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Leonard, a sixth-round pick, had thrown only two passes -- a pair of fourth-quarter incompletions against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 26 -- before Jones' injury shoved him into the thick of a game with first place in the AFC South on the line.

"It's very difficult, but that's the nature of the game. Obviously, your first thought is to pray for Daniel and hope he's great because that's not how you envision getting snaps, right?" Leonard detailed after Sunday's game. "I always envision myself working and working and developing into a starter, (a position) that I earned. Whether I earned it or not is kind of irrelevant. Daniel went down; my turn was up. It's super unfortunate to see that, but hopefully everything works out. We'll be praying for him for sure."

The Colts lost Jones, and 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson is on injured reserve, so when Indianapolis lost Sunday's game and Leonard left the stadium limping on his knee, head coach Shane Steichen gave 44-year-old Philip Rivers a ring. Rivers was at the team facility by Monday night and officially signed to the practice squad, studying the call sheet for Week 15. He was reviewing calls, plays and checks for the game at Seattle with Leonard, who was born a few days after Rivers threw five touchdown passes on 10 completions against Navy as a junior at North Carolina State.

Both quarterbacks practiced Wednesday and Thursday.

Last week, Leonard played the final three quarters and rushed for a 6-yard TD. His touchdown pass to Michael Pittman Jr. was taken off the board on an offensive pass interference call, but he completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards with an interception.

Leonard remains optimistic his first career start is coming this week. Steichen, though, did not rule out turning to Rivers instead in his 245th career game but first since 2021.

"As far as I know, I'm going to go out there and give it my best," Leonard said.

Steichen, a former assistant coach with the Chargers, crossed over with Rivers for eight seasons, and they were in regular contact long after he joined the Philadelphia Eagles and took over as a first-time head coach with the Colts prior to last season.

When Steichen told of how the call to Rivers came about, it was clear he's still a believer.

"He's one of the most passionate players I've ever been around," Steichen said. "The obsession for the game is off the charts."

The Colts dropped to 8-5 last week and already lost to the Houston Texans (8-5) during the current three-game losing streak.

With four games to play, Indianapolis already has entered "playoff mode" and the schedule is relentless starting at Seattle on Sunday. The Colts are home on "Monday Night Football" against the San Francisco 49ers (9-4) next week and close the regular season at Houston on Jan. 4.

"He will not be at practice on Thursday, and his status for Monday night's game vs. Miami is in question," the Steelers said in a statement on Thursday. "Coach (Mike) Tomlin will provide more updates at the appropriate time."

The Steelers (7-6) did not divulge the severity of the lung issue.

Signed to a three-year, $123 million contract with $108 million guaranteed in July, Watt has recorded seven sacks and 53 tackles in 13 games (all starts) this season. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection has not missed a game since the 2022 season.

Watt, 31, has 115 career sacks in 134 games (all starts) since being selected by Pittsburgh with the 30th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 when he had a career-high 22.5 sacks to match the official league record (since 1982) held by Michael Strahan and has been a first-team All-Pro four times.

Financial terms were not disclosed by the team, however multiple media outlets reported the deal is worth $40.5 million. NFL Network added that the contract includes $25 million in guaranteed money.

Jones, 26, has recorded 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 12 games (all starts) this season. He has played 67% of the defensive snaps.

"'Big Trav' is an ascending player and having him continue to man the middle of our defense is very exciting," said Eric DeCosta, Ravens general manager, according to the official team website.

He has totaled 136 tackles, five sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 61 career games (30 starts) since being selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of UConn.

That's fine with the Cowboys, who can apply more pressure on the Eagles if they can knock off the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night in Arlington, Texas.

Philadelphia (8-5) has lost three consecutive games. Dallas (6-6-1) won three straight contests before dropping a 44-30 road decision to the Detroit Lions on Dec. 4.

The Cowboys are a long shot in the wild-card race, so the NFC East crown is the club's best route to the postseason.

