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NFL: Cowboys Hit Road (Again)

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MIAMI GARDENS – Dallas looks unbeatable at home. Taking the show on the road is proving to be more than the Cowboys can handle. The Cowboys were thrashed last weekend in Buffalo and look to post a much better performance when they play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday this afternoon in Florida.

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Dallas (10-4) is perfect in seven home games. That level of play isn’t translating over to the road. Quarterback Dak Prescott is perplexed by the difference in play.

“This next week of preparation and honestly these next couple of weeks are about figuring out what that difference is and trying to close that gap,” Prescott said. “Obviously, we’d love to come out and produce like we do at home but that just hasn’t been the case.

“So we’ve got to find out what those answers are and try to close that gap and we can’t be those two different other teams.”

The Cowboys were pushed all over the field in the 31-10 loss to Buffalo and allowed 266 rushing yards. The nature of the beating disturbed Dallas coach Mike McCarthy.

“That’s the message,” McCarthy said. “We play so well at home, and there’s just too big of a gap on the road, and we’re conscious of it. We got to be better than this.”

Earlier this season, Dallas was pummeled 42-10 by the host San Francisco 49ers. The Cowboys’ other road losses are to the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles.

The Dolphins (10-4) hold a two-game lead over the Bills in the AFC East, but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also is dealing with a narrative he doesn’t like.

Though he has passed for 3,921 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, the narrative is that Tagovailoa is performing better than his abilities due to having talented teammates like wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and running back Raheem Mostert.

“Whether I’m the best, whether I’m the worst, I couldn’t care less. I don’t listen to it,” Tagovailoa said. “At the end of the day, I really don’t care. …

“Yeah, sure. I am only good with Tyreek, you’re right. That is the only time I’m at my best. You’re right, I’m only good when Jaylen is in. I couldn’t care less about it. … I’m only as good as Raheem Mostert allows me to be. That’s what the narrative needs to be. And we’re able to win games and we’re able to go where we want to go as a team. I am the worst football player if that’s what you want. I don’t care.”

Hill missed last weekend’s 30-0 rout of the New York Jets with an ankle injury he sustained during a 28-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 11. Hill played less than half the game against the Titans and Tagovailoa didn’t have a touchdown pass. He tossed a 60-yard scoring pass to Waddle against the Jets.

Hill leads the NFL with 1,542 yards and also has 97 catches and 12 scoring receptions. He was limited in practice on Friday and listed as questionable, although ESPN reported Saturday that the team was optimistic Hill would play Sunday.

The report said the decision on Hill would be made on Sunday.

Mostert (knee) and fellow running back De’Von Achane (toe) missed practice and their status for Sunday was listed as unknown. Mostert had two touchdowns against the Jets to set the franchise single-season record with 20. He also is 34 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season.

Dolphins guard Robert Hunt (hamstring) is listed as out. Offensive tackle Terron Armstead (knee) does not have an injury designation. Safeties Elijah Campbell (knee) and Jevon Holland (knee), wide receiver Hill (ankle), cornerbacks Xavien Howard (hip) and Cam Smith (hamstring), offensive lineman Austin Jackson (oblique) and defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (hamstring) are listed as questionable.

Two eight-time Pro Bowl selections, guard Zack Martin (thigh) and tackle Tyron Smith (back), missed practice earlier in the week for Dallas. Martin was limited in practice on Friday and is questionable, while Smith was downgraded from doubtful to out on Saturday after not practicing this week. On the defensive side, Malik Hooker (ankle) was limited on Friday and is questionable, while defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins (knee, ankle) was ruled out on Friday.

Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb is having a sensational season with 107 receptions for 1,306 yards and eight touchdowns. He needs nine catches to break the single-season franchise record set by Hall of Famer Michael Irvin in 1995.

Dallas had won the past four meetings against the Dolphins, the most recent being a 31-6 home victory in 2019.

–Field Level Media

NFL Christmas Day Games

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Detroit Lions control their own destiny and can clinch the NFC North when they play the Minnesota Vikings this afternoon and the San Francisco 49ers will host the Baltimore Ravens in a possible Super Bowl LVIII match-up on Christmas night in Week 16 games in the National Football League.The New England Patriots travel to Denver to face the Broncos in a game reminiscent of days gone by when Tom Brady faced Peyton Manning in AFC Championship games.

