Tag: NFL Week 10

Texans vs. Bengals inactives: All injuries claim inactive spots

The Houston Texans released their inactives list for Week 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals, and injuries took all of the Texans’ slots.

The Houston Texans released their inactives ahead of their Week 10 encounter with the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at Paycor Stadium.

Injuries were the driving force behind Houston’s inactives list as S Jimmie Ward (hamstring), TE Brevin Jordan (foot), WR Nico Collins (calf), RB Dameon Pierce (ankle), LB Jake Hansen (hamstring/hand), LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion), and FB Andrew Beck (hand/elbow/shoulder) were listed as inactive.

CB Derek Stingley was activated from injured reserve and will play.

The Bengals declared LB Devin Harper, C Trey Hill, WR Tee Higgins, DT Josh Tupou, OT Jackson Carman, and DE Sam Hubbard as inactive.

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Twitter roasting Patriots for uniquely failed punt block attempt

This play obviously didn’t go according to plan for the Patriots.

The New England Patriots tried everything to put points on the board against the Indianapolis Colts, including a nine-man rush on an attempted punt block in the first half on Sunday.

So the Patriots essentially sent the house at the Colts without a returner to field the punt. Unfortunately for New England, the rushers didn’t get home, and the Colts got the punt off with a favorable bounce. That tacked even more yards on the ensuing drive for the struggling Patriots offense.

Defense has remained the saving grace in New England, while offense and special teams has mostly flopped for the team this season.

Of course, a play like this looks even worse with the Patriots sitting at 2-7, which is the worst record in the AFC currently. Here’s what NFL fans were saying on Twitter about the play:

Ja’Marr Chase injury update: WR expected to play vs. Texans

Ja’Marr Chase injury update for Week 10 before kickoff.

After a morning workout, it sounds like Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase will suit up against the Houston Texans.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Chase “did what was necessary in his warmups and will go.”

After being listed as questionable with a back injury on the final injury report, Chase needed to show trainers he was fully functional before getting the go-ahead to be active against the Texans. After the prove-it workout, Chase was seen talking with trainers and then going about his usual pregame warmups.

Chase had an MRI that came back clean earlier in the week due to a back injury suffered during a bad fall on a deep-ball attempt from Joe Burrow during last week’s win over the Bills.

Even if Chase isn’t 100 percent, his presence on the field will be a big boon for an offense already missing Tee Higgins.

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Texans vs. Bengals live blog: 30-27 Houston, FINAL

The Houston Texans take on the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Follow along here for all of the Week 10 action.

The Houston Texans had a milestone victory in Week 9 as they came back to sink the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 39-37. C.J. Stroud looked anything but a rookie as the quarterback threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns. It is fair to say the Texans have graduated from being called a rebuild.

The Cincinnati Bengals had a slow start with a 1-3 mark and questions surrounding quarterback Joe Burrow’s calf. The Bengals are back to being in the thick of things in the AFC North with a 5-3 mark. Speaking of which, the Bengals have a Thursday night showdown in Week 11 at the Baltimore Ravens.

If you can’t catch the game any other conventional way, follow along here.

Lions vs. Chargers: Last-minute thoughts and final score prediction

Lions vs. Chargers: Last-minute thoughts and final score prediction from Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon

We’re back into more of a normal Lions routine…mostly. After a Monday night game and a bye week, it’s been a few weeks since I enjoyed the Sunday morning pot of coffee while pondering the day’s Lions game.

Of course, today’s game is a late-afternoon kickoff in Los Angeles. At least the NFL has given us a breakfast game from Germany to help wake up the football mind.

Here’s what I’m thinking about the Lions and the Chargers in Week 10.

Why I think the Lions will win

  • This Lions unit is about as close to full strength as any team can reasonably be expected to be in Week 10. The bye week came at a great time for Detroit, allowing a lot of key players with nagging injuries to rest and heal. It’s especially true on the offensive line, and that’s the engine that runs Ben Johnson’s offense.
  • The Chargers are on the wrong end of the schedule hose. They played in New York on Monday Night a week after playing on Sunday night in L.A. Their bye came in Week 5, so there’s no rest for the wicked.
  • L.A.’s offense gets one-dimensional too easily. Their last game, the Monday Night Football win over the Jets, is a great example. The Chargers ran the ball 21 times, but nine of those attempts came on their final 10 offensive plays, with the outcome already decided. Four other carries came on 3rd-and-short situations. The Lions defense handles predictable, one-dimensional offenses well. The Chargers have considerable talent with Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen et al, but paint by the passing numbers way too often offensively. Aaron Glenn’s defense should be able to handle that.
  • The Chargers pass defense is really bad overall. They’re really good at two things: pressuring the quarterback and creating takeaways. Actual coverage and tackling? Not so much. They’re bottom-tier in yards per pass attempt (30th), passing yards per game (32nd), net yards per attempt (28th), 3rd down conversion rate via pass (30th), and opposing QB Rating (25th). As long as Jared Goff avoids mistakes–which he’s done very well all season–and the healthy OL gives him a little time, it could be a very big game for the Lions passing offense.

What worries me about the Chargers

  • The Chargers are very good at converting red zone possessions into points. The L.A. defense is middle-of-the-pack in the red zone, but Detroit’s offense (somehow) ranks near the bottom in scoring touchdowns in the red zone. That could be a real problem if the game evolves into a shootout.
  • That Chargers defensive front/pass rush is as good as any the Lions will see all year. Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack get the attention, but L.A. is a lot more than just those two All-Pros. EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu is a front-runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year, leading all rookies in sacks, QB pressures and penalties drawn. Morgan Fox might be the most anonymous player in the league with five sacks. They also blitz LB Kenneth Murray quite effectively. The Chargers are 3rd in TFLs on first-down run plays, too. Even against a great Lions OL, they’re capable of ruining the day.
  • Los Angeles leads the NFL in turnover margin, including the dumb luck of recovering a league-high nine fumbles on defense and special teams. They’ve given the ball up just six times in eight games. I believe in two things here: regression to the mean is coming, but the positive inertia of good luck is a fickle mistress to tangle with.
  • At some point, they have to stop underachieving relative to high-end talent. Right? Right?! There is some existential dread that coach Brandon Staley figures out how to stop “Chargering” and does it against Detroit.

Final score prediction

This is a tough one. On paper, the Chargers should be a very difficult matchup for Detroit. Los Angeles probably should expect to win this game at home. I don’t fault anyone for thinking (or betting) that the Chargers will win.

There are many scenarios in the bottom of my coffee mug where the Lions lose this one. But I topped off the java and feel good about the Lions not losing. Emphasis on “not losing” more than winning. The Chargers need to force mistakes on both sides of the ball to beat a team. I trust Dan Campbell’s Lions to not make those costly mistakes. I expect a sharp Lions team that is looking to make a statement coming out of the bye, too.

Lions 27, Chargers 20

Patriots CB Jack Jones benched for second straight week

Jack Jones was spotted standing on the sidelines when the Patriots’ defense took the field for the first time against the Colts.

When the New England Patriots defense took the field for the first time in Germany against the Indianapolis Colts, cornerback Jack Jones was spotted standing on the sidelines.

This is the second straight week Jones has been benched.

It was initially reported that performance issues and missing curfew played into the benching of both Jones and veteran cornerback J.C. Jackson in the Week 9 loss to the Washington Commanders.

When pressed about it after the game, the Patriots coach side-stepped questions in typical Belichick fashion.

“Everybody played, they all played,” said Belichick, when asked why cornerback Shaun Wade was a starter.

Wade was once again the starter this week against the Colts.

Jones’ snap count will be worth keeping an eye on throughout the course of the game. Will the Patriots continue to limit his work or get him more involved?

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Final score predictions for Texans vs. Bengals in Week 10

A final prediction for Texans vs. Bengals in Week 10.

Like the games before it, the Cincinnati Bengals winning a fifth straight will mostly hinge on quarterback Joe Burrow.

That fifth straight looks like it will have to come during a trap game against a game Houston Texans team led by breakout rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who enters Paycor Stadium having thrown for 470 yards and five touchdowns during a win the week prior.

And while Burrow looks all the way back from his calf injury, he’ll need to carry an offense that won’t have Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase’s playing status will come down to a morning workout.

Still, it’s understandable if Bengals fans feel pretty confident in Burrow anyway. They’ve seen him dice up defenses with the likes of Trenton Irwin in the past. And just last week during that primetime win over the Bills, he peppered eight different targets with at least one catch on his way to 348 yards and two touchdowns. He’s now thrown five scores and no picks over the last two games, wins over the 49ers and Bills.

This can go a step further, too. The Texans rank 24th in passing yards allowed per game and the team’s secondary was a big part of an injury report this week that listed a stunning 23 players. On the final report, eight players were listed as out (including a starting kicker), with a corner and pass-rusher listed as questionable, too.

Of the players listed out for the Texans, top running back Dameon Pierce and top wideout Nico Collins will miss the game, leaving Stroud without key weapons on the road against a Lou Anarumo defense that should throw confusing looks at the rookie.

Which isn’t to say the Texans can’t produce — someone like Dalton Schultz is the blueprint to exploit the usual Bengals struggles against tight ends. But if the Bengals offense jumps out in front and Stroud’s offense has to get predictable to keep pace, it could create problems for the visitors.

Considering the Texans needed nearly 500 yards and five scores from Stroud to beat a 3-5 Tampa Bay team that has lost four in a row, it’s safe to say this is an easier matchup for the Bengals than each of the last two weeks.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t a trap game and the team can’t afford to overlook the Texans while eyeballing next Thursday’s showdown with the Ravens. But it’s super winnable if they keep playing as they have over this four-game streak.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Texans 20

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Texans defense prepared for cerebral side of Bengals QB Joe Burrow

The Houston Texans are aware of the head games that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow presents and feel acclimated to respond.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence gave the Houston Texans problems, but Joe Burrow has his own ways of challenging opposing defenses for four quarters.

Burrow’s unique play-calling went viral on social media this past week when he used unique calls such as, “Grizzle left tight F-fly pass 37 punch waggle help baby dizzy x fan on the turbo.”

Texans rookie defensive end Will Anderson broke down for the Texans Wire how competing with Burrow involves a cerebral component.

“He is really good at dummy counts and seeing what type of coverage you are in,” Anderson said. “He will stop the whole play, look at the adjustments, and then dummy count again to see if you are going to show a different coverage. Then he will call another play and hit a hard count to make you reveal your true coverage. He is really good at unwrapping disguises that defenses are trying to do. It is going to be a great challenge for us, and I am looking forward to it.”

After an abysmal 1-3 start on the season, mainly due to a calf injury Burrow suffered during training camp, the team has bounced back to win four straight games, including victories over the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, where the former Heisman Trophy winner threw for a combined 631 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. With his mobility back at total capacity, the Texans will try to limit his mobility in the pocket by shutting down escape lanes for him to extend plays.

“You obviously want to get as much pressure on him as possible,” said Texans defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins. “When you rush four, those guys have got to get home. If not, and you allow him to stand back there and pick apart a defense, it could be a long day. It definitely presents a challenge; luckily, we feel like we have the guys up front to be able to disrupt everything and allow our guys on the backend to cover and handle the playmakers.”

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Saints vs. Vikings: How to watch, listen, and stream Week 10 game

Saints vs. Vikings: How to watch, listen, and stream Week 10 game

It’s here: we’re off and running into Week 10’s slate of NFL games with the New Orleans Saints (5-4) visiting the Minnesota Vikings (5-4) with ambitions of going into their bye week after winning their third in a row this season.

But that’s easier said than done against a Vikings team that presents some unique challenges. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs’ skills as a runner could keep the Saints defense off-balance just like he did in last week’s heroic comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons. And Minnesota’s defense blitzes more often than any other unit around the league, which could be a problem for Derek Carr.

Here’s how you can tune in:

Lions vs. Chargers: How to watch, listen, stream the Week 10 matchup

Lions vs. Chargers: How to watch, listen, stream the Week 10 matchup

It’s back to work for the Detroit Lions after the bye week. The Lions head west on a business trip to Los Angeles to face the Chargers in Week 10.

Detroit Lions (6-2) at Los Angeles Chargers (4-4)

Sunday, November 12th

SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, 4:05 p.m. ET

Watch

This game will be on CBS. The game draws the network’s top broadcast team of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo. Markets in the red on the map below (courtesy 506 Sports) will get the game on their local CBS affiliates.

 

Listen

The game will be broadcast over the Detroit Lions radio affiliate network. Dan Miller handles the play-by-play, with Lomas Brown as the color analyst and T.J. Lang reporting from the sidelines.

The flagship station is 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit. The full list of affiliates can be found here.

On Sirius XM, the Lions broadcast feed is available on channel 812.

Stream

The NFL+ app (subscription required) is the league’s own network to view the game via a streaming device.

FUBO TV (subscription required) is another option.

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