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Patriots: Who is Calling the Shots?

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien perceives the QB call for the Patriots is coming from the top of the organization. In New England, that would imply owner Robert Kraft and not head coach Bill Belichick.

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Asked about Mac Jones’ hold on the starting quarterback job entering Week 13, O’Brien said he doesn’t have a deciding vote.

“I don’t make those calls. There’s a chain of command. The chain of command is Robert Kraft at the top, Bill Belichick and the assistant coaches are down here,” O’Brien said Tuesday.

O’Brien said the Patriots (2-9) aren’t zeroing in on individual roles but rather focusing on collective preparation for the Los Angeles Chargers. New England has lost four consecutive games and went 1-7 in October and November.

After throwing two interceptions in Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants, Jones was benched in favor of Bailey Zappe.

O’Brien said he is responsible for the lack of production from the Patriots’ offense, not Jones.

“Things haven’t gone great for him this year,” O’Brien said of Jones. “I don’t think that he’s the No. 1 guy to blame. If you want to blame anyone, blame me. I’m the one who designs it, and it’s not going very well.”

Jones has been benched in four games this season. He has 10 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and two wins.

Asked Monday on his weekly WEEI-radio if he expected to be the starter this week, Jones said, “You always ask me, right? I think the biggest thing for me is — that’s a result. I’m going to focus on the process this week. Focus on competing and getting better. That’s all I’ve ever done at every sport. I know that if I do that, we’ll be in good hands. That’s something I need to focus on as always. I do have confidence in myself, and I have confidence in the guys around me.”

–Field Level Media

Bears Beat Vikings Without TD

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MINNESOTA – Chicago PK Cairo Santos made four field goals, including the game-winning kick with 10 seconds remaining, to lift the Bears to a 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night in Minneapolis.

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Santos’ 30-yard field goal capped off a contest that was defined by aggressive defenses and turnover-prone offenses. Chicago (4-8) earned its first win against an NFC North opponent under coach Matt Eberflus, who entered the game 0-9 against division rivals.

Bears quarterback Justin Fields completed 27 of 37 passes for 217 yards. He rushed 12 times for 59 yards but lost two fumbles in the second half.

Joshua Dobbs threw a career-high four interceptions for Minnesota (6-6). He completed 22 of 32 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown.

The Bears trailed 10-9 when they took over on their own 22-yard line with no timeouts and 2:29 remaining. Fields pushed the ball bear midfield but faced third-and-10 after back-to-back incompletions.

On the next play, Fields found DJ Moore open downfield for a 36-yard gain. That gave the Bears a fresh set of downs on the Minnesota 13-yard line.

Soon after, Fields took a knee on three plays in a row to set up a short field-goal opportunity.

The ending spoiled a near comeback by Minnesota, which grabbed a 10-9 lead with 5:54 remaining. Dobbs fired a 17-yard pass to T.J. Hockenson for the only touchdown of the night by either team.

Chicago had taken a 9-3 advantage with 14:15 remaining on Santos’ third field goal. He connected from 55 yards for his longest kick of the night.

Then came Chicago defense’s fourth interception. Kyler Gordon picked off a deflected pass from Dobbs to give the Bears the ball back at the Minnesota 38-yard line.

The Vikings joined the takeaway party several plays later. Danielle Hunter popped the ball loose from Fields, and Sheldon Day pounced on it to give Minnesota the ball back on its 23-yard line.

The Bears’ defense flustered Dobbs and the Vikings for most of the first half. Minnesota finished the first quarter with minus-7 total yards, and Dobbs threw a pair of first-half interceptions to Chicago defenders Jaylon Johnson and Jaquan Brisker.

–Field Level Media

NFL Round-Up: Eagles Improve

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PHILADELPHIA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Philly QB Jalen Hurts rushed for a 12-yard touchdown in overtime to lift the Philadelphia Eagles to a thrilling 37-34 win against the visiting Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon.

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Hurts’ final score capped off an incredible performance in which he passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two more for Philadelphia (10-1). Jake Elliott drilled a 59-yard field goal to tie the game with 20 seconds in regulation, and DeVonta Smith finished with seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Josh Allen threw two touchdowns and rushed for two scores for Buffalo (6-6). Gabe Davis had six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, but he miscommunicated with Allen on a potential game-winning score in overtime that gave the Eagles a chance to come back.