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Indianapolis Colts (8-6) at Atlanta Falcons (6-8): The clock is ticking on Falcons coach Arthur Smith. While Falcons owner Arthur Blank said this week he would wait until after the season to make a decision on Smith’s future with the team, a loss to the NFL-worst Panthers has him on alert. Atlanta quarterback Desmond Ridder connected on 12 of 20 passes for 152 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Even considering the rainy conditions, that wasn’t good enough, which is why Smith is making a QB change for the third time this year, ping-ponging back to Taylor Heinicke. A former Washington Commanders starter, Heinicke took over for Ridder prior to the Falcons’ Week 9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and started a Week 10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals before Smith went back to Ridder. In Indianapolis, Gardner Minshew has gone 6-4 as the starter, including a 30-13 home win over Pittsburgh last week that made the Colts 5-1 in their past six games and forged a three-way tie in the division. The Colts have dominated the all-time series against Atlanta, posting 15 wins in 17 games.

Green Bay Packers (6-8) at Carolina Panthers (2-12): Spoilers as the season runs its course, the Panthers shoot for a two-game winning streak as playoff-minded Green Bay arrives for Sunday afternoon’s game, with the Packers knowing another loss likely ends any postseason prayer they have left. “You’re being introduced to adversity and there’s two ways you’re going to respond to it,” Green Bay linebacker Quay Walker said. “You’re either going to lay down or you’re going to get up.” After a three-game winning streak that included victories against division leaders Detroit and Kansas City, the Packers suffered defeats to the New York Giants and Tampa Bay to put their postseason prospects in jeopardy. The Panthers secured their second victory of the season last week by topping visiting Atlanta 9-7, knocking the Falcons out of their share of first place in the NFC South. For Green Bay, a loss in Charlotte could be similarly devastating.

Cleveland Browns (9-5) at Houston Texans (8-6): Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud’s absence proved glaring for the Texans last week even in a 19-16 overtime win. The victory kept them in the thick of the AFC playoff picture in advance of their showdown with the visiting Browns on Sunday. But Stroud remains in concussion protocol, unlikely to play this week. Houston’s defense — operating without top rookie Will Anderson Jr. — helped pick up the slack with seven sacks. They’ll be asked to carry the load once more and face a Browns offensive line besieged by injuries. The Browns have gotten mileage from their veteran backup signal caller, the fourth QB to start for Cleveland in 2023, in Joe Flacco. He passed for 374 yards last week and has a security blanket with his own defense. The Browns are fifth in the AFC playoff picture and ascending behind a stifling defense that ranks first in yielding just 158.9 passing yards per game. One pressing challenge for the Browns: reversing a trend where their last three losses have been on the road.

Detroit Lions (10-4) at Minnesota Vikings (7-7): One more win and the Lions clinch their first division title in 30 years. The first-place Lions have three games remaining — two against the second-place Vikings. They’ll get their first shot at clinching the NFC North championship on Sunday afternoon, when they take on the Vikings in Minneapolis. “We control our own destiny as it pertains to winning the division, no matter what happens (elsewhere),” coach Dan Campbell said. “We win (Sunday) and we win the division. We’re in (the playoffs) and we get a home game. That’s right where I want to be.” Minnesota can remain in the chase for the division with a victory on Sunday and improve its chances of a wild card. They currently hold the sixth seed in the NFC. The Lions bounced back from a 28-13 road loss to Chicago on Dec. 10 with a resounding 42-17 victory over the Denver Broncos on Saturday night. Jared Goff tied his career high with five touchdown passes. Detroit didn’t commit a turnover against the ball-hawking Broncos after six giveaways in losses to Green Bay and Chicago. Goff has been intercepted 10 times and lost two fumbles this season but Campbell doesn’t want him to play tight. That’s true of the Vikings and their fourth starting QB this season, Nick Mullens, who is making his second consecutive start. Mullens threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns but also was intercepted twice in a 27-24 overtime loss to Cincinnati on Saturday. Vikings RB Ty Chandler is coming off a 132-yard rushing performance filling in for injured Alexander Mattison.

Washington Commanders (4-10) at New York Jets (5-9): Aaron Rodgers is on the active roster but joins Zach Wilson as a probable gameday inactive on Sunday. With that dose of truth, down goes one of the few intriguing storylines left for the only matchup in Week 16 between teams already eliminated from the NFL postseason as the Commanders come to New Jersey. Wilson remains in concussion protcol after being injured during New York’s 30-0 loss Sunday to the Miami Dolphins. Veteran Trevor Siemian steps in and becomes the fourth different QB to start for the Jets this season. The shutout loss to Miami included a season-low 103 total yards for the Jets with a combined four turnovers and six sacks from their quarterbacks. The Jets are gaining the fewest yards (255.1 per game) of any team in the league. But if there’s a defense they can thrive against, it’s a Commanders unit that has given up more yards (384.5) and points (30.2) per game than any team in the NFL. During their current five-game losing streak, opposing receivers running wide open have been a familiar sight for the Commanders, including last week in a 28-20 loss to the Rams when Cooper Kupp went uncovered on a 62-yard touchdown catch.

