Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill is set to have an MRI on his right hamstring “in the next day or so,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday.
Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill is set to have an MRI on his right hamstring “in the next day or so,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday.
Hill suffered a hamstring injury on the last play of the first drive of Kansas City’s 24-17 win against the Chargers Monday night at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The 25-year-old left the field and was worked on by the medical staff on the sideline before heading to the locker room. Hill returned to the sideline but never re-entered the game Monday.
Hill missed four games this season (Week 2 through Week 5) with a sternum injury. He averages 16.5 yards per catch on 33 receptions for 543 yards in seven games this season. Hill has scored 5 touchdowns this year.
The Chiefs (7-4) lead the AFC West and are now in their bye week for Week 12.
The Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) and Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) hook up for the first time this season, facing off on Monday night at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. Chiefs vs. Chargers: Week 11 preview, betting trends …
The Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) and Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) hook up for the first time this season, facing off on Monday night at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.
Chiefs vs. Chargers: Week 11 preview, betting trends and notes
The Chargers are coming off an extended break, having played on Thursday night in Week 10, a 26-24 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Chargers QB Philip Rivers threw three interceptions in that game. He had five touchdown passes and three interceptions in two games against the Chiefs last season.
The Chargers have the eighth-best scoring defense in the league (points per game). The Chiefs are 20th.
The Chiefs average more than 28 points per game on offense. The Chargers average fewer than 21.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes had 446 passing yards and three touchdowns in Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans in his first game back after missing two games with an injury.
Chargers at Chiefs: Key injuries
Mahomes is healthy again and will play. DE Emmanuel Ogbah (pectoral) is out and will probably miss the rest of the season. OT Eric Fisher (groin) should return to the lineup for the first time since Week 2, while OG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (ankle) should be in the lineup for the first time since Week 8.
Chargers RT Sam Tevi (knee) is expected to miss this week and more. LT Russell Okung (groin) is questionable.
Chargers at Chiefs: Odds, betting lines and prediction
With Mahomes healthy and his offensive line returning, the offense should be overwhelming again, making any bet other than the Chiefs seem like a waste of money. At – 182, it won’t gain much profit ($5.49 profit on a $10 bet), but taking the Chargers at +150 doesn’t seem to be smart with the money, as the game probably won’t be that close.
The Chiefs are favored by 4.5 points (+105). The Chiefs are healthy on the offensive line so Mahomes can be dynamic. The Chargers might be without their two starting tackles. L.A. has struggled to score points, so expect a two-score win for the home team. Take the CHIEFS -4.5 (+105).
The total is set at 52.5 points. The Chiefs should put up points. The question is whether the Chargers will do the same. Rivers is savvy enough that if the Chiefs jump out to a big lead, he will rally his team for late points. This game should easily hit the OVER (-115).
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The team has evened out its record, now at 5-5 ahead of this week’s matchup against the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6).
The Tennessee Titans didn’t see any action Sunday, enjoying a bye week after a 35-32 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday.
The team has evened out its record, now at 5-5 ahead of this week’s matchup against the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6).
The Titans rose slightly in Touchdown Wire’s NFL power rankings for Week 12, standing at roughly the middle of the pack at No. 15. Tennessee was placed at No. 16 last week.
Here’s what analyst Doug Farrar had to say about his placement of the Titans on the list, directly ahead of the Carolina Panthers and behind the Philadelphia Eagles.
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“The Titans have an interesting decision to make at the quarterback position, and one assumes general manager Jon Robinson thought about it a bit during his team’s bye week,” he wrote.
It’s clear the writing is on the wall for former starting quarterback Marcus Mariota, but the future of Ryan Tannehill and the quarterback position in general remains uncertain.
“The Marcus Mariota era is clearly over, as Mariota was benched a few weeks back, and he becomes a free agent at the start of the 2020 league year. But what to do with Ryan Tannehill, who was maddeningly inconsistent through five years in Miami, but has played pretty well in four games as a starter for this team? From Weeks 7-10, Tannehill ranks fourth in the NFL in yards per attempt at 8.5, he’s tied for third with eight touchdown passes and he has just three interceptions. He ranks eighth in passing yards with 1,017, and he’s fifth in passer rating at 107.5. That’s not to say Tannehill is ready for a big-time contract and a multiyear commitment. But he clearly has become smarter and less frenetic in the pocket, and he’s helping his receivers make plays in ways Mariota generally struggled to. The Titans are 3-1 in Tannehill’s starts. At the very least, Tannehill has proven that he can be a valuable bridge quarterback, and with a 2019 cap hit of $1,875,000, that’s as good a situation as you can expect for a franchise that appeared to be in quarterback purgatory.”
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It will be interesting to see if Tannehill and the Titans can keep the momentum going as they take on the Jaguars at 3:05 p.m. CT on Sunday in Nissan Stadium.
Chargers and Philip Rivers fail to impress in the fourth quarter — again.
Philip Rivers mustered some briefly unexpected magic in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 11 — until he didn’t. The L.A. Chargers quarterback connected with receiver Mike Williams for 50 yards during a 2-minute drill with L.A. trailing by just one touchdown.
Was Rivers actually going to pull off this comeback? (Hint: No.) He almost turned the ball over on a careless fumble, but running back Melvin Gordon bailed out Rivers by recovering the ball. Maybe this will actually happen? (Hint: It didn’t.)
Rivers, like Thanos, is inevitable.
A few plays later, Rivers threw his fourth interception of the game on a target to Austin Ekeler, who couldn’t beat Chiefs safety Daniel Sorensen for a jump ball in the end zone. And the Chargers lost, 24-17.
The NFL returned to the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City a year after it pulled out of a game on short notice after the field surface was deemed unsafe for a NFL game.
So how is the turf tonight for the Chargers-Chiefs game?
Not great at all.
ESPN and NFL Network did their best to tell us a bunch of times before the game that things with the field would not be a problem.
Then on the first play of the game Chargers tight end Hunter Henry got tripped up by the turf after making a 16-yard catch.
ESPN’s Joe Tessitore and Booger Macfarland were quiet about the field issues, though they did talk about it briefly after a huge divot came up on a play in the second quarter.
On the first play, Chiefs receiver fell down with no one nearby. ESPN said the turf was inspected Saturday and given an “A” by the league, but the players keep looking at the turf as if it’s not in good shape.
Only minutes after @espn hosts proclaim the excellence of the new and improved grass surface at Estadia Azteca chunks of turf are everywhere, including in the cleats and face masks of fallen players. #MNFpic.twitter.com/xAVxGkx1Dt
If the NFL wants to play games in Mexico City that’s fine, but for goodness sakes pay whatever it takes to get a modern artificial turf field out there at Azteca Stadium.
ESPN’s Lisa Salters said Estadio Azteca turf was “playing well” in a pregame report. I’d suggest she was being premature, as the game hadn’t started, and hold applause till the end. So far divots are flying like a bad day at Soldier Field players are slipping and limping.
Funny that a large part of the pregame was talking up the improved grass field at Estadio Azteca… then the first play of the game a turf monster reaches up & trips Hunter Henry on what couldve been a huge gainer. ..do really want to see Mahomes throw 100 yards in this thin air
London had to make some changes to Wembley — Tottenham has a turf field ready to go for football at their new stadium. Maybe NFL suggests the same for Azteca?
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are battling Philip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers tonight in the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The stadium sits 7,500 feet above sea level so footballs are going to sail in the air, which Mahomes showed during warmups. The reigning NFL MVP, who’s trying to lead the Chiefs to a bounce-back win, launched a pass 70 yards in the air like it was absolutely nothing.
We all know Mahomes is a ridiculous talent, but this is still really darn impressive because the QB just flung it out there and also hit his target, who was standing down field.
The Patriots have been the dominant team of the 2010s. How has everyone else fared?
USA TODAY Sports
The 2010s are coming to an end. Time to look at the good, bad and ugly seasons and records for all 32 NFL teams in this decade after Week 11 of the NFL season.
32. Cleveland Browns: 40-113-1
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
There is no surprise the Browns are at the bottom of the list. They have been awful throughout the decade. Turning things around last year have not made a dent in the damage.
Most NFL teams have six weeks left in the NFL season (excluding the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, who play on Monday night). With just a handful of games left, the AFC’s hunt for a first-round bye may not be all that competitive. But the wild card should be fierce, even if it’s likely to boast teams with worse records (and worse talent) than the hunt happening in the NFC, which is intensely competitive from top to bottom. The NFC West, in particular, has been fun to watch. The division probably boasts three playoff-worthy teams. (Yes, even the struggling Los Angeles Rams are OK, even if they’re not quite as good as last season.)
Here’s a look at the current NFL playoff picture, with a focus on who or what matters most to each team after Week 11.
1. New England Patriots (9-1)
Week 12: vs. Dallas
Who matters most: Cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
The Patriots (best?) defensive player has allowed Bill Belichick tremendous schematic flexibility for the last two seasons. But the Patriots coach has flexed it more than ever in this 2019 season, with an Amoeba defense that has given fits to everyone but Lamar Jackson. Even Tom Brady admitted on Monday morning that the Patriots defense is the strength of the team — and it shows. Gilmore is the most important player on that defense. He’s a shutdown corner, who can erase a top receiver. In Week 11, he took Zach Ertz on third downs, and the Eagles went 3 of 13 on third-down conversions.
2. Baltimore Ravens (8-2)
Week 12: at L.A. Rams
What matters most: Lamar Jackson’s arm.
Much has been made of Jackson’s speed. But those who think that he can’t pass aren’t watching the games. And those who think he hasn’t been passing as well in recent weeks, again, aren’t watching the games. He did struggle against the Seattle Seahawks. But Jackson has been brilliant with a small sample size, in an era where most quarterbacks make their money off volume. Jackson doesn’t need to “get into a rhythm.” With a flick of the wrist, Jackson can deliver a beauty, even on a drive when the Ravens run the ball four times and pass just twice.