After Tyler Bass hit a 40-yard field goal to put the Bills ahead 34-31 with 5:52 to go in overtime, Hurts led the game-winning drive with his feet and his arm. He scrambled for 27 yards, including the 12-yard touchdown, and he found Smith for gains of 17 yards and 11 yards as the Buffalo defense struggled to keep pace.

Ravens 20, Chargers 10

Lamar Jackson became the fastest quarterback to reach 5,000 rushing yards and Baltimore forced four turnovers while recording a victory over Los Angeles at Inglewood, Calif.

Zay Flowers caught a touchdown pass and also ran for one for Baltimore (9-3), which won for the sixth time in the past seven games. The Ravens possess the top record in the AFC heading into next week’s bye. Justin Herbert completed 29 of 44 passes for 217 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Chargers (4-7), who lost their third straight. Keenan Allen caught 14 passes for 106 yards.

Jackson was 18-of-32 passing for 177 yards with a touchdown, and rushed for 39 yards on 11 carries. He has 5,011 career rushing yards in 82 games. The previous fastest quarterback to 5,000 was Michael Vick (104 games). Jackson’s rushing yards are fourth most by a quarterback, trailing Vick (6,109), Cam Newton (5,628) and Russell Wilson (5,232).

Broncos 29, Browns 12

Russell Wilson threw for a touchdown and rushed for another to lift host Denver to a victory over Cleveland.

Wilson threw for just 134 yards but added 34 more on the ground. Samaje Perine rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown for the Broncos (6-5), who recorded their first five-game winning streak since the 2015 season. Denver rushed for two touchdowns in the first 18:49 of Sunday’s game after finding the end zone on the ground just once in its previous 10 games.

Cleveland rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 134 yards and added his first career passing touchdown before exiting late in the third quarter with a concussion after a high hit from Denver linebacker Baron Browning. P.J. Walker came in and completed 6 of 13 passes for 56 yards for the Browns (7-4), who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt.

Chiefs 31, Raiders 17

Patrick Mahomes passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns and Isiah Pacheco ran for a pair of scores as visiting Kansas City topped Las Vegas.

The Chiefs (8-3) covered at least 71 yards on each of its touchdown drives while sending the Raiders (5-7) to their second straight defeat. Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell was 23-for-33 for 248 yards and a TD, and Josh Jacobs rushed 20 times for 110 yards and a score. Meyers (six catches, 79 yards, one TD) and Davante Adams (five catches, 73 yards) were the Raiders’ top receivers.

Trailing 14-0 in the second quarter on the heels of Monday night’s loss to Philadelphia, Kansas City responded with 21 straight points to regain the advantage. Daniel Carlson kicked a 34-yard field goal with 2:09 left in the third quarter to pull the Raiders to within 21-17, but the Chiefs answered with a 39-yard scoring pass from Mahomes to Rashee Rice on their next possession.

Rams 37, Cardinals 14

Matthew Stafford threw a season-high four touchdown passes and Los Angeles won consecutive games for the first time this season with a lopsided victory over Arizona in Glendale, Ariz.

Tyler Higbee caught two TD passes and Kyren Williams added two receiving TDs of his own after missing the Rams’ past four games with an ankle injury. Williams added 143 rushing yards on 16 carries, including a 56-yard run in the third quarter. Stafford was 25-of-33 passing for 229 yards and one interception.

Kyler Murray was 27-of-45 passing for 256 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals (2-10), who have lost eight of nine.

Jaguars 24, Texans 21

Josh Allen came up with 1.5 sacks to headline a strong defensive stand late in the fourth quarter, helping Jacksonville edge host Houston.

The Jaguars (8-3) led 24-14 after Brandon McManus made a 53-yard field goal with 11:20 remaining in the game. But the Texans (6-5) rallied, pulling within three when C.J. Stroud found Nico Collins for a 17-yard touchdown with 5:15 left.

After forcing a punt, Houston took over at its own 11-yard line. Allen dropped Stroud for a loss of 15 yards, but three plays later, the Texans found themselves at the Jaguars’ 37. That’s when Allen teamed up with Travon Walker for another sack. Houston would end up getting to 39, but Matt Ammendola didn’t have enough leg on a 58-yard field goal attempt with 29 seconds to go.

