Tag: Week 11

Report: Tyler Lockett flying back to Seattle, expected to play vs. Eagles

Seattle Seahawks star receiver Tyler Lockett is expected to play in Week 12 after getting the go-ahead to fly back home from California.

Seahawks star wide receiver Tyler Lockett is flying back to Seattle today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He spent the last few days at a Bay Area hospital for precautionary reasons after suffering a lower leg contusion in Monday night’s victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Lockett did not play at all in the overtime period on Monday and was sent to a hospital with swelling in his leg. The team opted to leave him in California as a safety measure, and he remained there on Tuesday as well.

Lockett is on his way back on Wednesday, via Seahawks owner Jody Allen’s private plane, and he is expected to play in Week 12 against the Eagles in Philadelphia, according to Schefter. The Seahawks have a Week 11 bye.

Lockett is in the midst of a Pro Bowl-caliber season, racking up a career-high 62 receptions for 793 yards and six touchdowns through the first 10 games.

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Broncos vs. Vikings broadcast map: Will the game be on TV?

Will you get the Broncos’ game against the Vikings on your local CBS channel this week? Check out the TV broadcast map here.

The Denver Broncos (3-6) will face the Minnesota Vikings (7-3) on the road in Week 11 of the 2019 NFL season on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 11:00 a.m. MT. The game will air regionally on CBS and in-market fans can stream the contest with FuboTV (try it free).

Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Rich Gannon (analyst) will call the game for CBS with former NFL kicker Jay Feely reporting from the sideline.

On the radio, the game will air locally on KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM and The Fox 103.5 FM in English. The contest will also air in Spanish on KNRV 1150 AM.

Denver and Minnesota have faced off 14 times in the past and the all-time series is tied 7-7. The Broncos have won each of the last three contests, including a 35-32 victory on the road in 2011.

Fans in the blue areas on the map below will get the game on local CBS stations, according to 506sports.com.

(506sports.com)

Fans in the red will see the Houston Texans (6-3) face the Baltimore Ravens (7-2) and those in the yellow will watch the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5) take on the Indianapolis Colts (5-4). Fans in the green will see the Buffalo Bills (6-3) face the Miami Dolphins (2-7).

Denver is considered a 10.5-point road underdog this week.

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Mailbag: What lies ahead for the Detroit Lions?

This week’s Lions Wire mailbag is looking forward to 2020, talking draft, free agency, and potential coaching changes.

The Detroit Lions 2019 season appears to be over, or at least, Lions’ fans think so.

While I try to stay optimistic, I will admit that things aren’t looking pretty. The Lions are down a starting quarterback, lack any depth at running back, and the defense looks to be really struggling. They might not be able to salvage the season, but maybe there will some glimpses of hope for the future.

This week’s mailbag is looking forward to 2020, talking draft, free agency, and potential coaching changes.

What linebackers in the draft or potential free agents fit the Lions’ size and style for next season? — @RICH_K13

I’ll be honest, I’m not too studied up on this year’s draft prospects, so I’ll focus on upcoming free agents.

[Editor’s note: Keep an eye on Ohio State’s Malik Harrison]

If the Lions want to go out and spend some big money on a free agent linebacker, 2020 would be a good time to do it.

One name that stuck out was Shaq Thompson of the Carolina Panthers. The 26-year-old linebacker will hit free agency fresh off of his rookie contract, and though he has stated that he’d like to remain with the Panthers, the appeal a big payday could lure him to a place like Detroit.

As we’ve seen, defensive players want to play for head coach Matt Patricia. Maybe Thompson will feel the same way. He fits the bill for what the Lions want in a linebacker; he can rush the passer, he can drop into coverage, he can make plays on the ball. He would thrive in Patricia’s defense.

Rank the players in order of likelihood to make the 2020 roster: Darius Slay, Sam Martin, Jarrad Davis, Taylor Decker. — @ZugIreland

Tier 1: Slay, Martin, Davis, Decker.