"At the end of the day, we're focused on beating Minnesota," Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer said. "We're going to do what we got to do, and if you start looking too far ahead of, 'OK, if this happens, if that happens,' you're going to drive yourself crazy. And I'm not going to do that."

Minnesota (5-8) faces an even tougher chore than the Cowboys.

The Vikings staved off elimination last weekend with a 31-0 shellacking of the visiting Washington Commanders. Minnesota has to win its final four games and see multiple other teams collapse down the stretch to have a chance to make the playoffs.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw a career-high three touchdown passes against Washington. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 163 yards and didn't throw an interception for the first time in his seven NFL starts.

"It's definitely reassuring," McCarthy said. "I always knew I had that and I always knew the potential is there. But I'm looking at it right now, and there's so many ways I could get better. I'm so far from where I want to be, so it's just great to get the win and grow in this game."

Still, McCarthy hasn't been able to feature the skills of star receiver Justin Jefferson.

The four-time Pro Bowler receiver had just two catches for 11 yards against the Commanders one week after having two receptions for 4 yards in a 26-0 road loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Overall, Jefferson has just 64 catches for 810 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games. Those are skimpy numbers for a receiver who posted 1,400 or more receiving yards in four of his first five seasons.

"I've tried to say this as many times as I possibly can, he has been elite from a leadership standpoint, character standpoint, being one of our captains and guys that drives this organization," Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell said. "That's no matter what the look on his face has been, that's no matter what the statistical columns say."

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott has been thriving with outputs of 354, 320 and 376 yards over the past three games. He leads the NFL with 3,637 passing yards and is tied for second with 26 passing touchdowns.

The Cowboys are also getting a boost from running back Javonte Williams, who has set career highs of 1,022 yards and nine touchdowns in his first season with the club.

"Yeah, it's a good milestone," Williams said of topping 1,000 for the first time in his five-year career. "After all the hard work I put in, to finally reach it, it's a blessing. But I know I still have work to do. We still got a lot of games left and a lot of football left for ourselves."

Minnesota left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) and tight end T.J. Hockenson (shin) sat out practice on Wednesday. Six players were limited due to injuries, including running back Aaron Jones (shoulder), receiver Jordan Addison (Achilles) and safety Josh Metellus (shoulder).

Tackle Tyler Guyton (ankle) was the lone Dallas player to sit out on Wednesday due to injury. Receiver CeeDee Lamb (concussion) was limited but had yet to clear protocol. Among the other six limited participants were defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (hamstring) and tight end Jake Ferguson (calf).

The Cowboys have won five of the past six meetings with Minnesota, including a 40-3 road victory in 2022 in the most recent matchup.

The game matches teams coming off wins in Cleveland a week apart, with the Titans having ended a seven-game losing streak with a 31-29 win last Sunday, while the 49ers, who had a bye last week, were last seen extending their run of consecutive wins to three with a 26-8 victory in Week 13.

The first overall pick in the April draft, Ward threw two touchdown passes for the first time despite unfavorable weather conditions last week in Cleveland. He also had an interception, giving him nearly as many (seven) this season as TD passes (nine).

The win was just the Titans' second of the season, which drew different reactions from their players. Shortly before veteran defensive lineman Arden Key was getting on the airplay intercom and encouraging his teammates to enjoy the success, Ward was telling reporters he thought playing just three good quarters -- the Titans were outscored 12-0 in the final 4:27 -- shouldn't be celebrated.

Titans interim coach Mike McCoy found himself looking for common ground as he began preparations for a tougher opponent, the 9-4 49ers.

"You want to enjoy every win in this business," he told the media. "But he's a competitor and Cam wants to be great. He wants to play great every week. And there's times where if you don't play (well), he's not going to sugarcoat what he says."

Ward threw for just 117 yards in the win, completing only half his 28 passes. His passing yardage was trumped by running back Tony Pollard's 161-yard effort on 25 carries.

