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Bengals-Chiefs Preview Capsule
CINCINNATI (4-2) at KANSAS CITY (6-0)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m., NBC
OPENING LINE — Chiefs by 6 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD — Bengals 4-2, Chiefs 6-0
SERIES RECORD — Bengals lead 15-13
LAST MEETING — Bengals beat Chiefs 36-21, Oct. 4, 2015
LAST WEEK — Bengals lost to Steelers 28-21; Chiefs lost to Patriots 43-40
AP PRO32 RANKING — Bengals No. 8, Chiefs No. 3
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Bengals have won four straight in series dating to Oct. 14, 2007. … This will be first night matchup between teams. Game was flexed from afternoon. … Bengals are 3-15 on Sunday night, losing eight straight. … Cincinnati WR A.J. Green needs two TD catches to pass Carl Pickens (63) for second in franchise history. … QB Andy Dalton needs nine TD passes to surpass Boomer Esiason (187) for second in Bengals history. … Cincinnati has scored TDs on 75 percent of red-zone trips (15 of 20); Chiefs have scored on 69.2 percent (18 of 26). … Cincinnati WR Tyler Boyd had two TD catches last week against Pittsburgh. … Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is 6-2 against Kansas City. … Bengals have yet to have 100-yard rusher this season. … Chiefs coach Andy Reid needs two wins to tie Dan Reeves (201) for eighth most in NFL history. … Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes leads NFL in TD-to-INT differential at plus-14: 18 touchdowns and four picks. … Chiefs are 7-3 in games on Sunday night. … TE Travis Kelce has reception in 69 straight games, third best in Chiefs history. … Kansas City OL Mitchell Schwartz has played NFL-leading 6,742 consecutive snaps. … Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill has league-best nine catches of 25-plus yards. … Kansas City has won 12 straight games when its defense scores. … Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt had 80 yards rushing and 105 yards receiving last week at New England. … Fantasy tip: Start anybody you have on offense from either team, because Chiefs have league's lowest-ranked defense and Bengals rank 29th out of 32. Both are dealing with slew of injuries.
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NFL stadiums and Kenny Chesney: magical mix of sports/music
The wave of sound builds from the bottom of the lower bowl to the very top of MetLife Stadium. Every seat is filled, and the place rocks with energy and anticipation.
Indeed, it couldn't be any louder if the Giants or Jets were playing in a Super Bowl there.
Except there's no football
The wave of sound builds from the bottom of the lower bowl to the very top of MetLife Stadium. Every seat is filled, and the place rocks with energy and anticipation.
Indeed, it couldn't be any louder if the Giants or Jets were playing in a Super Bowl there.
Except there's no football game about to kick off. It's one of 14 NFL and 19 overall stadium stops for Kenny Chesney on his five-month, 42-show "Trip Around The Sun" tour earlier this year. And the musical magic about to be created rivals anything the place has ever seen.
For country music's biggest star — Chesney is the only country act in Billboard's Top 10 touring artists of the last quarter-century — and a nominee for a ninth Entertainer of the Year honor at next week's CMA awards show, the marriage of music and sports is a natural.
"When I was growing up, I had two passions: sports and music," Chesney says. "They were things that made you feel even more alive, and they lifted you up. It was almost hard to separate the way playing football made you feel from how being at a great concert was. Music is such a primal force: it's inside us, without thinking.
"I think playing sports is the same way. How you feel when you're on the field, that immediate rush is the ultimate high. When I started playing for tips and burritos at Quarterback's, it was the same thing — only less intense, because there were so many variables. But as time went on, as I learned about writing songs, really dialing in on life and performing so I know I'm reaching people at the back of the room, that intensity of how it feels when it's right became the same thing. When the drum kicks, the lights start and you can hear the crowd even before the curtain falls, it's like that first play of the night. … It's on, and there's nowhere in the world you'd rather be."
Chesney spends up to three hours on the stage performing a collection of hits pretty much unequaled among contemporaries in any music genre. It's an exhausting trip for virtually everyone: band members, stagehands, crew and, of course, the audience. And it's worth every second.
NFL games generally last about that long and can create the same aura.
"If we do it right, hopefully we wring every spec of energy out of the fans," Chesney explains. "Sometimes you can feel a slight ebb during the last song. But what's more likely to happen, the energy feeds itself, so by the end, they're hitting a whole other plateau. They may sleep til 2 the next day, but they're bringing it hard, and they're not quitting.
"Honestly, it's part of how the band and I can also build our energy: No Shoes Nation feeds us. We go out to give them absolutely everything, but I always say, they give us more than we give them."
Robert Kraft would agree. The owner of the New England Patriots is a certified member of No Shoes Nation. He has had a special relationship with Chesney since 2005, when the first of 19 concerts at Gillette Stadium took place.
"Kenny's music is truly one of a kind. It has this unique and special quality to it that takes people to a place where they can forget the day-to-day worries of life and enjoy the moment, whether in the car listening to the radio or in stadium full of people singing along. When you see Kenny live in concert, his personal energy and charisma is like no one else," Kraft said. "He brings you into the melody and the moment, and it takes those feelings to an entirely different level. After 14 years and 19 shows at Gillette Stadium, I continue to be blown away by the way Kenny and his music affects people. It truly is one of my favorite scenes, seeing 60,000 happy, glowing faces taking in the timeless greatness that is Kenny Chesney."
Chesney is the biggest ticket seller for any musical genre at MetLife Stadium, where Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Taylor Swift have been regulars. The Trip Around The Sun show at MetLife Stadium in August was delayed by a severe thunderstorm before one of the accompanying bands, Old Dominion, took the stage. That also pushed back the set by Thomas Rhett and Chesney, who played and sang beyond midnight.
Yet, just as they would for a big game involving the Giants or Jets, the fans remained, their enthusiasm only whetted, not wetted down.
"There are two things," says Chesney, whose most recent chart-topping album, "Songs For The Saints," is a tribute to the Virgin Islands that were devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria last year. Chesney had a home on St. John. "One, I think sports and music are the two things people are truly passionate about, so there's always going to be similarities in the response. I know plenty of football fans are out there; heck, there's a lot of players, the coaching staff, people affiliated with the teams at the shows.
"But just as importantly, there's that sense of pride in what No Shoes Nation stands for. For the fans who are just music people, they have the same connection to how the songs we sing hold their lives as sports fans have about their team kind of representing the best of who they are. You know, there's no thrill greater than high school football, and seeing your team rush out on the field, and I think that carries over to the NFL for adults, and just people who remember when."
Those folks tend to remember when they witnessed a particularly memorable game. They definitely recall attending — and being such a large part of — a Chesney concert.
"I don't think anything surpasses the excitement of seeing your favorite team play," he says, "but I do think people who come to these stadiums really bring their most passionate selves. When they come to these places — Levi Stadium, Arrowhead Stadium, Raymond James Stadium — they come to throw everything they have at their team.
"And I think they bring that mindset when they walk in the door for our shows, too."
Chesney has not committed to another stadium tour. In 2019, he is planning a more intimate series of concerts. But perhaps the unforgettable vibes from the previous concerts will lead to another Trip Around the Sun.
Regardless, Chesney and No Shoes Nation have proven the bond between music and sports is unbreakable.
"I love football, and the discipline that goes into playing it," he says. "I've been lucky to be friends with Sean Payton, the Manning family, Drew Brees, a lot of those guys, not to mention so many people a casual fan might not know. I've been to practice; I've been to games. I still get a little amazed that I know every inch of a lot of these buildings I see on TV every week, because I stopped growing in the ninth grade, and that was the end of any dream of playing sports for a living.
"When I think about that, or when I'm onstage, and looking all the way to the top, it's a pretty unbelievable feeling. All those games, all that energy, and we get to be part of these places in a way that's just as passionate and intense in a whole other way. It reminds me how powerful music can be."
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NFL on pace for record-setting scoring midway through season
It's never been easier to score in the NFL.
At the midpoint of the season, the league is on pace to set records for most points, touchdowns and touchdown passes in a single season. Teams have scored 6,440 points, 736 touchdowns and 473 TDs in the air through Week 9.
The increase in
It's never been easier to score in the NFL.
At the midpoint of the season, the league is on pace to set records for most points, touchdowns and touchdown passes in a single season. Teams have scored 6,440 points, 736 touchdowns and 473 TDs in the air through Week 9.
The increase in offensive production follows the lowest-scoring season this decade. Teams averaged 21.7 points per game in 2017. That's up to 24 points this season. A total of 12 teams are averaging at least 27.5 points per game led by the Chiefs (36.3), Saints (34.9) and Rams (33.2).
There are several reasons scoring has soared. A combination of new rules and rule adjustments over the past few years favor offenses. The league has banned helmet-to-helmet contact, implemented a defenseless receiver rule and a body-weight rule against players making sacks, outlawed low hits on quarterbacks and emphasized illegal contact penalties.
There's also been an influx of innovative, offensive-minded coaches — Sean McVay, Doug Pederson, Kyle Shanahan — and talented young quarterbacks — Patrick Mahomes, Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, among others.
Five quarterbacks — Mahomes, Goff, Matt Ryan, Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers — are on pace to throw for 5,000 yards. That only happened nine times previously in league history. Ten QBs have a passer rating over 100, double the total last season.
Games are not only featuring more scoring but there's been plenty of close, down-to-the-wire action. Seventy-one games were decided by one score, eight points or less. That's the fifth-most through nine weeks. Thirty-seven games have been decided by a field goal, which was fourth-most at this point. Ten games have reached overtime and 36 teams have rallied to win or tie after trailing in the fourth quarter or overtime.
Close, high-scoring games are exciting for fans, especially the millions who spend billions of dollars to play fantasy football. All of it is good for the league's television ratings, which are up after declining in 2016 and 2017.
