Giants sign veteran kicker Mason Crosby after placing Cade York on injured reserve
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Veteran kicker Mason Crosby signed Friday with the New York Giants, who have been hit hard by injuries at the position. Cade York was expected to kick for the Giants in Monday’s game at Philadelphia but instead he was placed on injured reserve with a quad...
Browns LB Anthony Walker Jr. has surgery; status unclear past Sunday
BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns starting linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. had arthroscopic knee surgery, knocking him out of Sunday’s game at Houston and putting his playing status in question as Cleveland aims for a playoff berth. The team said Friday that Walker, one of the captains, had the procedure Thursday,...
Matthew Stafford’s Rams start strong, hold off Saints 30-22 to surge forward in NFC playoff raceVideo
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Matthew Stafford passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Puka Nacua had nine catches for a career-high 164 yards and a score and the Los Angeles Rams surged forward in the NFC playoff race with a 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night....
RB Saquon Barkley, Giants aim to end road skid in Philadelphia
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Saquon Barkley enjoys taking the trip down the New Jersey Turnpike to play the Philadelphia Eagles. Facing the Eagles (10-4) is always a challenge. Driving into Lincoln Financial Field, the fans will scream and throw things at the New York Giants team bus, and that’s just...
Matchup between Browns and Texans will likely be Flacco vs. Keenum with Watson and Stroud injuredVideo
HOUSTON — When the NFL schedule was released in May, the game between the Browns and Texans on Sunday was expected to be an intriguing matchup. Deshaun Watson, Houston’s former star quarterback, would square off for Cleveland against rookie C.J. Stroud, the Texans’ new franchise signal caller. As these teams...
Report: New England footballs deflated, but don’t blame Patriots this time
The special teams footballs used in Sunday’s game between Kansas City and New England reportedly were underinflated — not by the Patriots, this time — an ironic throwback to the Deflategate scandal that captivated the football world for parts of three seasons and led to penalties against the team and...
Baltimore’s defense faces its biggest test yet when the Ravens take on Brock Purdy and the 49ersVideo
It’s one of the biggest debates of the 2023 NFL season: Brock Purdy, superstar or game manager? His next opponent already sounds convinced of the answer. “Seems like he gets a lot of hate from the stuff that I see. I don’t know why,” Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “You...
Joe Flacco giving the Browns a steady presence and leadership with a playoff spot in reach
BEREA, Ohio — Joe Flacco looks much different, younger and a little less like his new coach. The beard is gone. “It was a mess,” said the Browns’ freshly-shaven quarterback. While his facial hair may have been a bit unkempt, and made him a taller lookalike to Browns coach Kevin...
Trevor Lawrence still in concussion protocol as Jaguars prepare to play without star QB
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Trevor Lawrence was in the facility but still in the NFL’s concussion protocol Wednesday, leaving the Jacksonville Jaguars preparing to play without their star quarterback for the first time in three seasons. Coach Doug Pederson said Lawrence is “progressing well” but declined to speculate on Lawrence’s chances...
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers activated from IR as next step in rehab. He won’t play again until next seasonVideo
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Aaron Rodgers will remain on the practice field to continue working on his return for the New York Jets but for next season. Coach Robert Saleh announced Wednesday the four-time NFL MVP was being activated from the injured reserve list, a move that’s merely the next...
Analysis: Eagles in world of hurt, uncertainty after 3-game losing streak
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts might have the answer why the once-mighty Eagles have slid from 10-1 and the top of the NFC to 10-4 and fighting for a division title amid a three-game losing streak. A streak in which they failed to score more than 19 points. A streak that...
Longtime Chiefs offensive lineman Ed Budde dies at age 83
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ed Budde, who spent 14 years playing along the offensive line of the Kansas City Chiefs and helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl with a victory over Minnesota in 1970, died Tuesday. He was 83. The family announced his death through a statement issued...
Backup QBs on display across NFL as teams push toward postseason
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Joe Flacco was at home a month ago, all but ready to accept his 15-year NFL career might be over. Then came a phone call from his agent with an invitation to a workout with the Cleveland Browns. A commercial flight and practice squad deal later,...