This week, the Titans will see a Niners team that has allowed just four of 13 opponents to rush for a total of more than 100 yards. Only Jacksonville's Travis Etienne (124) has gone over 100 yards individually against San Francisco this season.

The 49ers have held the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and Browns to an average of 13.0 points during their winning streak that coincides with Purdy's return from a toe injury.

The final pick of the 2022 draft, Purdy engineered five wins his rookie season despite not having started a game until December that year. He's gone 27-14 as a starter.

As the now fourth-year quarterback has been regaining his footing, Christian McCaffrey has been relied upon heavily of late, getting an average of 19.0 carries and 5.3 receptions, which he has turned into 337 total yards in the last three games.

The nine-year veteran hasn't shown any sign of slowing down, and if he needed it, the 49ers figure to benefit from a late-season bye.

San Francisco has won each of its first games following a bye the last three seasons, beating the Los Angeles Chargers, Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a combined 79-39.

San Francisco coach Mike Shanahan was asked this week to disclose the secret to his post-bye success.

"I think most of that's just a coincidence," he insisted. "It's always good when we get to rest; you always come in feeling better. The key is how to keep that freshness and feeling better, but yet still get at least two hard days of practice in so you can knock off all that rust."

The teams haven't met in California since December 2017, when Ward and Purdy were both in high school.

For the Titans, defensive end C.J. Ravenell (toe) and linebacker James Williams Sr. (illness) did not practice Wednesday. Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (Achilles) and center Lloyd Cushenberry III (foot) returned to practice on a limited basis.

Niners linebackers Tatum Bethune (ankle) and Nick Martin (concussion) and defensive linemen Kevin Givens (personal) and defensive Sam Okuayinonu (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. Fullback Kyle Kyle Juszczyk (ribs) was limited.

Rivers, 44, an eight-time Pro Bowl participant and Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist, was signed to the practice squad by Indianapolis on Wednesday, and coach Shane Steichen didn't rule out the possibility Rivers could play Sunday when the Colts visit the Seattle Seahawks.

No matter that Rivers, a grandfather, hasn't played since the 2020 season.

"Something about it excited me, and it's kind of one of those deals, the door opens and you either walk through it and find out if you can do it or you run from it," Rivers said. "I know there's risk involved, what may or may not happen, but the only way to find out is going for it."

Colts starter Daniel Jones sustained a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon last weekend in a 36-19 loss at Jacksonville, and rookie backup Riley Leonard injured his right knee later in the game.

With Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, still on injured reserve with a fractured orbital bone, the Colts promoted Brett Rypien, who hasn't started since 2023, from the practice squad to the active roster. They then signed Rivers, who spent his final NFL campaign with the Colts after 16 seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers.

Rivers had been coaching the St. Michael Catholic High School team in Fairhope, Ala., for the past five years.

Steichen said the Colts (8-5) gave Rivers a call over the weekend.

"He said, 'Heck yeah, I'm interested,'" Steichen said. "So he slept on it, and then we called him back Monday morning and he said, 'I need to get up there and throw in that building.' So he came in here, and he didn't forget how to throw a football."

Rivers admitted he might be a few pounds over his playing weight.

"It's not what it was when I walked away," Rivers said. "I follow up with (the fact) that I never ran away from anybody anyway."

Leonard was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, so the former Duke and Notre Dame standout might get his first NFL start on Sunday. He has completed 18 of 31 passes for 145 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in two appearances off the bench.

"We'll see how the week goes," said Steichen, whose team has taken three straight losses to drop a game behind the division-leading Jaguars in the AFC South. "We'll get to the end of the week and make that decision."

The Seahawks (10-3) have won three in a row, including a 37-9 victory last Sunday at Atlanta, and are tied with the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC West.

This will be the third straight week in which the Seahawks will face a backup quarterback. They blanked Minnesota and rookie QB Max Brosmer 26-0 two weeks ago before limiting the Falcons and Kirk Cousins to three field goals last weekend.

