INSIDER
Chargers still believe in Staley after historic 63-21 loss to rival Raiders
Read full article: Chargers still believe in Staley after historic 63-21 loss to rival RaidersLos Angeles Chargers defensive leader Khalil Mack said he didn’t have his unit ready after Thursday’s historic 63-21 loss to their AFC West rival Las Vegas Raiders.
Chargers roll past Jets 27-6 behind Davis' punt return, Ekeler's 2 TDs and LA's sack-happy defense
Read full article: Chargers roll past Jets 27-6 behind Davis' punt return, Ekeler's 2 TDs and LA's sack-happy defenseDerius Davis returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown, Austin Ekeler ran for two scores and Joey Bosa and Los Angeles’ defense stifled Zach Wilson and the New York Jets’ bumbling offense in the Chargers’ 27-6 victory.
Herbert glad to have focus back on football after reaching extension with Chargers
Read full article: Herbert glad to have focus back on football after reaching extension with ChargersLess than 24 hours after becoming the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback by annual salary, Justin Herbert’s first training camp practice on Wednesday didn’t appear different from past seasons, The Los Angeles Chargers signal-caller had his share of dynamic throws and then for nearly 25 minutes went up and down the sidelines signing autographs for fans and posing for pictures.
Defending Super Bowl champion Rams open season as underdogs
Read full article: Defending Super Bowl champion Rams open season as underdogsMatthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams will raise their Super Bowl banner Thursday night before kicking off the NFL season at home where they became the second straight team to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy in their own stadium.
AP source: Chargers acquiring Mack from Bears for 2 picks
Read full article: AP source: Chargers acquiring Mack from Bears for 2 picksTwo people familiar with the negotiations confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday that the Los Angeles Chargers have found another pass rusher to pair with Joey Bosa: defensive end Khalil Mack from the Chicago Bears in exchange for two draft picks.
Bears opt to make sweeping changes, fire GM Pace, coach Nagy
Read full article: Bears opt to make sweeping changes, fire GM Pace, coach NagyThe Chicago Bears have fired general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy, hoping new leadership in the front office and on the sideline will lift a struggling franchise.
Freeman TD lifts Ravens over Bears with Jackson sidelined
Read full article: Freeman TD lifts Ravens over Bears with Jackson sidelinedDevonta Freeman scored on a 3-yard run with 22 seconds remaining and the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens beat the Chicago Bears 16-13 even though star quarterback Lamar Jackson missed the game because of an illness.
Garrett, Browns rough up rookie QB Fields, slam Bears 26-6
Read full article: Garrett, Browns rough up rookie QB Fields, slam Bears 26-6Myles Garrett made a franchise record 4 1/2 sacks on Justin Fields and Cleveland brought down Chicago’s rookie quarterback nine times while harassing him throughout his first NFL start as the Browns thumped the Bears 26-6.
Lower cap leads to more cuts than usual in NFL
Read full article: Lower cap leads to more cuts than usual in NFL(AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman, File)If it seemed as if NFL teams have been shedding contracts nearly as fast as signing them in recent weeks that’s because it’s almost true. “I think the unprecedented part being, for the first time in modern era, the cap decreases instead of increases,” Rams general manager Les Snead said. Adoree Jackson got a three-year deal worth a reported $39 million from the Giants after Tennessee refused to pay his $10.24 million fifth-year option. In one of the more curious cases, Miami cut Kyle Van Noy one year into his four-year, $51 million deal, leaving about $36 million unpaid. Van Noy then returned to New England on a two-year, $12 million deal and the Patriots will also get a fourth-round compensation pick in next month’s draft based on the deal Van Noy signed last March.
Brees, Saints pull away late for 21-9 playoff win over Bears
Read full article: Brees, Saints pull away late for 21-9 playoff win over BearsBrees completed 28 of 39 passes for 265 yards, connecting with Michael Thomas and Latavius Murray for touchdowns, and the New Orleans Saints defeated the Chicago Bears 21-9 in an NFC wild-card game Sunday. Brees' first touchdown pass in the opening quarter was 11-yards over the middle to Thomas, back from a three-game absence to help heal a nagging ankle injury. The 2019 Offensive Player of the Year missed nine games this season and had not caught a touchdown pass since December 2019. That marked the second time this season a Bears player was thrown out for action taken against Gardner-Johnson after the whistle. The Bears have reached the playoffs twice since Pace took over in 2015, both times under Nagy, who was hired in 2018.
Analysis: Wentz, Elliott provide little bang for buck
Read full article: Analysis: Wentz, Elliott provide little bang for buckWentz was paid more than $39 million in cash this season and had a cap hit of $18.6 million. The Eagles now have to decide what to do with Wentz, who has a cap hit of more than $34 million next season. RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT: The Cowboys gave Elliott a $90 million, six-year extension before reaching a deal with quarterback Dak Prescott. Elliott is coming off the least productive season of his career with 979 yards and six TDs while getting paid nearly $11 million for a team that finished 6-10. But Green had just 47 catches for 523 yards in 16 games, providing little value for his big salary.
No preseason, no problem: NFL rookies shine in strange year
Read full article: No preseason, no problem: NFL rookies shine in strange yearYoung and Jefferson made the Pro Bowl, and surely more rookies would have joined them as alternates at the league’s now-canceled all-star game. “It’s crazy unusual for a rookie, I think, to have the type of leadership that Chase has, genuine leadership,” Washington quarterback Alex Smith said. “I think a lot of young guys, especially high picks, I think you feel pressure to do it some way or somehow. “Talk about a rookie coming in, starting every game and just being focused,” Browns Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio said of Wills. “We’re growing and we’re starting to get a hang of the game,” said Dolphins right tackle Robert Hunt, a second-round pick and one of six Miami rookies starting on offense.