Colts 27, Buccaneers 20

Jonathan Taylor rushed for two touchdowns and Gardner Minshew added another rushing score as host Indianapolis held off Tampa Bay.

Taylor, who finished with 91 yards on 15 carries, pounded it in from the 1 with 7:30 left in the game to answer Baker Mayfield’s 23-yard scoring strike to Mike Evans. That gave the Colts (6-5) a 27-17 lead. The Buccaneers (4-7) responded with Chase McLaughlin’s 24-yard field goal at the 4:10 mark, then got the ball back at its 35-yard line with a chance to tie. But Mayfield was strip-sacked with 1:29 remaining, sealing the outcome.

Minshew completed 24 of 41 passes for 251 yards with an interception as Indianapolis stayed in contention for an AFC wild card. Michael Pittman was his favorite target with 10 receptions for 107 yards. Mayfield hit on 20 of 30 passes for 199 yards with two touchdowns to Mike Evans and one pick. Rachaad White rushed 15 times for 100 yards.

Titans 17, Panthers 10

Derrick Henry scored two rushing touchdowns and Tennessee clamped down on defense in the fourth quarter to defeat visiting Carolina in Nashville, Tenn.

The Titans (4-7), who played their previous three games on the road, snapped a three-game losing skid, while the Panthers are now an NFL-worst 1-10. Henry finished with 76 rushing yards on 18 carries, while rookie Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 18 of 28 passes for 185 yards.

Panthers rookie Bryce Young was 18-of-31 passing for 194 yards, with 23 rushing yards and a costly lost fumble.

Falcons 24, Saints 15

Bijan Robinson rushed for a touchdown and caught another as host Atlanta defeated New Orleans to move into a tie for first place in the NFC South.

Robinson had 91 of his team’s 228 rushing yards and added 32 receiving yards from Desmond Ridder, who returned from a two-game benching to start for the Falcons (5-6). Ridder completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards and was intercepted twice by Tyrann Mathieu.

Derek Carr passed for 304 yards for the Saints (5-6), who never reached the end zone despite five trips inside the Atlanta 20-yard line. Carr threw a first-quarter interception that Jessie Bates III returned 92 yards for a touchdown.

Steelers 16, Bengals 10

Tight end Pat Freiermuth had a career day, catching nine passes for 120 yards, and Najee Harris ran for 99 yards and a touchdown to lead visiting Pittsburgh to a key win over Cincinnati.

Playing with a new offensive coordinator and play-caller following the firing of Matt Canada, the Steelers (7-4) didn’t need to produce much to beat a Bengals offense missing Joe Burrow. Kenny Pickett completed 24 of 33 passes for 278 yards with Eddie Faulkner serving as the offensive coordinator and Mike Sullivan as the play-caller.

Jake Browning, in his first NFL start for Cincinnati (5-6), completed 19 of 26 passes for 227 yards with a touchdown and an interception in place of Burrow. The Bengals were held to 25 rushing yards on 11 carries.

Giants 10, Patriots 7

Tommy DeVito threw for 191 yards and a touchdown and helped New York win consecutive games for the first time all season, this one a squeaker over visiting New England in East Rutherford, N.J.

DeVito completed 17 of 25 passes for the Giants (4-8), who have turned to him following injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. He lost a fumble on the opening drive and was sacked six times Sunday.

The Giants benefited from continued QB chaos for New England (2-9). After Bill Belichick kept the Patriots’ starting QB decision under wraps, Mac Jones tossed two interceptions in the first half and was replaced by Bailey Zappe after halftime. Zappe guided the Patriots’ lone scoring drive, then drove them into field-goal range in the final 3:15. But rookie Chad Ryland hooked a 35-yard field goal try wide left with three seconds left.

–Field Level Media

Patriots are Losers Again

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EAST RUTHERFORD – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Tommy DeVito threw for 191 yards and a touchdown and helped the New York Giants win consecutive games for the first time all season, this one a 10-7 squeaker over the visiting New England Patriots on Sunday in New Jersey.

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DeVito completed 17 of 25 passes for the Giants (4-8), who have turned to him following injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. He lost a fumble on the opening drive and was sacked six times Sunday.

The Giants benefited from continued quarterback chaos for New England (2-9). After Bill Belichick kept the Patriots’ starting QB decision under wraps during the week, Mac Jones tossed two interceptions in the first half and was replaced by Bailey Zappe after halftime.