Seattle exploded for 31 second-half points at Atlanta to get its offense untracked.

"I feel like we're in a good spot," Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold said. "We've just got to continue to harp on the details of everything. We know that in the locker room, and we'll do a good job of that throughout the week."

The Colts practiced on Wednesday without cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf), wide receiver Anthony Gould (foot), defensive end Tyquan Lewis (ankle) and offensive tackle Braden Smith (concussion/neck). Tight end Elijah Arroyo (knee) was the only member of the Seahawks to sit out entirely on Wednesday.

The Texans (8-5) are inside the playoff bubble as a wild-card team entering Week 15 after beating Jacksonville, Tennessee, Buffalo, Indianapolis and most recently Kansas City during their streak, hurtling their way toward a third straight AFC South title. Houston is one game behind the first-place Jaguars.

"This is what we are supposed to do," Houston coach DeMeco Ryans told his team after a 20-10 road victory over the Chiefs last week.

"We just keep going, one game at a time. Everybody remain focused on the task in front of you. We continue to do what we need to do, we (are) going to do some special things."

The Cardinals (3-10) were eliminated from postseason contention on Nov. 30. Their losing streak reached five games last week in a 45-17 blowout against the visiting Los Angeles Rams, who produced 35 unanswered points and 530 total yards.

The Cardinals have given up 40-plus points in three of the past five games, forcing coach Jonathan Gannon to face questions about his team's effort level.

"No, no," Gannon said, disagreeing with the premise and citing "lack of execution" for the squad's defensive failures.

Said linebacker Josh Sweat: "I think everybody's head is in the right place, but I mean, it's over and over and over, so it's only so much we can do."

Houston may not reach the 40-point plateau against Arizona simply because it might not need to. The Texans rank No. 1 in the NFL in scoring defense (16.0 points per game) and total defense (266.3 yards) and are third in passing yards allowed (172). They are second in turnover margin (+12) and fourth in takeaways (1.7).

Houston intercepted Patrick Mahomes three times and stopped the Chiefs on two fourth-down attempts in the fourth quarter.

"We have a special group," said Ryans, whose team hosts the Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) next week.

Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud has beaten Indianapolis and Kansas City since returning from a three-game absence caused by a concussion. He threw for 479 yards, one touchdown and one interception in those two contests, taking a conservative approach that plays to Houston's defensive strength.

Texans running back Nick Chubb (ribs) left last week's game in the first half and did not return. Woody Marks has grown into a workhorse running back, producing 206 yards on 61 carries the past three weeks.

The Cardinals have the offensive weapons to potentially give Houston's defense problems. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has passed for 2,459 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games as a starter, with three 300-yard games and a 452-yarder in a 41-22 loss to San Francisco on Nov. 16.

Trey McBride is tied for the NFL lead with 93 receptions and leads all tight ends with 937 yards. If he notches five receptions against the Texans, he would set a tight end record with 16 consecutive games of hitting that mark after tying Travis Kelce last week.

Wide receiver Michael Wilson, who has blossomed since Brissett took over and Marvin Harrison went out due to an appendectomy and later a heel injury, has 39 receptions for 481 yards and two touchdowns in his past four games. Both scores came against the Rams.

"He does everything right," Brissett said.

Cardinals offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) will not play on Sunday, Gannon said. Johnson left the Rams game in the third quarter, and NFL Network reported that he sustained a sprained MCL.

Also, Arizona did not activate running back Trey Benson (knee) this week at the end of his 21-day practice window, ending his season. He was injured in Week 4.

Eleven Cardinals did not practice on Wednesday, including Harrison, left guard Evan Brown (personal); safeties Budda Baker (thumb), Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (ankle) and Jalen Thompson (hamstring) and wide receiver Xavier Weaver (hamstring). Running back Emari Demercado (ankle) was among five players limited at practice.

