Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow called it “ridiculous” to think he might miss Sunday’s game in Houston because of back tightness and he is active for the Week 2 matchup with the Texans.
Burrow’s health became a talking point this week when he was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but he returned to full practice on Friday. The Bengals still listed him as questionable for the team’s first road game of the season.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Burrow felt normal while going through Friday’s practice, but was very sore earlier in the week. The Texans pass rush could exacerbate that soreness if they’re able to get to Burrow early in Sunday’s game.
Bengals at Texans
Bengals: WR Ke’Shawn Williams, CB Josh Newton, OL Connor Lew, DL BJ Hill, DL Landon Robinson, QB Josh Johnson, OL Myles Hinton
Texans: TE Brevin Jordan, WR Nico Collins, LB Jake Hummel, CB Collin Wright, G Ed Ingram, OT Nate Thomas, DE Jadeveon Clowney
Panthers at Falcons
Panthers: LB Pat Jones, TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, QB Haynes King, CB Chau Smith-Wade, LB Tyrel Dodson, OT Albert Reese, DT Bobby Brown
Falcons: QB Tua Tagovailoa, QB Michael Penix, DB Billy Bowman, DB Malcolm DeWalt, OL Ethan Onianwa
Saints at Ravens
Saints: RB Kendre Miler, QB Zach Wilson, DB Decamerion Richardson, LB Isaiah Stalbird, DL Christen Miller, OL Mason Murphy, DL John Ridgeway
Ravens: QB Joe Fagnano, WR Zay Flowers, G Andrew Vorhees, OT Gerad Lichtenhan, LB Teddye Buchanan, DL Nnamdi Madubuike
Vikings at Bears
Vikings: QB Kyler Murray, WR Jauan Jennings, DB Zemaiah Vaughn, DB Jakobe Thomas, OL Nick Samac, OL Caleb Tiernan, DL Elijah Williams
Bears: QB Case Keenum, DE Jamree Kromah, DT Jayden Loving, OT Ozzy Trapilo, OL Jordan McFadden
Steelers at Patriots
Steelers: CB Joey Porter Jr., WR Michael Pittman Jr., QB Drew Allar, QB Will Howard, G Gennings Dunker, DT Kevin Jobity, DT Gabriel Rubio
Patriots: CB Carlton Davis, OT Dametrious Crownover, OT Walter Rouse, TE Tanner Arkin, DL Leonard Taylor, QB Behren Morton
Packers at Jets
Packers: CB Benjamin St-Juste, OL John Williams, OL Travis Glover, DT Warren Brinson, DT Javon Hargrave
Jets: CB D’Angelo Ponds, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, K Blake Grupe, RB Kene Nwangwu, LB Joseph Ossai, LB Trevin Wallace
Browns at Buccaneers
Browns: QB Taylen Green, LB Justin Jefferson, S Daniel Thomas, CB Toriano Pride, C Parker Brailsford, G Teven Jenkins
Buccaneers: CB Ayden Garnes, CB Jacob Parrish, G Luke Haggard, G Billy Schrauth, DL DeMonte Capehart, DL Elijah Simmons
Eagles at Titans
Eagles: QB Tanner McKee, QB Cole Payton, WR Elijah Moore, LB Jonathan Greenard, G Micah Morris
Titans: CB Cor’Dale Flott, LB James Williams, OL Atonio Mafi, OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, TE Kylen Granson, DT Jackie Marshall
Ravens Clips
The Ravens will be without wide receiver Zay Flowers for Sunday’s game against the Saints, but they are set to have linebacker Trey Hendrickson in the lineup.
Hendrickson was listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report of the week after returning to practice on Friday. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Hendrickson is expected to play while wearing a cast to protect his injured finger.
Flowers is out with a hamstring injury and the Saints’ top wideout Chris Olave has also been dealing with a hamstring issue this week. Olave traveled with the team to Baltimore and Rapoport reports that Olave is set to play on Sunday.
Saints defensive end Chase Young, who has a calf injury, is also expected to play.
Yes, there are concerns about the quality of the field at Maracaña Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the Ravens and Cowboys are due to play next Sunday. And the NFL is aware of the situation.
From rain to a significant number of soccer matches (with one more happening on Sunday), there are potential problems. The NFL is taking steps, we’re told, to ensure that the field will be ready to host the game in only eight days.
The clock is ticking. After Sunday’s soccer game, the league will need to decide fairly quickly whether the field will be suitable for the Week 3 contest. If there’s a chance it won’t be, the only prudent thing to do would be to move it.
With the Cowboys serving as the home team for the game, the obvious alternative would be to move the game to Dallas. A quick decision will need to be made.
The overriding question is whether the NFL’s international obsession will tip the scales toward rolling the dice on proceeding. Regardless of the enhanced physical risk that a substandard field may present to the players.
Eight years ago, the NFL scrapped a Chiefs-Rams game set for Mexico City and moved it to L.A., due to issues with the field.
While Zay Flowers was able to get back on the practice field on Friday, he won’t be playing on Sunday against the Saints.
Baltimore has officially downgraded Flowers from doubtful to out.
Flowers caught five passes for 150 yards with a touchdown in Baltimore’s 41-23 victory over Indianapolis last weekend before exiting the contest.
