Month: October 2017

Drew Brees shredded the league’s top-ranked defense, throwing for 220 yards and three touchdowns as the New Orleans Saints defeated the previously unbeaten Carolina Panthers 34-13 on Sunday.

It’s still wide receiver John Brown, who’s still out because of a quad injury. When will he return? It’s anybody’s guess, but coach Bruce Arians didn’t sound optimistic it would be this week when Arizona faces the Cowboys on Monday night. Arians was asked if he was more encouraged about the possibility of Brown playing this week. His response: No, not really. I have to see him run before I can get encouraged. An injury report won’t come out until Thursday because of the longer week. — Josh Weinfuss

Two key members of the Bucs’ defense didn’t practice Wednesday. Five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy missed it because of an ankle injury and middle linebacker and captain Kwon Alexander has a hamstring injury. Alexander left last Sunday’s game because of the injury and was replaced by rookie Kendell Beckwith, who did an admirable job but is still inexperienced.

Replacing McCoy is much, much harder. He’s the motor on defense. Alexander said after the game Sunday that he’d be fine, but given how fickle hamstring injuries can be, that’s no guarantee he’ll play this week. Ankle injuries can also be particularly tough for defensive linemen. If he can’t go, Clinton McDonald could slide over and play three-technique. — Jenna Laine

District attorney in Suffolk County, Mass., says Alexander Bradley was a percipient witness to the double murder in Boston that Hernandez was charged with committing in 2012.

The attorney representing Aaron Hernandez in civil court says the former Patriots tight end, who three years prior signed a lucrative $40 million NFL contract, has run out of money.

Alexander Bradley, a friend and former assistant of Aaron Hernandez, has received immunity from prosecutors in connection with a double murder case against the former Patriots tight end.

The Browns saw rookie starter DeShone Kizer leave Sunday’s 24-10 loss in Baltimore with a migraine, but he did return. Following a promising debut last week against the Steelers, Kizer looked very much like a rookie against the Ravens. Kizer was 15 of 31 for 182 yards and three interceptions.

Cleveland’s lone touchdown came when Kizer was out as Kevin Hogan connected with rookie tight end David Njoku, but Hogan also threw an interception in a 5-for-11 day. Baltimore’s Joe Flacco went 25 of 34 for 217 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

The Colts are still waiting for Andrew Luck to return from offseason shoulder surgery and turned to their second quarterback in as many weeks. Former Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett got the start Sunday following last week’s disastrous start by Scott Tolzien. Brissett wasn’t terrible against the Cardinals, who didn’t exactly get a stellar performance from Carson Palmer, but the Colts still only scored one touchdown in a 16-13 overtime loss.

In fact, the Packers have never had home-field advantage in the NFC championship game with Rodgers under center. Ryan has played in one outdoor playoff game in his career: a 24-2 loss to the Giants in which he passed for 199 yards, no TDs and no interceptions. Rodgers has played in 16 postseason games and one Super Bowl, and just six of those games were at Lambeau Field. Ryan, meanwhile, has played in just seven playoff games and one Super Bowl, but five of those games were at home.

Green Bay can’t have a 4-6 start this season and expect to embark on a run through the playoffs. That means more than just winning the NFC North �� the Packers have done that five of the last six seasons, but none have ended with a Super Bowl appearance. The No. 1 goal needs to be home-field advantage, and the urgency must follow. Otherwise, we’ll hear the same speech we did about Green Bay and Seattle against Atlanta.

Defensively, the Vikings caused the same kinds of mistakes from Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston that created such consternation from coach Dirk Koetter during this year’s version of Hard Knocks. Winston also had scant support from a ground attack that produced 26 yards on nine carries with starting running back Doug Martin still sidelined by an NFL drug suspension.

I think we did a great job stopping the run today and then just winning the turnover battle, Vikings strong safety Andrew Sendejo told Sporting News in a telephone interview after the game. We had three on defense and our offense didn’t turn the ball over.

All the Bengals did in Sunday’s season-opener was stink up their home field, skidding into a ditch early on and never steering out of it. They were shut out at home, 20-0, by a division rival, the Ravens, who had issues of their own coming into this season and struggled badly to score themselves for most of the first half.

It’s possible that the Bengals just got off to an ugly start, or had a lot of kinks to work out, or had bad luck, or caught a Ravens team on a good roll.

The signs were there last season when the Bengals stumbled around, reverting to their old undisciplined ways, struggled badly without the suspended Vontaze Burfict early, and fell apart at midseason on their way to a 6-9-1 record. A.J. Green missed most of the second half of the year. Andy Dalton regressed. Their run of five straight playoff berths ended.

The Rams finally righted things in 1999, winning six straight and 10 of 12 against San Francisco (still, the 49ers owned a 25-16-1 advantage while the Rams were in St. Louis). Now that the Rams are back in Los Angeles, the 49ers have won three straight in the series. While the Rams were 4-12 last season, both of 2-14 San Francisco’s wins came at the Rams’ expense.

The 49ers (0-2) have scored just 12 points on four field goals this year. The Rams (1-1), conversely, have scored 66 points behind an opportunistic defense and efficient play from second-year quarterback Jared Goff while Todd Gurley once again looks like a Pro Bowl-caliber running back.

The Rams should win Thursday, but their last visit to Levi’s Stadium did not go well as the Niners pulled off a 28-0 upset in last year’s opener. Carlos Hyde, who has 169 rushing yards so far, ran for 88 and two scores in the 2016 opener.

Jacksonville �� the home team at London’s Wembley Stadium �� has the offensive weapons to give the Ravens fits; it’s just a matter of whether or not quarterback Blake Bortles can take care of the ball.

Cravens, 22, told the team on the day of final roster cuts that he planned to retire, announcing his decision in a group chat with the other defensive backs. They were shocked and disappointed. Redskins coach Jay Gruden and team president Bruce Allen, among others, spoke with Cravens. Washington placed him on the exempt/left team list, allowing him a month to decide whether he wanted to return.

According to multiple reports, Cravens had planned to meet with team officials at Redskins Park earlier this week. The team, however, was unaware of any such plans and, two days after those reports leaked out, they eliminated any suspense. The Redskins placed Cravens on the reserve/exempt list, thereby ending his season.

The decision-makers wondered how Cravens would be received in the locker room and weren’t sure whether they could trust he wouldn’t leave the team again during the season, according to sources.

Sam Bradford was in a comfort zone with a balanced, explosive, mostly untouched offense vs. New Orleans. That won’t happen against the Steelers’ disruptive and swarming front seven, now featuring T.J. Watt. Pittsburgh won’t suddenly flip a switch to light up the scoreboard at Heinz Field, as the Vikings’ defense can keep Le’Veon Bell in check. But Ben Roethlisberger will use his legs to push the ball downfield in key spots to out-duel Bradford. Steelers win 26-17 and cover the spread.

Carson Wentz and Alex Smith got off to incredible starts. Now Andy Reid and Doug Pederson meet again with their red-hot offenses. Kansas City still has plenty of D without Eric Berry and is well-rested to come out flying at loud Arrowhead. Smith will cool off thanks to Fletcher Cox and the Eagles’ front, but not as much as Wentz in a much tougher road assignment than the one he had in Week 1. Chiefs win 20-17 but fail to cover the spread.