Vikings move up spot in power rankings

The Vikings find themselves just a half-game back from a first-round bye in the NFC.

After their 28-24 win over the Cowboys on Sunday night, the Minnesota Vikings improved to 7-3 on the season.

The win bumped them up from eighth to seventh in USA TODAY’s Week 10 power rankings.

It was a big win for the Vikings, and Kirk Cousins, on primetime against a winning team.

The Vikings find themselves just a half game back from a first-round bye in the NFC.

To round out the NFC North, the Packers rank sixth, the Bears rank 21st and the Lions rank 27th.

In Week 11, the Vikings host the 3-6 Broncos. The Broncos rank 25th in the power rankings.

Mark Dantonio: Jim Harbaugh is a Hall of Fame football coach

Michigan football takes on Michigan State this week, and the Spartans head coach gave Jim Harbaugh a wonderful compliment on Tuesday.

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Heading into this rivalry game between Michigan and Michigan State, not much positive is said about the other team. Sure both teams give the other credit on what they do right and things like that, but both Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio have shown great mutual respect for one another this week.

On Monday, Harbaugh said Dantonio was a master motivator, had a great body of work with his track record and that he was a fine coach. Today, Dantonio went a step above Harbaugh and gave him a bigger compliment. He called him intense, and a Hall of Fame football coach.

That’s right, Dantonio believes Harbaugh is a Hall of Fame football coach.

That isn’t something you don’t hear much from rival schools heading into their game this week. The question is, is Harbaugh an actual Hall of Fame football coach? That point can be debated and will be depending on how Harbaugh’s coaching career ends whenever it does.

So far in his coaching career, Harbaugh has coached in the NCAA FCS and FBS subdivisions, and the NFL. In the NCAA, Harbaugh has coached for three teams, San Diego, Stanford, and Michigan. His collegiate record is currently 103-43, with two Pioneer League Championships at San Diego.

In the NFL, Harbaugh would coach the San Francisco 49ers for four years and finish with a record of 44-19-1 with two NFC West division titles, an NFC Championship title, and a Super Bowl appearance. He would also be the first coach in NFL history to have reached a conference championship game each of his first three years.

So, Harbaugh has had some great success at different programs and levels of competition. Is he a Hall of Fame lock? Very possible, but his career is still young at just 55 years old. He could still coach for another 10 plus seasons if he wants to, or he could retire after this season and either way it will still be a great career.

Harbaugh wants to win though, he’s an intense coach like Dantonio said, so expect him to retire anytime soon. He wants to win a conference championship and win the National championship. He’s at his alma mater and wants to give them something to be proud of, and he’s done a good job at turning the ship around so far.

Now he just has to reinforce the ship and build it up to the likes of the Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State. Consistent reloading and small mistakes. Dantonio see’s what Harbaugh is as a coach and you bet he wants to try and beat him in front of his own crowd on Saturday in Ann Arbor once again.

This game is a big one for both head coaches, as Dantonio is dealing with his own demons, Harbaugh is 2-2 against his in-state rival and finally having a winning record over the Spartans would help him out as well, along with being on a two-game win streak against them. If Harbaugh can start to figure out Michigan State, then there is just one rival he has to try and stop. Ohio State.

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Jags enter Week 11 as 3.5-point underdogs to Colts

The Jags have entered Week 11 as underdogs to the Colts as both are coming off embarrassing losses.

After missing out on a chance to acquire the second place spot in the AFC South Week 9 against the Houston Texans, the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5) will have another shot at the same spot when they take on the Indianapolis Colts (5-4) Sunday. However, it appears they will have to do so as underdogs on the road as BetMGM has the Colts favorited by 3.5-points.

Both teams will be coming off of embarrassing Week 11 losses. The Jags will be looking to get over a recent 26-3 beatdown courtesy of the Texans, while the Colts will be looking to get over a 16-12 loss to one of the worst teams in football: the Miami Dolphins. They both also will be looking to stay in the hunt for a wild-card playoff spot as the Jags are currently the sixth seed, while the Colts are the eighth seed.

Part of the reason the Colts struggled Sunday was due to the absence of starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who missed the game due to an MCL sprain he sustained Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. His status for Week 11’s game is unknown but we’ll know more Wednesday when the first injury report is released.

Meanwhile, the Jags will be getting their starting signal-caller back as Nick Foles is ready to return from the collarbone injury he sustained Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. With the Jags in a spot where a loss would really hurt their playoff chances, they will need the veteran to quickly be the late season savior he was in Philly and bring the Jags their second divisional win of 2019.

