foundation so we can consistently try to win.”
Split backfield?
Panthers running back Rico Dowdle has been dominant the past two weeks, racking up 389 yards on the ground and 473 yards from scrimmage — both franchise records for a two-game span.
But with regular starter Chuba Hubbard set to return this week from a calf injury, Dowdle could get fewer reps. Canales has remained quiet on his plans on who’ll receive the bulk of carries, but insisted Dowdle will remain part of the mix.
“I think he’s earned everything that he’s done in the last two weeks,” Canales said of Dowdle. “He’s earned the right to help this team, and he will. We’ll find a way to do that. How we do that specifically, I don’t wanna really share those details of it.”
Things can only go up
Justin Fields went 9 of 17 for just 45 yards and was sacked nine times, a result of holding onto the ball too long at times, in New York’s 13-11 loss to Denver in London last Sunday. The Jets also finished with a franchise-worst minus-10 net yards passing.
Still, Glenn is sticking with Fields as his starter, looking for the quarterback and coordinator Tanner Engstrand’s struggling unit to bounce back.
“I think I’ll just learn from my mistakes from last game,” Fields said, “and definitely play better this week, for sure.”
Wilson watch
Fields and the offense could have an even tougher time getting on track if star wide receiver Garrett Wilson is sidelined.
Wilson is dealing with a knee injury that kept him out of practice early in the week and Glenn said the Jets would see how he’d progress. The fourth-year receiver leads New York with 36 catches for 395 yards and four touchdowns.
But that’s not all: No. 2 wide receiver Josh Reynolds also might not play because of a hip ailment. That could leave the Jets with Allen Lazard, Tyler Johnson and rookie Arian Smith as the only healthy wide receivers on the active roster.
Coker’s return
Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker, who carved a niche last season as an undrafted rookie with 32 receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns, is set to make his season debut as the team’s slot receiver.
Coker missed the first six games with a quadriceps injury suffered leading up to the season opener, which he called “really unfortunate timing.”
The Panthers have been careful to make sure Coker is completely healed and that his conditioning is at a point where he can play the entire game and be a contributor and not be on a snap count.
Edge rushers needed
The Panthers lost outside linebacker Patrick Jones II, one of their top pass rushers, for the season with a lower back injury this week.
Carolina is expected to turn to rookies Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, the team’s second- and third-round picks, to replace Jones. Both have shown promise, but are now expected to get expanded roles.
PANTHERS AIM FOR THIRD STRAIGHT VICTORY AS WINLESS JETS SEEK TO AVOID 0-7 START
Carolina (3-3) at New York Jets (0-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Panthers by 1 1/2.
Against the spread: Panthers 4-2; Jets 3-3.
Series record: Panthers lead 5-3.
Last meeting: Panthers beat Jets 19-14 on Sept. 12, 2021, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Last week: Panthers beat Cowboys 30-27; Jets lost to Broncos 13-11 in London.
Panthers offense: overall (18), rush (4), pass (27), scoring (19).
Panthers defense: overall (10), rush (9), pass (17), scoring (21).
Jets offense: overall (28), rush (5), pass (32), scoring (25).
Jets defense: overall (20), rush (23), pass (10), scoring (28).
Turnover differential: Panthers minus-4; Jets minus-7.
Panthers player to watch
RB Rico Dowdle. He had a franchise-record 473 yards from scrimmage the past two weeks in his first two starts since taking over for the injured Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard could return this week from a calf injury, but Dowdle is still expected to start and see the majority of carries after leading Carolina to back-to-back wins. His challenge will be tougher this week as he faces a New York defense that held Denver’s J.K. Dobbins to just 40 yards on 14 carries last week in London.
Jets player to watch
QB Justin Fields. Coach Aaron Glenn is sticking with Fields as his starting quarterback even after a dismal performance during which he was 9 of 17 for just 45 yards and was sacked nine times by Denver. The Jets finished with a franchise-worst minus-10 net yards passing. It’ll be interesting to see how long Glenn will continue to go with Fields if he struggles this week. Fields acknowledged this week he needs to be more aggressive in the passing game. If not, Tyrod Taylor could see some snaps.