More folks are also watching by live streaming. According to a recent study from Conviva, a real-time measurement platform, NFL live viewing was up 72 percent in plays and 83 percent in viewing hours over the same time frame last year.
Conviva's data shows mobile NFL plays were up 95 percent and prime-time NFL saw 109 percent growth in plays and 97 percent growth in viewing hours.
Here's a look inside the numbers from the first half:
PASSING KING: Drew Brees broke Peyton Manning's record for career passing yards last month. Brees has 72,781 yards passing and counting. Manning had 71,940.
KICKING KING: Adam Vinatieri broke Morten Anderson's record for most points and most field goals. Vinatieri has 2,550 points and 573 field goals. Anderson had 2,544 points and 565 field goals.
THE 500 CLUB: Brees and Tom Brady joined Manning and Brett Favre as the only players to throw 500 TD passes. Brees has 506, one more than Brady. Manning had 539 and Favre had 508.
PATRICK THE GREAT: Mahomes has 29 TD passes and 3,185 yards passing yards, the most in both categories through the first 10 games of a player's career. He also has thrown for at least 300 yards in eight straight games, one away from setting the record he currently shares with Andrew Luck.
THIELEN'S CHASE: Adam Thielen became the first player to have eight 100-yard receiving games to start a season, tying Calvin Johnson for the longest streak of such games. The former undrafted wide receiver has 78 catches for the Vikings. He's on pace to challenge Marvin Harrison's single-season record of 143.
GURLEY GETS IN: Todd Gurley has 16 touchdowns — 12 rushing and four receiving — for the Rams. He's on pace for 28. The record is 31 by Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson.
KIRK COMPLETIONS: Kirk Cousins became the first player to complete at least 30 passes in four consecutive games. Before the season, Cousins became the first player to sign a fully guaranteed contract when the Vikings gave him $84 million for three seasons.
FIRST MISS: Justin Tucker had made all 222 extra points in his career before he missed one at the end of Baltimore's 24-23 loss to New Orleans in Week 7. He hadn't missed any kick 33 yards or shorter in 300 tries his career.
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NFL notebook: Bell inches closer to return to Steelers
NFL notebook: Bell inches closer to return to Steelers NFL notebook: Bell inches closer to return to Steelers
At least holdout running back Le'Veon Bell is in the same area code as the Pittsburgh Steelers, two days after posting a farewell message to his offseason home in Miami on social media.
Bell, however, has not yet reported to the Steelers, who play Thursday at home against the Carolina Panthers. Instead, he was spotted Wednesday playing basketball at an L.A. Fitness facility in North Pittsburgh. Opponents and onlookers shared their encounter with Bell on social media, and the facility manager confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday that Bell was present.
He's holding out after the Steelers failed to meet his contract demands, sacrificing more than $8 million in salary during the ongoing stalemate. Reporting after the July 15 deadline to sign a long-term deal, but before Week 1, would have assured Bell the entirety of his $14.5 million franchise tender for 2018.
Bell is facing the latest deadline in the off-field-drama next week. He must report by Tuesday or will become ineligible to play this season.
–Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant agreed to a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints, according to multiple reports, and he won't have to wait long for a chance to show his old team what he has left. The Saints (7-1) play Dallas (3-5) on Nov. 29.
Bryant will sign the deal on Thursday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Bryant has been a free agent since he was released by Dallas in April. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, he has 7,459 receiving yards and 73 touchdowns in his career. Last season, he notched 69 catches for 838 yards and six touchdowns in his eighth NFL year, all with the Cowboys.
–New York Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold has a significant right foot injury and will miss Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, according to a New York Daily News report.
The report, which called the injury a sprain, added the Jets hope Darnold will return after the Week 11 bye to face the New England Patriots in Week 12, but they are not overly optimistic. Head coach Todd Bowles told reporters the injury is a strain and deemed Darnold "day-to-day."
–Defensive end Bruce Irvin landed on his feet and reunited with his former defensive coordinator one day after clearing waivers.
Irvin signed with the Atlanta Falcons, joining head coach Dan Quinn, who coordinated the Seahawks' defense when both were in Seattle. Irvin cleared waivers and became an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday.
–Buffalo Bills first-round draft picks Josh Allen and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds each practiced, giving both a chance to return Sunday at the New York Jets.
Allen was limited again like he was on Friday, his first practice since spraining his right (throwing) elbow in Week 6 against the Houston Texans. Head coach Sean McDermott said the rookie quarterback has had no setbacks and "has done a good job so far."
— Dallas Cowboys standout linebacker Sean Lee reportedly will be sidelined four to six weeks after injuring his left hamstring during Monday night's loss to the Tennessee Titans.
"We anticipate him to be out for a little bit, no question about that," Dallas coach Jason Garrett told reporters. Lee missed three games with a pulled hamstring earlier this season. The 32-year-old has 27 tackles in five games this season.
–Philadelphia running back Darren Sproles could be back on the field for the first time since Week 1 when the Eagles play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
Sproles, who will retire after the season, had five carries for 10 yards and four catches for 22 yards in an 18-12 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 but has been sidelined by an injured hamstring since. Eagles coach Doug Pederson said that Sproles should be in the lineup Sunday night.
–Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill will miss his fifth straight game on Sunday at the Green Bay Packers, head coach Adam Gase confirmed.
With the Dolphins taking their bye in Week 11, Gase said the goal is to have Tannehill, who has battled weakness and discomfort in his right (throwing) shoulder, ready for a Week 12 trip to the Indianapolis Colts. Brock Osweiler will make his fifth consecutive start.
–Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette appears ready for a return after practicing in full for the first time in six weeks.
Fournette has not played since Week 4 because of a hamstring injury and has appeared in only two games this season, rushing for 71 yards on 20 carries.
–The Minnesota Vikings claimed running back Ameer Abdullah, two days after he was placed on waivers by the Detroit Lions.
Abdullah, 25, was a second-round pick by Detroit in 2015 but was active in only three games this season and carried the ball just once.
–Field Level Media
Motivated by critics, WR Kirk off to good start in NFL
TEM PE, Ariz. (AP) — Too small, too slow. Christian Kirk is well aware of what critics said to him going into this year's NFL draft.
They're right in front of him every day as he leaves home.
"I have a blackboard at my house that has it all written up," he said.
TEM PE, Ariz. (AP) — Too small, too slow. Christian Kirk is well aware of what critics said to him going into this year's NFL draft.
They're right in front of him every day as he leaves home.
"I have a blackboard at my house that has it all written up," he said. "It's all right where I leave for the door every day."
He hasn't forgotten that five receivers were drafted ahead of him.
"I thought I was the best and I'm out to prove that," Kirk said.
He is off to a good start on a not-so-good team. Halfway through the season, his 31 catches and 410 yards receiving rank second among NFL rookie wide receivers behind only Atlanta's Calvin Ridley (33 catches, 463 yards). And Kirk has done it on a team that ranks last in the NFL in offense and next-to-last in passing offense.
"This guy is the ultimate pro," coach Steve Wilks said. "You look at rookies coming in really trying to find their way. This guy works hard each and every day, trying to take care of his body, trying to prep himself. I think, really, the opportunities that he has been getting, he's taking advantage of them, meaning the throws, the catches. He's finishing those plays, which is great."
In his previous game, a week ago Sunday, Kirk broke free in the back of the end zone and caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from fellow rookie Josh Rosen with 34 seconds to play, the winning score in an 18-15 victory over San Francisco.
The Cardinals (2-6), who play at Kansas City (8-1) on Sunday, had last weekend off.
"I went back this week and actually watched the Washington game (the season opener)," Kirk said, "just seeing where I was at then until now. It's night and day. So I feel like every week I'm progressing and I still want to do that throughout the season."
Kirk has lots of hometown support. He grew up in suburban Phoenix before choosing Texas A&M over Arizona State in high school.
He has developed a close relationship with Rosen, who took over as starting quarterback in Week 4.
"I love Christian," Rosen said after Wednesday's practice. "We're on the same page about everything. We hang out off the field. Football's a very social game, and I think sometimes we can pick each other up and get each other going whenever we might be sputtering a little bit. Football's a game of relationships, so it's good to have a strong one."
Kirk, after a standout career at Texas A&M, was drafted by Arizona in the second round, the 47th player chosen overall. He stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 200 pounds and there were concerns about that and his speed among pro scouts.
Not for the Cardinals though, Wilks said.
"Not at all," he said. "It may have been a concern with other teams, but not with us. We felt like he had speed. I know that was a question: 'He's just a slot receiver.' (But) he's shown he can take the top off."
Rosen, who has his own thoughts about quarterbacks drafted ahead of him, said people sometimes look for the wrong things when evaluating a player.
"I think sometimes you just have to turn on tape and watch guys play," he said. "(Kansas City's) Tyreek Hill on the other side is one of the best receivers in football right now, and he's tiny. He's unbelievable. I think they're different kinds of receivers, but just in the sense that I think a lot of guys look at the wrong things. If you turn on Christian's tape from college, he's ripping people up and down the field."
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Uncertainty about Carson will test Seahawks running depth
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — It's become clear through the first half of this season the Seattle Seahawks offense functions best when running back Chris Carson is getting the bulk of the carries.
Yet it's also becoming clear that Carson may be a spectator on Sunday when the Seahawks face the Los Angeles Rams
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — It's become clear through the first half of this season the Seattle Seahawks offense functions best when running back Chris Carson is getting the bulk of the carries.
Yet it's also becoming clear that Carson may be a spectator on Sunday when the Seahawks face the Los Angeles Rams as he deals with a hip injury that could keep him sidelined for the second time this season.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday that Carson would not practice and his status for Sunday's NFC West matchup was uncertain. Carson started last Sunday's 25-17 loss to the Chargers and averaged 5.0 yards per carry, but did not play the final 2½ quarters after a lingering hip issue flared up.
