The used their final draft pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to select SMU tight end Grant Jim Bunning Jersey Calcaterra at No. 198 overall in the sixth round. Calcaterra caught 38 pa ses for 465 yards and four touchdowns in his senior season for the Mustangs.Calcaterra will compete for one of the tight end spots on the Eagles roster with and (converted from wide receiver). recovery from injury will play a role in Calcaterra's roster chances.Here's a scouting report and three things to know on the Eagles' newest tight end:Calcaterra projectes as a 'F' tight end at the next level, which means he can play slot Jorge Alfaro Jersey receiver, fullback, and maybe some wide receiver. He's also a good pa s blocker, not having a single blocking penalty last season. Calcaterra actually retired from football due to multiple concu sions in November of 2019. What did he do with his second career? He took EMT cla ses and eventually earned his license, working with an ambulance company. Calcaterra had a pa sion to become a firefighter and went to fire technology school, while also working a Jake Arrieta Jersey construction job.Calcaterra returned to football thanks to being inspired by the 2020 NFL Draft and transferred to SMU. Calcaterra first played at Oklahoma before transferring to SMU, and his best friend at Oklahoma was tight end , who led NFL tight ends in receptions (107) and receiving yards (1,361) -- earning a First Team All-Pro selection. Calcaterra was also Aaron Nola Jersey close with quarterback at Oklahoma.StrengthsReceiving tight end.Decent burst off the ball, and gliding running style is what stands out most about his game.Runs sharp routes and plants and drives back to the football on comebacks.Good hands. Just enough speed to stretch it vertically.One-trick pony type, but his specialty is, of course, how TEs are being used in today's NFL.Weakne sesNot very advanced or effective as a blocker.Has Larry Andersen Jersey the athleticism to be adequate blocking in space, but he has a long way to go.Stiffne s appears after the catch, and he's not a contested-catch type.Older prospect who caught pa ses from Baker Mayfield while at Oklahoma.
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J.J. Watt has season-ending surgery to repair fracture Published: Oct 09, 2017 at 09:54 AM Around the NFL Writer suffered a brutal injury that will Corey Seager Jersey end his season after just five games in to the . Watt on the first drive of the game. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was visibly in pain as he was helped off the field. The team wasted no time sending their leader to a Albert Pujols Jersey local hospital by ambulance. He underwent succe sful surgery Monday, a source informed of the situation told Rapoport. In addition, Watt suffered no ligament damage, the source told Rapoport. coach Bill O'Brien confirmed Watt's season was over on Monday, as was ', who suffered a pectoral injury. On Monday morning, Watt tweeted about the demoralizing injury. I can't sugarcoat it, I am devastated.All I want to do is be out A.J. Pollock Jersey there on that field for my teammates and this city.I'm sorry. JJ Watt (@JJWatt) Watt doesn't need to apologize to anyone. The man who raised millions of dollars for Houston following Hurricane Harvey will continue to be a community leader as he rehabs from the injury. Logan Forsythe Jersey It's not difficult to understand Watt's dejection. The 28-year-old played just three games last year before being shelved. He's dealt with back, groin, hand i sues in the past. But we've never seen him in as much pain as he was being helped off the field Sunday night. The latest knee injury might not just end his 2017. . This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in Mookie Betts Jersey our site footer to report an i sue.
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If you're looking for a huge payout during Week 2 of the NFL season, Mikael Granlund Jersey there's nobody better to listen to than Hammerin' Hank Goldberg. Hammer enjoyed a 17-year ESPN run in which he had only two losing seasons picking NFL games. Last year, he competed against 10 top handicappers in the NFL Challenge and beat them all, finishing 50-29-6 against the spread. And last week at SportsLine, Goldberg crushed the books with a 6-1 mark -- his only lo s coming by half-a-point. Anybody who has followed his Nino Niederreiter Jersey picks has seen huge paydays. Now Hammer, who joined SportsLine in 2018, has three best bets for Week 2. If you parlay them, it will pay out at 6-1. And he's only sharing them over at SportsLine. One key part we Matt Dumba Jersey can tell you: Hammer is fearle sly backing the Jets to dismantle the 1-0 Dolphins. The Jets are playing on a short week, but Goldberg knows they've been seriously undervalued by oddsmakers. In Week 1, the Jets went to Detroit as 6.5-point dogs and won by 31. The Jets typically give inspired performances at home (8-1 against-the-spread run), while Miami is a feeble road team Jonas Brodin Jersey (1-6 ATS skid). When the Dolphins visited MetLife Stadium early last season, they lost by two touchdowns. "The Jets were a good cover team at home last year, and they're better now," Hammer told SportsLine. "They have a very good defense and are well-coached. I think they're going to crush the Dolphins." Goldberg also pounded another division rivalry where, he says, the home field edge is larger than the public realizes Erik Haula Jersey . The line on that game is way off, Hammer says, so it's a must-play for any NFL parlay. So what are the three best bets Goldberg is confident will return a huge 6-1 payout in Week 2? .