Seattle Seahawks (7-7) at Tennessee Titans (5-9): The way rookie quarterback Will Levis sees it, if he can walk onto the field Sunday, he wants to start. Levis suffered a sprained left ankle in overtime of the Titans’ 19-16 overtime loss at Houston last week, a defeat that officially eliminated Tennessee from playoff contention. Levis, the 33rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is 3-5 as Tennessee’s starter since taking over for the injured Ryan Tannehill in mid-October. Levis was absent from practice on Thursday. Coach Mike Vrabel said Tannehill would start if Levis is unable to play with an ankle injury the coach said was very similar to the issue that first sent Tannehill to the bench eight weeks ago. The Titans, who are starting two rookies on the left side of their offensive line and are down to a third starter at right tackle, allowed seven sacks last week. RB Derrick Henry, a two-time NFL rushing champion, had his worst game as a pro with just 9 yards on 16 carries. The Seahawks expect QB Geno Smith to return from a groin injury after backup Drew Lock rallied them to a 20-17 victory against visiting Philadelphia on Monday night. Lock threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 28 seconds left to cap a 92-yard drive that breathed life into Seattle’s postseason chances. The Seahawks snapped a four-game losing streak last week and are among a bevy of teams with .500 records vying for the conference’s final two playoff berths.

Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7): Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence made a late push to make his 51st consecutive start after four days in concussion protocol and needed only final clearance to board the team charter to Tampa on Saturday. Winners of three in a row, the Buccaneers have the advantage of the holiday home game in hoping to deal a fifth straight loss to their Sunshine State neighbors. “Momentum is coming with winning,” Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said. “The urgency is there. We know we have to win out to get to the playoffs; that’s been our mindset since we played Carolina (a 21-18 win on Dec. 3). That’s our mindset this week, as well, against a good Jacksonville team.” Baker Mayfield was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 381 yards and four touchdowns in Tampa Bay’s 34-20 road victory over the Green Bay Packers last Sunday. While the Bucs’ winning ways have kept them tied with the New Orleans Saints atop the NFC South, the Jaguars’ slump has allowed the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans to pull even in the AFC South. Lawrence’s status was in question after he was placed in concussion protocol following last Sunday’s 23-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Lawrence has started every game since he was selected with the top overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. If he can’t start, veteran backup C.J. Beathard will.

Arizona Cardinals (3-11) at Chicago Bears (5-9): Chicago has won its last three games at Soldier Field, toppling the Las Vegas Raiders, Panthers and Lions, and the Bears are looking to bounce back after a 20-17 loss on the road last week against the Cleveland Browns. Big-picture plots include the future of QB Justin Fields. He has three more games to show Chicago’s front office and coaching staff why he deserves to keep the starting job heading into next season. Fields has completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season, and he has rushed for 488 yards and a pair of scores. Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon said his team faced a tough task in stopping Fields. “Here’s what I know about him,” Gannon said. “He can make every throw on the field when it’s cold and rainy in Chicago, like it’s going to be. Wind doesn’t matter because he’s got a huge arm. He’s extremely mobile. He’s hard to tackle. His extension of plays is very productive.” Cardinals Kyler Murray is set to make his sixth start since returning from injury. The 26-year-old Murray has completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 1,075 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. He has rushed for 155 yards and three scores. Murray takes on a Bears’ pass defense torched for 374 yards by Joe Flacco and the Browns last week. The Cardinals’ top receiving target is tight end Trey McBride, who has 66 catches for 712 yards and two touchdowns. Wideout Marquise Brown has 51 catches for 574 yards and four touchdowns, but his status is in question because of a heel injury.

Dallas Cowboys (10-4) at Miami Dolphins (10-4): Dallas looks unbeatable at home. Taking the show on the road is proving to be more than the Cowboys can handle. Dallas is perfect in seven home games, but that level of play isn’t translating away from home. The Cowboys were pushed all over the field in the 31-10 loss to Buffalo and allowed 266 rushing yards. The nature of the beating disturbed Dallas coach Mike McCarthy. “That’s the message,” McCarthy said. “We play so well at home, and there’s just too big of a gap on the road, and we’re conscious of it. We got to be better than this.” Dallas was pummeled 42-10 by the host San Francisco 49ers. The Cowboys’ other road losses are to the Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles. The Dolphins hold a two-game lead over the Bills in the AFC East but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also is dealing with a narrative he doesn’t like. Though he has passed for 3,921 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, the talk is that Tagovailoa is performing with All-Pro level seasons from WR Tyreek Hill and RB Raheem Mostert. Hill missed last weekend’s 30-0 rout of the New York Jets with an ankle injury he sustained during a 28-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 11. Hill played less than half the game against the Titans and Tagovailoa didn’t have a touchdown pass. Hill leads the NFL with 1,542 yards and also has 97 catches and 12 TDs, and Mostert has scored 20 times. Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb is having a sensational season with 107 receptions for 1,306 yards and eight touchdowns. He needs nine catches to break the single-season franchise record set by Hall of Fame member Michael Irvin in 1995. Dallas had won the past four meetings against the Dolphins, the most recent being a 31-6 home victory in 2019.

