Panthers injury updates: Taylor Moton, Eric Reid questionable for Week 13

The Carolina Panthers’ offensive line has been banged up all year.

The Carolina Panthers’ offensive line has been banged up all year. That trend will likely continue into this week’s game against Washington.

Second-round pick Greg Little has been listed as doubtful for Sunday with an ankle injury. If he can’t play, expect sixth-rounder Dennis Daley to take his place on the blind side.

The other tackle spot could also be a problem. Taylor Moton is listed as questionable with a knee injury. Daryl Williams has previous experience playing right tackle, but it didn’t go well. The Panthers are also down a left guard with Greg Van Roten on injured reserve. It will be interesting to see who the Panthers put up front.

Safety Eric Reid is also questionable. He’s dealing with ankle and shoulder problems.

The only player who has been officially ruled out is rookie running back Jordan Scarlett. Expect former Bears running back Mike Davis to be active.

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Watch: Malcolm Epps skies for the spectacular catch to get the Longhorns’ offense moving

Watch: Longhorns’ WR Malcolm Epps skies to make the spectacular catch and get the Longhorns’ offense moving

Down 14-0 early to the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the Texas Longhorns were in dire need of a spark on the offensive side of the ball. It looks like that spark has come in the form of a big Malcolm Epps reception to move the chains. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger had plenty of time in the pocket and delivered a ball on the money to Malcolm Epps, who climbed the ladder to snag the ball away from defenders. Check out the pivotal moment here:

The Texas Longhorns are currently playing their final game this season against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Here is everything you need to know to watch, listen, or stream the rest of the game.

How on Earth will the Redskins slow down Christian McCaffrey?

The Redskins have a huge challenge on their hands as they look to slow down Christian McCaffrey on Sunday and get their third win.

For a Washington Redskins defense that has actually found some success in the past few weeks, Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers looms large. It stands as quite possibly the toughest test they’ve faced in a while, and it’s all due to one player.

Christian McCaffrey, a powerful and shift running back who is running away with the fantasy football MVP award.

So far this season, McCaffrey has amassed 1,123 rushing yards and 586 receiving yards, making for a league-leading 1,709 total yards at an average of 155 yards from scrimmage per game. Week in and week out, he has gone up against defenses that are scheming to nullify is production, and the rest of the league is still waiting on a blueprint to stopping him.

So how will Washington attempt to slow him down? The same way they did in last year’s 20-17 victory over the Panthers — by stacking the box and blitzing the back.

In an impressive late-season victory a year ago, the Redskins were able to hold McCaffrey to 20 yards on eight rushes and 46 yards on seven receptions. They were able to be so successful because edge rusher Ryan Kerrigan was stout against the run, and Daron Payne muddled up rushing lanes in the middle. According to Mark Bullock at The Athletic, Washington also brought an extra man into the box to offer some run support and spy McCaffrey out of the backfield, a role that will likely be played by Landon Collins on Sunday.

Washington also routinely sent a blitzer on passing plays, causing McCaffrey to stay and help pick it up before releasing on his routes and putting a linebacker in a tough position to cover him out of the backfield.

Blitzing the back was successful for the Redskins against McCaffrey last year, limiting the number of times he was able to work out into a route or at the very least, delaying his release. Expect them to try some different blitzes with the same intent on Sunday.

Will it be just as effective this time around? Maybe, maybe not. McCaffrey is another year older and his level of play has gone up significantly since last season, but it’s worth a shot.

If the Redskins can slow down McCaffrey, then they have a chance to slow down the Panthers and pick up their third win of the season. If not…it could be an ugly afternoon.

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Washington Wizards at Los Angeles Lakers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Washington Wizards at Los Angeles Lakers sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Los Angeles Lakers (16-2) host the Washington Wizards (6-10) Friday at Staples Center with tip-off scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Wizards-Lakers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

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Wizards at Lakers: Key injuries

Wizards

  • SF C.J. Miles (wrist) out
  • C Ian Mahinmi (Achilles) out

Lakers

  • C Anthony Davis (shoulder) probable
  • SG Avery Bradley (calf) questionable

Wizards at Lakers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 1 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Lakers 124, Wizards 104

Moneyline (ML)

The Lakers (-715) have rung their win streak up to nine straight games entering Friday’s contest against the Wizards (+500). Washington is coming off a 140-132 road win over the Phoenix Suns Wednesday, but it’s still just 3-6 on the road this season and 4-6 over the last 10 games. The Lakers are 8-1 straight up at home, and they’re third in the NBA in opponent points allowed per game.

There have been bigger upsets in basketball, but there’s no reason to go chasing one in this matchup. Save your money and look at the spread, as a $10 bet on the Lakers to win outright as heavy favorites will return a profit of just $1.40.

Against the Spread (ATS)

The LAKERS (-11.5, -106) are laying double-digit points and will need to win by 12 or more for an against the spread bet to cash. It’s an easy choice with the Lakers 10-8 ATS overall and 6-3 at home, even though the Wizards are 10-5 ATS overall and 6-2 on the road.