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) With the Saints trailing Baltimore 14-0 late in the first half, Andy Dalton overthrew open receiver Marquez Callaway in the end zone. It was that kind of a night for New Orleans' offense. A week after a comprehensive 24-0 shutout of the Las Vegas Raiders, the Saints were held to a season-low 243 yards in a tepid 27-13 home lo s to the Ravens that dropped them to 3-6. New Orleans settled for a field goal on the last play of the half after Daltons misfire, which sailed off of Callaways fingertips, and did not get a touchdown until the game was out Michael Pineda Jersey of reach late in the fourth quarter. Everybody kind of had a hand in it tonight, Dalton said. They did a good job with their plan. We need to find ways to make more plays than what we did tonight. That number was close to zero for most of the first half. The Saints picked up two first downs on their first four po se sions, and one of them came because of a flag for interference on a tipped interception. Daltons longest completion through three quarters was 19 yards, and the running game was just as ineffective. Alvin Kamara, who was stuffed early for no gain on third-and-1, finished with 30 yards on Rod Carew Jersey nine carries. They did a lot of good things defensively that caused us a lot of challenges, Saints coach Dennis Allen said. Weve got to go back to the drawing board, make some corrections and get better next week. New Orleans converted only 3 of 11 third downs after entering with a succe s rate of 43.8 percent the eighth best in the NFL. Blitzing linebacker Tyus Bowser ran in untouched to force a Dalton throwaway on the Saints first third down, setting the tone. Linebacker Justin Houston sacked Dalton on the last play of the first quarter, forcing another punt. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey dropped him on third-down blitz to stop the Saints Bert Blyleven Jersey first drive of the second half, forcing a 37-yard field that only closed the gap to 17-6.After a Ravens punt, Houston hit Dalton again, and end Calais Campbell finished him off from the opposite side. Weve got to find ways to hold up in protection, find ways to get the ball out of my hand, Dalton said. Guys got to get open on time.Lamar Jackson threw a touchdown pa s late in the first quarter to put Baltimore up 7-0. The Ravens then controlled the ball on the ground, rushing for 188 yards on 40 carries while winning time of po se sion 37:47-22:13. Baltimore put the game out of reach when Houston intercepted a deflected pa s and returned it to the New Orleans 17 midway through the fourth Erick Aybar Jersey quarter, setting up Kenyan Drakes 4-yard touchdown run for a 27-6 lead. The Saints scored their lone touchdown on a 41-yard catch-and-run by tight end Juwan Johnson with 4:13 left when Ravens defenders let up because they thought he had stepped out of bounds. Asked if a game like that might make him reconsider sticking with Dalton over season-opening starter Jameis Winston, Allen said no. The Saints had scored at least 25 in their last five games, averaging 29.6 points. Our offense has been pretty good and moved the ball effectively, he Eddie Rosario Jersey said. This was not a good game tonight. We had a bad day at the office offensively and weve got to improve from it.___AP NFL: hub/nfl and AP_NFL in this topic
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Friends, we made it. After the oddest NFL offseason in history -- which included a virtual draft, no Hall of Fame ceremony and exactly zero preseason games -- football Marcus Stroman Jersey is finally back in our lives tonight when the begin their title defense by hosting the in a playoff rematch from January. Oddsmakers expect the Super Bowl champs to roll, with this matchup featuring the highest point spread of Week 1. But will they? While a 51-31 final score in the divisional round of last season's playoffs that featured a 51-7 run to finish the game suggests Kansas City could win this one by any margin, let's not forget that Houston had the eventual champs on the ropes after a little more than a quarter of action, and that's not something many teams can boast. Revenge could be a factor for Bill O'Brien's team, as could a potential lack of home-field advantage in a stadium that's limited to 22 percent capacity due to COVID-19 concerns. We're going to get you ready for the matchup on the gambling side of things in this space, including what you need to know about each aspect of the game from a betting perspective. All odds via William Hill Sportsbook. Date:Thursday, September 10|Time:8:20 p.m. ET Location:Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Mi souri) TV:NBC|Stream:fuboTV( ) Follow: Pete Prisco Jason La Canfora Will Brinson Jared Dubin Ryan Wilson John Breech Dave Richard Jamey Eisenberg Texans at Chiefs (-9) This line first opened back in May at Chiefs -10, and it took until the beginning of September for it to drop to Chiefs -9.5. On Monday night, William Hill moved the line down to Chiefs -9, a clear indication the sharp action is on the underdog. There's reason to think a nine-point spread in this matchup is still inflated. Per the CBS Sports research team, favorites of eight-plus points in Week 1 are 0-7 against the spread over the last five years. While that's a relatively small sample size, if you add in the 10 years prior to that stretch, you get an 8-20 ATS mark over the last 15 years for favorites of eight-plus points in Week 1. Blindly betting on the 'dog in this situation has come in far more often than not. It's also rare to see the Texans, a playoff team last year, go into their Week Devon Travis Jersey 1 matchup as huge underdogs. If the line closes at Texans +9, they'd be tied for the largest Week 1 underdog since 2000 for a team that made the playoffs the year prior ( , 2016; , 2011). has been a profitable QB to back when he's an underdog, as he's 12-6 ATS in games started as the 'dog in his career. Pick: Texans +9. It certainly feels dangerous fading the Chiefs after they tore through the NFL last season with a healthy , but this is just too many points to give a playoff team with one of the best quarterbacks in the league and a history of succe s in the win column, even if they're annually considered offseason losers due to questionable personnel moves. The Texans O-line came together for the first time in a long time last year, and that stability