Falcons again benching QB Desmond Ridder; Taylor Heinicke to start vs. Colts
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons are removing quarterback Desmond Ridder from the starting job for the second time this season after his continued turnover woes in the team’s latest loss. Taylor Heinicke was listed as the starter in the updated depth chart released by the team Tuesday for this week’s...
Aaron Rodgers’ return will come next season with Jets out of playoff hunt
Aaron Rodgers’ quest to make an improbable return this season for the New York Jets appears over. The 40-year-old quarterback said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday he’s not yet 100% healthy in his recovery from a torn left Achilles tendon and is still a...
Drew Lock’s late TD pass rallies Seahawks to victory over sliding EaglesVideo
SEATTLE — Drew Lock threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 28 seconds left to cap a 92-yard drive, and the Seattle Seahawks stunned the Philadelphia Eagles 20-17 on Monday night, ending a four-game skid and getting back into NFC playoff contention. Seattle (7-7) rallied behind its backup...
Analysis: AFC-leading Ravens to be tested in Christmas showdown at San Francisco
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are playoff bound, and by the time this month is over, they should have a good sense of what the competition will be like in the postseason. The Ravens grinded out a 23-7 victory at Jacksonville on Sunday night to...
Analysis: Browns overcoming major injuries, defying odds while stacking up wins
CLEVELAND — “Only in Cleveland” is a catchphrase attached to the many negative moments in the city’s checkered sports history. The Browns are changing its meaning this season. On Sunday, they pulled off another improbable win — their sixth by four points or less — by rallying for 13 points...
Chiefs WR, New Kensington native Skyy Moore goes on IR with knee injury
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs placed wide receiver Skyy Moore on injured reserve Monday, ending what had been a disappointing second season for the New Kensington native who was a 2022 second-round draft pick. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said earlier in the day that Moore had some...
Analysis: QB Jake Browning, Bengals in thick of playoff race with Steelers up next
CINCINNATI — Quarterback Jake Browning has the Bengals still in the AFC playoff race, and his story is one of the most surprising in the NFL this season. After spending the past four seasons on practice squads, the 27-year-old Browning was an underwhelming choice to lead the Bengals after franchise...
Ravens beat mistake-prone Jaguars 23-7 for 4th consecutive victory and clinch AFC playoff spot
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Lamar Jackson was sacked, or so it seemed. Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Dawuane Smoot had Jackson in his grasp — until he didn’t. The Baltimore Ravens star quarterback spun away from Smoot, rolled right and lofted a pass toward the goal line. Tight end Isaiah Likely outmaneuvered...
NFL roundup: Texans come back to edge Titans in OT
Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a 54-yard field goal as time expired in overtime, and the Houston Texans rallied from a 13-point deficit without C.J. Stroud to beat the Tennessee Titans, 19-16, on Sunday. The Texans (8-6) entered the day one spot outside of the AFC’s seven-team playoff field. They kept pace...
Joe Flacco passes for 374 yards as banged-up Browns rally past Bears
CLEVELAND — For Myles Garrett, there’s no explanation for the Browns’ strange season. It’s been crazy, zany, wild and weird. “Who could have wrote this story?” Cleveland’s star defensive end asked. “Not even Dr. Seuss. It doesn’t get more abstract than what we’ve gone through.” Joe Flacco passed for 374...
Jared Goff throws 5 TD passes as NFC North-leading Lions bounce back, beat Broncos
DETROIT — Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions bounced back and took a step toward ending a six-season playoff drought. Goff matched a career high with five touchdown passes, three to rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, and Detroit routed the Denver Broncos, 42-17, on Saturday night. “Our superpower is how...
Tee Higgins’ savvy play, Evan McPherson’s field goal lift Bengals
CINCINNATI — Tee Higgins made a savvy goal-line move to score a touchdown and force overtime, and Evan McPherson made a 29-yard field goal to seal a 27-24 victory Saturday for Cincinnati over the Minnesota Vikings, keeping the Bengals’ playoff hopes alive without their star quarterback. Higgins caught a 21-yard...