Houston's Chubb, Marks (knee), cornerback Kamari Lassiter (foot), linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (ankle) defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (elbow/shoulder), offensive tackle Trent Brown (hand) and defensive end Denico Autry (knee) did not practice on Wednesday. Lassiter and Al-Shaair had interceptions against Kansas City.

While they were resting and recharging for the final four games of the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were losing to the New Orleans Saints and dropping into a tie with the Panthers (7-6) for first place in the NFC South.

Carolina can stay in first place by beating the Saints on Sunday in New Orleans.

"Every game is a championship opportunity," Panthers coach Dave Canales said. "We have one right in front of us on the road against a familiar opponent."

Even though the Saints (3-10) are tied for the fourth-worst record in the NFL, no one knows better than Carolina that New Orleans shouldn't be overlooked.

Not only did the Saints beat the Bucs last week, but they went into Charlotte and beat the Panthers on Nov. 9 after Carolina had won four of its last five games.

The Panthers drove for a touchdown on the first possession of the game but didn't score again. New Orleans had 122 rushing yards, while the Panthers had 73.

"They beat us at our own game," Canales said, referring to his preference for being the more physical team in the run game on both sides of the ball.

Bryce Young passed for just 124 yards with an interception and no touchdowns. But the Panthers are 2-1 since that game, with Young passing for 448 and 206 yards in wins against the Falcons on Nov. 16 and Rams on Nov. 30, respectively. He had three touchdown passes and no interceptions in each contest.

"We haven't had the consistency I would like to see from the entire (offensive) group, and certainly Bryce is a part of that," Canales said. "That's the challenge that we have in front of us, and that's what we've been attacking for weeks now."

The Saints' victory against the Panthers started their best stretch of the season, as they have split their last four games after starting 1-8.

"We're getting better," New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore said. "We're playing cleaner football. We're executing better on first and second down, and that's making things easier on third down. The defense is creating turnovers, and we're taking care of the football."

In the rain against the Bucs, rookie quarterback Tyler Shough had the fewest passing yards of his five starts (144), but he had a season-high 55 rushes on seven carries and ran for two touchdowns.

"There's a lot to continue to build upon," Shough said. "It's the NFL. Whether you're fighting for a (playoff) spot (or not), what you put on film matters. That's the mindset of everybody, and myself specifically. We feel like we're building and continuing to get better. You want to play your best against division opponents."

Two Saints starters -- running back Alvin Kamara, who has missed the last two games because of knee and ankle injuries, and safety Justin Reid, who missed last week's game because of a knee ailment -- missed practice Wednesday. Devin Neal, who replaced Kamara, was limited because of an abdominal injury suffered against the Bucs.

Another starter, right tackle Taliese Fuaga (ankle), returned to practice on a limited basis after missing the last game. Asim Richards, who started in Fuaga's place last week, did not practice because of an ankle injury suffered against Tampa Bay.

Two Carolina starters -- center Cade Mays (ankle) and linebacker Christian Rozeboom (hip/hamstring) -- were full participants Wednesday after missing the last two games. Starting cornerback Jaycee Horn, who missed the game against the Rams, remained in concussion protocol but did participate on a limited basis.

They can clinch a postseason berth with a victory over the visiting Detroit Lions on Sunday. With a loss, the Rams (10-3) could find themselves tied for second place in their own division.

"Our focus is solely on the game in front of us," quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "As far as what kind of implications that has, to be honest with you, we haven't talked about it one bit."

What has been talked about around the league is Stafford's candidacy for NFL Most Valuable Player honors. If the Rams keep winning, he could be the favorite for the award.

"I don't want to speak in too many hypotheticals to be honest with you," he said. "I am a fan of this game and have been for a long time. Anytime you get honored, for whatever award in any kind of way in whatever position in this league, it's something that I don't take for granted. Just to be in the conversation is something that's humbling to me."