New England Patriots (3-11) at Denver Broncos (7-7): The Patriots and Broncos are nearly 10 years removed from the final regular season meeting that pitted Tom Brady against Peyton Manning. New England won that game 43-21 on Nov. 2, 2014, behind four passing touchdowns from Brady. If Sunday night’s clash between Denver and the visiting Patriots proves anything, it might just be how much truly can change over the course of a decade. Both offenses have fallen far from the perch they sat atop nine years ago, with New England’s decline especially evident. The Patriots are averaging a league-worst 13.3 points per game following last Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Denver sported the least explosive offense of the 2022 campaign (16.9 points per game), but Sean Payton, in his first season as Broncos coach, has started to turn things around. A winner of six of its past eight games, the Broncos are averaging 21.7 points under Payton. Patriots coach Bill Belichick called QB Russell Wilson a “unique player.” He was relatively quiet against Detroit, completing 18 of 32 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown. Wilson was also shown getting laid into by Payton on the sideline late in the third quarter after a Denver TD was nullified because of an offensive offside penalty. Payton said he is making sure no negative feelings from that altercation — or the loss itself — spill over into Sunday’s meeting with the Patriots.

Monday NFL Capsules

Las Vegas Raiders (6-8) at Kansas City Chiefs (9-5): The Chiefs don’t resemble a formidable football team with three games remaining in the regular season. Last season’s MVP, Patrick Mahomes, insists there is still time to get into top form. Kansas City is just one victory away from clinching its eighth straight AFC West title as it enters a Monday contest against the Raiders. The Chiefs can clinch if they tie the Raiders and the Broncos lose to the Patriots on Sunday. “You always want to be playing your best football going into the playoffs,” Mahomes said. “Let’s put that complete game together. I think if we can do that and start getting better and better these last few games, we can get to the playoffs and be playing our best football. Then I think the AFC is wide open and we’ll be able to go out there and try to find a way to get to the Super Bowl.” Kansas City enters the weekend with the third-best record in the AFC behind the Baltimore Ravens (11-3) and the Miami Dolphins (10-4). Standing in their way is a Las Vegas squad that set a franchise record for points with a 63-21 steamrolling of the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 14 to start Week 15. Kansas City posted a 31-17 road win over the Raiders on Nov. 26 for their 18th victory in the past 21 meetings. Mahomes passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Las Vegas is well-rested and should be full of confidence after the wipeout of the Chargers that included a team-record 63 points. Las Vegas led 42-0 at halftime and scored the first 49 points. Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell passed for 248 yards and a career-best four touchdowns, and the defense forced five Los Angeles turnovers.

New York Giants (5-9) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-4): The Eagles know what they want for Christmas: a three-game winning streak to erase their current three-game losing streak. The upcoming schedule offers two games with the rival Giants. Even though his Eagles are 0-3 this December, scoring fewer than 20 points in all three setbacks, coach Nick Sirianni said there’s no reason to panic. The team has not lost confidence in quarterback Jalen Hurts, whose 12 interceptions are twice his 2022 total. Since the start of November, Hurts has more rushing touchdowns (eight) than passing scores (six). Hurts (542 rushing yards) and D’Andre Swift (896 rushing yards, four TDs) will be facing a Giants defense that ranks 29th against the run, allowing 131.6 yards per game. A New York offense led by undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito squares off against a leaky Eagles defense that is allowing 24.4 points (26th in the NFL) and 255.4 passing yards (28th) per game. While Philadelphia’s losing streak continued with a 20-17 defeat at Seattle on Monday, DeVito and New York had a three-game winning streak snapped with Sunday’s 24-6 loss at New Orleans. DeVito has played at Las Vegas, Dallas, Washington and New Orleans since replacing the injured Daniel Jones in Week 9, but he hasn’t experienced anything like the reception awaiting him in the City of Brotherly Love. Asked if he enjoyed playing the role of villain, DeVito answered with his customary swagger. “It’s fun,” he said. “It’s part of the game. I like a hostile crowd.” The Eagles won’t have Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson following thumb surgery, but right guard Cam Jurgens (pectoral) was a full participant Thursday after missing Monday’s loss in Seattle.