Cowboys' Elliott inactive; Stafford will start for Lions
Read full article: Cowboys' Elliott inactive; Stafford will start for Lions(AP Photo/Aaron Doster)Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott is inactive against San Francisco with a calf injury the two-time rushing championship has been battling for several weeks. Safety Deon Bush (foot) is also out after being listed questionable with Johnson. Cowboys: RB Ezekiel Elliott, QB Ben DiNucci, WR Malik Turner, CB Rashard Robinson, DE Bradlee Anae, LB Luke Gifford, DE Ron’Dell Carter. ___JACKSONVILLE AT BALTIMOREJaguars: CB Sidney Jones, CB Luq Barcoo, LB Quincy Williams, DT Daniel Ross, QB Jake Luton. Ravens: DE Calais Campbell, CB Jimmy Smith, CB Marcus Peters, RB Mark Ingram, LB Kristian Welch, DE Jihad Ward, C Trystan Colon-Castillo.
Trubisky outplays Watson, Bears stop skid, beat Texans 36-7
Read full article: Trubisky outplays Watson, Bears stop skid, beat Texans 36-7CHICAGO – All Mitchell Trubisky cared about was helping the Chicago Bears get back to winning. Trubisky threw three touchdown passes to outplay Deshaun Watson in their first meeting since they entered the NFL, and the Bears snapped a six-game losing streak with a 36-7 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday. Chicago (6-7) sacked Watson seven times, including a safety by Khalil Mack, to tie a career high for the Texans quarterback. 2 overall pick in 2017 when he could have gone with Watson or Patrick Mahomes drew even more buzz than usual during the week. “I was just so focused on what I needed to do for my team that it really allowed me to block everything out,” Trubisky said.
Raiders fire defensive coordinator Paul Guenther
Read full article: Raiders fire defensive coordinator Paul GuentherThe Las Vegas Raiders fired defensive coordinator Paul Guenther after he failed to make any significant improvement for the unit in nearly three full seasons on the job. Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli will take over on an interim basis for the rest of the season. Marinelli has previously served as a head coach in Detroit and defensive coordinator in Chicago and Dallas. He has long ties to Gruden, having served as his defensive line coach for the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 and then rejoining Gruden this season on the Raiders. We got a chance to win all three and see what happens at the end,” defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins said before the announcement.
Cousins, Vikings overcome Patterson return, beat Bears 19-13
Read full article: Cousins, Vikings overcome Patterson return, beat Bears 19-13Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, in Chicago. Cousins threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns, and the Minnesota Vikings overcame a 104-yard kickoff return by Chicago’s Cordarrelle Patterson to beat the Bears 19-13. “We’ll try to keep building on it now, and it’ll be so important to keep stringing these together if we can. It was the longest kickoff return in franchise history, surpassing Gale Sayers’ 103-yarder against Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 1967. Cousins completed 25 of 36 passes with two touchdowns to Thielen, who has nine on the season.
Bears' offense seeks answers after poor showing against Rams
Read full article: Bears' offense seeks answers after poor showing against Rams“I don’t ever remember having our own defense score more than our offense,” Nagy said. “That’s that’s that’s hard to do. But the offense has averaged 16 points per game in Foles’ four starts since, and he’s getting little help from the players around him. The offensive line struggled against the strong front of the Rams (5-2), producing just 2.9 yards per carry. Foles was sacked four times, twice at the hands of former Bears linebacker Leonard Floyd, and he threw two interceptions.
Seahawks keep top spot in AP Pro32; Steelers, Titans move up
Read full article: Seahawks keep top spot in AP Pro32; Steelers, Titans move up(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)NEW YORK – As the NFC's only 5-0 team, the Seattle Seahawks had a quiet week on a bye. However, the Seahawks didn't lose any ground and maintained the top spot in the latest AP Pro32 poll. The Seahawks received nine of 12 first-place votes for 377 points in balloting Tuesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL. The Chiefs earned two first-place votes for 366 points, while the loss dropped the Bills one spot to No. 3 and the Tennessee Titans, the league's other 5-0 team, received the remaining first-place vote and gained two places to No.
Foles beat Brady again as Bears squeeze by Tampa Bay 20-19
Read full article: Foles beat Brady again as Bears squeeze by Tampa Bay 20-19Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)CHICAGO – Nick Foles beat Tom Brady again, Cairo Santos kicked a 38-yard field with 1:17 left and the Chicago Bears beat Tampa Bay 20-19 on Thursday night after Brady seemingly lost count of downs on his final play. The three-time MVP was seen screaming on the sideline late in the third quarter after an ugly drive for Tampa Bay. Ryan Succop kicked four field goals, including a 25-yarder to give Tampa Bay a 19-17 lead with 4:49 remaining. And Tampa Bay lost for the first time since the opener at New Orleans.
Browns sign Garrett to 5-year, $125 million extension
Read full article: Browns sign Garrett to 5-year, $125 million extensionThe Browns are closing in on a massive contract extension with Garrett, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. It didn't change how the Cleveland Browns feel about him. The team signed Garrett to a five-year, $125 million contract extension on Wednesday, making the talented edge rusher the NFL's highest-paid defensive player. Hell make $4.6 million in 2020 and $15.18 million next season before the extension kicks in. In 2017, the Cleveland Browns bet on me, he said.