Category: NFL News

Injuries are unfortunately a reality in the NFL, and all 32 clubs have had to weather health-related storms through seven weeks. Deshaun Watson is still dealing with a shoulder injury, Ryan Tannehill could miss significant time with an ankle injury suffered in London, Daniel Jones hasn’t played in a couple weeks due to a neck issue and the San Francisco 49ers have several banged-up stars.

With Thursday night’s Buccaneers-Bills game in the books, let’s take a look at the injuries around the NFL for the other 28 NFL teams set to play on Sunday. 

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook

Patriots: OT Calvin Anderson (illness), DE Keion White (concussion), DT Christian Barmore (knee), OT Trent Brown (ankle/knee), LB Josh Uche (ankle/toe), CB Shaun Wade (shoulder), DE Deatrich Wise (shoulder), OT Vederian Lowe (ankle) QUESTIONABLE  Dolphins: WR River Cracraft (shoulder), FS Jevon Holland (concussion), CB Xavien Howard (groin), FB Alec Ingold (foot), RB Raheem Mostert (ankle), DB Nik Needham (Achilles), CB Jalen Ramsey (knee), DB Cam Smith (foot), OL Connor Williams (groin) 

Every Patriots player with a questionable designation was limited during Friday’s practice. Fortunately for New England, running back Ty Montgomery, guard Cole Strange and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux cleared the injury report. 

Like the Patriots, every questionable Dolphins player was limited on Friday. Ramsey (who has yet to play this season) was limited all week, while Mostert and Hill were limited Thursday and Friday after not practicing on Wednesday. Mostert told reporters Friday that he will face the Patriots. 

Smith was limited each of the past two days after not practicing on Wednesday. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that he is optimistic that the veteran offensive lineman will suit up on Sunday. 

For the Rams, Jones and Skowronek were limited during Friday’s practice, while Havenstein did not practice for a…

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San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks addressed a ‘MNF’ call as he prepares to take on the Bengals. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks fielded questions about his Week 8 game plan on Thursday. But first, he chose to address a call that stood out in the team’s 22-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on “Monday Night Football.”

The 54-year-old called an all-out blitz with Minnesota facing a third-and-6 at its 40 with no timeouts left late in the second half. It backfired as Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins found receiver Jordan Addison for a 60-yard touchdown to gain a 16-7 lead.

Wilks expressed regret in his opening statement Thursday, saying that he would’ve addressed it sooner but wanted to move on immediately after the game.

“I take full responsibility for that call,” he said. “I have to do a better job in putting the guys in a better position. We have good players. I know that and can’t really press the issue and with that moving forward, it’s my responsibility to do that. So I wish I could take it back, but again, I’ve got to do better.”

“I have to do a better job.”

Steve Wilks takes full responsibility for the zero-blitz call at the end of the first half against the Vikings pic.twitter.com/UIKRoNnI10

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) October 26, 2023

There are multiple reasons the call came under intense scrutiny. It came just after the Niners cut the lead from 10-0 to 10-7 with roughly a minute remaining in the half.

Wilks sent seven players in Cousin’s direction with single coverage on three receivers. Linebacker Fred Warner was dropping from the line to seemingly cover tight end T.J. Hockenson. But Hockenson was never a threat. Cousins clocked the incoming pressure before the snap went for the deep shot, he said.

It was the first time since Week 11 of the 2020 season that a team ran a all-out blitz with less than 30 seconds in a half on the opponent’s side of the 50, according to the…

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USATSI

Move over, Steve Young. With his 13-yard scamper in the second quarter of the Bills’ 24-18 win against the Buccaneers, Josh Allen knotted himself with the Pro Football Hall of Famer for the second-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in NFL history. The Bills quarterback came into this matchup with 42 career rushing touchdowns, and he now finds himself aligned with Young and only looking up to the all-time leader, former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. 

This score came one drive after the Bills were unable to punch it in with the ball sitting at the 1-yard line. Despite Allen’s nose for the end zone, he didn’t receive a rushing attempt on that drive, but made up for it and then some on the ensuing possession. He dropped back from the Tampa Bay 13-yard line and scrambled up the middle of the field to edge his way through for the touchdown and align himself with Young in the history books. 

Young finished his career as the all-time leading touchdown rusher back in 1999 and held that record until Week 1 of the 2016 season when Newton surpassed him. The ex-Panthers quarterback, who last played in the NFL in 2021, created some distance between Young and Allen as he currently has the record set at 75 rushing touchdowns.

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The Panthers added a defensive starter to their injury report on Thursday.