Puka Nacua earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors by making seven receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-17 road win over Arizona on Sunday. The Rams' dynamic wide receiver duo of Nacua and Davante Adams will be facing a banged-up Lions secondary that lost playmaking safety Brian Branch to a torn Achilles tendon in Detroit's 44-30 victory over Dallas on Thursday.

"When you get to see the guy up close and go against him, you realize how big and strong he is," Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Nacua. "He's got good range, he's faster than I think people realize. He runs well, and then he blocks. He gets after it. So, you've got to fight this guy all the way to the catch point."

Detroit has won two of the last three matchups with Los Angeles since the two teams famously swapped quarterbacks. In last season's meeting, the Lions won in overtime, 26-20. Stafford threw for 317 yards, 100 more than Jared Goff, and both quarterbacks had a touchdown pass and an interception.

Goff says his days with the Rams are fading in his memory.

"It feels like a long time ago," he said.

He's focused on the challenges the Rams present now.

"I think we're both really good teams, I've got so much respect for those guys over there and how well they're playing, how well they're coached," he said. "Certainly, the film I'm watching, their defense is really impressive. (Rams defensive coordinator) Coach (Chris) Shula is doing a great job, and, obviously, we know what they're doing on offense."

The Lions (8-5) are still on the outside of the playoff picture and may need to win out to nab a spot.

Jahmyr Gibbs scored three rushing touchdowns in the win over the Cowboys, moving him into second place for overall touchdowns (13) behind Indianapolis' Jonathan Taylor (16).

"He's a weapon for us, we've said that all along," Campbell said. "I mean, this guy serves many roles, and he gives us a lot of flexibility with what we can do."

The Lions rank first in the league in points per game at 30.3. The Rams aren't far behind in fourth at 29.2.

Detroit offensive tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder) and linebacker Alex Anzalone (illness) didn't practice Wednesday. Adams (hamstring) sat out Los Angeles' practice, but McVay called it a rest day.

The Broncos (11-2) are two wins clear of the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West and can clinch a playoff berth with a win against Green Bay (9-3-1). The Packers have won four in a row, the last two against NFC North rivals Detroit and Chicago, to take control of the division.

To keep an angle on conference playoff positioning and avoid losing traction in the division, neither team wants to drop the ball Sunday.

Despite not having lost since Week 3 and an 11-game home winning streak dating back to last season, the Broncos enter Sunday as underdogs. Part of that is having a young quarterback in Bo Nix and rookie running back RJ Harvey leading the offense.

"The dude's a freak," left tackle Garett Bolles said of Harvey. "I mean, there's a reason why we drafted him the way we drafted him. He's just getting better and better."

Harvey took over lead back duties because J.K. Dobbins hasn't played since Week 10 due to a foot injury that required surgery. Denver has kept winning without Dobbins, and Nix has delivered in the clutch. Eight of the wins during the streak have been by one score and the Broncos are 9-2 this season in games decided by seven points or less.

Nix has completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,954 yards, 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He is also third on the team in rushing (244 yards).

The Broncos have leaned on their strong defense in more than a supporting role. Denver ranks fourth in the NFL in points allowed per game (18.1), second in rushing (89 yards), third in total yards per game (282) and first in total sacks (55).

Green Bay can win a game with quarterback Jordan Love's deep and talented groups of wide receivers. The Packers also can throw a knockout punch defensively.

They rank sixth in points allowed (19 per game) and fifth in total yards per game (287.2). Micah Parson leads the team with 12.5 sacks and Rashan Gary has 7.5.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said he had his head down in August when his one-time boss Jerry Jones pulled the plug on contract talks and dealt Parsons from the Cowboys to the Packers. Now that he's trying to stop him from spoiling Denver's streak and line on the AFC's top seed, Payton had a few deeper thoughts.

"He's extremely explosive. He has unique bend and balance for someone at that position, so he's a handful. He's a rare type player," said Payton, who has his offensive linemen on alert to know where Parsons might align on a given snap. "... He lines up to the right, to the left. You try to chart it, you try to track it. They do a good job looking at their own tendencies, self-scouting. We just have to understand where he's at."