While there is a chance Carson could be ready by Sunday, the Seahawks (4-4) also turn around and play a Thursday night game against Green Bay next week. And playing Carson on Sunday may make him unavailable against the Packers, which could end up being a more important game for Seattle's playoff hopes.
"The soft tissue thing is kind of hanging with him a little bit," Carroll said of Carson. "This hip thing is still kind of there and we've got to wait and see how it comes out at the end of the week."
Carson has shown he's the best option as Seattle's primary running back when he is healthy. In the four games Carson has carried the ball at least 14 times this season, he's averaging 4.2 yards per carry, 95.5 yards per game and the Seahawks are 3-1 in those four games.
In the three games where Carson has carried the ball fewer than 14 times either because of injury or game plan, the Seahawks are winless.
If Carson can't play against the Rams, Mike Davis would likely get the bulk of the work at running back with a bigger role for rookie first-round pick Rashaad Penny as well.
"We've got plenty of guys we can go to," Carroll said. "We don't have to just rely on one guy right now."
Davis has shown an ability to be the primary ball carrier for the Seahawks, running for 101 yards on 21 carries in Seattle's Week 4 victory over Arizona when Carson was out because of an unrelated groin injury. Davis had 62 yards on 15 carries last week carrying the bulk of the running after Carson was unable to continue.
"It's like I do every week, prepare that I'm going to be the starter so if it does come up I don't get blindsided," Davis said.
Davis has proven he can handle the load. The same can't be said of Penny, who has just 42 carries for 146 yards through eight games. In the first couple of weeks, Seattle made it a priority to force Penny into the game and get him some action. After they realized that wasn't working, Penny disappeared for a couple of weeks before slowly being reintegrated to the offense.
Last week Penny had just four carries, but may see that number increase significantly if Carson can't play.
"We've just got to get him out there. He just needs more turns," Carroll said of Penny. "Mike has been very versatile in the throwing game and all the styles of runs, really good at it and very effective. We're just going with what looks right. It has nothing to do with where you got picked or where you came from for the opportunities to present itself for the guys to show what they can do."
Whoever is carrying the ball, the Seahawks will want to replicate the success they had from the first meeting with the Rams. Seattle rushed for a season-high 190 yards in the 33-31 loss, the most allowed by Los Angeles this season. But Carson was a big part of that success, running for 116 yards.
Davis expects the Rams to make changes, but also believes in his offensive line.
"We know what our guys can do up front and they're killing it. I have no doubt," Davis said.
NOTES: G D.J. Fluker didn't finish last week's game with a calf injury and sat out practice on Wednesday. Carroll said Fluker was a little more sore on Wednesday than he was earlier in the week. … S Bradley McDougald also didn't practice with a knee injury that kept him out the second half against the Chargers. Delano Hill would start if McDougald can't play.
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Packers eager to finish strong after first-half frustrations
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Randall Cobb is out of detailed answers for now.
But the veteran receiver did have one simple solution to get the Green Bay Packers out of their first-half funk.
No rallying cries. No inspirational slogans, like the "Run the Table" phrase from Rodgers that turned into catchword of
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Randall Cobb is out of detailed answers for now.
But the veteran receiver did have one simple solution to get the Green Bay Packers out of their first-half funk.
No rallying cries. No inspirational slogans, like the "Run the Table" phrase from Rodgers that turned into catchword of the Packers' comeback from a 4-6 start in 2016.
"Yeah, win a game. Win a game you get going," Cobb said after practice on Wednesday when asked if there were lessons to draw from two years ago.
"We've just got to win one right now," the veteran said.
The Packers aren't quite yet in such dire straits as in 2016. But at 3-4-1, Green Bay has little margin for error if they want to avoid a second straight season without the playoffs.
Third place in the NFC North behind the division-leading Bears (5-3) and second-place Vikings (5-3-1) isn't going to cut it. A bounce-back second half can start Sunday when the Miami Dolphins visit Lambeau Field.
"It's always good to be at home. You have to take care of your home-field advantage," coach Mike McCarthy said. "We also know what's coming after it, too."
It's a quick turnaround back on the road after the Dolphins game with a Thursday night trip to Seattle.
"It's great to be home and I can't remember the last time, it's been a while since we played there," McCarthy added.
That would be in Week 6 on Oct. 15 over the San Francisco 49ers, a closer-than-expected, 33-30 victory that required the Packers to score 10 points over the final 1:55.
Following a bye, the Packers had trouble closing out road games the next two weeks, albeit in losses to two of the league's best teams in the Rams and Patriots.
Last week, running back Aaron Jones' fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter in New England territory was a turning point. The Patriots went on to sandwich two touchdown drives around a three-and-out for Green Bay.
"We've lost games before here. But this just feels different," Cobb said. "And it doesn't feel good. It's not fun. But we've got to figure something out."
Asked how this felt different, Cobb didn't have any specifics.
"I wish I could. If I could then I would try to correct that 'how,'" he added. "At this point, we're not where we should be and where we want to be. We've got to figure out how to get there."
At least quarterback Aaron Rodgers seems to be getting better each week from the left knee injury suffered in the season opener against Chicago.
He seems to be moving around much better. Last week against New England, he didn't have to wear a sleeve or brace on the knee.
"Just grit," Rodgers said. He was a full participant in a practice on Wednesday that was abbreviated by McCarthy in part because of the wear following two straight long road trips.
Rodgers has had a dip in his completion rate this year, at 60.6 percent through eight games, down from his career average of 64.8 percent. Rodgers said it had to do with "an unnatural amount of throwaways this year," referring to passes thrown out of bounds or out of the defense's reach if he can't find an open receiver.
"We've got to keep finding ways to get guys into one or two spots, open on time," Rodgers said, "and when they're open, I've got to make the throws."
The Packers lost 29-27 against the then-unbeaten Rams a couple of weeks ago. In that game, Ty Montgomery, who has since been traded , fumbled a late kickoff after being directed to stay in the end zone for a touchback. The turnover deprived Rodgers a chance to drive for a game-winning score.
Losing hasn't been fun.
"I don't think anybody's happy about the position we're in. So, yeah, I just want to have fun again," Cobb said with a smile and slight chuckle.
NOTES: WR Trevor Davis, who has been on injured reserve since the start of the season with a hamstring injury, has returned to practice. He could be in line to be activated for the Nov. 15 game against Seattle to help replace injured wideout Geronimo Allison (groin). … Limited in practice on Tuesday were S Kentrell Brice and RT Bryan Bulaga, who have knee injuries, and LB Blake Martinez (ankle).
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NFL fines Dolphins and Gase for injury report violation
MIAMI (AP) — The NFL has fined the Miami Dolphins $30,000 and coach Adam Gase $15,000 for an injury report violation a month ago involving quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
The Dolphins listed Tannehill as participating fully in practice on the Thursday before the Week 6 game against Chicago. In fact, Tannehill was limited because
MIAMI (AP) — The NFL has fined the Miami Dolphins $30,000 and coach Adam Gase $15,000 for an injury report violation a month ago involving quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
The Dolphins listed Tannehill as participating fully in practice on the Thursday before the Week 6 game against Chicago. In fact, Tannehill was limited because of a throwing shoulder injury that forced him to miss the game, and he hasn't played since.
"We have been fully cooperative and transparent with the NFL throughout this process," the Dolphins said in a statement Wednesday. "We received the penalties imposed and will have no further comment."
Tannehill will miss his fifth game in a row Sunday when Miami plays at Green Bay.
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Under pressure: Sacks rise for Carr behind hurt Raiders line
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — After taking a career-high seven sacks behind a decimated Oakland Raiders offensive line, Derek Carr got a phone call from someone who knows just what that's like to being repeatedly hit by bruising NFL defensive linemen.
Big brother David, who was sacked an NFL-record 76 times in 2002, offered
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — After taking a career-high seven sacks behind a decimated Oakland Raiders offensive line, Derek Carr got a phone call from someone who knows just what that's like to being repeatedly hit by bruising NFL defensive linemen.
Big brother David, who was sacked an NFL-record 76 times in 2002, offered some words of consolation.
"It's not that bad," Derek Carr said Wednesday. "It's not that bad, my guys are awesome. The thing about him is there were times where they would have the right guys blocked, they just physically couldn't do it. At least our guys fight, we have that going for us. He did mess with me a little bit, but no, it's not like, 'Oh man, how do you deal with this or that?' It's not like that at all."
The situation in Oakland definitely isn't on the level it was for the expansion Houston Texans, but it's been a major drop-off from the solid protection Carr earned for most of his first four seasons.
Carr has already been sacked 24 times halfway through the season for the Raiders (1-7), a mark he has topped only once in an entire season in his first four seasons. His sack rate has doubled from 3.9 percent of pass plays his first four years — lowest in the NFL among players with more than 25 starts during that span — to 7.8 percent this year and he's facing pressure at a much higher rate than he has in the past.
"It's hard, there's sometimes it's gotten that way and it's not a knock on those guys," Carr said. "They're trying their tail off. We have some young guys trying to play, we have our veteran guys who dominate and they're great players, but we have some young guys that are just getting their feet wet against the best players in the world.
"It's not easy for them. For me, I've always been one, I try to make it seven-on-seven as much as you can. There's never a time where you're ever looking down, you just try and feel things, move and make throws. You try and do it and as it's happening you don't notice it until you turn the film on like, 'Oh, we can maybe adjust this or adjust that' kind of a thing."
Injuries on the line have played a big role with right tackle Donald Penn being placed on injured reserve following a Week 4 win against Cleveland. Rookie Brendan Parker has struggled since replacing Penn and had to be pulled for part of the game last week against the 49ers.
Rookie left tackle Kolton Miller also hurt his knee in that game against the Browns and has been in and out of the lineup. He has been hampered even when he has played and came out against the 49ers because the injury got too bad. The Raiders averaged more than 11 yards a play in the first six plays against San Francisco before the offense sputtered after Miller first got hurt.