The total for Sunday’s game is currently set at 44.5 points. The money line is set at +135 for the Jags, which means a wager of $100 on the Cardiac Cats would pay out $135.

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

Olivier Vernon, Eric Murray still out from Browns practice

The quick turnaround doesn’t give much time to heal for the injured Browns

The short week leading into the Thursday night game at FirstEnergy Stadium doesn’t give the Cleveland Browns much time to lick any wounds from last week. Tuesday’s walkthrough (in lieu of a full practice) saw both DE Olivier Vernon and CB Eric Murray still out from the session.

Vernon and Murray both missed the Week 10 win over the Buffalo Bills with knee injuries. With just one more practice before the game, it seems unlikely either will play against Pittsburgh on Thursday. Coach Freddie Kitchens seemed more optimistic on Vernon than Murray, however.

The only other player with a limited status listing is tight end Ricky Seals-Jones. He also missed Week 10 with a knee injury. Kitchens termed Seals-Jones as “probably a game time decision” in his press address.

Ravens sign DTs Domata Peko, Justin Ellis; punt returner Cyrus Jones waived

The Baltimore Ravens beefed up the center of their defensive line with defensive tackle Michael Pierce expected to miss time with an injury.

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With defensive tackle Michael Pierce having suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter of Week 10’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Baltimore Ravens brought in reinforcements.

The Ravens announced they signed defensive tackle Justin Ellis, a five-year veteran who had been with the Oakland Raiders. Over his time in the league, Ellis (6-2, 350 pounds) has accounted for 119 tackles and a half-sack.

In addition, Baltimore added former Bengals defensive tackle Domata Peko. Initially reported by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec and confirmed by his agent, Peko adds a wealth of experience to the defensive line. Peko played 11 years with Cincinnati and the last two with the Denver Broncos, amassing 589 combined tackles, 20 sacks, three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 50 quarterback hits.

To make room for Ellis and Peko, the Ravens announced they have waived punt returner Cyrus Jones and defensive end Ufomba Kamalu. A Baltimore native, Jones became dispensable after Baltimore signed return specialist De’Anthony Thomas last week and made him a healthy scratch for Week 10. Kamalu had been signed off New England’s practice squad but had not been active in a game this season for the Ravens.

While Pierce’s injury is considered day-to-day, according to coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens have been thin on the defensive line. They initially entered the season with just five defensive linemen on the 53-man roster, a departure from the usually stacked units Baltimore carried in previous years.

With no clear timetable set for Pierce’s return from injury and rookie Daylon Mack only being active for one game this season, the Ravens needed some beef in the middle of their defensive line. Peko and Ellis give them exactly that right at a time when they’ll go up against two of the best rushing teams in the league: the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers.

Baltimore has found quite a bit of success with signing free-agent defenders this season. The Ravens added linebackers L.J. Fort and Josh Bynes earlier in the year, and both have provided a major impact for the defense. So there’s plenty of hope both Ellis and Peko could do the same in the second half of the season.

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Celtics assign rookies to Red Claws for practice

The Boston Celtics assigned the majority of their rookies to the Maine Red Claws on practice on Tuesday.

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Per the Boston Celtics, the team assigned rookies Grant Williams, Vincent Poirier, Carsen Edwards and Romeo Langford “for various portions of the [Maine] Red Claws practice” on Tuesday at the Auerbach Center, where the Celtics normally hold their team practice.

Though the Red Claws are based in Portland, ME., their next game isn’t until Nov. 16 against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in Indiana, which could provide the reason that Boston’s G League affiliate was able to travel to the Celtics’ practice facility on Tuesday.

However, that Boston felt the need to have their rookies — sans guard Javonte Green — practice on a day that practice wasn’t held for the Celtics shows that Boston believes their neophytes need work.

While Langford has yet to play significant minutes in any game, the teaching is experience for he and Edwards in particular is necessary, as Langford is not only the youngest and most inexperienced player on the team but has been unable to fully perform physically for large portions of the team’s offseason, preseason and now regular season.

Despite delivering a scintillating debut with the Red Claws at the same time that veteran forward Gordon Hayward went out with a fractured hand, Boston opted to play Green in the rotation over a player that was the 14th overall pick in the most recent draft.

That’s likely because Green has not only produced well in the minutes he’s played but because he’s more experienced after having spent four seasons at the college level and four seasons playing internationally.