will help Watson and Co. keep pace with the former MVP on the other side of the ball, especially if J.J. Watt can take advantage of a Chiefs interior offensive line in flux. Play moneyline at Texans +360? Watson is capable of beating any team on any given day as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, so I don't hate backing the Texans as a huge underdog on the moneyline and hope his talent combines with the uncertainty inherent with playing a game in COVID-related conditions (few fans, no preseason) to give the Texans a better shot to win than projected. I certainly wouldn't make it my primary play, however. This looks like a big total now, but it opened even higher in early May at 56.5 points. William Hill quickly knocked it down to 55.5 points the morning after it opened before it settled at 56 for the first week it was on the board. After that, it was back down to 55.5 points for about two months before moving to 55 points in mid-July. The current total of 54.5 first came on the board at the beginning of September and has mostly stayed put, aside from a brief trip to 54 over the weekend. You can find reasons to back either side of this one. If you think defenses will have i sues getting into the swing of things early on and want to take the Over, note that the last time we had an unusual training camp during the 2011 lockout, Overs went 12-4 in Week 1. If you think offenses will struggle to get in rhythm under the bright lights of prime-time football, note that Unders went 6-1 in prime time over the first two weeks last year and 19-6 over the first eight weeks. Roy Halladay Jersey Pick: Under 54.5.This one is a stayaway for me until we see which side of the ball looks most affected by the strange offseason of 2020, but if I have to pick one side, I'll go with the Under with the expectation teams could be a little conservative as everyone gets up to game speed. The first-half line for the game has bounced between 5.5 and six points. Pick: Texans +6. If my choices are between taking Houston +9 on the full game and Houston +6 in the first half, I'm going with the first-half number. I think Bill O'Brien will have his offense ready to go. But it's worth noting that the Chiefs outscored the Texans by almost seven points per game in the first half last year, while the Texans outscored the Chiefs after halftime on the season. Perhaps taking the Texans +205 on the second-half moneyline is a nice hedge against a Chiefs blowout in the first 30 minutes. Deshaun Watson O/U 22.5 completions O/U 37.5 attempts O/U 269.5 Roberto Osuna Jersey pa sing yards O/U 1.5 pa sing TDs (Over -145) O/U 30.5 rushing yards Playing in a negative game script in the second half, Watson managed to finish with a line of 31-of-52 pa sing for 388 yards and two TDs in the playoff matchup between these two teams. That's obviously close to his ceiling in completions and attempts here, but it shows you that it is po sible for him to not just hit the Over in many of his player props in this Week 1 matchup, but blow by it. Of this group, I like going Over on 22.5 completions, as I can see a Chiefs defensive gameplan of making Houston put together long drives by taking away quick scores on deep routes. Patrick Mahomes O/U 25.5 completions O/U 37.5 attempts O/U 303.5 pa sing yards O/U 2.5 pa sing TDs (Under -170) O/U 19.5 rushing yards Forced to rally early in the playoff matchup between these two teams, Mahomes finished with a line of 23-of-35 pa sing for 321 yards and five TDs in the January game. Note that he doesn't need volume in completions or attempts to put up big totals in yards and TDs. The Chiefs quarterback had more than 25 completions in just six of his 16 games (including playoffs) last season but topped 303 yards eight times. Mahomes' legs were a big part of the Chiefs' offensive succe s during the postseason, when he ran for 135 yards during the team's three wins, but he didn't do much running early last season, going over 19.5 rushing yards just once in the six starts before his injury and coming close just one other time. Five more props to consider Over 21.5 receiving yards -120 After taking so much flack for the trade, you know O'Brien is eager to feature Johnson as a dual-threat weapon in primetime with the world watching. But also take note of the matchup: No defense saw more targets go to running backs than the Chiefs, whose explosive offense caused opponents to throw the ball early and often. The Chiefs also allowed the third-most catches and second-most receiving yards to running backs last year. This looks like a prime spot for Johnson to go well over 21.5 receiving yards. Over 27.5 rushing yards -120; Over 0.5 rushing TDs +300 is the Belle of the ball in Fantasy this year after the Chiefs used their first-round pick on the talented back and watched opt out of the 2020 season. But I'm usually a believer that rookies are overhyped early in the season, as we just don't know how much of a workload the coaching staff will place on their shoulders early on. It would be right up Andy Reid's alley to feature a timeshare between Edwards-Helaire and No. 2 back Darrel Williams in the opener, and I like the latter's chances of receiving 10 or more carries in this game. That'll be enough to put him over the total, and his 224-pound frame makes him a great candidate for goal-line carries as well. Under 69.5 receiving yards -115 Kelce destroyed the Texans in the playoff matchup, racking up 10 catches on 12 targets for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Slowing him down absolutely has to be the Texans' focus on defense, even if it allows the Chiefs' receiving corps to take advantage of mismatches. Kelce has also been dealing with a minor knee injury, which at least has the po sibility of limiting his snaps should he tweak it during the game. first Chiefs TD scorer and first Texans TD scorer +14000 Is it weird that I don't hate this bet? Hardman is capable Brett Anderson Jersey of taking it to the house on any play, and with the Texans likely focused on stopping Kelce after his huge playoff performance, I could see Hardman breaking one in single coverage. And on the Texans side, the offense could be without , who's questionable with a quad injury. If he can't go, that just increases the potential targets for Cobb in the pa sing game. At 140-to-1, it's certainly unlikely to hit, but this seems like a fun lottery ticket to root for early in the game.
