Raiders make QB change to spark offense vs. Steelers

In an attempt to jump start their offense, the Las Vegas Raiders will change quarterbacks this weekend to someone new.

As for their disgruntled star wideout? Same old, same old.

Davante Adams is likely to remain out and second-year signal-caller Aidan O’Connell will step in for veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew II when the Raiders (2-3) host the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) on Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas.

This will be the third game in a row that Adams is expected to miss because of a hamstring injury. While he has been sidelined, trade rumors have swirled around the 11th-year veteran who has five 1,000-yard campaigns in his previous six seasons.

“We talked so everything’s good,” Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce said. “He is still a Raider. He has never not been a Raider. When he’s healthy and can play, we’ll play him.”

Meanwhile, the Steelers are playing a similar game of wait-and-see when it comes to injury recovery with their own high-profile veteran.

Quarterback Russell Wilson, who has not played this season because of a calf injury, returned to practice this week. He took repetitions with the second team in practice and is expected to serve as a backup to Justin Fields this week against Las Vegas.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin sidestepped a specific answer when asked about Wilson’s status for this weekend and the weeks ahead.

“Until [Wilson] gets to a point where we’re comfortable with what we’re looking at, we’re going to continue to push forward with Justin until those things are legitimate, and then we’ll make those decisions,” Tomlin said.

Fields has posted a career-best 97.1 passer rating in his first season in Pittsburgh. He has passed for 961 yards, five touchdowns and one interception, and he has rushed for 172 yards and three scores.

Najee Harris is the Steelers’ top running back with 270 yards but only 3.3 yards per carry. George Pickens leads the team’s receivers with 23 catches for 310 yards.

As for the Raiders, O’Connell is set to make his first start of 2024 after starting 10 games as a rookie in 2023. The Purdue product has played in two games in backup duty this season, completing 19 of 32 passes for 176 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Pierce pulled Minshew after he threw two costly interceptions in last week’s 34-18 loss against the Denver Broncos. He said O’Connell earned an opportunity to start but he left open the possibility that he could turn back to Minshew later in the season.

“I don’t plan on making switches at any (specific) time,” Pierce said. “When it’s time to make a switch, we’ll make a switch.”

Pierce said he was impressed by O’Connell’s maturity as a second-year player.

“(He’s) out of that shell, not looking like a rookie no more,” Pierce said. “Not acting like a rookie no more. He has a certain presence about himself. I love how he walks around the building.

“Really, what I respect the most, is when we named Gardner the starter, he said, ‘All right, I’m going to be the best scout team quarterback possible.’ And he was lighting our (defense) up. And every day he gives us the best look and he walks around with a smile on his face.”

Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers will look to stay hot after scoring his first career touchdown last week against Denver. Bowers leads the team with 313 receiving yards.

Las Vegas also hopes to ignite its running game, which has sputtered this season. Zamir White leads the team with 152 rushing yards and Alexander Mattison is next with 125.

Both teams feature elite pass rushers.

The Steelers’ T.J. Watt has 4.5 sacks in five games this season after tallying 19 sacks in 17 games last year. Watt surpassed 100 career sacks last week against the Cowboys.

Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby can also change the game on defense. Crosby has five sacks in four games after notching 14.5 in 2023.

–Field Level Media

QBs in focus as Commanders make short trip to play Ravens

Two of the NFL’s best dual-threat quarterbacks — one a well-established star, the other a rookie — will battle when the host Baltimore Ravens renew their regional rivalry with the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Lamar Jackson, the NFL’s reigning and a two-time MVP, has led the Ravens to three straight victories into first place in the AFC North with highlight-reel passes and runs after starting the season with two losses.

The Commanders are 4-1 for the first time since 2008 behind rookie Jayden Daniels, who is the first player in NFL history with more than 1,000 yards passing and 250 yards rushing in his first five career games.

There are obvious comparisons between Daniels and Jackson, who are both Heisman Trophy winners. Commanders coach Dan Quinn, however, said each player has his individual style.

“I think everybody knows how exceptional and remarkable Lamar is, and so I get why people would say that here’s somebody who’s got the athletic ability and can absolutely rip it as well,” Quinn said at his weekly news conference this week. “But I’ve always wanted Jayden to be the best version of him and absolutely go for it in that way. They’ll feature different ways in the offense than we do.