Zappe guided the Patriots’ lone scoring drive, then drove them into field-goal range in the final 3:15 of the game. But rookie kicker Chad Ryland hooked a 35-yard field goal try wide left with three seconds left, allowing the Giants to hang on.

Jones went 12-for-21 passing for 89 yards for the Patriots, who have lost seven of eight games. Zappe went 9-for-14 for 54 yards and one pick.

Xavier McKinney totaled 10 tackles and one of the three interceptions for New York. Jalin Hyatt had five catches for 109 yards.

Jones threw into triple coverage in the final seconds of the first quarter and rookie Deonte Banks made a running interception on the sideline.

Late in the half, the Patriots drove into New York territory. DeVante Parker caught a slightly deflected pass for 17 yards on third-and-15 to keep the drive moving.

But on third-and-4 from the Giants’ 23-yard line, Jones threw a pass straight to Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke, who returned it 55 yards to the New England 26.

Six plays later, DeVito threw left to Isaiah Hodgins, who stiff-armed his defender to the ground and beat another Patriot to the pylon for a 12-yard score, making it 7-0 1:53 before halftime.

The Patriots had one last three-and-out in the first half before Zappe took over in the second. He went 6-for-6 for 38 yards on his first drive, and Stevenson got New England on the board with his 7-yard touchdown with 8:02 left in the quarter.

Zappe wasn’t perfect for long. Early in the fourth quarter, his pass intended for JuJu Smith-Schuster was snagged by McKinney and returned to the Patriots’ 32. That set up Randy Bullock’s go-ahead, 42-yard field goal with 8:10 remaining.

The Patriots got one more chance and drove 33 yards in nine plays to set up Ryland’s game-tying attempt.

–Field Level Media

NFL SNF: Ravens at LA Chargers

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Baltimore Ravens look to build on being in the top seed position in the AFC when they face the wilting Los Angeles Chargers on tonight at Inglewood, California.

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The Ravens (8-3) have won five of their past six games as they run into a Chargers’ squad that has lost five games by three or fewer points this season.

While Los Angeles (4-6) is two games out of the final wild-card spot, Baltimore is atop the conference but aware there’s more work to be done.

“It’s good,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of the No. 1 seed. “It’s where you want to be at this point, but it doesn’t mean anything until after the last game. We gotta keep winning.”

Baltimore has played one more game than the other four one-loss teams in the AFC. The Ravens’ bye is next week.

That break should come in handy as quarterback Lamar Jackson is dealing with a left ankle injury sustained in a 34-20 home victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 16.

NFL: Week 12 Previews

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NEW ORLEANS – With Thanksgiving Day in the rearview, it’s “Winning Time” in the NFL is a team wants to remain relevant in a parity-driven league with plenty of football left to play. Here are the weekend previews for November 26:

NFL Week 12 Capsules

Falcons (4-6) vs. Saints (5-5): Desmond Ridder is back as QB1 for Atlanta, which is desperately trying to pull itself out of a three-game losing streak. Ridder will be up against a New Orleans defense without Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who was placed on injured reserve on Saturday due to an ankle injury. The NFC South has been the league’s weakest division, evident by the Saints’ status as the top team, but New Orleans could slip in the standings with a loss on Sunday.

Bengals (5-5) vs. Steelers (6-4): With star quarterback Joe Burrow set to undergo season-ending wrist surgery, Cincinnati is turning to Jake Browning under center. Browning has appeared in just two NFL games (zero starts), but the Bengals have faith in him, and he’ll be facing a Pittsburgh defense allowing the 10th-most passing yards per game in the NFL (239.9). Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) has already been ruled out for the game, too. The Steelers’ offense is also in flux, as offensive coordinator Matt Canada was fired on Tuesday.

Texans (6-4) vs. Jaguars (7-3): Houston has already beaten Jacksonville once this season, and another win would give the Texans first place in the AFC South. C.J. Stroud has the Houston offense rolling and has emerged as the clear frontrunner to win Rookie of the Year. He has formed a strong connection with fellow rookie Tank Dell, who has 20 catches for 319 yards and four touchdowns over the last three weeks. Don’t sleep on the Jaguars, though, as they’ve won six of their past seven games since their loss to the Texans on Sept. 24.