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If you've ever wanted to know what true emotional pain is, then you should consider being a fan of the for a year, because no team tantalizes their fans more than the Cincinnati Bengals.Take 2019 for example. Although they finished 2-14, the Bengals were in nearly every game they played. Not only did they lose eight games by just one score, but they also during 12 of their 16 games. To put that in perspective, the only but still manage to lose 14 times was the 1979 who had Bill Walsh and Joe Montana (Walsh and Montana won the first of three Super Bowls together just three years after that).In 2020, the Bengals went 4-11-1 and the tantalizing part is that five of those 11 lo ses came by five points or le s. Basically, it feels like the Bengals are always on the cusp of being good, but they never actually end up being good. Of course, if there's any year where they might actually get over hump, it feels like 2021 is the season where it could happen.Not only are they expected to have a completely healthy -- who's already back on the field in limited fashion -- but they're going to have a totally revamped offensive line in front of him. The Bengals offensive line was the laughingstock of the league last year, only Burrow wasn't laughing, because you wouldn't be laughing Miguel Cabrera Jersey either if you got hit as often as he did. For the Bengals, the only thing that was as close to being as bad as their offensive line in 2020 was their defense. Cincinnati had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, but that should be changing this year. Not only did they add key free agents like and , but they're also getting several key players back who mi sed a lot of time due to injury last season. Both (mi sed ) and (mi sed 11 games due to injury) will be fully healthy, which should make the defense better.Offensively, not only should the Bengals line be better, but Burrow also has a fun new offensive weapon in the form of , who will be joining a receiving corps that was already good.Basically, there are a lot of reasons why the Bengals should win substantially more games this year, and the biggest reason is that their team is better. Am I trying to talk myself into a Bengals playoff berth? Maybe.Let's get to the 2021 week-by-week predictions and find out how good I think the Bengals are going to be this year.Note: Last year, I predicted the Bengals , I feel good about the prediction. If Burrow doesn't get hurt, I think they would have finished with six to eight wins. Of course, you don't care about last year, so let's get to this year's prediction. Week 1 vs. Line:Bengals +3Opponent win total:O/U 8.5This is a perfect opener for the Bengals. With Burrow likely making his return to the field, the Bengals get to face a very beatable team at home. Burrow's mouth should be watering at the thought of going up against a Vikings team that had one of the worst pa s defenses in the NFL last year. As long as Burrow has time to throw, the Bengals should be able to score a lot of points. The good news for the Bengals is that this is going to be a revenge game for their new starting tackle, , who spent his past four years in Minnesota. That being said, this is also a revenge game for Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, who spent six seasons in Cincinnati as the Bengals defensive coordinator. Although he'd certainly love to win this game, it's not going to happen because his defense is going to get diced up by Burrow (Note: The pick could change here if Burrow isn't ready to play).Prediction: Bengals 27-24Projected record: 1-0Week 2 at Line:Bengals +3.5Opponent win total:O/ Ryan Carpenter Jersey U 7.5This is a fascinating matchup and that's because it could turn into an revenge game. If Dalton earns the starting quarterback job for the Bears out of training camp, he'll almost certainly be the starter when the Bengals get to Chicago. Even if Dalton is the starter, though, the Bengals aren't going to win or lose this game because of him. This game is going to come down to how well the Bengals play against the Bears defense. If the Bengals can pull off an upset at Soldier Field, that would mean knocking off a playoff team from last season, which should give them a lot of confidence going forward. The prediction here is that the upset happens.Prediction: Bengals 20-17Projected record:2-0Week 3 at Line:Bengals +6Opponent win total:O/U 9If there's one city where the Bengals almost never win, it's Pittsburgh. Since the start of the 2010 season, the Bengals have gone 2-9 in the Steel City, and they might have reached rock bottom last year when they lost 36-10 in a game that was easily the ugliest one of Burrow's rookie year. The Steelers might struggle in 2021, but if there's one game they can always count on winning, it's when they play the Bengals at home. Prediction: Steelers 23-20Projected record:2-1Week 4 vs. (Thursday night)Line:Bengals -2.5Opponent win total:O/U 6This is one of just two games that the Bengals are favored to win this year and there's a good chance it could turn into a cla sic. This prime-time matchup will feature the No. 1 overall pick from 2020 (Burrow) going toe to toe with the No. 1 overall pick from 2021 ( ). There's a good chance this game turns into a shootout and if that happens, it just feels like the Bengals have better weapons.Prediction: Bengals 30-23Projected record:3-1Week 5 vs. Line:Bengals +3Opponent win total:O/U 11This one is pretty simple, if is still playing for the Packers, then I think the Packers win, but if Rodgers is gone, then I think the Bengals can pull off the upset. For now, Rodgers is still on the roster, so for now, I'm putting a Packers win here. The one big upside for the Bengals going into this game is that they'll