The situation at left guard also hasn't been good with Kelechi Osemele missing time with a knee injury and backup Jon Feliciano bothered by injured ribs.
The decimated line has hampered the play-calling and Carr did not complete a single pass more than 10 yards downfield in losses to Seattle and San Francisco the past three games. He was sacked 13 times combined in those games.
"No doubt it affects him," coach Jon Gruden said. "It affects any quarterback. … I'm not going to make any excuses. I think Derek is doing some good things. It does make things difficult when you have the amount of injuries that we have had."
NOTES: Miller practiced with a brace on his right knee. … DT Eddie Vanderdoes (knee) could return for the game against Arizona on Nov. 18. … DT Justin Ellis (foot) could return to practice next week.
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Seahawks look to keep Gurley out of end zone
Seahawks look to keep Gurley out of end zone Seahawks look to keep Gurley out of end zone
Arizona Cardinals: A diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan growing up, Josh Rosen was particularly fond of Andy Reid, whose Kansas City Chiefs the Cardinals will face this Sunday. Rosen told reporters Wednesday he used to own an Eagles shirt reading, "Our coach will eat yours," referring to Reid's famed appetite. Rosen also recounted a memory of watching Reid's offense and Michael Vick tear up the Washington Redskins for 59 points on Monday Night Football in 2010. "My mom, we didn't really have TiVo, so she would have a video recorder and record the TV screen," Rosen said. "I was at a Pop Warner practice, and I came back. …She was like, 'Hey, I've got a surprise for you on the first play.' It was the naked boot when [Vick] bombed it, like, 80 yards to DeSean Jackson. I remember it like it was yesterday."
Los Angeles Rams: A day after Aqib Talib said on NFL Network he expects to return after Thanksgiving — when he's eligible to be recalled from injured reserve — head coach Sean McVay was cautiously optimistic about the cornerback's prediction. "Certainly he's a guy we anticipate using one of [two injured-reserve recall] designations on," McVay said. "When that is exactly, I don't know. I love the fact that Aqib wants to get back as soon as possible, but we'll see if [head athletic trainer] Reggie [Scott] earns his paycheck and he can make that thing happen." McVay joked that Talib's proclamation was "a vet move," putting the pressure on Scott and the training staff.
San Francisco 49ers: Kyle Juszczyk is paid well over twice what any other fullback in the NFL makes, and head coach Kyle Shanahan has used him accordingly, moving him all over the formation and asking him to do a number of different tasks. "Every game, if the other team has a fullback, he'll come up to me, and it's usually the exact same conversation," Juszczyk told the team's website. "It's, 'Damn, man, they've got you doing everything. You've got it good.' Literally every single time. There's not much I can say. I just grin." Unsurprisingly, Shanahan is effusive in his praise of Juszczyk, calling him "as good of a fullback as there is or probably has been."
Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks couldn't quite pull the upset over the Rams in Week 5, but they have positives to pull from as they prepare for this week's rematch in Los Angeles. Linebacker Bobby Wagner liked how Seattle's defense limited running back Todd Gurley to 3.5 yards per carry but added that it needs to do better at finishing the job, as Gurley scored three touchdowns. "We have to find a way to do that, make them one dimensional, find a way to make sure Todd doesn't get into the end zone as many times as he did," Wagner said. "We know we have the recipe to do that, but we have to do it. We can talk about it all we want, but if we don't do it on Sunday, it won't mean anything."
–Field Level Media
Giants RB Barkley aiming to better the best
Giants RB Barkley aiming to better the best
Dallas Cowboys: Maybe the opposition has provided
Giants RB Barkley aiming to better the best
Dallas Cowboys: Maybe the opposition has provided the fighting words needed to get the 3-5 Cowboys on track. The Cowboys meet division rival Philadelphia (4-4) on Sunday night, and Eagles center Jason Kelce had this to say about Dallas on the 94.1 WIP Morning Show on Wednesday. "There's certainly a rivalry there, we play them twice a year," Kelce said of the Cowboys. "I would say mostly I just don't think a lot of players, in particular me, just don't really like the franchise, the organization, what it stands for — what it's always stood for. This goes back to the lockout when they were getting replacement players, how outspoken the Dallas Cowboys franchise was in ending that. I've just never really appreciated what the organization — and what its fans really stood for. A lot of fair-weather people from across the country that just kind of fell in love because they're winners instead of having any type of emotional connection to the team whatsoever."
New York Giants: Rookie running back Saquon Barkley certainly has set high goals for himself. With 1,016 combined rushing and receiving yards this season, he's third in the NFL and he aspires to be better than the man sitting in first place on the list: Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams (1,260). "I watch film of Todd Gurley, I love the way he plays. He's an all-purpose back, a threat any time he touches the ball. He runs physical, running great in between the tackles." He added: "I want to be better than Todd one day. I know he's got the same mindset. All the running backs got the same mindset in the league, and that's just the way it operates in this league, just how it operates as competitors."
Philadelphia Eagles: Quarterback Carson Wentz spent his bye week back home in North Dakota surrounded by nature — and a huge Eagles fan: Los Angeles Angels fan Mike Trout. The two have formed a friendship and spent last week together hunting. "Mike and I, when we go hunting, we hang out, we don't talk too much baseball or football," Wentz said. "We keep it strictly hunting, just hanging out and having a good time. That's our time to get away from our sports and everything, so we don't talk too much about that." He added: "There are lots of ducks, and lots of geese, in North Dakota. We had a great trip. Like I said earlier, it was just perfect timing for me and some of my friends and family to all get together, get away, get refreshed, recharged for the second half of the season."
Washington Redskins: Head coach Jay Gruden won't make excuses for injuries now that the Redskins (5-3) have 13 players on injured reserve. "It's something you don't want to go through, but it's pro football and you have to go through it. … We can't slow down. The train doesn't stop." Quarterback Alex Smith agreed, even if it means three offensive linemen signed Monday will need to take a speed-read through the playbook. "All the calls, all the communication that has to take place – run, pass, third down. All the different looks, the thousands and thousands of reps that we've had, you try to condense into a few days to get ready," Smith said. "I think communication is a key."
–Field Level Media
Titans coach Vrabel not a fan of Byard's celebration
Titans coach Vrabel not a fan of Byard's celebration Titans coach Vrabel not a fan of Byard's celebration
Houston Texans: The bye week comes at a good time for recent trade acquisition Demaryius Thomas. The veteran receiver will be able to dig deep into the playbook after playing against the Denver Broncos — his former team — just five days after being acquired. "Now, we can kind of take a step back and really go back into what we call the basic information, teach him the formations, teach him the routes, the protections, how the protections fit with the routes that he's running and things like that and the technique of the route," Texans coach Bill O'Brien told reporters. "He's a really good pro, as I said after the game [Sunday], he's going to do a great job of learning." Thomas made three catches for 61 yards against Denver in his team debut.
Indianapolis Colts: Quarterback Andrew Luck has been on a roll, and the team hopes it continues after the bye week. Luck has thrown three or more touchdown passes in five straight games — 18 overall during the stretch — while halting all talk about whether his shoulder is 100 percent. He has fired 23 touchdown passes and is just nine away from the second-highest total of his career. His career best of 40 also could be topped later this season. Luck could have wideout Ryan Grant back on the field for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars after Grant missed the previous two games with an ankle injury. Grant has 26 receptions for 270 yards and one score.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Quarterback Blake Bortles pronounced himself as fit and ready for Sunday's game against Indianapolis. Bortles injured his non-throwing shoulder against the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 28 and then had a bye week to help him recuperate. "I'm ready to go — better than ever," Bortles told reporters. "It's just banged up — no different than anybody else getting a nick or a bruise or whatever. It's part of playing an NFL football season. It's going to happen at some point. There isn't anybody playing that feels 100 percent healthy and is totally good to go." The Jaguars also are hoping to have running back Leonard Fournette (hamstring) back in the lineup. He last played in Week 4 against the New York Jets.
Tennessee Titans: Safety Kevin Byard made a key interception in Monday's win over the Dallas Cowboys, but his dash to celebrate and dance on the midfield star at AT&T Stadium wasn't well-received by first-year coach Mike Vrabel. "I'm not [happy], and I won't be," Vrabel told reporters. "That's not what we want as an organization, and that's not what I want as a head coach. I want our guys to play as hard as they possibly can for each other, between the whistle, and as physical and aggressive and as clean as they possibly can." Vrabel discussed the matter with Byard after Monday's game and again the following day. "I understand that act looked selfish and that's why we had a talk about that," Byard said. "I don't want to be in the doghouse, or end up in the doghouse over a celebration."
–Field Level Media
Mahomes, Chiefs enjoying coin-toss win streak
Mahomes, Chiefs enjoying coin-toss win streak
Denver Broncos: At 3-6 and
Mahomes, Chiefs enjoying coin-toss win streak
Denver Broncos: At 3-6 and sitting 2 1/2 games out of the final AFC wild-card spot entering their bye week, the Broncos' playoff hopes are grim, which often leads teams to plan for the future and play young players down the stretch. But head coach Vance Joseph doesn't see any difficulty balancing the development of rookies with staying competitive. "We've got seven or eight rookies in major, major roles right now," Joseph said. "If they play good, we win, so it's not a balancing act. They are playing. They are our headliners right now. They've got to play well, they have no choice." First-round rookie Bradley Chubb is tied for sixth in the NFL with eight sacks, 6.5 shy of the rookie record, while undrafted running back Phillip Lindsay is second in yards per carry (5.4) among players with 100-plus carries.