Baltimore Ravens (11-3) at San Francisco 49ers (11-3): A possible Super Bowl preview on Christmas night matches two primo MVP candidates. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is enjoying his best season since 2019, when he threw for 36 touchdowns and ran for 1,206 yards in an MVP season. His completion percentage is a career-high 66.3 percent. He has thrown for 17 touchdowns, and he has a chance to finish with 1,000 yards on the ground for the third time in his career. Baltimore’s defense wants to make teams one-dimensional, but San Francisco’s scheme consistently has avoided that trap. 49ers QB Brock Purdy has completed 69.8 percent of his attempts for 3,795 yards and a league-high 29 touchdowns with only seven interceptions to date this season, the general of a top-five offensive team in points, rushing yards and passing yards. He credits supporting star power such as RB Christian McCaffrey, who has a league-leading 1,292 rushing yards and 57 catches for 509 yards. McCaffrey accounted for 187 yards from scrimmage last week in a 45-29 win at Arizona that allowed San Francisco to clinch the NFC West title. He caught two of Purdy’s four touchdown passes. The Ravens have won five of seven meetings between the teams, including a 20-17 decision four years ago in Baltimore. The franchises’ most famous matchup was the Ravens’ 34-31 win in Super Bowl XLVII after the 2012 season.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Patriots v Broncos, Not the Same

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos are nearly 10 years removed from the final regular-season meeting that pitted Tom Brady against Peyton Manning.

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New England won that game 43-21 on Nov. 2, 2014, behind four passing touchdowns from Brady. If Sunday night’s clash between Denver and the visiting Patriots proves anything, it might just be how much truly can change over the course of a decade.

Both offenses have fallen far from the perch they sat atop nine years ago, with New England’s decline especially evident.

The Patriots (3-11) are averaging a league-worst 13.3 points per game following last Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Chad Ryland’s 25-yard field goal put New England up 10-7 with 4:47 left in the second quarter, but the Patriots didn’t score again until there was just under 8 1/2 minutes left in the fourth.

Denver (7-7) sported the least explosive offense of the 2022 campaign (16.9 points per game), but Sean Payton, in his first season as Broncos coach, has started to turn things around.

A winner of six of its past eight games, Denver is averaging 21.7 points under Payton. It was held under that mark in a 42-17 setback against the Detroit Lions last weekend, but New England coach Bill Belichick knows that the Broncos have what it takes to bounce back.

“They obviously have good players,” Belichick said. “They started the same line in every game, so they’ve got a lot of continuity there. Quarterback’s a unique player, he’s got a lot of skill. Receivers, (Courtland) Sutton’s as good as there is — big guy, great hands, contested catches, a really hard guy to cover.”

That quarterback Belichick was referring to is Russell Wilson, who was relatively quiet against Detroit, completing 18 of 32 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.

Wilson was also shown getting laid into by Payton on the sideline late in the third quarter after a Denver TD was nullified because of an offensive offside penalty.

“Difficult night. … It was just one of those moments,” Payton told reporters afterward. “Listen, what I talk with Russell about is none of your business.”

Payton is making sure no negative feelings from that altercation — or the loss itself — spill over into Sunday’s meeting with the Patriots.

“You can only focus on the things you can control, and it’s obviously getting ready to play New England — and that’s it,” Payton said. “Focus on getting this next win, because that’s really all that matters.”

If the Broncos want to bounce back, they will have to do so without linebacker Nik Bonitto (knee), tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring/foot) and tackle Alex Palczewski (knee), all of whom are ruled out for Sunday.

New England offensive tackle Trent Brown (ankle/hand), tight end Hunter Henry (knee), defensive tackle Christian Barmore (shoulder), cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee), special teams ace Matthew Slater (hamstring) and linebackers Jahlani Tavai (ankle), Ja’Whaun Bentley (knee) and Anfernee Jennings (illness) have all been limited in practices and are listed as questionable. Tackle Conor McDermott (concussion) is also questionable after missing practice all week.

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle) and safety Jabrill Peppers (hamstring) will miss Sunday’s game.

–Field Level Media

Security! Security! – Not

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The Philadelphia Eagles apparently will have to do without security chief Dom DiSandro on the sidelines for the rest of the regular season.

Multiple outlets reported Friday that the NFL denied the Eagles’ appeal of the league’s suspension of DiSandro for his involvement in a sideline incident with an opposing player in Week 13.

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The NFL reportedly also denied the Eagles’ appeal of the $100,000 fine to the team.

The suspension and fine stem from an incident in the Eagles’ 42-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 3.

At the end of a play, a scuffle broke out between Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith and 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who received an unnecessary roughness penalty on the play. As the scuffle bled into the sidelines where DiSandro was standing, he put himself between the two players and then made contact with Greenlaw in an attempt to move him away from the Eagles’ sideline. Greenlaw responded by swiping at DiSandro’s face, grazing him.

Both Greenlaw and DiSandro were ejected from the game. Greenlaw was fined $10,927 by the league for the unnecessary roughness penalty.

The Eagles received a $100,000 fine, which the team reportedly has paid. DiSandro can still be at the stadium and perform all other game-day security duties but cannot be on the sideline until the postseason.