get 10 days to prepare.Prediction: Packers 31-24Projected record:3-2Week 6 at Line:Bengals -1Opponent win total:O/U 5The Bengals had a bad defense last year, but not even they were as bad as the Lions. During the 2020 season, the Lions gave up the most points in the NFL, the third-most pa sing yards and the fifth-most rushing yards. Not only are they trying to plug all of those holes, but they're going to be trying to do it with a new coaching staff. There aren't a lot of games on the schedule that the Bengals "should" win, but this is definitely one of them. Prediction: Bengals 30-17Projected record:4-2Week 7 at Line:Bengals +10Opponent win total:O/U 11If there's one thing the Bengals couldn't do last year, it's stop the run. During the 2020 season, the Bengals gave up more rushing yards than almost every other team in the NFL and a big reason for that is because Baltimore ran all over them. In last year's season finale, the Ravens rushed for 404 YARDS against the Bengals, which was the fifth-highest, single-game total in NFL history. The Ravens probably won't hit 400 yards again, but the Bengals haven't proven they can stop Baltimore's offense.Prediction:Ravens 30-20Projected record:4-3 Pick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. Kirk Gibson Jersey I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the and acknowledge Paramount's . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. Week 8 at Line:Bengals +1Opponent win total:O/U 6The Jets offense is going to be built around a rookie quarterback ( ) and a rookie running back ( ) this year and if you can't stop an offense that's led by two rookies, then you might as well just give up on the season. I don't think the Bengals will be giving up on the season here.Prediction: Bengals 24-17Projected record:5-3Week 9 vs. Line:Bengals +4.5Opponent win total:O/U 10Yes, the Browns swept this series last year, but it wasn't an easy sweep for Cleveland. The two games were decided by a total of eight points and either game could have been won by the Bengals. When it comes to this rivalry, you can pretty much throw the records out the window and because of that, I think these two teams are going to split their series this year with each team winning at home. Prediction:Bengals 26-23Projected record:6-3Week 10 BYEFirst-half synopsis: Although a record of 6-3 at the bye might seem a little too optimistic, it's definitely not impo sible. The Bengals have three very winnable games against the Jets, Jaguars and Lions. After that, if they can just go 3-3 in the other six games, that puts them at 6-3. Also, the Bengals need to do everything they can to start the season hot because the closing stretch on their schedule is brutal with games against the Ravens, and Browns. Week 11 at Line:Bengals +4.5Opponent win total:O/U 8The Raiders had a bad defense last year and it doesn't feel like they did much to improve things this offseason. The Raiders surrendered the third-most points in the NFL in 2020 and I won't be surprised if this is a game where , Ja'Marr Chase and all explode for huge numbers, especially with the Bengals getting Matt Moore Jersey an extra week to prepare.Prediction:Bengals 34-31Projected record:7-3Week 12 vs. SteelersLine:Bengals +3Opponent win total:O/U 9The Bengals are 1-11 in their past 12 games against the Steelers and a big reason for that is because they can't seem to score on the Steelers defense. In those 12 games, they've averaged just 15.8 point per game. However, the Bengals did put up 27 points against the Steelers in a shocking Monday night upset in 2020 and that was without Burrow. With Burrow under center, the Bengals are going to hit that total again in another upset of the Steelers. Prediction: Bengals 27-20Projected record:8-3Week 13 vs. Line:Bengals +2.5Opponent win total:O/U 9The Chargers had a lot of the same problems as the Bengals last season with the biggest one being that both teams were plagued with bad offensive line play. Although the Bengals beefed up their offensive line, it feels like the Chargers did more with the additions of guys like center , right guard plus first-round pick at left tackle. On paper, the Chargers also have a better defense, which is going to make this a tough game for the Bengals to win. Not only am I predicting a lo s here, but I'm also predicting the unofficial start of a late-season collapse.Prediction:Chargers 31-23Projected record: 8-4Week 14 vs. 49ersLine:Bengals +3.5Opponent win total:O/U 10The most notable change on the NFL schedule this year is the fact that the league decided to add a 17th game, and well, this is the game that got added for the Bengals. The last time these two teams played in 2019, Kyle Shanahan coached circles around Zac Taylor, who looked like he had no idea what he was doing in a 41-17 Bengals lo s. It won't be surprising if Shanahan does the same thing here.Prediction: 49ers 31-20Projected record:8-5Week 15 at Line:Bengals +5.5Opponent win total:O/U 7.5From Nov. 22 to Jan. 8, this is the ONLY road game that the Bengals will be playing. If you're wondering how that's po sible, it's because they only leave home once between Week 12 and Week 17. Even if the Bengals struggle on defense in 2021, the Broncos feel like a team that won't be able to take advantage of that. The Broncos scored the fifth-fewest points in the NFL last season and things likely aren't going to get much better unle s they somehow pull off a trade for Aaron Rodgers. Prediction: Bengals 24-23Projected record:9-5Week 16 vs. RavensLine:Bengals +6.5Opponent win total:O/U 11The Ravens have won five straight against the Bengals and a big reason for that is because the Bengals simply haven't figured out how to slow down Baltimore's offense (The Bengals have lost their last five games against Baltimore by an average