Kansas City Chiefs: Andy Reid's team has one loss in the standings, but there is one place it remains undefeated this season: the coin toss. Kansas City has won the toss in all nine games, deferring all nine times. "It is ridiculous," Reid told reporters Wednesday. "But on the other hand, if one goes the other way, you have to be ready to go. You can't have a letdown or something off a coin toss." Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has had his own fun with the streak. "I say that's one of the most nervous points in the game for me right now," he said. "It's kind of a running joke type of thing. I don't think there's any pressure. Whatever happens, happens."
Los Angeles Chargers: Second-year cornerback Desmond King claimed AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Wednesday after notching a critical pick-six against the Seattle Seahawks last week. King leads the Chargers with three interceptions and six passes defensed this season, and he also is the top punt returner (11.5-yard average) after notching a 17-yarder on Sunday. "He's a playmaker," head coach Anthony Lynn said Wednesday. "He's a very instinctive football player. That's why we drafted him. He's been doing it his whole life. …It's good to have a good, instinctive football player in the slot, because he's in space."
Oakland Raiders: Preparing for their second meeting with the Chargers after a 26-10 loss in Week 5, the Raiders aren't discouraged by the lopsided defeat in Los Angeles. Head coach Jon Gruden pointed to how Oakland had limited opportunities on offense (only three possessions in the second half) and committed three false starts in key situations. He also blamed himself for the playcall that led to a Derek Carr interception on first-and-goal from the 1 late in the third quarter. "We had some critical errors that were inexcusable and really hurt us," Gruden said. "But we competed hard, played some good football against the Chargers."
–Field Level Media
Patriots RB White has opposing coach worried
Patriots RB White has opposing coach worried
Buffalo Bills: Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll
Patriots RB White has opposing coach worried
Buffalo Bills: Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll seems just as disillusioned by the Bills' anemic offense — the 2-7 team has scored just 96 points through nine games — as the fans are. "Yeah, it's very frustrating. Put a lot of hard work and effort into it and the end result is getting a win, and when you don't do that or play poorly or coach poorly, that's your job to go out there and do the best you can do and try to get a win. Anything less than that is unacceptable," Daboll said. He wouldn't but the blame on struggling quarterback Nathan Peterman. "It's not just the quarterback. There's ten other guys [that] have to help the quarterback out, too. There were plays [Sunday] that people could've helped out with Nate. …We all need to do a better job."
Miami Dolphins: Safety Reshad Jones said he didn't quit on his team on Sunday, even though it was reported he took himself out of the game. Instead, according to the Miami Herald, he was peeved that he was rotated out to give rookie Minkah Fitzpatrick more time on the field. Defensive coordinator Matt Burke told Jones, Bobby McCain and T.J. McDonald that he planned to lessen their snap load on Sunday, but when Jones left the field after 10 snaps, he wouldn't return. "I've never been a quitter," Jones said. "I've been here nine years, playing my ass off for this team. Never been a quitter, never will. I'm going to continue to do what I need to do to be one of the best in the league and help this team win football games."
New England Patriots: Rookie running back Sony Michel could return Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, but Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said he's equally worried about James White. White has 61 receptions on the season and is on pace to break the record for receptions by a running back (Matt Forte, 102), and Vrabel has taken note. "It's like 5,000 [catches]," Vrabel said Wednesday. "It's ridiculous, right?" Teams haven't figured out how to stop the Tom Brady-to-White connection. "I hope by Sunday we have an answer [for White]," Vrabel said. "We're working towards having an answer. Obviously, Tom trusts him. He catches the ball every time — 75 percent of the time he throws it to him, he catches it. He's really turned into a nice player, another third-down back — first and second-downs, change-of-pace back. Tom trusts him and I know that's the most important thing."
New York Jets: After struggling to snap the ball accurately last week in a 13-6 loss to the Miami Dolphins, center Spencer Long could find himself on the bench Sunday against Buffalo. He had a number of poor snaps, including one that hit quarterback Sam Darnold's head and another that led to a poor Darnold throw that would up being intercepted for a touchdown. He has a finger injury that was aggravated on Sunday. "When we saw the finger start giving him more issues than normal, we replaced him with Jonotthan [Harrison]. His finger got banged up again," head coach Todd Bowles said. "I'll see where it goes. It's been thought about, but I haven't expressed it to the coaches yet. We will deal with that this week."
–Field Level Media
Report: Holdout RB Bell hoops at Pittsburgh gym
Report: Holdout RB Bell hoops at Pittsburgh gym Report: Holdout RB Bell hoops at Pittsburgh gym
Le'Veon Bell touched down in Pittsburgh two days after posting a farewell message to his offseason home in Miami on social media.
However, the holdout running back has not yet reported to the Steelers, who play Thursday night at home against the Carolina Panthers.
Instead, Bell was spotted playing basketball at an L.A. Fitness facility in North Pittsburgh. Opponents and onlookers shared their encounter with Bell on social media, and the facility manager confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday that Bell was present.
Bell has worked out at L.A. Fitness the past three offseasons.
He's holding out after the Steelers failed to meet his contract demands, sacrificing more than $8 million in salary during the ongoing stalemate. Reporting after the July 15 deadline to sign a long-term deal, but before Week 1, would have assured Bell the entirety of his $14.5 million franchise tender for 2018.
Bell is facing the latest deadline in the off-field-drama next week. He must report by Tuesday or will become ineligible to play this season.
The Steelers are sailing along with James Conner at running back. Conner has 1,085 yards from scrimmage with 10 touchdowns.
–Field Level Media
Saints hoping Bryant can bolster WR production
Saints hoping Bryant can bolster WR production
Atlanta Falcons:
Saints hoping Bryant can bolster WR production
Atlanta Falcons: Linebacker Bruce Irvin signed Wednesday and he's already highly familiar with the defense. Irvin played in the same defense in Seattle, including two seasons under Falcons coach Dan Quinn, who was the Seahawks' defensive coordinator in 2013-14. "He will add to our rotation along the defensive line, while adding to our pass rush," Quinn told reporters. "He is familiar with our scheme and we are familiar with his strengths, so we are looking forward to getting him on the field as soon as possible." Another positive development for the Atlanta defense is linebacker Deion Jones' return to practice. The Pro Bowler suffered a foot injury in the season-opening game against the Philadelphia Eagles and is eligible to be activated from injured reserve for the Week 11 game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Carolina Panthers: Center Ryan Kalil is bothered by a sore ankle and will be a "game-day decision" for Thursday night's game with the Pittsburgh Steelers, coach Ron Rivera said. Not having Kalil, who is listed as questionable, would represent a big blow for an offense that will be missing receiver Torrey Smith (knee) for the third straight game. Tyler Larsen will start at center if Kalil is ruled out. Three defensive players are also listed as questionable — defensive end Mario Addison (shoulder), linebacker David Mayo (groin) and safety Eric Reid (shoulder) — but Rivera feels good about each of their chances of playing.
New Orleans Saints: The club has reached a deal with free agent Dez Bryant to bolster a group of wideouts that suffered a blow when Ted Ginn Jr. (knee) was placed on injured reserve last month. Bryant, a three-time Pro Bowler, didn't reach a deal in the offseason after parting ways with the Dallas Cowboys. Saints quarterback Drew Brees is enjoying a big season but star Michael Thomas (70 receptions) is the only New Orleans wide receiver with more than 12 catches at the midway point. The hope is that the 30-year-old Bryant (69 catches last season) is in good shape and can be a strong contributor over the second half of the campaign.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Wide receiver DeSean Jackson won't disclose whether he requested a trade but he had no qualms about revealing how disgusted he is over the team's 3-5 record at the midway point of the season. "I can't say I'm as happy. I'm not winning. I'm not being as productive," Jackson said. "For me to sit here and say I'm happy with that, I'd be lying to you. It's a competitive sport, a competitive nature, we're all professionals. Everyone gets paid to do a job and do it at our best. I don't feel we've been doing that the past couple of games, at our best, with what we're capable of doing with the talent in this locker room." Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter initially expressed annoyance at the trade topic but later reluctantly admitted he and general manager Jason Licht did discuss dealing Jackson prior to the trading deadline.
–Field Level Media
Report: Jets QB Darnold (foot) out Sunday
Report: Jets QB Darnold (foot) out Sunday
Report: Jets QB Darnold (foot) out Sunday
New York Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold has a significant right foot injury and will miss Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, according to a New York Daily News report on Wednesday.
The report, which called the injury a sprain, adds the Jets hope Darnold will return after the Week 11 bye to face the New England Patriots in Week 12, but they are not overly optimistic.
Darnold sat out Wednesday's practice, observing in street clothes with a walking boot on his right foot. It was his first missed practice since a brief holdout during training camp, before he signed his rookie contract.
Head coach Todd Bowles told reporters the injury is a strain and deemed Darnold "day-to-day." The coach confirmed it is not believed to be a Lisfranc injury or any issue that would require surgery, and said it's "too early" to determine the rookie's availability for Sunday.
"We'll see how he comes along with the week," said Bowles, who added that the extra rest of the Week 11 bye could be a factor in whether Darnold faces the Bills.
It's unclear when Darnold was injured, but he told reporters on Monday that he felt "fine" despite taking a number of big hits in Sunday's loss to the Miami Dolphins. Miami totaled four sacks and seven QB hits on Darnold, forcing him into four interceptions, including three in the fourth quarter.
"Some bumps and some bruises, but everything is good," Darnold said.
Bowles said Wednesday that he didn't hear about the injury until Monday afternoon and that Darnold was fine on the flight home from Miami before the issue worsened. Bowles said he didn't know the specific play on which Darnold was hurt, saying the QB told him it happened as he was cutting.
Darnold, who has started every game this season, finished Sunday's game in Miami 21 of 39 for 229 yards, no touchdowns and the four picks. His rating (31.8) was a career low, and his total of 14 interceptions this season leads the NFL by four.
Overall, Darnold has passed for 1,934 yards and 11 touchdowns but has completed just 55 percent of his throws.