“But as far as a comparison, I didn’t allow myself to kind of go down all that road. I just really wanted to kind of stay in all the things that he could do and how we would feature him in our offense with our guys.”

Jackson, in his seventh NFL season, has thrown for 1,206 yards with nine touchdowns and one interception for a 107.3 passer rating. Jackson has also run for 363 yards with two scores.

In last week’s 41-38 overtime victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, Jackson had one of the most iconic plays of his career. After a botched snap, Jackson picked up the ball from the turf, stiff-armed Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard deep in the backfield, and then threw a touchdown pass as he was getting pushed out of bounds to tight end Isaiah Likely.

Jackson was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for that overall performance.

“I knew what was going on,” Jackson said on Sunday. “We just had to put points on the board. That’s what was going through my mind, but without (making) a costly turnover. We were driving the ball down the field, trying to make something happen, because those guys, I think, (had) one play that went 80 yards, so it’s like we have to respond back fast because time is running out, and time was on our side today because we were able to make something happen.”

The Ravens have the NFL’s No. 1 rushing offense, averaging 211.2 yards per game. Establishing the run could be the focal point for offensive coordinator Todd Monken because Washington is ranked 22nd against the run (130 ypg) and 13th against the pass (198 ypg).

Daniels has thrown for 1,135 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also run for 300 yards with four scores.

The Ravens’ secondary has struggled this season and has allowed 280.2 yards passing per game — ranked 31st in the league, ahead of only the Jacksonville Jaguars (287.8). As a result, Daniels could have opportunities to make plays downfield against Baltimore’s cornerback and safeties.

The Commanders also have the NFL’s top-scoring offense with 31 points per game under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

“Jayden is playing at a high, high level,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. “Kliff has done a great job in terms of building the offense around Jayden. They have skill players, they have a really great running back, a veteran offensive line — think they are doing a great job. You see it on tape. They have a lot of plays where there is all kinds of space out there that they’ve created. We have our hands full.”

The Ravens lead the all-time regular-season series against the Washington franchise 4-3.

–Field Level Media

Away from Milton, Bucs focus on Saints, rookie QB Spencer Rattler

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot more on their minds besides an NFC South showdown against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon.

The Bucs (3-2) arrived in New Orleans on Tuesday to avoid the danger from Hurricane Milton and to prepare for the game. They began practicing at Tulane University on Wednesday.

“Overall everything went smoothly,” head coach Todd Bowles said of the evacuation. “We got the team out. We got their families out. We got their pets out and everything else. Family is the most important thing right now. You can replace material things.”

Bowles said most of the players have their families with them in New Orleans.

“That’s a big relief for them and they’re able to focus on football,” Bowles added. “We understand that the things we do in football are a small mechanism in life and how this hurricane is going to affect people, but we’re focused and we’re trying to get ready for a game.”

The Bucs have had extra time to rest and prepare for this contest because their last game, a 36-30 overtime loss at Atlanta, occurred Oct. 3. Tampa Bay had a season-high 160 rushing yards in the game.

“We’ve got to keep that same mindset of establishing the line of scrimmage,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said.

The Bucs had a 24-17 halftime lead but got outscored 19-6 the rest of the way against the Falcons.

“We executed well in the first half,” Mayfield said. “I think we should have had 28 (points) instead of 24. In the second half, we were very close to making some of the plays, but we didn’t and a game like that can shift just like it did.”

The Saints (2-3), on the other hand, have a short week to prepare after losing at Kansas City 26-13 on Monday, which was their third consecutive loss.

Rookie Spencer Rattler, a fifth-round draft choice in April, will start at quarterback for New Orleans in place of Derek Carr, who suffered an oblique injury in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs.

Second-year backup Jake Haener replaced Carr against Kansas City and completed 2 of 7 for 17 yards, but head coach Dennis Allen opted to start Rattler this week and said Carr is “week to week.”

“We talked a lot internally and decided that Spencer gives us the best opportunity to win this particular game,” Allen said. “He has a lot of athletic ability, he can throw the football, he’s accurate and he can create some plays with his feet.”

Allen said Bowles likes to use “exotic blitzes” and he expects that his rookie quarterback will see his “fair share” of them in his regular-season debut.