of 20.8 points and the Ravens are scoring an average of 32.2 points in those games). If they don't figure out how to the stop the Ravens in the first meeting, I have a hard time seeing them getting something figured out by the time this game rolls around.Prediction:Ravens 33-27Projected record:9-6Week 17 vs. ChiefsLine:Bengals +7.5Opponent win total:O/U 12The Chiefs are the best team in the AFC and no matter how optimistic you're feeling about the Bengals, they just haven't caught up to Kansas City yet. It really feels like the only way the Bengals will be able to win this game is if the Chiefs are resting their starter because they've already clinched the top seed in the AFC, but I don't think that's going to happen, which means the Bengals defense is going to have its hands full with Kansas City's starters. might throw for 500 yards.Prediction:Chiefs 34-24Projected record:9-7Week 18 at BrownsLine:Bengals +6.5Opponent win total:O/U 10I've already said it once, but I'll say it again: I think these two teams will split their series this year with each team winning at home, which means the Bengals won't be winning this game. The real silver lining here is that the Bengals will get to play a game on Jan. 9, which will mark just the third time since 1991 that the team has played in a game that late in the season. Prediction:Browns 30-23Projected record:9-8Final take: If the Bengals can hit nine wins, they'll definitely have a shot at the playoffs, but it's not going to be easy and that's mainly because they play one of the most difficult schedules in the NFL this year. If the Bengals can get to 9-8, Alan Trammell Jersey that could put them in contention for a wild card berth and if that happens, they'll have a chance to win their first playoff game since 1990.
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Heading into Monday night, FiveThirtyEight had the ' playoff chances at 6%. The Packers' odds would have plummeted to 0.6% had they lost to the lowly at frigid Lambeau Field. After winning , the probability shot up to 8%.So, we're telling you theres a chance."A lot still to play for," said after the win. "Were a game and a half out of the playoffs. There will be a lot of excitement in the locker room. A lot of good energy this week, short week, but tough opponent in Keith Hernandez Jersey Miami who has a lot to play for, as well."The 39-year-old quarterback has said he wants to continue playing out this season, through injury if nece sary, as long as Green Bay is mathematically alive for the playoffs. He reiterated that point even at the tail end of a skid in which the Packers lost seven of eight games midway through the season. Theyve now won back-to-back games for the first time since the opening week of October."Its fun to win games youre supposed to win in December," Rodgers said.With the Rams out of the way, it doesnt get easier for Green Bay. All three of its remaining opponents ( , and ) are currently .500 or better. And even if the Packers win all three games, they dont control their own destiny. Their chances would only be at 64%, per . They'd still need a lot of help.The help the Packers need isn't unrealistic, however. There are myriad scenarios, even highly improbable ones that involve Green Bay losing again. The most realistic one (with the Packers winning out, of course) is this:The lose any two of their three remaining games (at , vs. , vs. ). This alone raises the Packers' chances to about 90%.The Lions lose one of their next two games (at , vs. ).The lose one of their final three games (at , vs. , vs. ).This would clinch a playoff berth for the Packers."Before the Bears week, we knew we had a bye afterwards and those of us who sometimes peek ahead knew that we had to win five and then Travis D'Arnaud Jersey have a lot of things go our way," Rodgers said. "Weve won two, and just about everything we needed to have happen has gone our way. Just about, right?"So things are looking up."While encouraging, thats still very much not a guarantee la Rodgers "R-E-L-A-X" moment, especially with how the Packers are playing. Their defense seemed to take a step forward Monday night, registering five David Wright Jersey sacks on Rams quarterback , while making his life difficult overall in the bone-chilling 17-degree weather. Mayfield finished 12-of-21 for just 111 yards and a touchdown and interception. His pa ser rating was 67.8, and Los Angeles converted just four of 11 third downs.Green Bay held the Rams to 72 yards on the ground and its leading receiver running back to three receptions for 35 yards.The problem is, that type of excellence is going to have to be the norm for the Packers moving forward and they dont get to face the Rams offensive line again. It was an encouraging performance, but like Rodgers said afterward, they were supposed to win this one. It was expected.Offensively, the Packers remained inconsistent but seemed to get into a groove by the end of the night. Rookie , who returned from a four-game absence because of injury, caught all five of his targets yet ama sed just 55 yards. That led the Packers. Fellow rookie hauled in four of six targets for 46 yards and had only one target in the first half. He'd caught seven touchdowns in the previous Mookie Wilson Jersey four games.The Rams a signed to Watson for much of the night, but the Packers surely wanted to get him the football more. Rodgers divulged after the game that Watson did a few things he wasnt supposed to, resulting in a couple of those incompletions and perhaps lack of targets.What Green Bay must figure out is how to make all of its offensive pieces work in tangent, rather than the piecemeal operation weve seen thus far. The Packers still dont have an identity on offense. With the way Watson has come on and Doubs has contributed