If Darnold is out, 39-year-old Josh McCown would make his first start of the season. McCown threw for 2,926 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 starts in 2017 before breaking his hand late in the season.
Davis Webb, who is currently on the practice squad, would be promoted to the active roster to serve as the backup if Darnold is sidelined, Bowles said.
–Field Level Media
Reports: Vikings claim RB Abdullah off waivers
Reports: Vikings claim RB Abdullah off waivers
The Minnesota Vikings claimed running back Ameer Abdullah on Wednesday, a
Reports: Vikings claim RB Abdullah off waivers
The Minnesota Vikings claimed running back Ameer Abdullah on Wednesday, a day after he was waived by the Detroit Lions, according to multiple reports.
Abdullah, 25, was a second-round pick by Detroit in 2015 but was active in only three games this season and carried the ball just once. The Lions filled his roster spot with wide receiver Bruce Ellington, a fourth-round pick by San Francisco in 2014, who spent the past two seasons with the Houston Texans after two seasons with the 49ers.
Abdullah's best season came in his rookie year, when he gained 780 total yards (597 rushing, 183 receiving) and scored three touchdowns.
He will provide depth at the position for the Vikings. Starter Dalvin Cook missed five games this season with a hamstring injury.
Latavius Murray leads Minnesota with 417 rushing yards. Cook has 187.
–Field Level Media
Bears LB Mack back at practice
Bears LB Mack back at practice
Bears LB Mack back at practice
Chicago Bears: Linebacker Khalil Mack returned to practice and the Bears hit the field Wednesday as healthy as they've been in weeks. Wide receiver Allen Robinson II, tight end Adam Shaheen — who is on injured reserve — tight end Ben Braunecker and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols were all part of the group that returned to the field. Mack has been limited by an ankle injury since the Bears' overtime loss at Miami, when he originally sprained his right ankle but played the majority of defensive snaps. He hasn't practiced on a Wednesday since Week 6. After playing against the Patriots in Week 7, Mack missed the first two games of his career the past two weeks.
Detroit Lions: For the first time since Week 1, defensive end Ziggy Ansah is not facing questions about whether he can take the field this week. "I feel amazing," Ansah said. "It's a process. We're taking in week in and week out. We'll find out on Sunday how many reps I get." Ansah said he sees definite room for improvement, but felt great to be back on the field. "I've taken a lot of reps in meetings, walkthroughs, practice — I've been playing football for awhile. I'm hoping my instincts will take over," Ansah said. Playing on the franchise tag, Ansah saw just 12 snaps last week but tallied a sack, giving him two on 31 snaps this season.
Green Bay Packers: Marquez Valdes-Scantling is expected to be the third wide receiver — a starter in Green Bay's preferred three-WR sets — this week after Geronimo Allison (core muscle) was placed on injured reserve. Valdes-Scantling has 100 yards in two of the past three games while flashing big-play ability (21.1 yards per catch this year). "The transition is the biggest challenge for the rookies, play speed, understanding," head coach Mike McCarthy said. "At the end of the day, he's been given more opportunities, probably more than expected with the injuries. His confidence continues to grow each week."
Minnesota Vikings: Before a 10-sack shellacking of the Detroit Lions, the Vikings were not looking like their dominant selves on defense. Head coach Mike Zimmer said a willingness to change was the magic tonic for Minnesota. "Quite honestly, we've had to change up a lot," Zimmer said before beginning the bye week. "Because we're good at what we did, people are copying it. There's a lot of teams now that are playing a style of defense similar to us. Now, all these offenses are attacking these defenses pretty much the same way. So we've had to adjust and change coverages and what we've done in the red zone."
–Field Level Media
Steelers look to up tempo against Panthers
Steelers look to up tempo against Panthers Steelers look to up tempo against Panthers
Baltimore Ravens: Baltimore has a bye this week.
Cincinnati Bengals: With A.J. Green (toe) out and the Bengals without one of their top weapons, Cincinnati hopes to find a way to slow down the Saints and quarterback Drew Brees. Defensive end Carlos Dunlap said, "we have to find a way to slow down the future Hall of Famer. Anytime somebody throws the ball quick like that, one of the challenges is disrupting their routes a little bit to get that extra time." Dunlap said the average defensive lineman cannot get to Brees before his release time of less than 2.7 seconds. "If you want to get to him," Dunlap said, "disrupt the timing."
Cleveland Browns: Quarterback Baker Mayfield said the Browns are close to popping more big plays and noted the team is spending extra time on execution in the red zone. "Continuing to score points — touchdowns. When we get the shot plays, converting those," Mayfield said of his focus this week. "With any of our playmakers, get the ball in their hands, let them do the work." Mayfield said the Browns understand they must be able to threaten down the field and also make those plays to improve. "There was a big jump last week, we've got to make that moreso this week," he said.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Coach Mike Tomlin resisted calling the short week a disadvantage and instead encouraged his players to embrace mental repetitions. "Running routes, stay healthy," wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said. "A lot of mental reps." Smith-Schuster and the Steelers are likely to employ more fast-paced sets in an effort to maximize the advantage of the Carolina Panthers, who had only 72 hours to get ready for the game. "For us, no-huddle, our pace, it makes everything easier," Smith-Schuster said.
–Field Level Media
Jaguars' Fournette practices in full, nearing return
Jaguars' Fournette practices in full, nearing return
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jaguars' Fournette practices in full, nearing return
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette appears ready for a return after practicing in full on Wednesday for the first time in six weeks.
Fournette has not played since Week 4 because of a hamstring injury and has appeared in only two games this season, rushing for 71 yards on 20 carries. After aggravating the injury on multiple occasions, he has remained out as the team tries to avoid any future setbacks.
Fournette participated in individual drills Monday as the team exited its bye week, but Wednesday was his first full session.
Also practicing in full on Wednesday was quarterback Blake Bortles, who is battling a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury sustained in the fourth quarter of the team's Week 8 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in London.
"It's just banged up," Bortles told reporters Wednesday. "No different than anybody else getting a nick or a bruise or whatever."
Cornerbacks A.J. Bouye (calf), who sat out the game in London, and Quenton Meeks (knee) missed practice on Wednesday.
The Jaguars (3-5), who are on a four-game losing streak, return to action Sunday against the Colts in Indianapolis.
Jacksonville traded for Carlos Hyde while Fournette was out and also has T.J. Yeldon available in the backfield. Yeldon leads the team with 334 rushing yards on 81 carries.
–Field Level Media


text:
Green Tea Catechins Lower PSA, Other Biomarkers in Men With Localized Prostate Cancer
By James P. Meschino, DC, MS
A 2006 study (Cancer Research) was the first human investigation to show that green tea catechins (GTC) are highly effective in reversing premalignant prostate lesions (high-grade prostate intra-epithelial neoplasia), an established precursor to prostate cancer.In this study, the treatment group ingested daily GTC supplements consisting of three GTC capsules – 200 mg each (total 600 mg/d). After one year, only one tumor was diagnosed among the 30 GTC-treated men, whereas nine cancers were found among the 30 placebo-treated men (3 percent vs. 30 percent prostate cancer incidence).1
Men in the GTC-treated group also had consistently lower PSA levels than the placebo-treated group throughout the study period. Supplementation with GTC also improved symptoms of prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and reduced lower urinary tract symptoms. No significant side effects / adverse effects were reported by the men supplementing with GTC.
GTC for Localized Prostate Cancer
Based on the success of the 2006 study described above, a second study using GTC was published in 2009 (Cancer Prevention Research). In this case, GTC were provided to men with established localized prostate cancer who were awaiting surgical treatment in the form of radical prostatectomy.2
In this study, 26 men with positive prostate biopsies ingested a supplement containing 800 mg GTC daily until the time of radical prostatectomy (median dosing period was 34.5 days). Serum was collected before initiation of the study and on the day of prostatectomy. The study showed that GTC supplementation in these men produced a decrease in many prostate cancer biomarkers, including:
The researchers commented that their results indicate a significant reduction in serum levels of PSA, HGF and VEGF in men with prostate cancer after brief treatment with a GTC supplement, and with no elevation of liver enzymes. They further suggest GTC supplementation may play a potential role in the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer.
Proposed Mechanism of Action
Various experimental studies have shown that certain green tea catechins (EGCG and ECG) can inhibit the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway in both breast and prostate carcinoma cells. Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) is normally secreted by mesenchymal cells and acts primarily upon epithelial cells and endothelial cells, but also acts on haemopoietic progenitor cells. It has been shown to have a major role in embryonic organ development, specifically in myogenesis, adult organ regeneration and wound healing.
The c-Met receptor is normally expressed by cells of epithelial origin. HGF normally stimulates the c-Met receptor on target tissues, which prompts them to replicate via up-regulation of the tyrosine kinase pathway. Thus, it plays an important role in embryonic growth and wound healing.
In prostate cancer, the transmembrane receptor c-Met is often over-expressed (a greater number of c-Met receptors than is considered normal) in primary tumors and metastases. High levels of c-Met are directly correlated with a higher Gleason score and associated with poorly differentiated tumors. Additionally, high serum levels of the c-Met ligand, HGF, have been found to be associated with metastatic disease and decreased overall survival.
Often the overproduction of HGF occurs in cancer-associated fibroblasts located in the stromal tissue surrounding the tumor. Many studies have now shown that the tumor stroma plays a very important role in cancer progression. A number of cells associated with the stroma, including macrophages, endothelial cells and fibroblasts, provide factors that facilitate proliferation, survival and invasion of tumor cells. As such, studies show that dysregulation of the HGF/c-Met pathway leads to increased proliferation, motility and invasion of cancer cells.