Carr was one of eight New Orleans starters that missed practice Wednesday. The others were running back Alvin Kamara (hip/hand), tight end Taysom Hill (rib), wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (hip), guard Cesar Ruiz (knee), guard Lucas Patrick (chest), linebacker Pete Werner (hamstring) and safety Will Harris (hamstring).

Tampa Bay had better news on injured starters. Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey (calf), who hasn’t played this season, and offensive tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion), who hasn’t played since Week 1, were both full participants. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot), who hasn’t played since Week 1, was limited.

Three other starters — running back Rachaad White (foot), wide receiver Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and safety Jordan Whitehead (groin) — were limited. Starting center Graham Barton (hamstring) did not practice.

The Bucs are tied with the Falcons for the NFC South lead, one game ahead of the Saints. Atlanta is 1-0 against both of its nearest contenders.

–Field Level Media

Patriots rookie Drake Maye set for NFL debut vs. Texans

A new era will begin in New England when the Patriots welcome the Houston Texans to Foxborough, Mass., on Sunday afternoon.

No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye is scheduled to make his first career start for New England (1-4), which sputtered with Jacoby Brissett under center.

Maye was able to get his feet wet at the end of a 24-3 loss to the New York Jets back in Week 3, completing 4 of 8 passes for 22 yards, and he’s now looking forward to taking on the role of QB1.

“I think it’s a great opportunity,” Maye said of drawing the start against Houston. “Something you dream of, getting your first start in the NFL. So excited to get out there with the guys, take advantage of having the full week to get prepared and try to put my best foot forward and help the team win.”

Patriots coach Jerod Mayo hopes that Maye’s athleticism will allow him to escape any pressure he faces behind a porous offensive line. Brissett was sacked 17 times through the first five games of the season.

“I think now Drake gives us the best chance to win now and going forward,” Mayo said. “He’s been getting better every single week as I said before. At the end of training camp, he actually was trending at a very high rate, and that has continued through the early part of the season.”

Houston’s front seven will try to wreak more havoc than it did last Sunday, when defensive tackle Khalil Davis recorded the Texans’ lone sack in a 23-20 victory over the visiting Buffalo Bills.

With Maye only having 16 NFL snaps under his belt, Houston coach DeMeco Ryans realizes his defense may end up having to learn about the 22-year-old signal-caller on the fly on Sunday.

“Defensively, there’s a lot of unknown with this being (Maye’s) first start,” Ryans said. “A lot of unknown for us. We just have to go out and execute in our job the proper way — not so much about them and focusing on what they’re gonna do, or can do, they can do a lot of different things. …

“We’re just gonna focus on ourselves and making sure we execute the details of our job.”

Although the Texans (4-1) won’t have to adjust to a quarterback change, their offense will have a bit of a new look, as wide receiver Nico Collins was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury.

Collins, who will miss a minimum of four games, amassed 32 receptions for a league-leading 567 yards through the first five weeks of the season.

Houston could also be without running back Joe Mixon, who is dealing with an ankle injury and was one of nine Texans to miss practice on Wednesday. Offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (ankle), safety Jimmie Ward (groin) and defensive end Derek Barnett (shoulder) were also among those held out.

Running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) was limited during the session.

New England’s backfield is also banged up, with a foot injury keeping running back Rhamondre Stevenson out of practice on Wednesday. Safety Kyle Dugger (ankle) was sidelined, too.

Nine Patriots were limited, including receiver Kendrick Bourne (knee), cornerback Marcus Jones (groin) and offensive tackle Vederian Lowe (knee).

After a season-opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals, New England has dropped four games in a row, most recently falling 15-10 to the visiting Miami Dolphins last Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Confident Cardinals seek to keep momentum in visit to Packers

The Arizona Cardinals were looking like a team en route to a dismal season before posting a startling victory over the San Francisco 49ers last week.

Now the Cardinals (2-3) have a chance to reach the .500 mark when they battle the host Green Bay Packers (3-2) on Sunday afternoon.

Arizona recovered from a 13-point halftime deficit on the road against San Francisco for a 24-23 victory. Just as impressive was the way it was achieved.

Kyler Murray guided the Cardinals on a 12-play, 73-yard drive for a touchdown and followed up with a 14-play, 75-yard drive for Chad Ryland’s decisive 35-yard field goal with 1:37 left.

Murray’s performance prevented Arizona from falling to 1-4 and staring at another lost season.