Key matchup
Jets RB Breece Hall vs. Panthers’ run defense. Carolina has allowed just 50 yards rushing — 19 to Miami and 31 to Dallas — in the past two games. Both games rank among the top 10 best rushing defensive performances in franchise history. Hall enters this week ranked 11th in the NFL in rushing with 410 yards and is averaging a career-high 68.3 yards rushing per game.
Key injuries
Panthers: Hubbard returned to practice this week after missing two games and should be ready to play. … RT Taylor Moton (elbow) and DT Turk Wharton also returned to practice after sitting out last week. … WR Jalen Coker (quadriceps) is expected to see his first action after missing the first six games of the season.
Jets: WR Garrett Wilson is uncertain to play after injuring a knee against Denver. … WR Josh Reynolds didn’t practice early in the week with a hip issue. … LB Cam Jones and CB Qwan’tez Stiggers also sat out early in the week with hip injuries.
Series notes
The Panthers have won the past three meetings. … Carolina won the first matchup 26-15 for the first victory in team history during the Panthers’ inaugural season in 1995. Carolina was 0-5 before the win, highlighted by Sam Mills’ go-ahead 36-yard interception of Bubby Brister for a touchdown. … The Jets won the second matchup 48-21 in 1998 behind two TD runs by Curtis Martin and Vinny Testaverde’s two TD passes to Wayne Chrebet.
Stats and stuff
The Panthers are 0-3 on the road and have been outscored 95-45 away from home. … If the Panthers win, it will mark the first time they’ve won three straight with QB Bryce Young since he arrived as the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. … Rookie Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina’s most productive wide receiver, caught his first two touchdown passes last week. … The Panthers have 455 yards rushing over the past two weeks, the most in the NFL. That’s the second most over a two-game span in franchise history. … Panthers rookie K Ryan Fitzgerald was selected the NFC special teams player of the week after making all three field goals, including a 55-yarder and a game-winner from 33 yards. … The Jets are 0-6 for the third time in franchise history and look to avoid joining the 1996 and 2020 squads as the only teams to drop their first seven games. … Glenn is the first Jets coach to begin his tenure with six losses. … New York’s 82 net yards of offense against Denver were the third fewest in franchise history. … The Jets are the first team to start 0-6 while averaging less than 150 net yards passing per game (144.2) since David Carr and the Houston Texans did it in 2005 (87.2). … Fields has thrown no interceptions in his first five starts this season, but has only four touchdown passes and 799 yards passing. … New York held Denver to 78 yards rushing last week — the first time the Broncos didn’t have 100 this season. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams’ 11 run stuffs are the most in the NFL among players with at least 100 snaps against the run.
Fantasy tip
Jets rookie TE Mason Taylor had just one catch for 2 yards last week, but should have a good chance to turn things around against the Panthers, who’ve allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends, per CBS Sportsline. The Panthers have allowed the past three tight ends they’ve faced — Hunter Henry, Darren Waller and Jake Ferguson — to score touchdowns.
RAIDERS VISIT CHIEFS FOR ANOTHER MATCHUP BETWEEN LONGTIME AFC WEST RIVALS
Las Vegas (2-4) at Kansas City (3-3)
Sunday 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Chiefs by 12.
Against the spread: Raiders 2-4; Chiefs 3-3.
Series record: Chiefs lead 75-55-2.
Last meeting: Chiefs beat Raiders 19-17 on Nov. 29, 2024, at Kansas City.
Last week: Raiders beat Titans 20-10; Chiefs beat Lions 30-17.
Raiders offense: overall (23), rush (23), pass (18), scoring (29t)
Raiders defense: overall (11), rush (10), pass (19), scoring (23)
Chiefs offense: overall (8), rush (14), pass (8), scoring (9)
Chiefs defense: overall (12), rush (19), pass (8), scoring (11)
Turnover differential: Raiders minus-4; Chiefs plus-4.