Other in vitro experiments show that GTC also block the production of VEGF and HGF in at least two different prostate cancer–associated fibroblast cell lines.2
Clinical Takeaway and Lifestyle Recommendations for Patients
Overall, the data suggests that supplementation with green tea catechins could be useful as an adjuvant therapy in men with prostate cancer by lowering the levels of cytokines (HGF, VEGF) that contribute to prostate cancer progression.2 In a previous article in this publication (May 20, 2010 DC), I reviewed the studies in which supplement and dietary practices have shown a positive result in the adjunctive management of prostate cancer cases.3 In light of this new evidence, I would add to this approach the inclusion of GTC (from decaffeinated green tea) at a daily dosage of 600-800 mg per day.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in men in the United States, accounting for 27,000 deaths each year. Rates of recurrence for early-stage disease are relatively high, and mortality rates for late-stage disease have not improved significantly over the past 10 years.2
In regard to prostate cancer prevention, as much as 75 percent of prostate cancer is attributable to dietary and lifestyle factors, according to data published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. In my opinion, health practitioners should advise men on the lifestyle approach to prostate cancer prevention as part of their case management. Studies suggest the best advice to provide to them includes the following:
Dietary Recommendations
Supplement Recommendations
Click here for more information about James P. Meschino, DC, MS.

subset: commoncrawl


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It's always nice when a company - especially one that has been the market leader for so long - acknowledges its past mistakes and strives to rectify them. This has never been truer than in the case of Symantec and its Norton Internet Security product.
For years it was the market leader for antivirus software, and the de facto choice for many people when choosing their defence against internet threats. However, this didn't mean that the software itself was universally popular, and it increasingly came under fire for slowing customers' computers down and filling them with unwanted extra features.
Happily, Symantec has acknowledged that its reputation needed to improve, and lately with each passing year has released a version of Norton Internet Security that is lighter and faster than the last.
Norton Internet Security 2012 continues this encouraging trend with what is easily Symantec's lightest version of Norton Internet Security ever.
Installation only took a few seconds, and CPU usage while performing a full system scan remained around 12 to 15 per cent on our test machine, and a full system scan of around 500,000 files over two hard drives was completed in 31 minutes.
While our PC has a pretty healthy processor (an Intel Core i7-2700K), less robust systems should also cope fine with the load.
Numbers aside, the most important thing is that you can still use your computer as it scans in the background, and Norton Internet Security 2012's impact on your PC's overall performance is much smaller than it used to be.
While Norton Internet Security 2012 does a good job at protecting your PC, if you get so infected that your PC is all but unusable, then Norton's Power Eraser and Bootable Recovery Tool can be a huge help - the latter scanning your PC outside of your traditional operating system.
Of less use is the desktop gadget that gets installed alongside the main antivirus program. While some people may find it a comforting presence on your desktop, offering quick access to the program, others might be annoyed by the intrusion. It can easily be turned off, if so.
Priced at £49.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US for three PCs for one year, the software costs about the same as many of rival programs.
Overall, Norton Internet Security 2012 is a great antivirus product and a further improvement on previous versions. It is quick and light, so your PC won't become noticeably slower when it's installed.
Most importantly though, Symantec's experience in the antivirus field, alongside world-class technology and research, has resulted in a powerful security package.


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Consider the car market as an amusement park. Every vehicle has an analogous ride, from the Tilt-A-Whirl Lotus Elise to the Jungle Cruise Ford Taurus. The Dodge Viper and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, then, can feel a bit like driving the Raptor. It's an experience not unlike doing motorcycle wheelies on a freeway. In short, driving hard in a car with 500-plus horsepower is not for the fainthearted. The appeal is an addictive mixture of scaring yourself within inches of your life and laughing at how easily you can get away with it. Both the Viper and the Vette have this characteristic in spades.
The last time these two cars met ["Motor City Bullies," December 2005], the Z06 beat the Viper handily on the road, track, and drag strip. Since then, the 505-hp Z06 hasn't changed much, aside from revised rear shocks, although the price has crept skyward. The 2007 Z06 seen here starts at $70,000, but options such as heated seats, a premium stereo, extra sound insulation, chrome wheels, and navigation bring the as-tested total to $77,230.
The Viper SRT10, on the other hand, has received a thorough makeover for 2008 in both coupe and roadster form.
The only visual change is a new hood with functional vented gills, and this achieves the seemingly improbable feat of making the Viper look even more aggressive. The V-10 engine has been bored out an extra 0.6 millimeter to increase the displacement to 8.4 liters. It also gets variable valve timing [see Tech Highlight], new cylinder heads, a new intake, electronic throttle control, hollow intake valves, coil-on-plug ignition, a 10.2:1 compression ratio (up from 9.6), and a larger oil pump with a swinging oil pickup. The result is 600 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque, improvements of 90 horses and 25 pound-feet. At 2500 rpm, the Viper makes more torque than the Z06 does at its peak.
The Viper's cabin remains unchanged but is much cooler now that the exhaust flows straight to each side pipe instead of crossing under the passenger compartment.
The Tremec T56 six-speed manual gearbox gets a revised shift linkage, triple-cone synchros, and a twin-disc clutch that has 18-percent-less rotational inertia than the previous single-disc setup. At the rear there's a new speed-sensing limited-slip differential. On the suspension front, the Viper gets new Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires set up with more negative camber, new shocks, higher spring rates, and a solid rear anti-roll bar replacing the previous hollow one.
The good news is that these changes come cheap. The Viper's base price of $86,845 is $150 less than that of the Viper in our last test, thanks in part to a lower gas-guzzler tax. And even at the as-tested price of $91,145, the Viper is the most affordable 600-hp car on the market.
For this evaluation, we performed our standard battery of performance tests and some real-world driving, and then we drove to Grattan Raceway Park to see how each car would handle the bumpy 2.0-mile road course. As it turns out, all the changes to the new Viper aren't enough to better the Corvette, but the Z06's claim to the title of America's top sports car is looking a bit tenuous. Read on for a full explanation.


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Posted: Friday, August 6, 2010
Conservators appointed by courts to make financial decisions for adults found unable to manage their financial affairs can now complete their reports online. The new reporting and monitoring system, which was developed and piloted by the Ramsey County Probate Court, is being rolled out statewide as part of a Judicial Branch effort to improve conservatorship oversight and reduce administrative costs.
Letters are being sent to 4,200 conservators statewide urging them to begin using the new reporting system, which can be accessed through the Judicial Branch website. Use of the new system will become mandatory Jan. 1, 2011.
The Minnesota system, called CAMPERS (Conservator Account Monitoring Preparation and Electronic Reporting System) will provide a number of benefits to courts and conservators, including:
Minnesota is the first state to develop a statewide conservatorship reporting and monitoring system and is being looked to as an example for other states. "The CAMPER system represents one of the most innovative practices in the conservatorship field nationwide," said Dr. Brenda Uekert, Director of the Center for Elders and the Courts at the National Center for State Courts. "For conservators, it offers checks and balances through an automated system. For the courts, CAMPER has the potential to improve the oversight and management of cases. Many states will be looking to Minnesota as a national model of how to improve the conservatorship process."
The Judicial Council has made improved oversight of conservatorships a Branch priority which can be achieved by centralizing and automating account processing and monitoring and assigning monitoring responsibility to specialized staff. The number of conservatorships is expected to grow as Minnesota's population continues to age.
Information about and access to the CAMPERS system can be found at www.mncourts.gov/conservators. An instruction manual and tutorials are provided to assist conservators in registering on the new system and completing their reports.
In conjunction with rollout of the electronic filing system, the Judicial Branch will be conducting periodic standardized audits with an emphasis on deterring inappropriate or fraudulent conduct by conservators. Conservators may be required to submit documentation supporting their reports, including but not limited to bank statements, vouchers, cancelled checks, verification of funds on deposit, tax returns, and other documentation needed to verify deposits of income and receipt of payments.


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CABAL's numerous intriguing quests and exhilarating missions weave together to form intricate plots that absorb players into the story where they become the heroes. Intuitive and user friendly, CABAL removes entry barriers for first-time gamers and late-starters. Time limited dungeons, blazing action scenes, perplexing puzzles and traps keep players enthralled in the story and driven to achieve more. The ESTsoft gaming graphics engine runs happily on old PCs and graphic cards, while still maintaining high frame rates with ornate characters and villains.
The new version comes with X-Fire Chat client bundled.


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2 days ago
Bird and girlfriend allowed to give evidence at appeal
Former NRL star Greg Bird and his American girlfriend, who he was convicted of glassing in the face, will be allowed to give evidence at his appeal hearing, a judge has said.
In June, the former Cronulla Shark was sentenced to at least eight months' jail after being convicted of recklessly wounding paralegal Katie Milligan, who suffered a fractured eye socket and cuts to her eye when she was hit in the face with a glass in August last year.
Bird was sentenced to a maximum jail term of 16 months but was immediately granted bail pending his appeal.
Ms Milligan, who has stood by Bird throughout the ordeal, did not give evidence at his trial but did provide a glowing character reference at his sentencing hearing.
She described him as "one of the most loving, sensitive and yet principled men I have ever met".
In September, Bird's lawyers applied for fresh evidence from Bird and Ms Milligan to be heard at his appeal hearing, saying the evidence had the potential to exculpate him.
In the Downing Centre District Court today, Bird's lawyer Bret Walker SC said his client had been "naive" in his initial statements to police and should be given a chance to put the story straight.
Judge Michael Finnane granted the application and the appeal hearing will continue later today.


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Whilst fucking a girl from behind, you pull out, come on her back. When she turns around you pull out your trusty can of mace, spray her directly in the eyes. She will then grap her cheeks and scream "AHHHHHHH" similar to Macauly Culkin in his premier roll as Kevin McAllister in the movie 'Home Alone'
I was fucking this lady cop from behind, came all over her ass and then grabbed that bitches mace and gave her the Home Alone
by OU77KG December 03, 2008
After a man ejaculates on a woman's face (The Money Shot) he says, "Keep the change you filthy animal!"