Slay, Martin and Decker are more than likely locked into starting roles heading into next season. Davis has struggled, but it’s far too early to give up on him.

All four will be Lions next season.

How many wins would the Lions have to get to in order for Matt Patricia to get one more year? — @rayray1222

Look, this season hasn’t been pretty, but at this point, any losses the Lions get are more reflective of them losing their starting quarterback, not the coaching.

I think next year will be Patricia’s make-or-break season. I could see a mid-season firing if his 2020 campaign has a rough start.

Chances of us drafting a QB like Jalen Hurts in this upcoming draft? Is it time to start looking at Stafford’s successor? — @TheBlackPH30N1X

I don’t think Detroit will be moving on from Stafford any time soon. But, like general manager Bob Quinn said, drafting quarterbacks is ‘good football business’.

Especially after looking at the most recent game against Chicago, I do think the Lions should invest some of their day 2 draft capital on a backup quarterback.

Grooming a quarterback behind Stafford for the next few seasons would be a smart move by Quinn. We saw how bad things are when we don’t have our starter.

I’m currently looking at Utah State’s Jordan Love. I see a lot of Stafford’s game in him, so he’d be my perfect draft prospect for Detroit.

Who are the most eligible candidates for defensive coordinator if the Lions move on from Paul Pasquiloni? — @ZugIreland

One name that I like right now is Dallas Cowboys defensive backs coach Kris Richard.

Known for helping put together Seattle’s Legion of Boom, I think Richard could do a lot to help Detroit’s defense. This team has big holes at both cornerback and safety heading into next season, and a guy like Richard would be a valuable asset come draft time.

He served as Seattle’s defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2017, so he’d be reuniting with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as well.

Who do you think the Lions should draft with their number-one draft pick this coming April? — @B_Lake007

The Lions may be drafting top-ten, but definitely not number one.

I’d go linebacker or defensive end if I were Bob Quinn. As I said earlier, I’m not caught up on this year’s top prospects, so ask again in March.

Thanks to everyone who submitted their questions this week!

Be sure to get those questions in next week, and give me a follow while you’re at it, on Twitter @maxgerbs.

Chargers’ Russell Okung out of practice while rehabbing groin strain

Chargers offensive tackle Russell Okung did not practice on Tuesday and his status for Week 11 is questionable.

Following Thursday night’s game, Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said that offensive tackle Russell Okung’s status for the Monday night game against the Chiefs would be up in the air. Fast forward five days later, and it appears to be the same way.

Okung left the Week 10 matchup against the Raiders after only playing seven snaps with a groin injury and did not return to the game.

“He’s rehabbing. He’s working on the side. We’ll see where he’s at. .I’d love to see him play, but if he can’t go, he won’t go,” Lynn said, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

If Okung is forced to miss Week 11, rookie Trey Pipkins will get the start at left tackle, while Trent Scott will fill in at right tackle for Sam Tevi, who underwent a minor surgery on his meniscus last Friday and could miss a couple weeks.

Pipkins and Scott will get a full week to prepare before facing a Chiefs front that leads the league in sacks (52).

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Tyler Lockett remains in California following lower leg injury

Tyler Lockett remains in California to have his lower leg evaluated, but with a bye week upcoming, the Seattle Seahawks expect him to play.

The Seattle Seahawks are going into their bye week at the perfect time.

Although teams feel that way nearly every week, this week has extra significance with Tyler Lockett, the team’s leading receiver and a potential Pro Bowler, suffering a lower leg contusion late in Seattle’s overtime victory in San Francisco on Monday night.

The Seahawks left him behind in California to get looked at, and coach Pete Carroll confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Lockett is still down in the bay, and will be there at least another day while he gets checked out.

“He’s gonna stay another day, he’ll be there again tonight just for precautionary reasons,” Carroll said on Tuesday. “He’s better than he was yesterday. Our people think he’s going to be fine to play. He’ll need the rest of this week to make sure everything goes away, but he should be fine to play next week.”