Raiders player to watch
DE Maxx Crosby had two sacks against the Titans and leads the NFL with 10 tackles for loss. Tracking down Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is a whole different challenge, but it’s one that Crosby seems to savor, a feeling that is mutual based on what both players have said. It certainly is a delight for fans to watch the two go at it.
Chiefs player to watch
WR Rashee Rice comes back from his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy when he caused a high-speed crash on a Dallas highway in March 2024. He is also playing for the first time since tearing his ACL four games into last season, when Mahomes collided with him while trying to make a tackle following an interception.
Key matchup
The Chiefs wide receivers against the Las Vegas pass defense. Mahomes has been playing at an MVP-caliber level ever since getting Xavier Worthy back from a shoulder injury that he sustained in a Week 1 loss to the Chargers. Now, he has Rice joining a mix that also includes Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Key injuries
Raiders TE Brock Bowers (knee) could miss his third game in a row. The Chiefs are fully healthy.
Series notes
The Chiefs have won nine of the past 10 matchups and 14 of the past 16 going back to the 2017 season. The most recent Raiders win was at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day in 2023, which turned out to be the last time Kansas City lost that season. It won its last two regular-season games, then four playoff games, including the Super Bowl against San Francisco.
Stats and stuff
Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty has forced 34 missed tackles, according to Next Gen Stats, which is second in the league. That has resulted in 193 yards rushing, the third most. … The Raiders’ 37 tackles for loss are one behind leader Tampa Bay. … Las Vegas’ 10 passes defended by defensive linemen is easily the most. Indianapolis and New Orleans are next at six apiece. … The Raiders’ 240 yards rushing against Chicago on Sept. 28 is the highest total for an NFL team this season. … Crosby needs one sack to join Greg Townsend as the only Raiders with at least five sacks in each of his first seven seasons since the statistic has been kept in 1982. … WR Jakobi Meyers has multiple receptions in 30 consecutive games. … Bowers has caught at least two passes in his first 21 games, which ties the longest streak for a TE to open a career. Detroit’s Sam LaPorta set the record in 2023-24. … Las Vegas S Jeremy Chinn needs one sack to become the eighth defensive back since 1982 with six consecutive seasons with at least one. … K Daniel Carlson’s 214 made field goals are the second most since he entered the league in 2018. He is one behind Justin Tucker. … Mahomes is 12-2 against the Raiders with 33 TD passes in those games. … Chiefs TE Travis Kelce needs two TDs to tie Priest Holmes (83) for most in franchise history. Kelce has a catch in an NFL-leading 180 straight games. … Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco has four TD runs in his past four games against Las Vegas. … Brown had two TD catches for Kansas City last week against Detroit. … Chiefs DE Charles Omenihu has a sack in back-to-back games.
Fantasy tip
As tempting as it might for Rice owners to put him into the starting lineup after waiting for six weeks, it might be worth waiting one more. The Chiefs are likely to ease him back into the mix, perhaps giving him 30 or so snaps against Las Vegas. With their passing attack already humming, there is no need to rush him back into full-time duty.
JUSTIN FIELDS PLANS TO BE A BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THE PASSING GAME AS JETS SEEK FIRST WIN
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Justin Fields wants to start letting loose a little.
Good thing, too, since the New York Jets’ struggling offense can certainly use something different.
Fields is taking care of the football this season with no interceptions through his first five starts, a statistical oddity in what has been an otherwise rough go for the quarterback. The passing game has been anything but threatening during the Jets’ 0-6 start, with the team’s franchise-worst minus-10 net yards passing in its 13-11 loss to Denver last Sunday in London a glaring example.
So, Fields thinks he might need to take a few more risks down the field, starting Sunday against Carolina.