Edwards is a shoot-first player and Celtics head coach Brad Stevens seems to see the Purdue product as more of an off-ball player because of it, playing Edwards with point guard Brad Wanamaker for 40 minutes — the third-most of any two-man lineup he’s been in, per Basketball Reference — this season. Whether it’s to make Edwards less reliant on playing with another lead guard or to make him more comfortable playing off-ball, additional practice would be beneficial.

Especially as he’s only averaging 4.0 points per game on 31.3% shooting from the field and 25.0% shooting from three after averaging 15.3 points per game on 51.2% percent shooting from the field and 45.2% from three.

Williams, though a high IQ player has also struggled from the field, averaging just 2.8 points per game on 26.7% shooting from the field and going 0-13 from behind the arc to start the season.

Averaging a combined 26.6 minutes per game, their offensive woes are a primary reason the Celtics remain 30th in the league in bench scoring, per NBA Advanced Stats.

Boston recalled each of those players after practice but Langford may be headed back to Maine at the end of the week, when the Red Claws face the Mad Ants and the Raptors 905 in back-to-back days.

Should the Dolphins claim CB Vernon Hargreaves?

The Dolphins would be wise to place a waiver claim on the recently cut Vernon Hargreaves, a former 1st-round cornerback out of Tampa Bay.

The Miami Dolphins’ season has been filled with waiver claims, trades and acquisitions of former highly coveted players who haven’t been able to live up to the hype. The Dolphins’ additions of DE Taco Charlton, DL Robert Nkemdiche, QB Josh Rosen and DB Eric Rowe are just a few of the examples of high prized additions that came to Miami this season after failing to take the next step as players.

Should the Dolphins be investigating making another addition to the growing list of former high-prized draft picks?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers unexpectedly cut cornerback Vernon Hargreaves today — a former top-15 pick by the Bucs out of the University of Florida back in 2016. Tampa’s new coaching staff, led by Bruce Arians, hadn’t taken particularly well to Hargreaves — although Hargreaves himself has been a massive disappointment after being largely relegated to living in the slot as a nickel cornerback. His final transgression in Tampa? He was reportedly benched for a lack of hustle in the third quarter of Tampa’s win over Arizona this past weekend.

Should Miami kick the tires and make a waiver claim on Hargreaves? Absolutely. Hargreaves is still just 24 years old and clearly has talent. The Dolphins have ample cap space at their disposal and use defensive backs with such great frequency that Hargreaves would have every opportunity to get his act together and stick in the NFL with Miami.

The odds of Miami making a claim? It is hard to say. The Dolphins have a coach in Brian Flores who looks to create personal connections with his players, but so did Tampa with Arians and that didn’t seem to help matters. Yet sometimes a player just needs a change of scenery. Miami can provide that, without asking Hargreaves to go too far from home.

We’ll know by tomorrow afternoon whether or not the Dolphins made a claim; the waiver order mirrors the current NFL draft order, so if they want to get in on the action, the odds of them landing Hargreaves on waivers is pretty strong.

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Baker Mayfield’s wife clarified her ‘fair weather fans’ comment after the Browns’ win

“Didn’t expect to ruffle so many feathers.”

While I wasn’t aware that it was actually possible to be a fair-weather Browns fan — like, have you seen the Browns? — Baker Mayfield’s wife, Emily, caused a stir amongst Cleveland fans this week with her Monday Instagram Story.

Following the Browns’ win over the Bills in what was essentially a must-win game, the enthusiasm for the Browns took a decided turn for the positive.

Mayfield had his best game of the season, throwing for two touchdowns and no interceptions, and the Browns snapped a four-game losing streak. Given that Mayfield was getting compared to Johnny Manziel just a week ago, Emily couldn’t help but laugh at this sudden swing for the better from the same people who mocked Baker.

She posted about that on Instagram, calling out the “fair weather fans.”

As expected, plenty of Browns fans took issue with the comment. The way the post was originally framed made it sound like she was talking about all Browns fans.

Emily would clarify in a separate Instagram Story on Tuesday that she didn’t mean the diehard Browns fans. Instead, she was laughing at the fans who suddenly jumped on (and then off, and then back on) the Browns bandwagon amid the offseason hype.

She wrote:

LOL didn’t expect to ruffle so many feathers with my “fair weather fans” comment yesterday. No, I was not directing that at the die-hard, loyal fans who have stuck around for YEARS. I’m talking about the idiots who say HORRIBLE things about my husband and the team when we lose, and are back to obsessing when we win. That is laughable to me.