His keg-stand celebration is all that matters — ever. Nelson served as a fullback, and got a touchdown in Week 11 (and let’s just ignore the fact that touchdown didn’t end up counting). The Colts offensive line has been stellar in 2019. Nelson is the spirit animal of that line: tough, athletic, versatile. His unspoken chemistry with his teammates (demonstrated during the keg stand) is noteworthy.
Week 12: (still have MNF to play, then) vs. Raiders
What matters most: An improved secondary.
At this time last season, Kansas City’s most glaring flaw was their secondary. They couldn’t defend the 2019 version of Jared Goff, let alone the 2018 version. But this season, Kansas City boasts the ninth-best passing defense (221.4 yards passing yards allowed per game). We’ve seen huge steps forward with strong play from defensive backs Charvarius Ward, Juan Thornhill, Tyrann Mathieu and Bashaud Breeland. Mahomes hasn’t had to throw for over 500 yards per game, because the Chiefs aren’t allowing over 500 passing yards per game.
5. Buffalo Bills (7-3)
Week 12: vs. Denver
What matters most: Their schedule.
The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets have taken turns looking like the worst team in the NFL. And the Cincinnati Bengals are right there with them. So it helps that the Bills have five games against those three putrid teams. Because of that easy schedule, they are probably the least talked-about playoff team, except for when people say, “Yeah but they probably actually stink.” The truth is that they’ll probably make the playoffs because of that schedule. We’ll see once/if they’re in the postseason whether they deserve to be there.
6. Houston Texans (6-4)
Next up: vs. Indianapolis
What matters most: The Raiders/Steelers/Titans/Browns.
The Ravens embarrassed Houston, which sure seems like it isn’t a playoff-caliber squad. So if the Texans aren’t going to take their postseason fate into their own hands, they’ll have to watch what else happens at the bottom end of the AFC’s playoff hunt.
Still chasing
Oakland Raiders (6-4): I’ll tell you what man, Jon Gruden can coach. Knock on wood if you’re with me.
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5): A loss to the Browns showed they’re still not a playoff-worthy team — yet. There’s still time for improvement.
1. San Francisco 49ers (9-1)
Week 12: vs. Green Bay
Who matters most: Kyle Shanahan.
He is low-key looking like Sean McVay did last season. Maybe Shanahan doesn’t list off every player on the opponents roster (which wasn’t that cool anyway). Maybe Shanahan doesn’t need a get-back coach (which, again, wasn’t that cool anyway). But Shanahan’s offensive innovation has been superb, with an unstoppable running game that band-aids Jimmy Garoppolo’s shortcomings. (The defense is also really, really good.)
2. Green Bay Packers (8-2)
Week 12: at San Francisco
What matters most: This photo of a bro-hug.
That is all.
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
3. New Orleans Saints (8-2)
Week 12: vs. Carolina
Who matters most: Sean Payton.
He is to Bill Belichick what Peyton Manning was to Tom Brady. Payton has long been deserving of the Head Coach of the Year award. He’s supremely talented. But Belichick always gets the media’s argument for he’s-won-it-but-still-deserves-it angle. And then someone else wins it. Payton’s Saints have just two losses despite losing Drew Brees for five games. He’s good at this, folks. We give him plenty of credit, but maybe still not enough.
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-4)
Week 12: at New England
What matters most: Receiver Randall Cobb’s back-to-back 100 yard games.
In the larger playoff picture, Cobb doesn’t matter much. What matters is that the Cowboys passing offense is productive enough to support three productive receivers. Even in a game when Amari Cooper (3 catches, 38 yards) struggled to produce in Week 11, Cobb and Michael Gallup stepped up. The Cowboys offense has proven it can keep up with just about any offense in the NFL.
5. Seattle Seahawks (8-2)
Week 12: at Philadelphia
Who matters most: Russell Wilson.
Wilson has shown in past years he needs no support, but this season, the Seahawks may be overusing Wilson’s supporting cast at running back. Pete Carroll seems to be taking the ball out of Wilson’s hands too much in an MVP-caliber season. Wilson has been brilliant, even with Carroll limiting the amount Wilson gets to throw. The Seahawks WILL establish the run, even if it would probably easier to just let Wilson do his thing.
6. Minnesota Vikings (8-3)
Week 12: at Seattle (after the bye)
What matters most: Their 20-point deficit against the Broncos.
Yes, the Vikings won, 27-23, after falling into a 20-0 hole in the first half. I get that it’s impressive that they came back from that deficit. But why did they fall into that hole to begin with? I am as dubious about the Vikings as I am about the Bills. Minnesota runs well, defends well and — when Stefon Diggs is involved — passes well. Am I crazy to think think they don’t do those things well enough to win a playoff game?
Still chasing
Los Angeles Rams (6-4): Jared Goff seems to matter most to this team. When he’s incompetent, they struggle to win games.
Philadelphia Eagles (5-5): They gave New England a run for their money, but Bill Belichick eked out what he felt like was a “fun” win. (Lane Johnson, you mad, bro?)
Carolina Panthers (5-5): Kyle Allen isn’t good. Four interceptions in one game isn’t good.