The Lakers have far too much talent for the Wizards to handle, especially with Davis likely to suit up on the heels of his 41-point, nine-rebound performance against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Over/Under (O/U)

Washington ranks second in the NBA with a record of 9-6-1 against the Over/Under and it tops the projected totals by a league-high average of 10.6 points per game. Los Angeles is 8-10 against the O/U and falls an average of 2.3 points shy of the projections.

Back the UNDER 234.5 (-115) with the Lakers defense capable of slowing down a Wizards offense leading the league with 119.4 PPG.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 49-47

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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3 bold predictions for Bucs vs. Jags

DJ Chark could be up for another game with two touchdowns and 120-plus yards as the Bucs are struggling mightily against the pass.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking to start the month of December on the right track this Sunday against their in-state rivals in the Tampa Bay Bucs. Both teams will come into the game below .500, but most fans would agree they have the talent to make this game competitive and interesting.

Here are three bold predictions for Sunday’s game, which will take place at TIAA Bank Field:

Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

WR DJ Chark Jr. will have his second 150-plus yard day with two touchdowns

The Jags will be up against the No. 31 ranked passing defense (289.9 YPG average) Sunday, which sets DJ Chark Jr. and the passing game up to eat. He’s been Nick Foles’ favorite receiver since his return from collarbone surgery and that likely won’t change this year.

Despite the success of Foles’ and Chark’s connection, the young receiver had his second-lowest receiving yards total of the year last week against the Tennessee Titans (38). Typically when he doesn’t get going and/or Leonard Fournette struggles, the Jags normally don’t have a good day on offense. That said, they need to get to Chark early and often.

There will be times where he and the Jags’ other receivers are lining up against rookie cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who is learning the game. He currently has a grade of 58.5 on Pro Football Focus while Chark is one of the highest-graded Jags on the roster with a 80.7. Those numbers alone should warrant a lot of targets for Chark.

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WATCH: Texas gets on the board

Going down 14-0, Texas finally was able to get some points on the board against Texas Tech. You can watch Sam Ehlinger’s touchdown here.

After going down 14-0 early to Texas Tech, the Longhorn offense was finally able to get on the board in the first quarter. Coming into today, it had been four consecutive games without a touchdown in the opening quarter for Texas.

After a Roschon Johnson 44 yard rush and a Malcolm Epps 36 yard reception, Texas got all the way down to the Texas Tech 10 yard line. On 3rd and 2, quarterback Sam Ehlinger took the snap and powered his way into the endzone.

Watch it here:

The point-after attempt by Cameron Dicker was blocked, cutting the Longhorn deficit to eight.

Texas is down to Texas Tech 14-6 on Fox.

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Don’t count Seahawks tight end Luke Willson out against the Vikings

Tight end Luke Willson hasn’t suited up for the Seattle Seahawks in several weeks, but he could be available against the Vikings Week 13.

A hamstring injury has sidelined tight end Luke Willson for a number of weeks, but that might be coming to an end shortly. The Seattle Seahawks and coach Pete Carroll will welcome the tight end depth.

The entire time Willson has been out of the competition, coach Carroll’s message has continued to be the same . . . always some form of “never count Willson out from returning.”

That is a testament to the toughness of Willson, which is something he showed during the Week 9 win against the Buccaneers when he played hurt.

Approaching Week 13 against the Vikings, Willson is going to do everything he can to get back on the field.

“He’s going to try to prove that he can play this week, so we’ll see how that goes,” Carroll said Wednesday. “Trainers are trying to hold him back from going too far too soon. That’s how Luke does it. Luke has been remarkable over the years. I wouldn’t count him out.”

There it is again. Don’t count Willson out.

Willson isn’t a big part of the offense in terms of targets, but what he does provide is a consistent blocking presence from the position. And, as coach Carroll makes apparent, toughness.

If it were up to him, Willson would’ve already returned from injury. Since it’s not, each week is a guessing game. As it seems, the return just might be coming on Monday against the Vikings.

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Michigan players: Beating Ohio State is season-defining

Michigan football will try and upset the Buckeyes on Saturday, as the Wolverines know this is a season-defining game for them.

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No matter the record, no matter the history, no matter what is going on, every year the biggest game for Michigan is against Ohio State. The same goes for the Buckeyes as they treat it just as serious as the Wolverines, if not a step further.

Michigan has been on the losing end of the rivalry for the past 15 years, winning just once in 2011. Despite the lopsidedness in recent years, both teams still want to go out and win this game more than any other on their schedule. It’s the Superbowl for both teams and even if they ever both come into the game 0-11, that one win would mean even more knowing that it was against their rival and that 12th loss would sting more than the rest.

This year’s win could be a huge defining game for both teams. If Michigan wins, it’s easily their best win on the season as they would beat the best team in college football and have the Buckeyes only loss be to them would be something they could throw at them, even if they win the national championship.

If Ohio State wins the game, they go undefeated and secure a playoff spot for themselves and defeat another ranked team to boost their strength of schedule argument and once again proclaim that they own the Wolverines.