Lockett’s status would certainly be a lot murkier if Seattle played this Sunday, but with their next game not until November 24, it gives Lockett plenty of time to rest and recover and hopefully not have to miss any games.

Lockett suffered the injury late in Monday’s contest, although Carroll couldn’t pinpoint exactly win.

While he has severe swelling on his leg, as long as there is no other damage, fans can expect Lockett to be back in time for the Seahawks to take on the Eagles in a few weeks.

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Private workout for QB Colin Kaepernick to be held in Atlanta

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a workout for former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be held on Saturday in Atlanta.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a workout for former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be held on Saturday in Atlanta.

All 32 NFL teams are invited to attend and will get the chance to interview Kaepernick, Schefter said. The league will also make a video of the workout and interview available to each team.

Kaepernick, who last played in 2016, has thrown for 12,271 yards, 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions for a passer rating of 88.9. He’s rushed for an additional 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns over his 69 career games.

UPDATE: Kaepernick has since confirmed the report on Twitter:

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Saints lose ground on reeling 49ers in the latest NFL power rankings

The New Orleans Saints fell in the latest NFL power rankings, trailing the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and Baltimore Ravens.

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The New Orleans Saints took a fall in the latest NFL power rankings from Doug Farrar over at Touchdown Wire, slipping from the No. 3 spot to No. 4 after an ugly home upset to the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday. And it couldn’t have come at a worse time, with the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers suffering their first loss of the year. If the Saints had handled their business, they could have seized the top spot in the NFC. Now, they’re behind both the 49ers and Green Bay Packers, with seven games left to play.

Here’s some of what Farrar wrote about the Saints’ underwhelming day against Atlanta, and what he’s looking for out of them in the coming weeks:

Does this game portend larger issues, or was it an anomaly? The Saints have struggled with slow starts this season, and their offensive line is struggling with ineffectiveness, perhaps exacerbated by injuries. The most disconcerting injury right now, though, is the hamstring strain suffered by top cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore is week to week at this point, and the Saints next face a Buccaneers offense that knows how to exploit weakened secondaries

The 49ers are still ranked above the Saints in Farrar’s power rankings, but barely. The New England Patriots are sandwiched in between both of them, and the only team to have beaten New England this year — Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens — owns the No. 1 spot. It’s easy to see a path for the Saints to make a late bid for the highest spot in these power rankings, but they need to rebound in a big way after the speedbump they hit on Sunday.

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NFL odds: Broncos are 10.5-point underdogs vs. Vikings in Week 11

The Broncos are considered double-digit underdogs on the road against the Vikings this week.

The Denver Broncos (3-6) are considered 10.5-point underdogs on the road against the Minnesota Vikings (7-3) in Week 11, according to BetMGM. The over/under line for combined points scored between the two teams has been set at 39.5.

Before their bye last week, Denver scored 24 points in a 24-19 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 9. Minnesota scored 28 points in a 28-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday evening. That’s 52 combined points in their last games, which would be over this week’s over/under line.

The Broncos and Vikings have met 14 times in the past and the series is tied 7-7. Denver has won all of the last three meetings, including a 35-32 win in Minnesota in 2011. The Broncos are 50-45 coming off their bye over the last 10 years and will look to improve that record in Week 11.

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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Broncos drop 2 spots in NFL power rankings after bye week

Despite not having a game last week, the Broncos fell two spots in NFL power rankings.

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Despite not playing in a game last week, the Denver Broncos (3-6) have dropped two spots in Nate Davis’ latest NFL power rankings for USA TODAY Sports. Denver is now ranked No. 25, considered one of the eight-worst teams in the league (at least in the eyes of Davis).

Here is Davis’ commentary with the Broncos’ ranking:

We could be in for the quarterback battle America never wanted — Brandon Allen vs. Drew Lock with rookie set to resume practicing this week.

The Broncos placed quarterback Joe Flacco (neck) on injured reserve two weeks ago and Allen started in his place and led the team to a 24-19 win over the Cleveland Browns. Allen is expected to start again in Week 11.

