Everything Zac Taylor had to say about A.J. Green’s injury while ruling him out

Zac Taylor spoke on the A.J. Green injury while declaring him out again.

A.J. Green won’t make his long-anticipated return against the Oakland Raiders in Week 11.

Speaking to the media Friday about the updated injury report and various other topics, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor offered a bit of context to the Green front.

“We’ll just keep taking it as it comes, and we’ll see what next week brings for us,” Taylor told the media, per Bengals.com. “(The swelling) flares up and then it goes back down. He just wasn’t in position to play this week.”

A week ago, Taylor had sounded confident Green would make his return against the Ravens. That same day, it became clear the wideout had suffered a setback in the form of swelling. Before his team took the field for a 49-13 loss to Baltimore, Green was seen working rehab with trainers.

That sequence of events made it clear Green wouldn’t play this weekend in Oakland. Given the current trajectory of his return bid and the team itself, it’s safe to wonder if the team doesn’t just end up shelving Green on injured reserve like it just did for Dre Kirkpatrick.

That might be the worst-case scenario for everyone with Green ready to hit free agency this offseason. But at this point, everyone remains waiting to see if Green can overcome setbacks from an injury suffered on the first day of training camp.

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Ravens vs. Texans over/under is a good bet for Week 11

If you’re looking to bet on the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans over/under might be your best option.

The Baltimore Ravens play host to the Houston Texans in Week 11, and there are some fireworks expected at M&T Bank Stadium. Oddsmakers are predicting a bit of a shootout . . . at least if you look at the expected points for this one.

The over/under is set at 49.5 points, according to BetMGM. That’s tied for the third-highest over/under of Week 11.

Though that’s quite a lot of points, there’s plenty of reason to take the over here. The Ravens have had five games go over that this season alone, including the last two weeks. The Texans have also had five games go over 49.5 total points, including four of their last five.

Both Houston and Baltimore have been impressive offensively this season. The Ravens hold the NFL’s top-scoring offense, averaging 33.3 points per game, while the Texans are ranked eighth with an average of 26.4 points per game. Meanwhile, both defenses have been just mediocre this season, ranking near the middle of the league in points and yards allowed.

While there are no guaranteed predictions in the world of sports, all the checkboxes are ticked for a high-scoring contest in Week 11 between Houston and Baltimore. If you’re looking to bet on some NFL action this week, this might be the surest thing.

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Multiple players suspended for Browns-Steelers fight

Three players, including Myles Garrett, were suspended for their roles in the Steelers-Browns fight on Thursday night.

If you missed the Week 11 contest between the AFC North rivals Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, you missed a complete meltdown at the end of the game. Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett ripped Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph’s helmet off and swung it at him, connecting with his head and sparking a melee in the end zone at FirstEnergy Stadium.

A day later and the end result is the suspension of three players – two from Cleveland and one from Pittsburgh — as well as some big fines, according to the NFL.

Garrett is suspended indefinitely, which will include the rest of the 2019 season at a minimum.
Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi is suspended for one game.
Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey is suspended for three games.
Pittsburgh and Cleveland were fined $250,000 each.

There also appears to be some additional punishments coming down the line for other players as the league dives further into what happened during the scuffle.

These suspensions will deal a big blow to both the Steelers’ and Browns’ chances of making the postseason. All three players are starters and have been important pieces of their respective teams. Furthermore, if Garrett’s suspension holds, he’ll end up missing the Week 16 Ravens-Browns rematch that could very well decide Cleveland’s postseason fate.

With their win, the Browns are now 4-6 while the Steelers sit at 5-5. Even if Baltimore were to lose this week to the Houston Texans, the Ravens would still effectively hold a three-game lead over Pittsburgh given their head-to-head tiebreaker from the Week 5 win.

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Zac Taylor talks Jonah Williams’ injury return timetable

Here’s the latest from Zac Taylor on the Jonah Williams injury.

The Cincinnati Bengals continue to hold out hope first-round pick Jonah Williams can get back on the field during his rookie season.

Williams, who needed surgery this summer after a setback in minicamp, has always seemed like a longshot to play as a rookie.

Here’s what Zac Taylor recently told the media:

“He has some more doctors’ appointments in the next coming weeks. I’m really not in a position to answer that right now. (He has done) everything you hope for in the building. And work ethic, and trying to do extra — he’s done a great job.”

That’s vague — and probably the best Taylor can do. Not only is the situation itself murky, Taylor’s attempts at being forthcoming recently have backfired, particularly in the case of A.J. Green.

Williams always seemed slated to play in December if he was going to play at all. But whether the team actually activates him if he gets healthy remains to be seen and could come down to need. John Ross sounds like he’ll be the first of two players recalled from injured reserve. Cornerback Darius Phillips is another candidate.

The Bengals undoubtedly need help in the offensive trenches and like at quarterback, it would be nice to start seeing what they really have with the rookie. But the risk-reward balance would also mean potentially risking the first-round product during meaningless games late in a lost season.

With the second half of the season in full swing, Williams’ path to a return now enters its critical stretch.

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Can Zac Taylor avoid a Dave Shula 0-10 start?

Can Zac Taylor stay away from Dave Shula’s Bengals mark?

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor sits on the cusp of dubious team history.

At 0-9, he risks matching Dave Shula’s putrid 0-10 start in 1993. The only chance at avoiding such a fate now rests on the results of a west coast trip to face the Oakland Raiders.

The outlook is bleak. Taylor’s side just came out of a bye and got dropped by Baltimore, 49-13. A.J. Green isn’t any closer to coming back. Unexpected names like Geno Atkins are now on the injury report. The roadtrip will be rookie Ryan Finley’s second NFL start. The front office cut linebacker Preston Brown but hasn’t made a corresponding move.

Taylor has said this is the toughest stretch the Bengals will face over the next 20 years. He isn’t far off.

But the questions surrounding the team change in complexity if he can’t avoid an 0-10 start. Taylor forever slotting himself next to Shula might be a stench he can’t ever remove.

Shula went 19-52 as a head coach over five years in Cincinnati as a key component of the lost decade. In 1993, his Bengals started 0-10 before finally getting a win on November 28 in a 16-10 stinker over the Los Angeles Raiders.

Under Shula’s command, the Bengals won five, three, three and seven games before the transitional year in 1996.

Shula’s 0-10 start morphed into winning three of six to close the year. Marvin Lewis’ terrible 2010 team lost 10 in a row in the middle of the schedule to finish 4-12. Feel free to throw in the dreadful Dick LeBeau-led 2002 campaign, a 2-14 effort with losing streaks of seven and six games in the same season.

Fair or not, Taylor’s 2019 campaign and debut as an NFL head coach now tracks dangerously close to these historically bad teams. It isn’t fully his fault, but the team is currently riding an 11-game skid from last year that ties a team record.

In Oakland, Taylor risks cementing a new losing streak record and joining the 0-10 club.

It’s easy to fall back on the claim Taylor is guaranteed another year or two to build the roster in his vision. But as the team keeps inching toward a one or two win total at max, it’s safe to wonder if Taylor and his staff will make it through the offseason.

After all, the last thing the Bengals can afford to do is slip fully into 90s mode, where stretches of six, seven, eight and sometimes even 10 straight losses in a row weren’t all that uncommon.

Draft positioning is important, but a win in Oakland might be even moreso.

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Bengals not initially listed as attending Colin Kaepernick workout run by Hue Jackson

The Bengals aren’t currently listed as attending the Colin Kaepernick workout with Hue Jackson.

The Cincinnati Bengals were reportedly set to evaluate Colin Kaepernick at his workout Saturday.

But the rumblings were always vague enough to leave some wiggle room — it didn’t mean the front office was going to physically send someone to the workout.

On Thursday, the NFL provided a list of 11 teams that have committed to sending someone to view the workout — the Bengals aren’t among those.

Some of the usual suspects (like the New England Patriots) are on there. But it was made clear all 32 teams would get tape from the workout and interview, so the Bengals might choose to simply lean on that, barring a change in the coming days.

Interestingly, former Bengals coach Hue Jackson has been announced as running the workout.

“The NFL asked me to do it. I’m excited about doing it for Colin and the league. As far as I know right now, Colin is still attending,” Jackson said, according to ESPN.

A report has said the Bengals aren’t likely to sign Kaepernick, but if nothing comes of it, the development has made for some interesting conversation in the wake of a new coaching staff benching Andy Dalton.

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Ravens vs. Texans injury report: DT Michael Pierce missed Thursday’s practice

The Baltimore Ravens are pretty healthy for Week 11 against the Houston Texans but are still seeing defensive tackle Michael Pierce out.

The Baltimore Ravens enter Week 11 fairly healthy. After getting their Week 9 bye, Baltimore has managed to see the return of some previously injured players as they look to make a strong second-half run.

While the Ravens had three players miss practice entirely on Thursday, most of the injuries don’t seem to be terribly concerning. Rookie wide receiver Marquise Brown has been a frequent addition to the injury report each week but has played in all but two games this season. Defensive tackle Brandon Williams was held out for non-injury reasons. That leaves just defensive tackle Michael Pierce, who was considered day-to-day this week with an ankle injury.

Take a look at the full injury report below.