Colts (5-5) vs. Buccaneers (4-6): Although it sits two games under .500, Tampa Bay still has a shot to make the playoffs, but its offense has been scuffling. The Buccaneers have scored just 34 points over their past two games and will be looking to break through against a stout defense that held the Panthers to 13 points on Nov. 5 before suffocating the Patriots in a 10-6 victory on Nov. 12. Indianapolis linebacker Zaire Franklin has been a monster, posting the third-most tackles (117) in the league.

Giants (3-8) vs. Patriots (2-8): The days of New York and New England meeting in the Super Bowl are long gone, to say the least. The only team averaging fewer points per game than the Patriots (14.1) happens to be the Giants (13.5). New England coach Bill Belichick hasn’t even named a starting quarterback yet, and he’s essentially picking between the lesser of two evils with Mac Jones (2,031 passing yards, 10 TDs, 10 interceptions) and Bailey Zappe (104 yards, 0 TDs, one interception). For the Giants, Daniel Jones’ torn ACL has opened the door for Tommy DeVito, who could have New York playing inspired football after throwing for three touchdowns in a 31-19 victory over the Commanders last week.

Titans (3-7) vs. Panthers (1-9): Could this be the week Tennessee running back Derrick Henry turns back the clock? Henry has carried the ball 21 times for just 62 yards in the past two weeks combined, but he might be able to find some relief against a Carolina defense surrendering 129.4 rushing yards per game. Carolina’s secondary is also in disarray, as cornerbacks Jaycee Horn (hamstring) and C.J. Henderson (concussion) are doubtful and safety Sam Franklin Jr. (quadriceps) is questionable.

Cardinals (2-9) vs. Rams (4-6): Los Angeles snapped a three-game skid on the heels of its defense last week, as the Rams held the Seahawks to just 87 yards in the second half. Now Los Angeles will try its best to contain Arizona, which has yet to get the desired results from Kyler Murray from his first two games. Murray has thrown for 463 yards, one touchdown and two picks, but he should have some space to operate against a Rams defense that has just five interceptions and 21 sacks this season.

Broncos (5-5) vs. Browns (7-3): Perhaps no team has battled adversity better than Cleveland. The Browns are without starting quarterback Deshaun Watson and star running back Nick Chubb for the season, but Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jerome Ford are doing just enough to back one of the best defenses in the league. However, Denver has rattled off four straight wins, and Russell Wilson has thrown seven TDs without an interception during that stretch.

Kansas City Chiefs (7-3) at Las Vegas Raiders (5-6): Sunday begins a stretch of three straight home games for the Raiders, who carry a four-game winning streak at Allegiant Stadium since losing to Pittsburgh in their home opener in Week 3. “That Black Hole has to be real,” Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce said. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have won five of the six meetings between the division rivals since the Raiders relocated to Las Vegas. They’re vowing to stay positive after being held scoreless in the second half of its 21-17 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Bowl LVII rematch.

Buffalo Bills (6-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (9-1): A.J. Brown and Jalen Hurts had an animated chat on the sidelines after a botched play led to a Chiefs interception in the second quarter last week. In spite of Brown’s one catch for 8 yards, the Eagles still won and stand a league-best 9-1. Like Brown, Stefon Diggs has been kept under wraps this month after topping 100 receiving yards in five of Buffalo’s first six games. The Bills didn’t need a big game from Diggs to smother the New York Jets last week and snap a two-game skid, but he could hold the key to torching an Eagles secondary that ranks 28th with 248.1 passing yards allowed per game.

Baltimore Ravens (8-3) at Los Angeles Chargers (4-6): Lamar Jackson is dealing with a left ankle injury sustained in the Ravens’ last game Nov. 16, but he wasn’t on the injury report this week and insists the ankle will be fine against the Chargers. Jackson won’t have top target Mark Andrews, as the tight end underwent ankle surgery this week. Still, the Ravens have won five of six as they run into a Chargers squad that keeps finding new ways to lose close games. Los Angeles has lost five games by three points or fewer this season, including last week’s 23-20 defeat at Green Bay.

