49ers CB Richard Sherman fined for hit on Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett

Although no flag was thrown, 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman has been fined for his hit on Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett Week 10.

The Seattle Seahawks emerged victorious against the San Franciso 49ers and former teammate Richard Sherman last Monday night in Santa Clara.

The NFC West matchup came down to the wire in overtime, when Seahawks kicker Jason Myers was finally able to seal the deal with the game-winning field goal at the buzzer.

Good sportsmanship prevailed as Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson and Sherman exchanged jerseys on the field after the contest.

On Saturday, however, the NFL announced Sherman has been fined for his hit on Seahawks wide receiver, Tyler Lockett.

“49ers CB Richard Sherman was fined $28,075 for unnecessary roughness for lowering his head to initiate contact on his big hit of Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett in the second quarter,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted. “No flag was thrown.”

Here’s a closer look at the play in question – you be the judge.

The Seahawks have a bye this weekend but reconvene Monday for a bonus practice ahead of the Eagles Week 12.

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Texans WR Keke Coutee has good week of practice before Ravens matchup

Heading into their Week 11 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans wide receiver Keke Coutee had a good week of practice.

Keke Coutee may be clawing his way out of the dog house. After a good week of practice, the Houston Texans wide receiver may not be a healthy scratch in his third straight week.

“He did a good job. Yeah, he did a good job,” said coach Bill O’Brien on Friday on Coutee’s practice, “it was a good week.”

Before Houston’s Week 10 bye, coaches alluded to Coutee’s lack of attention to detail being a catalyst for his recent inactive status. Since dropping a critical pass in a Week 7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the second-year slot specialist has not played a snap.

Coutee has recorded 13 receptions for 154 yards on the year. In 2018, as a rookie, he amassed 28 catches for 287 yards and a touchdown.

The Texans’ coaching staff has not indicated whether or not Coutee will play on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. However, with a good week of practice behind him, his chances of doing so are rising.

Broncos make 2 roster moves

The Broncos activated wide receiver Tim Patrick (hand) to the 53-man roster and placed cornerback Bryce Callahan (foot) on injured reserve.

The Denver Broncos will activate wide receiver Tim Patrick (hand) from injured reserve to the 53-man roster, coach Vic Fangio announced Friday. Patrick is now eligible to play against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

To make room for Patrick on the active roster, Denver will place cornerback Bryce Callahan (foot) on injured reserve, ending his season. It’s been a dissapointing year for Callahan, who hasn’t been able to fully recover from a foot injury that he suffered while playing for the Chicago Bears in 2018.

Callahan (5-9, 188 pounds) signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Broncos in March but didn’t play in any games season. If he is able to get healthy this offseason, the 28-year-old cornerback could still emerge as one of the team’s top cornerbacks in 2020. Callahan has totaled 123 tackles, four sacks and four interceptions since 2015.

Patrick (6-5, 212 pounds) broke his hand in Week 1 and missed the last eight games while on IR. It’s safe to say quarterback Brandon Allen is excited about the wide receiver’s return to the 53-man roster.

“He’s great,” Allen said Wednesday. “In the short time I’ve been with him he’s been great, obviously knows the offense. He’s been here and he’s a big, physical target. Any time you have two of those guys like Courtland [Sutton] and him it’s going to be a mismatch for a lot of defenses, and I think he’ll bring another element to our offense.”

Sutton (6-3, 218 pounds) is also excited about Patrick’s return.

“It’s exciting to have him back because he does so much,” Sutton said Wednesday. “He can run plays from the slot because he’s shifty. He can go make the big play on the sideline because he’s a big guy. He’s fast and he’s smart.

“Everything that you want out of receiver — [including] his size — he does it and he does it really, really well. It’s exciting to have him come back and I know everyone on our team is excited to have him back if he comes back this week.”

Denver’s 53-man roster and 10-man practice squad are now both full.

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Josh Gordon had only 2 catches in Seahawks debut but both were crucial

New Seahawks wide receiver Josh Gordon only registered two catches in the team’s win over the San Francisco 49ers, but both were crucial.

Josh Gordon made crucial contributions in his first game as a Seattle Seahawk on Monday night, despite his stat line showing only two catches for 27 yards. Both of those catches were vital plays in the game against the San Francisco 49ers and offered a glimpse of what the Seahawks and their fans can expect from him moving forward.

Russell Wilson credited Gordon for making the most of his opportunities and helping the team achieve their most important victory of the season.

“Josh Gordon has been a great addition to our team,” Wilson told reporters after the win. “We have a lot of great receivers and a lot of guys who can catch the football and make plays. He made some huge, huge catches today on third downs. He had the one slant to the right and I think another on the left. Just some of the plays he was making with confidence on big third downs to continue drives. He was great. He had a great week. It’s great to have him on our football team.”

Gordon had a reception for 13 yards on third-and-6 that preceded Jason Myers’ 46-yard field goal that gave Seattle a 24-21 lead. His other catch was for 14 yards and a first down in overtime.

While Gordon did not receive many opportunities, he has already displayed a propensity for coming through in the clutch. This could be just what Seattle needs at wide receiver with Tyler Lockett’s status up in the air for Week 12 against the Eagles when the team comes off their bye week.

Sitting at 8-2 with a tough schedule ahead of them, the Seahawks could use more contributions from Gordon down the stretch.