Baltimore Ravens injuries:

WR Marquise Brown (ankle) – DNP
DT Michael Pierce (ankle) – DNP
DT Brandon Williams (NIR) – DNP

WR Chris Moore (thumb) – LP

CB Brandon Carr (NIR) – FP
RB Mark Ingram (NIR) – FP
CB Jimmy Smith (NIR) – FP
Earl Thomas (NIR/knee) – FP

Houston Texans injuries:

LB Dylan Cole (Knee) – LP
WR Will Fuller V (Hamstring) – LP
S Tashaun Gipson Sr. (Back/wrist) – LP
G/T Tytus Howard (Knee) – LP
CB Bradley Roby (Hamstring) – LP
T Laremy Tunsil (Shoulder) – LP

Titans RB Derrick Henry is FedEx Ground’s NFL Player of the Week

This is the first time Henry has received the award this season, and he is the only Titan to be nominated so far this year.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is a key component of the offense, and has made that evident in his latest performances for the team.

Henry was named the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week, following last week’s 35-32 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

On the victory, he rushed for 188 yards on 23 attempts, with an average of 8.2 yards per carry. He also accounted for two Tennessee touchdowns on Sunday.

This was Henry’s second 100-yard rushing game of 2019 and his sixth career 100-yard rushing game in the regular season.

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The performance also accounted for the former Alabama standout’s second consecutive 100-yard game against the Kansas City, with the first being a 2017 playoff game.

This is the first time Henry has received the award this season, and he is the only Titan to be nominated so far this year.

FedEx will also donate $2,000 to The USO in Henry’s name.

On the season, Henry has racked up a total of 187 carries for 832 yards and eight touchdowns. He averages 4.4 yards per carry.

The Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson was awarded the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week on the same week for his 223 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions and perfect 158.3 passer rating in the team’s 49-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Henry and the Titans will look to add another big win when they face the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 24 at 3:05 p.m. CT in Nissan Stadium.

C Ben Jones is Titans’ Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominee

Here’s a complete look at the list of pat winners and 2019 nominees.

Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones is known for his role within the offensive line for the team, but it goes beyond that.

Jones has also shown great sportsmanship is his time in Nashville, and is the team’s nominee for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

The Rooney Award is presented by the NFL each year to the athlete that shows exceptional sportsmanship on the field.

Here’s a complete look at the list of pat winners and 2019 nominees.

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PAST RECIPIENTS

2018: QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
2017: LB Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
2016: RB Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts
2015: CB Charles Woodson, Oakland Raiders
2014: WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

2019 ART ROONEY SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD NOMINEES

Arizona Cardinals: C A.Q. Shipley
Atlanta Falcons: WR Julio Jones
Baltimore Ravens: QB Lamar Jackson
Buffalo Bills: LB Lorenzo Alexander
Carolina Panthers: RB Christian McCaffrey
Chicago Bears: DB Kyle Fuller
Cincinnati Bengals: DE Sam Hubbard
Cleveland Browns: RB Nick Chubb
Dallas Cowboys: CB Byron Jones
Denver Broncos: LB Von Miller
Detroit Lions: QB Matthew Stafford
Green Bay Packers: CB Tramon Williams
Houston Texans: QB Deshaun Watson
Indianapolis Colts: WR T.Y. Hilton
Jacksonville Jaguars: DL Calais Campbell
Kansas City Chiefs: QB Patrick Mahomes
Los Angeles Chargers: LB Thomas Davis Sr.
Los Angeles Rams: S Eric Weddle
Miami Dolphins: C Daniel Kilgore
Minnesota Vikings: DE Danielle Hunter
New England Patriots: WR Matthew Slater
New Orleans Saints: T Terron Armstead
New York Giants: DL Dalvin Tomlinson
New York Jets: DL Steve McLendon
Oakland Raiders: QB Derek Carr
Philadelphia Eagles: QB Carson Wentz
Pittsburgh Steelers: RB James Conner
San Francisco 49ers: T Joe Staley
Seattle Seahawks: LB K.J. Wright
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Lavonte David
Tennessee Titans: C Ben Jones
Washington Redskins: RB Adrian Peterson

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The eight finalists will be announced on Dec. 13, with the winner to be named on Feb. 1.

Geno Atkins surfaces on new injury report with knee issue

Geno Atkins joins A.J. Green and others on the injury report.

The injury bug isn’t loosening its grip on the Cincinnati Bengals.

Thursday, defensive tackle Geno Atkins joined the injury report with a knee injury. Alongside Tyler Eifert, it isn’t uncommon to see a veteran like Atkins get a rest day during the middle of the week.

But Thursday, Atkins was labeled as a knee injury in the “did not practice” column alongside A.J. Green, Dre Kirkpatrick, Alex Redmond and Drew Sample.

Sample’s injury is a new one that could spur a trip to injured reserve. As for Green, he’s back to the rehab process and won’t play this week.

Then there is Atkins, whose status for the game in Oakland is now a question mark, to top it all off. Thursday is usually the telling day as far as forecasting the weekend goes, but Friday’s practice this week still has plenty of room for changes.

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