Lock (thumb) is still on injured reserve but he returned to practice Tuesday. Denver has 21 days to decide if Lock will be activated to the 53-man roster or remain on reserve for the rest of the season.

The Baltimore Ravens (7-2) are ranked No. 1 and the Cincinnati Bengals (0-9) are ranked No. 32. To view the complete power rankings, click here.

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NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Lions drop to bottom third of the NFL

The Lions (3-5-1) continue to fall in NFL Power Rankings, the loss of quarterback Matthew Stafford surely impacted their status in Week 11.

The Lions (3-5-1) continue to fall in NFL Power Rankings and the loss of quarterback Matthew Stafford surely impacted their status in Week 11 more than the loss to the Bears did.

Let’s take a look at where the Lions stand in the national eye.

USA Today: 27 (Previous: 18)

“Is Kenny Golladay most dangerous deep threat we don’t discuss? Back to those Next Gen Stats, no player averages more targeted air yards than his 16.5.” — Nate Davis

Touchdown Wire: 23 (Previous: 20)

“It’s going to be easy to blame Matthew Stafford’s back injury for Detroit’s 20-13 loss to the Bears, as Stafford had to sit while backup Jeff Driskel took the field. But Driskel wasn’t horrible; he completed 27 passes in 46 attempts for 269 yards, with one touchdown and one interception against one of the NFL’s most formidable defenses. When assigning blame for this loss, and for the collapse that has seen the Lions lose five of their past six games, one must look squarely at a defense that allowed four touchdowns to Oakland rookies in Week 9 and followed that up by making things all too easy for Mitchell Trubisky on his three touchdown passes. This looked like one of the NFL’s better pass defenses at times early in the season, but that narrative has completely fallen apart. Per Pro Football Focus, Detroit’s secondary has allowed 15 touchdowns to just three interceptions this season. No team is going to win that way consistently, no matter who their quarterback is.” — Doug Farrar

NFL: 24 (Previous: 19)

“Here’s a hot take: The Lions really need Matthew Stafford. The quarterback, whose iron-man starting streak ended on Sunday due to a back injury, was sorely missed in a loss to the Bears that put Detroit’s playoff hopes on life support. Jeff Driskel stepped in for Stafford and had a few moments — his best being a pretty, 47-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Golladay that gave the Lions a spark in the fourth quarter — but this simply isn’t a balanced enough team to survive the absence of its best player. The typically overmatched Lions defense started off well, holding the Bears to just 20 yards on four fruitless drives to start the game. But Mitch Trubisky threw touchdown passes in the next three Bears possessions, putting Detroit in a 20-6 hole that was simply too deep with Stafford on the sideline. Now we wait to see how long the quarterback has to stay there.” — Dan Hanzus

ESPN: 21 (Previous: 18)

“Most important game left: Sunday vs. Cowboys. It’s cliché to say the next game is the most important because it’s the next one, but based on what’s happening with the Lions, it really is. Detroit has lost five of six games. Its defense doesn’t appear to be improving, and its offense might or might not have Matthew Stafford. The Lions get the Cowboys at home, and if they can’t beat Dallas, their season will be all but over considering the state of the NFC and that of the NFC North.” — Michael Rothstein

CBS Sports: 23 (Previous 20)

“If Matt Stafford is out for a while they are done. They are probably done anyway.” — Pete Prisco

Sports Illustrated: 24 (Previous: 16)

“Matthew Stafford has been this team’s most important player since Megatron pulled the plug, and predictably the Lions couldn’t squeeze enough out of Jeff Driskel to take advantage of two late fourth quarter drives. Detroit has underdelivered on the early season promise they flashed in those tight losses to the Chiefs and Packers.” — MMQB staff

Sporting News: 22 (Previous: 18)

“The Lions did their best to hang with the Bears, with Jeff Driskel doing his best Matthew Stafford impression at times. But the injury-related uncertainty of their usually durable leader during his best NFL season has to be a big emotional blow.” — Vinnie Iyer