Chicago Bears (3-8) at Minnesota Vikings (6-5): Minnesota’s five-game winning streak may have ended last week in a 21-20 loss at Denver, but the Vikings saved their season with that streak, which began with a 19-13 win at Chicago. The biggest question this week is whether folk-hero quarterback Joshua Dobbs will get to team up with star wideout Justin Jefferson for the first time. Jefferson (hamstring) is listed as questionable; he’s been out from Week 6 on, before Kirk Cousins was lost for the season and Dobbs was acquired. Meanwhile, Justin Fields said the Bears are “better than what we put on tape” in the first meeting with Minnesota, but Chicago must evaluate whether to stick with Fields long-term as the team is about to earn two high draft picks this spring.

–Field Level Media

Patriots Waive Reserve QB Grier

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Amid instability at the quarterback position, the New England Patriots are waiving Will Grier, ESPN reported Saturday.

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The Patriots signed Grier, 28, to the active squad from the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad in September. He hasn’t seen any game action.

New England coach Bill Belichick has not named a starter for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. NBC Sports Boston reported Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe split the reps at quarterback during practice this week.

Zappe told reporters that he had not been informed whether he’d be starting.

“I’ve told everybody to be ready to go,” Belichick said Friday. “Hopefully, that’s what they’re all doing. I’m not going to announce starters at every position or whatever. Everybody will be ready to go.”

Jones was benched late in the fourth quarter of a 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 12 and replaced by Zappe. The Patriots had a bye this past week.

In 10 games this season, Jones, 25, has completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 2,031 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He’s been sacked 21 times and lost 127 yards.

Zappe, 24, has completed 10 of 25 pass attempts for 104 yards with an interception.

The Patriots are wallowing in last place in the AFC East with a record of 2-8 and look to be headed for the worst season since Belichick’s first with the Patriots when they finished 5-11 in 2000.

New England ranks 31st in the league with an average of just 14.1 points per game.

–Field Level Media

Patriots’ Starting QB? A Sunday Gametime Decision

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick plans to hold a decision on his starting quarterback until gameday.

“Will let you know on Sunday,” Belichick told reporters Tuesday morning, when pressed about whether he’ll stick with starter Mac Jones or turn to backup Bailey Zappe or No. 3 Will Grier.

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Jones was benched late in the fourth quarter of a 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 12. The Patriots had a bye this past week. Belichick and the Pats will face the NY Giants Sunday at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford.

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said Monday that Jones was still taking first-unit reps in practice but noted that the decision will ultimately be up to Belichick.

“Mac took the first-team reps. Bailey rotated in there. Will Grier rotated in there,” O’Brien said. “For me, I basically get everybody ready to play,” he said when asked if Jones was still the team’s starter. “At the end of the day, Bill (Belichick) will make that decision at some point and we’ll go from there.”

“It will be based on what I think is best for the team,” Belichick said of his QB decision. “…I’ve told all the players the same thing: be ready to go. So hopefully they will be.”

The Patriots are wallowing in last place in the AFC East with a record of 2-8 and look to be headed for the worst season since Belichick’s first with the Patriots when they finished 5-11 in 2000.

New England ranks 31st in the league with an average of just 14.1 points per game.

–Field Level Media

Dolphins Drill Jets in Friday Matinee

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EAST RUTHERFORD – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jevon Holland scored on a dazzling interception return to conclude the first half and Tyreek Hill had another standout game as the Miami Dolphins notched a 34-13 victory over the New York Jets on Friday in New Jersey.

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Hill had nine receptions for 102 yards and his league-high 10th touchdown catch for Miami (8-3), the leaders of the AFC East. Tua Tagovailoa was 21-of-30 passing for 243 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Jaylen Waddle had eight catches for 114 yards and Raheem Mostert rushed for 94 yards and two scores for the Dolphins.

Tim Boyle made his first start for the Jets and completed 27 of 38 passes and 179 yards and a touchdown throw to Garrett Wilson as New York (4-7) lost its fourth consecutive game. Brandin Echols had an interception return for the Jets, who were outgained 395 yards to 159.

Boyle started due to the Jets demoting Zach Wilson. New York’s Aaron Rodgers continues to insist he will return from his Achilles injury prior to the end of the season.

Before Holland’s game-changing play, Echols intercepted Tagovailoa and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown with 58 seconds left in the first half to bring the Jets within 10-6.

Then D.J. Reed picked off Tagovailoa at the Jets’ 49-yard line with two seconds left. But all that did was set the Jets up for major heartbreak.