Additionally, the Ravens have placed cornerback T.J. Tampa on injured reserve with a knee injury. Linebacker Carl Jones has been signed to the 53-man roster from the club’s practice squad as a corresponding move.
Offensive tackle Gerad Lichtenhan has been elected from the practice squad to the gameday roster.
The Saints listed wide receiver Chris Olave as questionable to play in Sunday’s game against the Ravens, so their move to elevate another wideout from the practice squad on Saturday could signal Olave will not play in Baltimore.
The clearest signal about his outlook would have been if Olave stayed in New Orleans, but that did not happen. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports that Olave made the trip with the team on Saturday.
Underhill reports that defensive end Chase Young also traveled with the team. Olave hurt his hamstring during the week and Young, who is also questionable, is dealing with a calf injury.
The Saints elevated wide receiver Kevin Austin, who was also brought up to play in their Week 1 loss to the Lions. Long snapper Scott Daly was called up for Sunday’s game as well.
Next Sunday, the Ravens and Cowboys will play in Rio de Janeiro, at Maracaña Stadium. And there are reportedly concerns about the grass there.
Via Mauricio Rodriguez of AtoZSports.com, complaints about the quality of the field are coming from soccer players who have played there in recent days.
“You don’t even need to talk about the field, it’s there for everyone to see,” Flamengo goalkeeper Agustín Rossi said, per Rodriguez. “The way we play, it’s unbelievable that we’re playing on a field like this. Both penalty areas are bad as [expletive]. If you look at it, there are bumps everywhere. There’s still going to be an NFL game here during the international break. After that game, I hope the field is in better shape.”
“We’ve been struggling a lot in these last few games, and the field keeps getting worse,” Flamengo midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta said. “It’s getting harder and harder to control the ball. We have to try to play quickly. If we want to be champions, we have to find a solution. With the team we have, we can’t be playing on a field like this.”
Here are the highlights from the latest game played there. It definitely looks rough.
One more soccer game is scheduled for Sunday, before preparations commence to host Ravens-Cowboys.
In 2018, a Chiefs-Rams game that had been scheduled for Mexico City was moved to the L.A. Coliseum six days before the Monday night kickoff due to issues with the field. Ravens-Cowboys is only eight days away; the league will need to make a quick assessment of the field after Sunday’s soccer game — and possibly make a decision that could lead to another game next weekend at Jerry World.
The Colts’ defense gave up 304 passing yards and 202 rushing yards in their Week 1 loss to the Ravens, and Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner says it was unacceptable.
“We didn’t play to our standard at all whatsoever, and we know we’re better than that and what we put on tape,” Buckner said, via JJ Stankevitz of Colts.com. “But obviously, you’re only as good as your last game and that’s what we put on tape. So we got to continue to prove to ourselves and prove to everybody else that we’re a better defense than that.”
The Colts are 6.5-point underdogs at Kansas City on Sunday night, and they know they need to play a lot better, or else Patrick Mahomes and Kenneth Walker can put up the same kinds of numbers that Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry did. Colts head coach Shane Steichen said he’s emphasizing not letting Walker break tackles.
“The big thing is tackling, right? That’s the biggest thing,” Steichen said. “You got to get this guy on the ground. He runs low, he runs hard, and then our run fits have got to be great.”
If the Colts’ defense again doesn’t play up to its standards, it could be an ugly night against the Chiefs.
Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers was back on the practice field Friday, but he’s unlikely to be back in their lineup for Sunday’s game against the Saints.
Flowers, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, was listed as a limited participant in practice and reports from the open portion of the workout said he was on the very limited end of the spectrum. He’s listed as doubtful to play this weekend, but the outlook is better for three other players who returned to action to close out the week.
Defensive end Trey Hendrickson (finger), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (toe), and left guard John Simpson (groin) were all listed as questionable after getting in limited practice work.
Linebacker Teddye Buchanan (knee), defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike (neck), and cornerback T.J. Tampa (knee) have all been ruled out.
Wide receiver Chris Olave and defensive end Chase Young practiced for the Saints on Friday, but the team isn’t ready to guarantee they’ll be in the lineup against the Ravens on Sunday.
Olave, who has a hamstring injury, and Young, who is dealing with a calf injury, were both added to the report as limited participants on Thursday. They were limited in Friday’s practice as well and head coach Kellen Moore said they will carry questionable designations into the weekend.
Defensive lineman Christen Miller (toe) was injured on Friday and Moore said he’ll also be listed as questionable. Linebacker Isaiah Stalbird (shoulder) is listed as doubtful and long snapper Zach Wood (calf) will be placed on injured reserve.
Moore said everyone else is good to go, which puts running back Alvin Kamara and defensive end Cam Jordan on track to play for the first time this season.
The Ravens welcomed several players back to practice on Friday.
Reporters at the open session of practice shared that wide receiver Zay Flowers (hamstring), defensive end Trey Hendrickson (finger), left guard John Simpson (groin), and left tackle Ronnie Stanley (toe) were all suited up for the team’s final workout ahead of Sunday’s game against the Saints.
Flowers left Week 1’s win over the Colts with his injury and head coach Jesse Minter called him day-to-day earlier this week. The Ravens also lost rookie Ja’Kobi Lane to a fractured wrist in the win, so having Flowers back would keep them from being overly thin at wideout this weekend.
The Ravens will release injury designations later on Friday.