“Yeah, most definitely,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been a little bit too conservative, in a sense. Probably just be a little bit more aggressive. I’ve always just been big on ball security and not putting the ball in jeopardy, but it comes to a point where you’ve just got to find that healthy balance between trying to maybe fit it in smaller windows and just letting it rip.”
Fields has thrown only nine of his 123 passes this season for 20 or more yards, while completing four of them for 108 yards and two touchdowns, according to Sportradar. That’s just 7.3% of his throws, nearly 4% fewer than the NFL average.
He’s 14 of 32 for 265 yards and the two scores on throws of 10 or more yards, making up 26% of his attempts vs. an average of 31.9% by league on similar passes.
“I think I can be more aggressive and throwing no interceptions is a great thing,” Fields said. “But taking some shots down the field and trying to stretch the field a little bit, I think that’s important for us as an offense to create explosive passes.”
Fields’ longest completion this season was a 33-yard touchdown toss to Garrett Wilson in the opener against Pittsburgh. Otherwise, it has been a lot of dink, dunk — and duck.
In the loss to Denver, he was sacked nine times, matching the number of completions he had while going 9 of 17 for a mere 45 yards.
“Everybody is going to throw picks, that’s just a part of playing quarterback,” Fields said. “I looked at myself at this past game and really over the season and kind of just told myself that I can be a little bit more aggressive. This Sunday, probably going to be a little bit more aggressive, but also not being reckless at the same time. So, just being smart when pushing the ball downfield.”
Coach Aaron Glenn acknowledged Fields took “a step back” last Sunday, but is sticking with him as the starter. He said it was Fields’ first truly bad game and several things contributed to it, including the quarterback holding onto the ball too long at times — a knock throughout his career — the offensive line not providing sufficient enough protection and receivers failing to get open enough.
Fields said he focused this week on his footwork, attributing that to many of his struggles against Denver.
“I think my feet, starting from the ground up, caused me to play a little bit slower, get through my progressions a little bit slower,” he said.
First-year offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand agreed with Glenn and also is on the same page with Fields about his new approach.
“I loved exactly what he said,” Engstrand said. “He said, ‘I can be more aggressive, but aggressive doesn’t mean reckless.’ And he’s exactly right. He can go ahead and push the ball down the field. He’s got confidence in his receivers that they’re going to go make a play.
“And I don’t have a problem whatsoever with him having that mindset going forward, saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to go on ahead and I’m going to just let this thing fly and our guys are going to go make a play,’ absolutely.”
Fields has been effective using his legs to make plays most of the season, ranking second among quarterbacks to Buffalo’s Josh Allen with 235 yards rushing despite missing Week 3 with a concussion.
Against Denver, Fields was mostly bottled up as the Broncos sniffed out designed runs with the quarterback getting 31 yards on seven carries, mostly on scrambles.
“The past couple of weeks, my legs haven’t been feeling the best,” Fields acknowledged. “I got kind of a huge contusion vs. Miami (in Week 4), so was working through that the past couple of weeks. But over time, I’m getting better and my legs are kind of getting back under me.”
With his right arm ready to join in on more of the playmaking.
“He’s responding great,” Engstrand said. “He’s ready to go.”
DOLPHINS, BROWNS LOOK TO GET BACK ON TRACK WHEN THEY MEET ON SUNDAY
Miami (1-5) at Cleveland (1-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
BetMGM line: Browns by 5 1/2.
Against the spread: Dolphins 3-3; Browns 2-4
Series record: Dolphins lead 13-9.
Last meeting: Dolphins won 20-3 in Cleveland on Dec. 29, 2024.
Last week: Dolphins lost to Chargers 29-27; Browns lost at Steelers 23-9
Dolphins offense: overall (26), rush (27), pass (21), scoring (19)
Dolphins defense: overall (30), rush (32), pass (20), scoring (29)
Browns offense: overall (27), rush (28), pass (26), scoring (32)
Browns defense: overall (3), rush (3), pass (7), scoring (21t)
Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-2; Browns minus-4.
Dolphins player to watch
RB De’Von Achane. The third-year running back is coming off a season-high 128 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns against the Chargers, which put him over 2,000 yards for his career. Achane has become one of Tua Tagovailoa’s primary playmakers and continues to be Miami’s most consistent player on either side of the ball.
Browns player to watch
DE Myles Garrett. The All-Pro pass rusher has gone three straight games without a sack and his 15.6% pressure rate is his second lowest since at least 2018 according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Garrett has faced chip blocks on 31.3% of his pass rushes, the second-highest rate in the league among edge rushers.
Key matchup
Browns RB Quinshon Judkins versus Dolphins run defense. Judkins is second among rookies with 383 yards and fifth in scrimmage yards with 445. He goes against a Miami run defense that is last in the league, allowing 168.5 yards rushing per game. Carolina’s Rico Dowdle rushed for a career-high 206 yards against the Dolphins in Week 5. And the Chargers’ Kimani Vidal had 124 yards last week. Neither began the season as starters.
Key injuries
Dolphins: LB Tyrel Dodson returned to practice Wednesday and is in line to play this week after a concussion sidelined him in Week 6. … DB Elijah Campbell (quad) and FB Alec Ingold (neck) did not practice Wednesday. C Aaron Brewer (pec) and LB Jordyn Brooks (neck) were limited.
Browns: DT Mike Hall (knee) has yet to play in a game this season. … TE David Njoku (knee), OT Jack Conklin (concussion) and WR Gage Larvadain (concussion) did not practice on Wednesday. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Njoku’s status is day to day. … OT Cam Robinson (knee) and DT Shelby Harris (knee) were limited.
Series notes
Miami has won two straight and four of the past five. The Browns have a 7-6 edge in games played in Cleveland. Mike McDaniel, who was on the Browns staff in 2014, is 2-0 against Cleveland. Stefanski has dropped both meetings against Miami. The teams have met twice in the playoffs with the Dolphins winning both. One of the games was the 1972 AFC divisional round during Miami’s perfect season.
Stats and stuff
The Dolphins’ 1-5 start to the season is their worst since 2021, when Miami began 1-7 before finishing 9-8 and one game out of the AFC playoff picture. … Mike McDaniel’s regular-season record has fallen to 28-29. … Tua Tagovailoa leads the NFL in red zone passer rating (123.0) and ranks second in completion rate (74.1 percent) in that area. … RB De’Von Achane, who has totaled 382 carries for 2,097 rushing yards in his career, leads the NFL with 5.5 yards per rush since he entered the league in 2023. … LB Jordyn Brooks leads the NFL with 66 tackles (41 solo) entering Week 7. … LB Bradley Chubb is one of two NFL players this year with four sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery (Danielle Hunter, Houston). … WR Malik Washington has totaled 69 receiving yards, 61 rushing yards and 636 yards in the return game. His 766 all-purpose yards this year are the fourth most in the NFL. … The Browns are off to a 1-5 start for the second straight year. … Cleveland has scored 17 points or fewer in 11 straight games, the second-longest NFL offensive drought since 2000. The Arizona Cardinals had a 13-game run in 2000 and ’01. … The Browns are 27-17 in Cleveland during Stefanski’s six seasons as coach. … QB Dillon Gabriel will make his first home start. … WR Jerry Jeudy had a career-high 12 catches for 94 yards the previous time the Browns faced the Dolphins. … TE Harold Fannin is second among rookies with 28 catches and fourth with 254 receiving yards. The third-round pick has two games with at least seven catches. … DE Myles Garrett is tied for fourth in the league with 8.0 tackles for loss. … CB Denzel Ward has 100 passes defensed, the most by any player in the NFL since 2018. … LB Carson Schwesinger leads NFL rookies with 49 tackles and has five games with at least eight. … The Browns defense has not allowed a 300-yard passer in 34 games, the longest active streak in the league.
Fantasy tip TE Darren Waller has caught four touchdowns in three games with Miami. The four TDs are also tied for second in the league among tight ends.