Boyle dropped back and made the Hail Mary throw toward the end zone but Holland caught the ball at the 1 and headed upfield. Holland navigated his way past New York offensive linemen and easily eluded Boyle near the 10 to complete the 99-yard return and give the Dolphins a 17-6 halftime advantage.

The play was a huge blow for the Jets, who were on the verge of trailing by just four points despite being outgained 214-47 in the half.

Miami tacked on a 54-yard field goal by Jason Sanders to start the third quarter and increase the lead to 14 points. The Jets ran three plays for 3 yards in the period.

New York had 50 yards entering the final stanza and Miami had an 18-2 edge in first downs.

On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Mostert scored on a 14-yard run to make it 27-6. That wrapped a 15-play, 92-yard drive that lasted 9:03.

New York’s 10th offensive touchdown of the season occurred when Boyle hit Wilson on a 1-yard throw with 4:37 remaining.

Mostert tacked on a 34-yard scoring run with 3:35 left.

Earlier, Sanders kicked a 38-yard field goal late in the first quarter and Tagovailoa tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Hill with 8:21 left in the first half.

–Field Level Media

Thanksgiving Night Special

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SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Seattle Seahawks likely would have preferred a full week to determine whether quarterback Geno Smith was healthy enough to start against the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers.

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Instead, they’ll only have until tonight, when the teams meet in Seattle.

Smith was injured late in the third quarter of a 17-16 defeat to the host Los Angeles Rams on Sunday when he was knocked to the turf by Aaron Donald. Smith suffered a bruise on his right arm, near the elbow.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Smith said of his availability for the Thanksgiving Day game. “That’s up to coach.”

Smith missed most of the fourth quarter with his throwing elbow in a heavy wrap before returning after the Rams took the lead with 1:31 remaining. Despite losing communication with the sideline, Smith guided the Seahawks into field-goal range before Jason Myers narrowly missed a 55-yard attempt in the closing seconds.

“Pretty difficult, in a lot of pain, but just tried to go out there and do my best,” said Smith, who finished 22-of-34 passing for 233 yards and one touchdown.

The Seahawks (6-4) don’t know if leading rusher Kenneth Walker III will be available after suffering an oblique injury in the first half against the Rams. They’re hopeful safety Jamal Adams will return after missing Sunday’s game with a knee issue. And star wide receiver DK Metcalf appeared on Tuesday’s estimated injury report with a toe injury.

San Francisco (7-3) has righted itself after a three-game losing streak heading into its bye week.

Second-year quarterback Brock Purdy, who threw five interceptions during the 49ers’ skid, has been nearly flawless the past two weeks in victories against Jacksonville and Tampa Bay. Purdy completed 40 of 51 passes for 629 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions in those games. He posted sky-high passer ratings of 148.9 and 158.3 against the Jaguars and Bucs, respectively.

Purdy said he got the “chip” back on his shoulder.

“Getting back to that and then proving myself every drive, every play that I can be the guy for this team and I have to earn it every single week at practice, in meetings, whatever it may be,” Purdy said. “So, that’s the mindset of what I was talking about and definitely more in tune to being detailed and stuff the last couple weeks and finding that chip again.”

Purdy leads the NFL in passer rating (115.1), completion rate (70.2 percent), yards per attempt (9.7) and percentage of passes for touchdowns (6.5 percent).

“System quarterback, right?” 49ers tight end George Kittle joked about Purdy. “Brock’s fantastic in the way he shows up every single day. Someone asked him about his mindset, like how he can be so aggressive and protect the football. He talked about being a surgeon. He talked about having zero fear and just that quote from him shows his maturity level, how he understands the game and what it means to play quarterback at a high level while being aggressive at taking care of the football.”

San Francisco safety Talanoa Hufanga suffered a season-ending knee injury last week. The 49ers could be without both starting offensive guards, as Spencer Buford (knee) missed practice time this week and Aaron Banks (toe) was limited, as were defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (thumb), wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud (rib) and cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles (shoulder).

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he knows his team faces a tough test but pointed to San Francisco’s recent skid.

“It’s just really a difficult team to deal with. But teams have figured it out. They have found them out and they were able to get them,” Carroll said. “So we understand that. They’ve got three losses. We got four losses. This is a huge opportunity for us.”

–Field Level Media