“This league is really hard and I was frustrated with just the way we were playing (in the) first half,” Murray said. “… I feel like the score didn’t represent how well we were moving the ball and the way we were playing.

“When I said, ‘This league is hard,’ the margin for error is very tight and I feel like we were not necessarily giving the game away, but we just weren’t capitalizing on the opportunities we had.”

Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson had an interception and fumble recovery in the second half. The sixth-year pro is in his first season with Arizona and had just one total takeaway in his first five NFL seasons (three with the Cleveland Browns and two with the New England Patriots).

Now he feels he is on a team that can make a major jump.

“We’re sitting at 2-3, and I still feel like we’ve got a hell of a football team,” Wilson said. “We’ve got a lot of ball ahead of us, going to continue to take it one day at a time. There’s still something brewing in the desert.”

The Packers are entering a stretch in which they play five of seven at home.

Green Bay is coming off a 24-19 road victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Jordan Love threw two third-quarter touchdown passes to aid the Packers.

Love has thrown six touchdown passes in two games since returning from a knee injury. But he also has been intercepted four times.

“We’ve just got to continue to encourage (him) to take what’s there,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. “He’s always wanted to push the ball down the field, which I respect. One thing we always talk about is sometimes you’ve got to earn the right to throw it down the field.”

Defensively, safety Xavier McKinney has interceptions in each of the first five games to match the franchise record set by Packers legend Irv Comp in 1943.

“I’m on a mission,” said McKinney, who joined the team as a free agent in the offseason.

McKinney, 26, spent his four seasons with the New York Giants. He has matched his career best of five picks in 2021.

“The guy just has a knack for the football and he’s got great ball skills,” LaFleur said. “He’s very instinctive and smart to allow him to anticipate, to make plays, and then he generally makes the play.”

The Packers had receivers Romeo Doubs (suspension) and Christian Watson (ankle) on the practice field Wednesday. Watson was a limited participant. He was injured against the Minnesota Vikings late last month and sat out against Los Angeles.

Doubs was suspended for the game against the Rams due to “conduct detrimental to the team.” Published reports say he was unhappy with his role.

Defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt (ankle) missed the practice.

Arizona receiver Zay Jones is expected to be active after completing a five-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Right tackle Kelvin Beachum and left guard Evan Brown both sat out practice with hamstring ailments.

The Packers defeated host Arizona 24-21 in 2021 in the most recent matchup.

–Field Level Media

Colts, Titans battling key injuries ahead of divisional clash

Who’s in and who’s out?

That might determine the outcome of Sunday’s game when the Indianapolis Colts travel to Nashville, Tenn., for an AFC South clash with the Tennessee Titans.

Indianapolis (2-3) played without quarterback Anthony Richardson (oblique) and running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) in last week’s 37-34 loss at previously winless Jacksonville, although backup signal-caller Joe Flacco did his part to win the game with 359 yards through the air.

Tennessee (1-3) is coming off its bye week after giving first-year coach Brian Callahan his first win with a 31-12 victory at the Miami Dolphins on “Monday Night Football” Sept. 30.

The Titans won that night without star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (elbow) and lost quarterback Will Levis (shoulder) in the first quarter.

Tennessee may have its injured starters back in time to face the Colts. Simmons was able to participate in Wednesday practice in a limited role, while Levis was a full participant and made it clear afterwards he intends to play.

“I’m going to push myself to play in whatever state that I’m in,” he said. “I’ve got to be smart throughout the week and feel it out and see how I feel, and not put myself or the team in jeopardy. But I’m fighting like hell to get out there on Sunday.”

If Levis can’t play, veteran Mason Rudolph will make his first Titans start. The former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback was more of a game manager than a gunslinger in Miami, throwing for just 85 yards. But with a running game that produced 142 yards and a defense that held the punchless Dolphins to 184 total yards, Rudolph didn’t have to be spectacular.

Tennessee’s defense has been a bright spot amid the team’s slow start. It leads the league in total defense (243.8 yards allowed per game) and pass defense (124.0 yards per game), while ranking tied for 15th against the run (119.8 yards per game).

Indianapolis might play its second straight game without Taylor, who did not practice Wednesday.

Taylor has run for 349 yards and four touchdowns across four games this season. With him out against Jacksonville last Sunday, the Colts tried just 20 running plays on 65 offensive snaps.