Last night, I gave a girl The Home Alone when I busted all over her face and said, "Keep the change you filthy animal."
by THA12345 October 30, 2009


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Rebecca Walker Blog
July 13. The West Hollywood Library. Come!
June 28. The Art of Memoir at The Ace Swim Club in Palm Springs 2016
Incredible five days at the Ace...
What an honor to work with these amazing women!
See you next year, either here or...in Bequia!
Spotted! In Modern Hawaiian Luxury...
Not my favorite pic, but...still nice. Thanks to the inimitable David Fenton. The best collaborator a girl could have.
June 22. The Art of Memoir at The Ocean State Summer Writers Conference.
Looking forward to teaching by the sea...
May 15. In conversation with Rachel Harper at EsoWon Books.
Speaking about my favorite book of 2016: THIS SIDE OF PROVIDENCE.
See you there!
May 11. The Bunche Library at UCLA.
Talking Adé and other love stories...
April 23. Third Annual EcoFeminism Conference at Santa Monica College.
March 19. BinderCon. Calling All Binders...
As I talk writing and publishing with the lovely Jillian Lauren...
March 5. The Association for Women in Psychology.
My keynote: Beyoncé's anthem FORMATION as a blueprint for feminist therapy. Sustaining Feminism For The Future.
February 10. Auburn College Women's Studies Annual Awards Luncheon.
In which my keynote discusses the new, progressive Hollywood and all its wonders and inconsistencies.
February 4. Occidental College: ARE YOU BLACK ENOUGH?
In conversation with my dear friend and fellow writer in the struggle, Danzy Senna...
Jaipur Literary Festival: Rebecca Walker on Why Art Matters
A wonderful weekend. We are looking forward to #JLF in #Bhutan!
Between the Lines: Reading at the Schomburg
The novel. Now being adapted for film with Madonna directing.
"I want to say Adé reads like a memoir, but this heartbreaking, poetic tale of romance versus reality does more than that: it reads like truth. Lush, sensual, seductive, Adéis written with as much love as the story it tells."
–MAT JOHNSON, author of Pym
"In luminous, dreamlike prose, Rebecca Walker has written more than a love story: Adé explores the difficulty of fleeing one's origins, of relinquishing privilege, even in the name of love."
—DANZY SENNA, author of You Are Free and Caucasia
"Brief and intense, Adé is a surprise gem—a sensuous feast of food, sex, danger and the life of awakened senses from one of our most celebrated nonfiction writers. A lyrical novel as timeless as Marguerite Duras' The Lover."
—MOLLY PEACOCK, author of The Paper Garden: An Artist Begins Her Life's Work at 72
"If you've ever dared to love outside the predictable geography of your origins, or wished you had, this beautiful novel will grab your heart and not let go."
—BLISS BROYARD, author of One Drop: My Father's Hidden Life-A Story of Race and Family Secrets
NPR: My Review of Widow Basquiat
Much has been written about Jean-Michel Basquiat, the childlike savant and startlingly brilliant neo-expressionist who went down in a ball of heroin, cocaine and rage before his prime — before he could see his paintings sell at Christie's for $49 million, before he was compared to Picasso and de Kooning. Since his death in 1988, he has been immortalized in countless museum catalogues and even more Ph.D theses, and rendered larger than life on the silver screen by none other than the king of the eighties art world himself, Julian Schnabel.


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It was only a matter of time before The King Of Pop would be back, posthumously.
It was only a matter of time before The King Of Pop would be back, posthumously.
The late Michael Jackson is experiencing his biggest hit since 2002's "Butterflies." Jackson's duet with Justin Timberlake for the single "Love Never Felt So Good" debuted on Billboard's Hot 100 this week at No. 20 and the R&B/Hip-Hop chart at No. 6.
"Love Never Felt So Good" is Jackson's first hit since his death in June 2009, too. Sometimes it's hard to believe he's really gone. He had such a massive effect on music. We'll arguably see his influence for many more years.
Timberlake was the best choice for pairing on the new single. The two artists have similar musical stylings. You can easily hear Jackson's influence on Timberlake.
"Love Never Felt So Good" becomes Jackson's 49th solo Hot 100 single. It took only three days of airplay and sales to post a top 20 debut. Awesome!
Michael's mother, Katherine, chose music mogul L.A. Reid to oversee Jackson's new album "Xscape," available this week.
Reid was the best person for that job. Tackling Michael's music is a big undertaking, but Reid's ear for quality kept the music with the times.
I've read before that Michael had recorded some 400 songs that never saw the light of day, let alone an album to call home. Can you imagine the man responsible for such masterpiece albums like "Off The Wall," "Thriller," "Bad" and "Dangerous" having leftover material? Any songs even remotely associated with songs from those albums are bound to be good.
Like most songs, there is a hidden story that surfaces later. In this case, it's the Timberlake factor. Timberlake had personally written the song "Gone" for Jackson, but was refused by Jackson. Timberlake then offered the song to NSYNC who took it to No. 11 on the charts.
"Gone" was Timberlake's exit, so to speak from 'N Sync. The song was clearly meant for Jackson, since it was molded for his style. Timberlake has said Jackson's proposed duet for the track sparked his solo career as a pop artist.
"Xscape" is a great album. Hearing the music only makes me miss Jackson more.
Reid and Timberlake were smart to introduce the song during the iHeart Radio Music Awards last week. It was a massive boost to an already growing Internet buzz. But is the rest of the album as buzzworthy? Yes.
The Deluxe version of "Xscape" features 17 tracks, including a solo version of "Love."
I am especially fond of the tracks "Chicago" and "Slave To The Rhythm." I can sense the "Thriller" influence heard in them.
"Blue Gangsta" and "A Place With No Name" are also good tracks with Michael's imprint still strong.
"Xscape" will certainly be an interesting album to track this summer. It's the first new attempt to continue his incredible legacy.
David T. Farr is a Journal correspondent. Email him at email@example.com.


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Residents in Chester and Goshen are taking their respective towns to court for flood damage caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
Residents in Chester and Goshen are taking their respective towns to court for flood damage caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
The pair of suits filed in Orange County state Supreme Court last month come a year after the parties filed notices of claims signaling their intention to sue.
A lawyer for the plaintiffs, from the Sussman and Watkins law firm in Goshen, said that depositions in the case by defense lawyers caused the delay in filing the suit.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation and Orange County are also named as defendants in the suit against Goshen. Officials with the town and the county declined to comment.
The plaintiffs allege that government officials in the two towns knew about the potential for flooding from both the Seely Brook in Chester and the Wallkill River in Goshen but did nothing about it before the storms hit in 2011. Fourteen residents of the Kings Tract subdivision in Chester and seven plaintiffs who live on or near Celery Avenue in the Town of Goshen make up the list of plaintiffs in the cases.
The suit against Chester contends that Supervisor Steve Neuhaus received the go-ahead from the DEC to dredge overgrown portions of Seely Brook prone to flooding, but chose to delay. Neuhaus declined to comment on the suit.
The Goshen residents around Celery Avenue contend that Goshen, Orange County and the DEC failed to maintain the Wallkill River, including at a "pinch point" — a narrow channel where it flows past the Orange County Landfill. The county was also supposed to maintain the bank of the landfill, which appears to be sliding into the water, according to the suit.
Both the Town of Goshen and the county declined to comment.
The alleged negligence is blamed for the flooding of the plaintiffs' homes and property, resulting in damage to farms, businesses and residences, the suit said.
Michael Sussman, lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the lawsuits reflect a growing unease among Orange County residents about flooding and other damage from powerful storms that are growing more frequent.
"There has to be accountability for infrastructure ... and that's clearly not happening now," Sussman said.


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ABC doesn't need to spin the ratings results for "Scandal."
The third season premiere for the show about hotshot D.C. public relations guru Olivia Pope, starring Kerry Washington, last week opened to 10.5 million viewers, its biggest audience ever. But, like other networks, ABC is trotting out numbers that account for the multiple ways people now watch their shows after they've originally aired -- and it makes the Nielsen numbers look a lot better.
When the network counts people watching through other means, such as digital video recorders, video on demand and Web streaming, a total of 17.8 million people have watched the first episode of "Scandal."
VIDEO: A live chat with 'Scandal's' Kerry Washington
That's 91% more than the number of people who watched last year's premiere through all platforms.
With viewing habits adapting to new technology, the major broadcast networks are trying to change how observers think about ratings and what they mean. With the growing popularity of delayed viewing, people are often as likely if not more to watch shows after they air rather than live.
With a show like "Scandal," that trend can help increase a program's overall audience.
About 2.8 million people watched the "Scandal" premiere via DVR or VOD in the three days after the original air date and an additional 1.4 million saw it online. A rerun on Tuesday drew an additional 3 million people, bringing the total viewership to 17.8 million.
FALL TV 2013: Watch the trailers
"Scandal" isn't the only show to benefit from the multiplatform lift.
NBC's "Blacklist," the new FBI drama starring James Spader, added 5 million viewers to its Sept. 30 episode in the three days after it first ran. Perhaps more impressive, the show retained some 97% of the total audience for its premiere. Those "Blacklist" numbers don't count streaming.
"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," another ABC show, grew the audience for its big premiere to 22 million, an increase of 83% from its same-day number.
So if you're still catching up on "Scandal," "Blacklist," "S.H.I.E.L.D." or any of the other fall hits, join the club.
Megyn Kelly delivers for Fox News
SFX Entertainment misses beat in stock market debut
TV ratings: 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' down as NBC and CBS split Tuesday
Twitter: @rfaughnder
ON LOCATION: People and places behind what's onscreen PHOTOS: Biggest box office flops of 2013 PHOTOS: Celebrity production companies
ON LOCATION: People and places behind what's onscreen
PHOTOS: Biggest box office flops of 2013
PHOTOS: Celebrity production companies