…loyal fans, I see you!

Surprisingly enough, the Browns are still somewhat in the playoff hunt at 3-6. They host the Steelers on Thursday night.

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Rich Franklin explains why Demetrious Johnson-Ben Askren trade is still win-win

ONE Championship’s VP isn’t concerned about wins and losses in the cage when assessing the trade with the UFC one year later.

The MMA world was taken by surprise last year when former UFC flyweight champion [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag] was “traded” to ONE Championship for former ONE welterweight titleholder [autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag].

And just over a year later, many have questioned the UFC for giving up one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time for Askren, who’s had a rough start to his UFC tenure.

Since joining the UFC, Askren (19-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) picked up a controversial submission win over Robbie Lawler in March, and then was brutally knocked out by Jorge Masvidal in record time at UFC 239, suffering his first career loss as a pro. He then faced Demian Maia in a battle between two of the sport’s best grapplers. Askren lost that fight via fourth round submission last month, suffering his second straight loss.

Johnson (30-3), on the other hand, picked up three wins since departing from the UFC, en route to winning the ONE Championship flyweight grand prix.

But former UFC middleweight champion and current ONE vice president [autotag]Rich Franklin[/autotag] says despite how things have transpired for both fighters, he still views the trade as a win-win situation.

“It was a pretty straight forward trade from the business side,” Franklin told MMA Junkie. “Just kind of flip-flopped from one organization to the next, and so nothing tricky about it. And I’ll say this: Askren goes to the UFC, he’s competing against some of the top level guys obviously with Masvidal and what not, and then DJ comes over to ONE Championship and is competing against some of the top guys. People will make a comment like that based on athlete’s performance, but the reality, what you have to ask yourself: What kind of return on investment did the organization get on the trade?”

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For Johnson, who was never a big UFC pay-per-view draw, he wasn’t given his due for his record number of title defenses and running through the flyweight division. Askren, who came out of retirement, never got a chance to show his true personality, which shined since he joined the UFC, making him one of its biggest stars.

That’s why Franklin sees the trade as beneficial for both parties, regardless of whether they’re winning or losing fights.

“DJ, for us, who maybe didn’t get the respect that he deserved in another organization, is going to do really well over here in ONE Championship,” Franklin said. “There are many fans on this side of the planet that gravitate towards the smaller athletes, and he puts on exciting matches. There’s no doubt about that, so for us, regardless if he’s winning or losing, that’s not as important as he’s a big draw. And likewise for Ben Askren moving to the UFC. Regardless of whether he’s winning or losing, he’s a big draw because people are going to be curious.”

“Even though he lost his last match to Demian Maia, when they find him for another match, people are still going to be interested in seeing how he performs,” Franklin added. “To see if, ‘Oh, maybe he had a rough start out of the gates or whatever,’ so they’re still getting a return on investment in that respect, and I think it was probably smart for both organizations because the UFC wasn’t getting a return on investment in Demetrious.”

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Report: Texans work out veteran RBs Jeremy Hill, Elijah McGuire

On Tuesday, the Houston Texans worked out free agent veteran running backs Jeremy Hill and Elijah McGuire.

The Houston Texans worked out veteran free agent running backs Jeremy Hill and Elijah McGuire on Tuesday, according to Aaron Reiss of The Athletic.

Per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Hill’s work out went “very well.” However, the Texans did not sign him immediately.

Hill, 27, last played with the New England Patriots. He tore his ACL in Week 1 of the 2018 season — against the Texans — and was subsequently placed on the injured reserve. The LSU product rushed for 25 yards on four attempts before sustaining the season-ending injury.

Before New England, Hill called Cincinnati home. In four seasons with the Bengals, the 6-1, 230-pound tailback recorded 2,873 yards and 29 touchdowns on 704 attempts in 54 games( 43 starts). He finished his 2017 season on the injured reserve with an ankle injury.

McGuire, 25, was a New York Jets sixth-round pick in 2017 out of Louisiana-Lafayette. In 24 games as a rotational cog in the New York backfield, the 5-10, 214-pound back rushed for 591 yards and four touchdowns on 180 attempts.

McGuire spent half of his 2018 campaign on the injured reserve (foot). The Jets released him on Aug. 31, before the Cleveland Browns added him to the practice squad. The Browns waived him on Oct. 22.

Houston, in 2019, has employed a two-headed rushing attack in Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. On the year, the two have combined for 231 touches for 1,241 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns.