NFL Week 16 – Page 6 – Syndication Server

Bengals near a top-10 return to power rankings entering Week 16

The Bengals are almost back to the top 10.

The Cincinnati Bengals continue to inch closer to a top-10 spot in the weekly NFL power rankings.

Joe Burrow or not, that’s what happens when a team wins three games in a row to remain alive in the playoff race.

That has the attention of those in charge of the rankings, as does the performance of offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, via USA Today’s Nate Davis:

12. Cincinnati Bengals (14): They’re averaging 31.7 points and 418 yards over the past three weeks. OC Brian Callahan should be getting more attention as a 2024 HC candidate.

Jake Browning’s record-setting showing has been remarkable over the last three outings and all involved in the process of revamping the offense deserves that type of praise.

That said, the Bengals will have to overcome the Ja’Marr Chase injury and the season-ending loss of DJ Reader to keep winning, otherwise, their spot in the rankings will start heading back in the other direction.

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Bengals vs. Steelers Week 16 referee revealed

Referee info for Bengals vs. Steelers in Week 16.

The Cincinnati Bengals are playing on Saturday for the second straight week, this time against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road and the referee for the divisional matchup has been revealed.

Craig Wrolstad will be the head referee for a Bengals game for the first time this season. The last time he worked one was Dec. 24, 2022, when they beat the New England Patriots 22-18 and Joe Burrow completed 40 passes for 375 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Wrolstad and his crew are averaging 10.7 flags thrown per game, including last week when the Buffalo Bills, who are competing for a wild card spot with the Bengals, beat the Dallas Cowboys 31-10 and six penalties were called.

The Bengals are tied for third in the NFL with only 4.9 penalties against them per game and the Steelers are tied for ninth with 5.6 per game.

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Patriots Week 16 injury report: TE Hunter Henry (knee) DNP on Wednesday

Hunter Henry (knee) missed Wednesday’s practice for the Patriots.

Injuries are once again a concern for the New England Patriots ahead of their Christmas Eve showdown with the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Tight end Hunter Henry and offensive tackle Conor McDermott were both listed as non-participants at Wednesday’s practice.

That could be a big problem for the Patriots after another up-and-down offensive performance in their Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Henry, who led the team in receptions and receiving yards, was quarterback Bailey Zappe’s go-to target, and McDermott has stepped up at left tackle with Trent Brown still working his way back from multiple injuries.

McDermott being in concussion protocol puts his availability this week in doubt. If Trent Brown is unable to go as well, the Patriots might be forced to plug Vederian Lowe in at left tackle, which has had disastrous results at times this season.

Here are the full injury reports for both teams on Wednesday:

New England Patriots

Player	Injury	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Game Status
TE Hunter Henry	Knee	DNP
OT Conor McDermott	Concussion	DNP
S Jabrill Peppers	Hamstring	DNP
RB Rhamondre Stevenson	Ankle	DNP
DL Christian Barmore	Shoulder	LP
Ja’Whaun Bentley	Knee	LP
OT Trent Brown	Ankle/Hand	LP
CB Jonathan Jones	Knee	LP
SpT Matthew Slater	Hamstring	LP
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster	Ankle	LP
LB Jahlani Tavai	Ankle	LP

DNP: Did not practice; LP: Limited participation ; FP: Full participation

Pittsburgh Steelers

Player	Injury	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Game Status
OLB Nik Bonitto	Knee	DNP
TE Greg Dulcich	Hamstring/Foot	DNP
RB Samaje Perine	Not injury-related/Rest	DNP
OLB Jonathon Cooper	Ankle	LP
T Alex Palczewski	Knee	LP

DNP: Did not practice; LP: Limited participation ; FP: Full participation

Injuries have been an ongoing problem for the Patriots all season, and that seemingly isn’t changing at this point. The next-man-up mentality must remain intact for a team that’s needed it all year long.

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Lions injury update: 2 players sit out 1st practice of Week 16

Lions injury update: 2 players sit out 1st practice of Week 16 while 2 players on IR returned to practice action

The Lions have begun practices for the Week 16 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings. Two players who have not been on the injured list recently sat out the Wednesday practice session.

Cornerback Jerry Jacobs (hamstring) and tight end Brock Wright (hip) were listed as out with their injuries. Jacobs only appeared on special teams in the Week 15 win over the Broncos.

Two players currently on the injured reserve list were practicing. Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson (pec) and fullback Jason Cabinda (knee) have both had their return clocks started. Both players are now eligible to be activated anytime in the next 21 days.

Three players were limited participants:

LB Derrick Barnes (shoulder)

DL Levi Onwuzurike (knee)

RT Penei Sewell (shoulder)

The Lions practice again on Thursday and Friday.

Ja’Marr Chase headlines second Bengals vs. Steelers injury report

Ja’Marr Chase and the rest of the Bengals vs. Steelers injury report.

The second injury report of the week for the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t feature much difference from the first.

As has been the case since last weekend, Ja’Marr Chase is the centerpiece of attention and he was the only player who didn’t go:

WR Ja’Marr Chase (DNP)
RB Chase Brown (FP)
G Alex Cappa (FP)
DE Cam Sample (FP)

This comes a day after Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said the team isn’t ruling Chase out for the Week 16 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. A new report followed that, though, and said Chase could miss at least two games.

Outside of the obvious importance that is having one of the best wide receivers on the planet on the field against the Steelers, the rest of the injury report shapes up nicely.

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Saints enter Thursday Night Football vs. Rams in a ‘prove it’ situation

After a strong performance against the Giants, New Orleans has to prove they can do it again against better competition:

The New Orleans Saints game versus the Los Angeles Rams is a “prove it game.” The Saints have recovered from a three game losing streak with two wins in a row. Their victory over the Panthers wasn’t impressive, but New Orleans looked good against the Giants. On Sunday, New Orleans looked how we expected them to look all season against lower competition.

The defense was dominant and showed good technique. In the second half, the offense gained consistency. The Rams will pose a greater challenge than the last two weeks. Can New Orleans keep up their level of play against the Rams? Thursday night will be used to prove their performance against the Giants wasn’t a fluke.

Can the defense play well in the first half against a better offense? Can they continue to rush the passer and convert pressure into sacks? Will the offense’s red zone efficiency continue? These are all important questions. Playing well Thursday and answering these questions positively would showcase a consistency we haven’t seen in two years.

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Bengals reveal jersey combo for Week 16 showdown vs. Steelers

The Bengals will wear a winning jersey combo against the Steelers.

The Cincinnati Bengals will trot out a successful uniform combo for Sunday’s AFC North showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On the road, the Bengals will wear white jerseys with black pants and white socks, plus the traditional orange stripes and helmet.

That’s a good thing, at least for those who buy into it — per Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network, the Bengals have a 6-3 mark in that exact combo and have won three in a row.

The Bengals will take any help they can get going into the showdown given the playoff implications at stake and the injury saga around star wideout Ja’Marr Chase.

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Chris Olave, Kendre Miller practice on a limited basis on Tuesday

Chris Olave, Kendre Miller, and Payton Turner all practiced on a limited basis ahead of Thursday night’s big Rams game:

We shouldn’t make too much of it (and we’ll explain why in a second), but this is still good news: New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave, running back Kendre Miller, and defensive end Payton Turner all practiced on a limited basis ahead of Thursday night’s big game with the Los Angeles Rams.

Now to pour some cold water on that. Because it’s such a short week with a cross-country flight ahead of them before kickoff at SoFi Stadium, the Saints only held a walkthrough session and focused on special teams work Tuesday. They’ll practice again Wednesday before traveling to California. So this may have not been as representative an idea of everyone’s progress compared to a full practice session.

Still, it’s good news for a team that could use it. This is very nearly a playoff elimination game for both the Saints and the Rams and each squad will be hoping all hands are on deck before kickoff. Here’s the Tuesday injury report from each team:

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Fantasy Football Market Report: Week 16

The top risers and fallers heading into Week 16.

The list of teams that have been eliminated from playoff consideration in the NFL has grown markedly with each week. But that doesn’t mean their games are meaningless.

Pay attention to those players who are getting a look late in the season for teams that are playing out the season when the competition remains real. Often times, if somebody shines in December on a team whose season is done, get an in-road to landing a bigger role the following season.

If you’re still chasing a league title, keep your eyes on the prize. If not, put some focus to the NFL teams that have been eliminated and get an insight on their plans for next year. You may bet the edge you need to turn things around next year.

Jets open as 3-point favorites vs. Commanders in Week 16 matchup

Despite getting the doors blown off in Week 15 by the Miami Dolphins and seeing their playoff hopes come to an end, the New York Jets are favored heading into their Christmas Eve meeting with the Washington Commanders.

The early numbers from BetMGM have the Jets as a three-point favorite against Washington, a team that was also eliminated from the playoffs Sunday and enter with a worse record than the Jets at 4-10.

This is an intriguing game if only for the fact that the loser could have an inside track to a top-five pick in April’s draft.

The over/under is set at 38 with a -110 moneyline (a $110 bet would win $100).

Moneyline (ML)

Commanders +130 (bet $100 to win $130)
Jets -155 (bet $155 to win $100)

Against the spread (ATS)

Commanders +3 (-115)
Jets -3 (-105)

Over/Under (O/U)

38 (O: -110/U: -110)