TAMPA, Fla. — This is bigger than stopping the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night.

It’s more important than stopping Kirk Cousins or Bijan Robinson or Drake London.

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, the real question is this:

Are they capable of stopping their own demise?

We are at the point of the season where Tampa Bay’s defense ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — It may not appear as such after the Pittsburgh Steelers allowed the Baltimore Ravens to rush for over 200 yards for the third consecutive meeting.

Or when, beginning with the 10-play drive that produced a field goal at the start of the fourth quarter, the Ravens outgained the Steelers, 209 yards to eight, the rest of the way.

...Read more

LAS VEGAS — The Raiders dealt Broncos bettors one of the worst beats imaginable Sunday when Daniel Carlson kicked a 46-yard field goal with no time remaining to cover the spread as 8-point underdogs in a 24-17 loss at Allegiant Stadium.

Barstool Sports founder and high-stakes sports bettor Dave Portnoy was outraged by the ending, in which a ...Read more

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — When the schedule was released, the Week 14 game between the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers figured to be a battle for the NFC South title.

The Bucs (7-6) have held up their end of the bargain, but the Falcons (4-9) have slipped toward the bottom of the division. The two teams will meet at 8:15 p.m. ET Thursday...Read more

Each week I’ll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define “widely available” as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free-agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.

Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown if you ...Read more

MIAMI — The wife of Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill will sit down with the NFL for an interview amid the league’s investigation into domestic violence during their marriage, which have included accusations that he tried to punch her stomach while she was pregnant, according to a court document filed Monday.

Keeta Vaccaro, 29, — Hill’s ...Read more

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — There are few adjectives that Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh will spare in talking about Justin Herbert, especially in the aftermath of a week in which the quarterback treated hand surgery as a minor inconvenience.

“He’s a superhero,” Harbaugh said Monday night after Herbert guided his team to a 22-19 ...Read more

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — So we know what kind of team the Eagles are now. It took 13 games, and to watch most of them was to experience the same amount of pleasure as when you slam your fingers in a door. But they have revealed themselves, and there’s no use disputing the diagnosis.

The Eagles are an excellent defensive team, and that is all, ...Read more

Longtime San Diego Chargers defensive back Quentin Jammer had a rough year in 2011.

On the field, he was having his worst statistical season after a decade in the NFL. Off the field, the father of three young sons was going through a painful divorce.

On Monday, Jammer made a revelation that shed some light on just how dark those days were for ...Read more

These are not your grandfather's Indianapolis Colts.

Or perhaps they are.

The Colts are planning to sign Chargers legend Philip Rivers, who recently became a grandfather, bringing back the 44-year-old quarterback after five years of retirement.

According to multiple reports Tuesday, the franchise intends to sign him to its practice squad in ...Read more

Frederick Green, a Bronx man who authorities said has four prior arrests, was charged Tuesday with attempted murder, assault and weapons possession in the shooting of New York Jets defensive back Kris Boyd on Nov. 16 outside a Midtown restaurant.

Green, 20, was hiding in his girlfriend's apartment in upstate New York and identified through ...Read more

ATLANTA — Every week it seems Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald emphasizes just how difficult it is to take down an NFL opponent.

Every week he highlights how hard it is to secure a win in the world's top football league.

And yet, just about every week, his team makes racking up said victories look as easy as a summer snooze. This is ...Read more

MIAMI — Only in this uniquely weird season would something intended to call out, and motivate a slacking player serve as a catalyst that helped jumpstart the Miami Dolphins’ four-game winning streak, transforming this once disastrous season into something worthy of respect.

By now you’ve probably seen the Dolphins’ defense surround one ...Read more

ATLANTA — I keep hearing that Arthur Blank is a good NFL franchise owner. Teams with good owners win consistently. Blank’s AtlantaFalcons have been losing for a long time. That’s the sign of a bad owner.

The Falcons lost 37-9 to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday to secure their eighth consecutive losing season. That ties a franchise record ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Barr handled the Gjallarhorn and Skol chant duties in pre-kickoff festivities Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. The former Vikings linebacker wore a No. 22 jersey to honor his good friend, Harrison Smith.

Smith returned the favor by wearing a T-shirt with Barr’s image in the locker room after the game. Smith sported ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — All that talk about the left hand of Justin Herbert, and Monday night came down to the left foot of Cameron Dicker — and both hands of Tony Jefferson.

Dicker made five field goals and Jefferson made a game-ending interception to lift the Los Angeles Chargers to a 22-19 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Cam Hart ...Read more

SEATTLE — As the Indianapolis Colts come to Seattle for a game against the Seahawks on Sunday at Lumen Field, they are facing significant questions about their quarterback position following the loss of starter Daniel Jones to an Achilles injury.

In exploring their options to salvage a season that began with such promise, the Colts are ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — If not for at least two highly questionable calls and a blatant drop near the goal line, we might be writing the Pittsburgh Steelers’ obituary today. But that’s football. So we speak of hope instead.

If the Steelers have a real quarterback, a legitimate passing game and healthy defensive playmakers, they have a chance in the ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — If Todd Bowles sounded irritated Monday, it’s because it was intentional.

The Bucs’ 24–20 loss to the Saints on Sunday wasn’t one you shrug off, file and forget about. It was the kind you sit with, at least for a moment, because Bowles believes his players should be bothered by it.

Fortunately, he said the team has no ...Read more

CHICAGO — Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson said Monday he didn’t believe wide receiver DJ Moore was the answer on the fourth-down interception that quarterback Caleb Williams threw in the final minute of Sunday’s 28-21 loss in Green Bay.

“I think he came open more after the ball was released from Caleb,” Johnson said of Moore.

...Read more