DiSandro, 45, has been with the Eagles since 1999. He is a senior adviser to Eagles general manager Howie Roseman in addition to a variety of security matters for players, coaches and executives. He is in charge of security related to the team’s travel as well as at the team’s training complex.

–Field Level Media

Give Us a Break-Gate

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said the kicking footballs used in the first half of Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs were “under-inflated by 2, 2 1/2 pounds.”

“We don’t have anything to do with it. Were we aware of it? Yeah, definitely,” Belichick said on Friday. “As I understand it, they were all the same. I don’t know what the explanation is. It was the same for both teams.”

Patriots rookie kicker Chad Ryland misfired on a 41-yard attempt, and Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker missed on a 39-yard try. Butker made all 23 of his field-goal attempts and 34 extra-points tries heading into that game.

“The officials handle that, and they were underinflated by like 2, 2.5 pounds,” Belichick told reporters. “I think you could see that by the kicks. Both kickers missed kicks, and Butker hadn’t missed a kick all year.

“Kickoffs, we had two that almost went out of bounds. And so there were six balls. It was both sets of balls. It was all six of them. You’d have to talk to the league about what happened, because we don’t have anything to do with that part of it. They control all of that. And they fixed them at halftime but didn’t do it before then, which is another question you could ask. But we don’t have anything to do with it.”

If Belichick sounded like he was on the defensive, well consider that the Patriots were ultimately fined $1 million, docked two draft picks and saw then-quarterback Tom Brady suspended four games by the NFL for what is referred to as “Deflategate.” The league determined that a scheme was afoot to provide improperly inflated footballs for the AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 18, 2015.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Saturday Game Previews

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PITTSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Reports) – It’ll be a weekend filled with NFL Playoff-like football as Christmas weekend scheduling will determine playoff contenders and those relegated to the land of NFL Draft prep. Here are the Saturday games:

Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7): Playoff football arrives early for AFC North rivals who’ve undergone major facelifts since Pittsburgh’s 16-10 win over the Bengals in Cincinnati on Nov. 26. The Steelers have lost three straight, temporarily remain without starting quarterback Kenny Pickett, benched his backup Mitch Trubisky, lost starting safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to a knee injury and their other starting safety — Damontae Kazee — was suspended. Cincinnati quarterback Jake Browning was making his first NFL start in that first meeting and generated just 222 yards of total offense, but Browning and the Bengals are back on their feet. They enter Week 16 with three straight wins, including a pair of overtime victories, and currently sit ahead of Pittsburgh and in playoff position in the packed AFC postseason picture. Browning has completed 76 percent of his passes since Week 12 and thrown for more than 1,000 yards in his first four NFL starts — the only NFL quarterback to do so since 1950. Steelers QB Mason Rudolph took over for Trubisky in last week’s loss to the Colts and will make his first start since 2021. The Steelers left the door “ajar” for Pickett if could return from ankle surgery to play, but he was officially ruled out on Thursday. While playoff probability metrics reveal odds of 64 percent to make the playoffs with a win this week, it’s not all roses and balloons for the Bengals, either. Cincinnati is without WR Ja’Marr Chase (shoulder).

Buffalo Bills (8-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (5-9): The Bills are desperate in their hunt for a playoff spot as one of five teams in the AFC with an 8-6 record, currently outside of the seven playoff spots in the conference and two games behind the Miami Dolphins in the AFC East. “Every game from here on out’s a playoff game for us,” Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen said. “That’s the mentality that we have. It’s essentially win or go home. We’ve got to be prepared for every punch the Chargers can throw at us.” The Bills have won consecutive games and coach Sean McDermott has cautioned his team all week about what can happen if preparation isn’t taken seriously. All is not well in L.A. The Chargers were loaded with bitter faces when they were annihilated 63-21 by the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 14. It was such a poor performance that the club fired coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco. The Chargers have dropped five of their past six games, and their fortunes are low with star quarterback Justin Herbert done for the season after finger surgery on his throwing hand. Los Angeles will be without star receiver Keenan Allen (heel) for the second straight game. He didn’t practice all week and was ruled out Thursday. Allen has a league-high 108 receptions while accumulating 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

NFL Week 16: Playoff Possibilities

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SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The San Francisco 49ers’ Christmas gift could be the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Niners, the only 11-3 team in the NFC, have a straightforward path to clinching the top seed and a first-round bye in Week 16, according to the NFL’s official playoff scenarios.

If the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles all lose, the 49ers would lock up the No. 1 seed on Christmas night by beating the visiting Baltimore Ravens — who happen to be the only other 11-3 team in the league.

Detroit visits the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas takes on the host Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Christmas Eve. Then, the Eagles play the middle game of a Christmas Day tripleheader against the visiting New York Giants before the Ravens visit San Francisco in the nightcap.