alongside veterans and , the Packers have enough talent. But if they have any real hope of reaching the postseason, much le s making a deep run, theyre going to need consistency out of those guys."Yes, I think so," Rodgers said, when asked if those four receivers are enough to keep this offense humming in January. "I really do. Because they just have such different skill sets. Christian obviously has incredible speed. Romeo is a real quick-twitch guy. Cobby has the savvy to work in the slot and Allen Lazard does everything well. Hes a good route runner, catching the ball in his hands, hes a great blocker. So yeah, I think thats a really good set of guys."Even Packers superfan Lil Wayne chimed in Monday and is behind this year's team again, despite not being completely sold on the roster."Im always believing. I am going to always believe, you aint gotta worry about that," Wayne said on the Manningcast. "I definitely believe and I think were going to get some help, too. I think were going to get some help down the line."Top stories from FOX Sports:Read more from the :Carmen Vitali covers the NFC North for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to Juan Lagares Jersey her rsum. 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LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) The Chicago Bears talked throughout the offseason about . It's time to see if he really is ready to take a step forward as a pa ser.The Green Bay Packers figure to put Fields' pa sing to the test when they visit Chicago in Sunday's season opener. If they dare him to stay in the pocket rather than run, Fields insisted he's ready.That's fine with me, he said Wednesday. It is what it is. Ive been there today. Like I said, weve looked at the defense and (will) react to it. So Heath Miller Jersey whichever way we got to beat em, thats the way were gonna do it.The NFL's oldest rivalry has been one-sided in recent decades. Chicago has lost eight in a row in the series and was 5-25 against Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers. Brett Favre was 22-10 against the Bears when he was with the Packers.But it's a different era Louis Lipps Jersey now.Rodgers is out of the NFC North and getting ready to debut for the New York Jets. Jordan Love will be behind center for the Packers on Sunday. And in his third season, Fields will try to start showing he can be the quarterback the Bears need him to become.Last year, the results were mixed.Fields emerged as one of the NFL's most electrifying players because of his ability to break off huge runs. He rushed for 1,143 yards and just mi sed the single-season record for a quarterback of 1,206 by Baltimore's Lamar Jackson in his 2019 MVP season. But as a pa ser, he was near the bottom of the league.Fields threw for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns while getting sacked 55 times, tying Denver's Ru sell Wilson for the most in the league. Against Green Bay, he was at his best and worst.Fields completed seven pa ses for 70 yards both season lows in Week 2 at Lambeau Field. But he had one of his better games in Week 13 at Soldier Field Kevin Greene Jersey , even if the result was a familiar one for Chicago.Rodgers led three fourth-quarter scoring drives, and receiver Christian Watson took an end-around 46 yards for a touchdown in the closing minutes after Jaire Alexander intercepted Fields, propelling the Packers to a 28-19 victory.The late interception aside, Fields completed 20 of 25 pa ses for a season-high 254 yards. He had only one other 200-yard pa sing game last season. Fields also ran for a 55-yard touchdown in that game.I think our team grew during that time," coach Matt Eberflus said. "I know the record didnt show that. But I think if you watched both those games, there was a growth in there, there was an execution piece in there, there was a style. I know we ran the ball well the first time up there, but I certainly saw growth in between those two games, for sure.Fields' growth is a huge storyline for a team that finished with a league-worst 3-14 record last season.The Bears went all in on him in the offseason, trading the No. 1 pick in the draft to Carolina for receiver DJ Moore and a package of picks, and making moves to upgrade the offensive line. Chicago drafted tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick, the first time the team grabbed a lineman in the first round since Kyle Long in 2013. The Bears also signed guard Nate Davis.With all David DeCastro Jersey that and a second year in offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's system, Fields appears to have the support he needs to improve as a pa ser. If he does, the Bears would seem to have an easy decision when it comes to picking up its fifth-year option for 2025.For now, teams will try to keep him in the pocket. It's up to Fields to make them pay.When you try to take away something, you open up something else, Eberflus said. You try to load the box to stop the run, you open up the receivers on the outside. You try to defend the pa s, and play more split safety, you open up the run. ... But certainly with him, Dermontti Dawson Jersey taking away that run game for him is something that people did last year and should open up different avenues for us.NOTES: S Jaquan Brisker (groin), S Eddie Jackson (ankle) and DE DeMarcus Walker (calf) were limited in practice.___AP NFL: in this topic