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Quincy Enunwa upset with Jets after being fined for missing treatment

The Jets have another angry player mad for how the team is handling his injury. This time it’s wide receiver Quincy Enunwa.

Add Quincy Enunwa to the list of injured Jets angry with the organization.

Enunwa, who’s been on injured reserve with a neck injury since mid-September, posted a series of angry tweets directed at the Jets for fining him $27,900 for missing two injury treatments.

Enunwa later specified that he only missed those treatments because he was taking his wife, Deanna, out for Veteran’s Day lunch and because he had a family emergency. Deanna Enunwa served in the U.S. Army from 2007-2010, according to her LinkedIn account.

“The biggest reason it hurts is that I’m on IR for the second time in my career and the doctor told me I have a 50/50 chance of coming back to play,” Enunwa later tweeted. “I shouldn’t even HAVE to be in that building being reminded every day of what I can’t do.

“This s—- feels like punishment already and then they FINE me the max. And then want me to continue to do my rehab there and IF I get healthy they want me to then play for them after.”

Enunwa says he only posted the tweets because multiple teammates told him it’s “f—-ed up” that the Jets are fining him for missing treatments.

This isn’t the first time the Jets have been less than hospitable to their injured players. Lest we forgot the Kelechi Osemele injury debacle in which the Jets denied the guard surgery for a torn labrum, fined him for missing practice and ultimately cut Osemele for getting surgery on his own. Osemele filed a grievance against the Jets before they cut him. Shortly after that, quarterback Luke Falk also filed a grievance against the team for cutting him after he suffered a hip injury that required surgery.

Joe Douglas is less than six months into his tenure as the Jets general manager and he already has three bad injury situations on his ledger. Not only are all three a terrible look for the Jets organization, but the pattern means there is definitely something wrong with the front office’s ability to deal with injuries.

Enunwa signed a four-year, $36 million contract extension with the Jets last offseason, and the Jets need to do right by a player who has battled multiple injuries since being drafted in the sixth round of 2014 draft.

WR DeAndre Hopkins is a leader for younger Texans players

Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins may not be the most vocal player playing his position, but he is a leader for the team.

DeAndre Hopkins lets his actions do the talking. Never one to create a frenzy out of thin air, the Houston Texans wideout hailing from South Carolina rarely enters conversations for the words that come out of his mouth.

Though silent playing a position that is anything but mute, Hopkins is a leader for the Texans. Specifically, those younger players hoping to share the field with him snap-to-snap.

“Hop’s a really good teammate. I think he does a good job with the younger players. I think he’s very football smart,” said coach Bill O’Brien on Wednesday. “He’s played a lot of football, he’s got a lot of experience versus a lot of different coverages, a lot of different corners, so he can help a younger player relative to what the look might be.”

Hopkins, 27, is in his seventh year in the NFL. During those seven seasons, he has racked up 596 receptions, 8,102 yards and 51 touchdowns. He has missed just one game in his career, starting all 104 others.

Hopkins, otherwise known as “Nuk,” knows football. If he can share the knowledge that he has picked up over the years, he will do just that. As stated multiple times, the only goal of his is to win; progressing his teammates’ knowledge only helps achieve that goal.

“He helps even the running backs when they’re out there with him in the formation, ‘hey, this is what it might be, this is what it might be.’ So, I think he just does a good job of communicating all of his knowledge based on how much he’s played,” O’Brien said. “He’s been a successful player, but he’s successful for a lot of reasons, and one of him is his football savviness, his ability to understand what’s going on X’s and O’s wise.”

On Sunday, Texans-Ravens spectators may not see Hopkins chat as much as other receivers. When he does, however, it’s for a good reason.

Texans eager for imminent return of receiver Will Fuller

The Houston Texans could be receiving wide receiver Will Fuller back into the lineup again. Naturally, they are excited about that.

The Houston Texans have adjusted well to the absence of wide receiver Will Fuller. Since the speed merchant suffered a hamstring injury in Week 7, Houston has won back-to-back games, averaging 413 yards per in the process.

However, when Houston can get Fuller back, they will. Though oft-injured and prone to drops, his speed, chemistry with Deshaun Watson and route-running adds an extra dynamic to the offense.

“Having a healthy a Will Fuller is no question a positive for the Houston Texans. Helps everybody in the room. Helps the team,” said wide receivers coach John Perry on Nov. 5.

On the season, Fuller has recorded 34 receptions for 450 yards and three touchdowns. His 17 deep targets rank second in the NFL, per PlayerProfiler, despite the missed time while his average target distance of 15 yards sits at 12th.

“It’s just good for him,” Perry continued, “because he’s such a good person who’s worked so hard. You just hate to see guys be injured at all. We’re excited to get the opportunity to have him back in the second half of the year.”

Fuller’s hamstring injury suffered in Week 7’s loss was expected to sideline him for a few weeks. However, his time table to return did not warrant a placement on the injured reserve.

Houston has employed the help of Kenny Stills to fill-in for Fuller. In his two weeks in the starting lineup, Stills has eight receptions for 74 yards.

Houston’s Week 10 bye may have allowed Fuller the adequate time to return to the lineup. Before the team went mute for the week, coach Bill O’Brien alluded to him trending in the right direction for his return.

Whether or not Fuller does return for Week 11’s tilt with the Baltimore Ravens will be known throughout the week. The first indication of his availability will be Wednesday’s practice, followed by reports on Thursday and Friday.