The Lions (10-4) would clinch the NFC North title with a win or tie against Minnesota. If that doesn’t happen, they can still lock up a playoff bid if the Seattle Seahawks lose or tie. The Rams bettered their chances with a win over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday. The Seahawks visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Over in the AFC, the Ravens — who have already punched their postseason ticket — can win the AFC North by beating the 49ers and having the Browns lose or tie against the Houston Texans, or if the Ravens tie and the Browns lose.

The Browns (9-5), for their part, have eight scenarios to clinch a playoff berth this week, all of which start with a win at Houston. The Browns are on the verge of their second playoff berth in 21 seasons.

If the Dolphins (10-4) beat the Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills lose or tie at the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday, Miami would clinch the AFC East title. That would also be the result if Miami ties Dallas and Buffalo loses.

The Christmas Day tripleheader begins with the struggling Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chiefs (9-5) can lock up their eighth straight AFC West title if they beat Las Vegas, or if they tie with the Raiders and the Denver Broncos lose to New England.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With:

NFL: Rams Make a Stand

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INGLEWOOD – LA Rams QB Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes and the surging Los Angeles Rams strengthened their playoff chances with a 30-22 victory against the visiting New Orleans Saints on Thursday night.

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Stafford passed for 328 yards and threw touchdowns to Puka Nacua, who had 164 receiving yards, and Demarcus Robinson as the Rams (8-7), who entered the game in possession of the final wild-card berth in the NFC, won for the fifth time in six games.

Derek Carr passed for 319 yards, including 123 to Chris Olave, and three touchdowns, but two of them came after the Saints (6-7) fell behind 30-7.

The Rams received the second-half kickoff and drove to the Saints 3 before stalling, and Lucas Havrisik kicked a 22-yard field goal that gave them a 20-7 lead.

Kyren Williams ran for 10 of his 104 yards and a touchdown that pushed the lead to 27-7 and Havrisik added a 32-yard field goal before Carr threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Juwan Johnson.

Carr connected with A.T. Perry for a 35-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion to Olave to trim the lead to 30-22 with 3:53 left, but the Rams recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

Los Angeles started its first possession at its 5 and the 14th play of the drive was a 2-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Nacua on fourth-and-goal, giving the Rams a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Rams drove to Havrisik’s 20-yard field goal and a 10-0 lead, but missed an opportunity to increase the lead when Havrisik was wide left on a 47-yard field-goal attempt.

The Saints broke through when Carr connected with Rashid Shaheed for a 45-yard touchdown pass that cut the lead to 10-7.

New Orleans turned the ball over at the Rams 42 with 56 seconds left in the half when Carr threw an incompletion on fourth-and-5.

Five plays later, Stafford threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Robinson that increased the lead to 17-7 at halftime.

–Field Level Media

Will Bill Belichick Be Charged-Up in LA?

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England’s longtime head coach Bill Belichick is widely expected to part ways with the Patriots after this season. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Chargers got a head start on their search for a new head coach by dismissing Brandon Staley on Friday.

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Could the timing align for the two sides to become a fit?

Belichick, 71, has declined to address his future while focusing on the final four games of the 2023 season for the 3-10 Patriots. However, if he wants to continue coaching next season, there are already multiple openings where he is seen as a potential fit.

That includes Carolina, which fired Frank Reich earlier this season, and the Chargers. Other openings are likely to join the list in the coming weeks.

The Chargers are viewed as an appealing destination — and not just for Southern California’s weather. Franchise quarterback Justin Herbert leads a skill position group that also includes running back Austin Ekeler and wide receiver Keenan Allen.

The bigger issue — especially of late — is a defense that failed to hold leads, much less be dominant, under the defensive-minded Staley. That culminated in the Chargers allowing 63 points on Thursday night to a Las Vegas Raiders team that had been shut out just four days prior.

The 63 points allowed were a franchise record, and the tally also was the most the Chargers ever had given up. Los Angeles ranks 27th in opponents’ points scored per game with 24.6 and 29th in yards allowed with 375.3 per game.

Belichick is arguably the best defensive mind of his generation. Paired with a strong offensive coordinator, the Chargers could potentially make an immediate rebound to contender status in the loaded AFC.

SportsBetting.ag has installed Belichick as the 3/1 favorite to replace Staley. That is slightly ahead of the 4/1 odds placed on current Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith.

Ben Johnson, who oversees Detroit’s offense and has been viewed as a rising coaching candidate the past two years, is next at 7/1.

In all, the book is offering odds on 14 potential candidates, ranging from the most likely candidates all the way down to University of Colorado’s first-year coach Deion Sanders.