The players on Michigan know just how much of a season-defining game this can be for this team, and how important it is to their season every year.

“I believe this game is a big part of our season, put the icing on top of our season,” linebacker Khaleke Hudson said. “It’s huge for us. Feel like we don’t got nothing to lose, we’re going out there with just a dawg mentality. Just try to go out there and try to ruin anything they got planned on going while still staying to our task. Staying true to what we want to do for the rest of our season. Just going out there and trying to be the best team.”

“We always want to win the game, (go) against this team with a win,” wide receiver Nico Collins said. “This is probably the most important time of the year in November. Those are the ones you remember.

Not only do the players know it’s a big game for them, but they also know how important it is to Ohio State, their players and the coaching staff.

“Absolutely, I think this is a huge part of both of our programs, is this matchup,” offensive lineman Ben Bredeson said. “I think any time you beat Ohio State or they beat us, it’s considered a good season at the respective school. Obviously, there’s other games on the schedule, but we all know which one’s the most important.”

“Yeah, to me, I think it does, probably them, too,” tight end Nick Eubanks said. “It probably defines their season as well. We know what type of game this is. We know what we need in this game. We’re looking for the results on Saturday.”

What kind of results will be on the stat sheet when the clock it’s all zeros after the fourth quarter happens? Only time will tell on that answer but both teams will be hoping their team scored more after 60 minutes as their seasons could drastically change after this game, win or lose.

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire/ @BKnappBlogs

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Giants vs. Packers: 4 keys to victory in Week 13

Here are four things the New York Giants can do to ensure a victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and get their third win this season

The New York Giants host the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday in a tale of two very different seasons.

The Packers are 8-3 and currently sit in third place in the NFC, also leading their division. The Giants are 2-9, sitting second-to-last in the NFC and at the bottom of their division.

The Giants’ wildcard hopes are out the window and their divisional hopes are hanging on by a thread, but that doesn’t mean they can’t curb the Packers dreams. The Minnesota Vikings are hot on the Packers’ tail, and the Giants would do them a big favor with a win.

Here are this week’s keys to victory:

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Pressure Aaron Rodgers

Much like the photo above, Markus Golden & Co. need to get pressure on Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is notorious for holding onto the ball too long, and for making poor decisions under pressure. The Packers’ big plays don’t come when Rodgers has a defender in his face, and they have 40 big plays on record this season.

If James Bettcher can get his defense to plow through the Packers’ offensive line and put some serious pressure on Rodgers, the Giants’ chances of winning go up dramatically.

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Jared Goff not feeling added pressure from $134 million contract

Jared Goff wants to continue to be himself despite getting a hefty new contract.

Jared Goff made great progress in each of the last two years for the Rams. After a disastrous rookie season in 2016, Goff went on to make the Pro Bowl the last two seasons and looked poised for an even better 2019 campaign.

As everyone has seen, though, Goff has regressed instead of continuing to get better. There have been several contributing factors, primarily the poor offensive line play, but Goff has made his share of mistakes, too. He has 12 interceptions in 11 games, which matches his total from 2018 with 21 fewer touchdowns than he had last season.

All of this has come after he signed a four-year, $134 million contract with an NFL-record $110 million guaranteed. He wouldn’t be the first player in league history to have a down year after signing a massive extension, but he’s certain the contract hasn’t had any effect on his game or added extra pressure.

“No, I don’t. I need to make sure that is never the case,” he said this week. “I always want to play like I’ve always had since I was a little kid. Always having fun – enjoying it. Never let the business side of it creep in as far as the way you approach every day or every game. I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that. But there are times where you do think of it. But no, I don’t feel any differently.”

Goff has always had an even-keeled personality, never getting too high or low. It’s an important attribute for a quarterback, and that aspect of his game hasn’t changed since inking that massive extension.

“I think through the ups and the downs I’ve always been myself,” Goff said. “I don’t think anything like that will ever change the way I approach every day the way I approach every game. Obviously, there is a little bit more responsibility, I think. But I don’t think it’s more pressure.”

Goff has been fortunate enough to work with Sean McVay since 2017, which really helped his development. It’s a big reason he turned into a Pro Bowler so quickly, improving in each of the last two years.

McVay isn’t having his best season, either, struggling with his decision-making at times, as well as play calling. He said this week that he and Goff are still growing together and continuing to learn as time goes on.

“I think as we’ve now gone into working through our third year together, there’s a lot of things that both he and I, and really a lot of our team in general, can continue to learn from and make sure that we use those as things to improve upon or the things that you did do right,” McVay said. “Let’s continue to do that when those things or when those defensive structures, or when that play is being run versus a certain look ends up coming up in the future. The accumulation of the experience, and we always talk about that repetition is the mother of learning. Those will kind of go hand in hand.”

The Rams hope both Goff and McVay can turn things around soon, because their 2019 season is quickly getting away from them. One more loss on Sunday could be the final straw for their playoff hopes.

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