Edge rusher Brian Burns was listed as a limited participant because of an elbow injury. Burns leads the team with four sacks, so his absence would be a big loss for the Carolina defense even if they didn’t put Yetur Gross-Matos on injured reserve earlier this week.

Friday will bring another practice and a better sense of Burns’ outlook for Sunday’s game against the Texans.

Safety Vonn Bell (quadriceps) and wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (ankle) were out of practice for the second day in a row while right tackle Taylor Moton (knee, rest) got Thursday off. Guard Austin Corbett (knee), linebacker Frankie Luvu (hip), and safety Xavier Woods (hamstring) were the team’s other limited participants.

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Who’s Playing

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo Bills

Current Records: Tampa Bay 3-3, Buffalo 4-3

How To Watch

When: Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 8:15 p.m. ETWhere: Highmark Stadium — Orchard Park, New YorkTV: Amazon Prime VideoFollow: CBS Sports App

What to Know

The Buffalo Bills will be playing in front of their home fans against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday at Highmark Stadium. Both of these teams will be coming in off a loss in a game they were expected to win.

Last Sunday, the Bills were within striking distance but couldn’t close the gap as they fell 29-25 to the Patriots.

Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Josh Allen, who threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns, and also punched in a touchdown on the ground. James Cook brought some help for the Bills off the bench as he gained 102 total yards and a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s game on Sunday was all tied up 10-10 at the half, but sadly for them it didn’t stay that way. They fell just short of the Falcons by a score of 16-13. Tampa Bay has now taken an ‘L’ in back-to-back games.

Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Baker Mayfield, who threw for 275 yards and a touchdown.

Buffalo’s defeat dropped their record down to 4-3. As for Tampa Bay, their loss was their third straight at home, which dropped their overall record down to 3-3.

Looking ahead, the Bills are the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by eight points. This contest will be their eighth straight as the favorites (so far over this stretch they are 3-4 against the spread).

Here’s a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Thursday’ match: The Bills command a daunting offense this season, having averaged 3.4 touchdowns per game. It’s a different story for…

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An MRI taken on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s right shoulder after he left last Sunday’s game in the first half reportedly showed no additional damage, but the existing damage is enough to keep him out this week.

Watson missed the previous two Browns games because of the shoulder injury and the team announced before Wednesday’s practice that Watson will not be participating. Head coach Kevin Stefanski announced a short time later that Watson will not play against the Seahawks.

Stefanski said that there is “residual swelling” from the hit that knocked Watson out last Sunday and that the belief is that rehab is the best course for the time being.

They also signed P.J. Walker to the 53-man roster on Wednesday because he was out of practice squad elevations and Stefanski announced that he will start.

Running back Jerome Ford (ankle), wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (back), running back Kareem Hunt (thigh), tight end David Njoku (knee), and linebacker Sione Takitaki (hamstring) are also out of practice for the Browns.

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Mike Tomlin has learned something about his team through six games, something that has helped the Pittsburgh Steelers get off to a 4-2 start. 

The Steelers’ longtime coach was asked what has led to the Steelers’ recent fourth-quarter success. Over the past two games (both wins), Pittsburgh has outscored the Ravens and Rams by a combined score of 28-0 in the fourth quarter. 

“We’re not scared,” Tomlin responded. “We play to win, we don’t play not to lose.” 

Tomlin added that his quarterback, Kenny Pickett, shares that mentality. It’s something that compelled the Steelers to select him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. 

While he and the Steelers offense haven’t started fast, Pickett and his teammates have had recent success late in games. Against the Ravens, Pickett hit George Pickens for the game-winning score with 1:17 left. Pickett led the offense to 21 second-half points on Sunday that included a pair of scoring drives in the fourth quarter. 

“We’re going to continually go to work on more fluid and more productive starts. But it’s a component of it that’s not new, and that’s his ability to rise up in moments,” Tomlin said of Pickett, who has won nine of his last 12 starts.

“I don’t know that any of us are surprised by his ability to make the plays that he makes when it really gets thick. I just think that some people are built like that. Some people relish the opportunity. Some people really smile in the fact of adversity. Some people are competition junkies. I think he’s all of those things, but that’s not something that we just discovered, as I mentioned. It’s something that we knew even prior to him being a Pittsburgh Steeler.”

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The Cardinals won’t have tight end Zach Ertz for at least the next four games.

Ertz is going to be placed on injured reserve after suffering a quad strain against the Seahawks on Sunday, according to a report from NFL Media.

Ertz, 32, has recorded 27 catches for 187 yards with one touchdown so far this season.

He missed nearly half of the 2022 season due to a knee injury, catching 47 passes for 406 yards with four touchdowns.

The Cardinals also have Trey McBride, Elijah Higgins, and Geoff Swaim on their roster at tight end.

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