Chargers Next Head Coach Odds
Bill Belichick (3/1)
Frank Smith (4/1)
Kellen Moore (4/1)
Ben Johnson (7/1)
Bobby Slowik (8/1)
Brian Flores (9/1)
Jim Harbaugh (9/1)
Eric Bieniemy (10/1)
Dan Quinn (14/1)
Jerod Mayo (14/1)
Lincoln Riley (14/1)
Brian Johnson (16/1)
Raheem Morris (20/1)
Deion Sanders (40/1)

Fired along with Staley on Friday was Chargers general manager Tom Telesco. The move came less than a day after the team’s lopsided 63-21 loss to the Raiders.

“These decisions are never easy, nor are they something I take lightly — especially when you consider the number of people they impact,” Chargers owner and chairman Dean Spanos said. “We are clearly not where we expect to be, however, and we need a new vision.”

Spanos said the franchise and its fans need to take the next step.

“Doing nothing in the name of continuity was not a risk I was willing to take. Our fans have stood strong through so many ups and downs and close games. They deserve more. Frankly, they’ve earned more. Building and maintaining a championship-caliber program remains our ultimate goal. And reimagining how we achieve that goal begins today.”

Telesco, 51, was named general manager of the Chargers in 2013 after 15 years in the Indianapolis Colts organization.

(Odds are provided for entertainment purposes only. SportsBetting.ag is not a regulated sportsbook in the United States).

–Field Level Media

Season on the Line for Ravens and Jags

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JACKSONVILLE – Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is hearing his name mentioned in the MVP conversation, but that doesn’t impress him much. The Baltimore star is more interested in making a run for the Super Bowl and Lombardi Trophy, and his top-seeded AFC team can take a big step in that direction when the Ravens visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday night.

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Baltimore (10-3) holds a one-game lead over the Miami Dolphins at the top of the conference. There are nine scenarios in which the Ravens can clinch a playoff spot Sunday should they defeat the Jaguars (8-5).

Linebacker Patrick Queen is one of many Baltimore players eyeing the top seed and first-round bye, especially with the Ravens winning three straight games and seven of their past eight.

“We want it bad,” Queen said. “If we don’t get it, we make the playoffs. We’re still in there.”

Jackson was the NFL MVP in 2019 and appreciates the praise for his 2023 individual season, which includes 2,934 passing yards and 16 touchdown throws. He also has 644 yards and five scores on the ground.

But Baltimore hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2020 season, and Jackson is focused on changing that.

“It’s an honor just being acknowledged — to be in the conversation with great guys,” Jackson said. “But I’m just trying to stay locked in trying to win, because I want (the Lombardi) trophy.”

Jackson is coming off a superb performance in which he passed for 316 yards and three touchdowns and tacked on 70 rushing yards in last week’s 37-31 overtime home win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Baltimore won that contest on a 76-yard punt-return score by Tylan Wallace. The third-year-pro was only handling the duties because two-time Pro Bowl selection Devin Duvernay injured his back earlier in the season.

Duvernay was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, and Wallace now will be the team’s main returner.

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Jacksonville will look to end a two-game slide in which it lost to the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns by a combined seven points.

The Jaguars have seen their lead in the AFC South shrink to one game over the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. But Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence said he’s not concerned.

“We’re in a fine position, record-wise,” Lawrence said. “We have to take care of business this week and moving forward. We have to take it one week at time. We need to get back on track this week for sure.”

Lawrence has been dealing with a high ankle sprain sustained against the Bengals on Dec. 4. He was questionable for last week’s game against the Browns before playing and getting mixed results — 257 passing yards and three touchdowns but also throwing three interceptions.

He practiced in full on Wednesday and said he’s making progress.

“It’s feeling better. Thankfully, I made out of the game pretty clean,” Lawrence said. “I didn’t re-aggravate it anymore. I’m just trying to keep getting better every day; hopefully it feels even better this week. I was able to move around decent on Sunday, so that was positive.”

As per containing Jackson, the Jaguars rank fourth in the NFL in rushing defense at 92.2 yards per game.

Jacksonville also features two standouts. Pass rusher Josh Allen is tied for third in the NFL with 13.5 sacks, and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun ranks second in tackles with 138. Oluokun led the league in tackles each of the past two seasons.

Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith is tied for third with 136 tackles, while safety Geno Stone is second with six interceptions.

Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton (knee) was injured against the Rams but was a limited practice participant on Wednesday. Smith (back) also was limited.

For Jacksonville, safety Andre Cisco (groin) and cornerback Tyson Campbell (quadriceps) didn’t practice. Cisco was hurt against the Browns while Campbell missed the contest.

The Jaguars notched a dramatic 28-27 home win over the Ravens last season. Lawrence tossed a 10-yard scoring pass to since-departed Marvin Jones with 14 seconds left, followed by a winning two-point conversion pass to Zay Jones.

–Field Level Media