Richardson practiced in a limited role Wednesday and may be available Sunday, but whoever starts against the Titans will be down a key target.

ESPN reported Wednesday that top receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is expected to miss multiple weeks with a back injury. Pittman has 22 receptions for 238 yards and one touchdown in five games this season.

Fellow receiver Josh Downs (toe) is also questionable for Sunday after missing Wednesday’s practice.

However, Richardson is optimistic that he can return to action, even as the teams’ receiving corps remains murky aside from Alec Pierce.

“Way better, compared to last week,” Richardson said of his status. “I was able to move a little bit. I’m able to get going, start running, throwing. Feeling good about that. I can do the stuff I need to do in the offense.”

Whether Indianapolis’ defense can offer any resistance remains to be seen. The Colts rank last in total defense (419.2 yards allowed per game), next-to-last against the run (157.0 yards per game) and 29th of 32 teams against the pass (262.2 yards per game).

Jacksonville carved Indianapolis up for 497 total yards last week, including 371 through the air.

The Colts hold a 37-21 lead in their regular-season series against Tennessee, winning both matchups last year.

–Field Level Media

Former No. 1 overall picks duel as Jags, Bears clash in London

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles feels rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is “right where he should be and continuing to get better.”

To be sure, Williams has helped Chicago to two straight wins entering Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, although Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen offers an assessment of his own.

“You like to play against rookie quarterbacks,” Hines-Allen said. “A lot of them want to make the big plays. So, they tend to hold on to the ball a little more.”

Chicago (3-2) will look to keep Williams rolling — and upright — against a Jaguars team that stopped a season-opening four-game losing streak with a 37-34 home victory against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5.

Jacksonville (1-4) became the last team in the NFL to earn a victory this season behind a career-best 371 passing yards from quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Lawrence, like Williams a former No. 1 overall draft pick, was 28 for 34 through the air with two touchdowns and an interception.

Brian Thomas Jr. caught five passes for 122 yards and a score while Tank Bigsby rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Jaguars to a season-high 497 yards of offense.

“I thought we’ve done a good job how we diversify the ball,” Jacksonville receiver Christian Kirk said.

Running back Travis Etienne agreed, adding that the run game is “going to help continue to elevate our offense.”

The possible return of tight end Evan Engram (hamstring), who was limited in practice Wednesday, could also offer a boost. Etienne (shoulder), wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee), cornerbck Tyson Campbell (hamstring), safeties Darnell Savage (quad) and Daniel Thomas (hamstring), and linebackers Devin Lloyd (knee) and Yasir Abdullah (neck) were also limited at practice.

Williams surpassed 300 yards passing for the second time as the Bears routed the visiting Carolina Panthers 36-10 last Sunday. Williams was 20-for-29 passing for 304 yards and a pair of touchdowns to DJ Moore, who had 105 yards on five catches against his former team.

Poles lauded Williams’ resiliency and ability to adjust to what the game gives him.

“The human side of it is you want your guy to just take off and roll, but everyone’s journey is gonna be different,” Poles said. “I think the important thing is for Caleb to understand that as well and run his own race, and he’s done that well in terms of just focusing on how can I get better, how can I put our team in a position to win games.”

Offseason acquisition D’Andre Swift has offered a steady hand to the attack of late. In each of the past two games, Swift has gained at least 120 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown.

The Bears will be without safety Jaquan Brisker, who didn’t travel with the team as he experiences concussion-like symptoms stemming from a second-quarter collision with Carolina tight end Tommy Tremble. The play didn’t force Brisker from the game.

Elijah Hicks will replace Brisker in the lineup, Chicago coach Matt Eberflus said.

On injured reserve since Aug. 27 with a toe injury, Bears defensive end Jacob Martin returned to practice Wednesday, opening a 21-day window to reinstate him on the active roster. Defensive lineman Zacch Pickens (groin) and cornerback Terell Smith (hip) did not travel with the team, while cornerback Kyler Gordon (heel) and left guard Teven Jenkins (ankle) were limited at practice.

Chicago leads the all-time series 5-3 and rolled to a 41-7 road victory in 2020 in the most recent meeting.

The Bears are 1-1 in London games. Jacksonville, which is 6-5 in the British capital, will remain there to face the New England Patriots in Week 7.

–Field Level Media