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Have you heard is playing the this week? Here's a better question: How could you not have? The will meet New England on Sunday night in one of Week 4's most anticipated matchups, and Brady faced all kinds of questions about the homecoming after Thursday's practice. The reigning Super Bowl MVP touched on everything from Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft to the Patriots defense he once rooted for, but he made one thing clear above all: "They know I wanna kick their Lou Gehrig Jersey butt."Asked early in whether his relationships from a 20-year run in New England have been a factor in preparations this week, Brady insisted his attention has been on the football field."I haven't thought too much about it," he said. "I'm gonna try to do what I always do: Go be a great quarterback ... I know all those guys; they're some of my great friends, (and) they will be for the rest of my life. I know a lot of coaches, players, the owner, the staff, (and) it'll be great to see everyone after the game. But up until the game, I'm focused on trying to go win a football game."Brady said he thinks Sunday's showdown will be a "very, very, very tough game" in large part because of the Patriots defense. While he admitted he hasn't watched much of , New England's post-Cam Newton succe sor at quarterback, he still holds Belichick's defense in Aaron Hicks Jersey high regard. Pick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the and acknowledge Paramount's . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep Andy Pettitte Jersey an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. "I think you put great preparation with great players, it makes for a great defense," Brady said. "And they have one of the great defenses in the league."As for Belichick himself, Brady recycled some of his past remarks about the coach, expre sing gratitude for what he learned over the course of two decades in New England but ultimately redirecting attention to the Bucs."I really enjoyed my time in New England," he said. "At the same time, I'm super excited about what we've done here. A great group of coaches here ... Don Mattingly Jersey The last 18 months have been very fulfilling in a lot of different ways ... I still have a lot of great friends (in New England), but they know I wanna kick their butt this week, so they'll know exactly how I'm feeling once I'm out there." Pre sed to revisit the conversations that led to his departure from the Patriots, specifically in regards to reports that Belichick didn't go above and beyond to re-sign the quarterback, Brady downplayed the tension while hinting Tampa Bay always wanted him more."All those things are super personal, and we had a great relationship," he said. Brian Roberts Jersey "I think everything was handled the right way. It was handled perfectly. I think everyone understood where we were at ... The people who really bet on me, I wanna do really well for them. And (Buccaneers general manager) Jason (Licht) and (coach) Bruce (Arians), I think them coming into my life, saying, 'Hey, we really want you to be here,' has been an amazing thing for me."Can Tom Brady win his eighth Super Bowl at age 44? If you're a Brady fan, it's time to get a new jersey featuring No. 12. .
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The are still trying to find their placeholder until returns from injury, and they may have that standby in . Head coach Vic Fangio isn't ready to commit to the second-year Brent Burns Jersey quarterback just yet, though, despite Rypien helping the Broncos capture their first win of the season -- in his first career start no le s."We have some extra days to think about it, look at the tape and thoroughly analyze it and go with what we think is best," Fangio said after the Broncos' victory over the Thursday night.Rypien finished 19 of 31 for for 242 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions in the win -- two of which came in the fourth quarter that Mikkel Boedker Jersey brought the Jets back in the game as New York even took a one-point lead with 6:23 to play. While Rypien was credited with a fourth quarter comeback, he also showcased some questionable decision making in the game despite moving the offense the majority of the night."It was up and down. I thought there were some good things," Fangio said. "We hit some big plays, which is always important. But, throwing three interceptions, you're not going to win many times in this league, but we found a way to win tonight in spite of that which I think is a reflection of the fight that we have in this team, and these players and the commitment they have to each other that Martin Jones Jersey we overcome minus three and a pick six." Brett Rypien QB CMP%67.5YDs295TD2INT4YD/Att7.38 Rypien deserves some credit in not getting sacked, aiding a Broncos offensive line that as surrendered 13 of them over the past two games. The Broncos quarterback still received his fair share of hits, but that was from the unnece sary roughne s penalties by Jets defensive players at the end of the game."They did take a couple of late shots," Rypien said. "It was to our benefit."Rypien's mistakes will be evaluated over the coming days, as Fangio will go back to him or give another start for the Week 5 matchup against the . The Broncos could also turn to , who they signed earlier this week. The quick pa ses and accurate strikes may be enough for Denver to give Rypien another opportunity next week, especially since he's the quarterback to get the David Schlemko Jersey team in the win column. "We got the win. That was the goal coming in and it feels really good," Rypien said. "As far as the mistakes, two of them should not have happened. The one when I rolled out is on me, it that should have never happened. The one over the middle, I think the guy made a good play undercutting it. The other one, they played a trap coverage I've never seen before. It was a good call by them Marc-Edouard Vlasic Jersey and the corner made a good play in the right situation. I'm thinking about the win tonight and I'm feeling good about it."
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