The Broncos are 10th in total yards per game (342) and the Packers are 13th at 340.3 but the separation in the tale of the tape of these offenses comes at quarterback.

Love, in his third year as Green Bay's starter, has a career-high 67.1 completion percentage and has thrown 22 TD passes while only being intercepted four times. He has been sacked 18 times. Injuries the first two months of the season were a setback to strong protection, but not many blocking schemes are built to stonewall Denver's pressure defense.

"There's not really a weak link out there," Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said of the Broncos. "The sack numbers are really crazy. Their run defense is pretty crazy."

Nik Bonitto has a team-best 12.5 sacks but the Broncos' other three starters up front have 19 more combined, led by Jonathon Cooper (7.5).

"It's a little bit different than a team that maybe only has one solid edge rusher that you make sure you get chips and lock down that side," Love said.

Green Bay has eight total turnovers, tied for lowest in the NFL, and its turnover differential is plus-four.

Despite their strong defense the Broncos have just 10 takeaways (seven interceptions, three fumble recoveries).

Denver wide receiver Pat Bryant (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday and tight end Nate Adkins (knee) and guard Ben Powers (biceps) were limited.

Packers running back Josh Jacobs (knee) did not practice Wednesday but Love (left shoulder) practiced in full.

Bears safety Kevin Byard III has an idea: Fans might stay warm by standing up and screaming at the top of their lungs.

"Be as loud as possible, especially on third downs," Byard said when asked for his message to Chicago fans. "Like I said, the offense has to communicate a lot more. I know, especially against Cleveland, having a young quarterback, having to communicate in a very loud hostile environment can be huge for us on defense."

The Bears (9-4) know they cannot afford a letdown against the Browns (3-10) as the postseason approaches. Chicago held the No. 1 spot in the NFC going into last weekend, but a narrow loss against the Green Bay Packers dropped the Bears into a potential wild-card spot heading into Week 15.

Cleveland has lost two straight and five of its past six, but the recent play of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has given the franchise reason for optimism. Sanders passed for 364 yards, three touchdowns and one interception last week in a 31-29 home loss against the Tennessee Titans.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski praised Sanders for improving throughout the season.

"In terms of a light turning on, those types of things, I just think he's committed to getting better every single week," Stefanski said. "And that's what you want."

The Browns also want their best player to make history.

Defensive end Myles Garrett enters this weekend with a league-high 20 sacks in 13 games. He is 2 1/2 sacks shy of matching the NFL's single-season record of 22 1/2, which Michael Strahan set in 2001 and T.J. Watt matched in 2021.

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams knows that Garrett will be tough to stop. Williams wants no part of becoming the answer to a trivia question: Which quarterback did Garrett take down to break the sack record?

"I'm going to try and make sure that he doesn't get the sack record on us and on me," Williams said. "... As a game plan ... everything is not allowing them to wreck the game.

"That's something he can do. That's something that he's done throughout his whole career. So we're excited for the challenge. We're excited for this week. We're excited to try and get back into the win column."

This is the teams' 19th meeting. Cleveland leads the all-time series 11-7, and the home team has won 10 of the past 11 games.

In the most recent meeting, the Browns eked out a 20-17 home win on Dec. 17, 2023.

The teams are in much different positions now in terms of their playoff trajectory, but Byard said he and his teammates were treating the Browns as equals.

"Some people will call this a classic trap game or whatever it may be," Byard said. "I don't really believe in trap games in the league. I think every single week, you have to bring your best ball regardless of records.

"This is the National Football League, and every team and everybody is playing for something regardless of what the record is."

The Bears did not practice on Wednesday, instead holding a walkthrough, meaning their participation report was an estimation. Rome Odunze (foot), who sat out the loss to the Packers, was listed as a limited participant, along with fellow wide receiver wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (hamstring) and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (hip). Cornerback Kyler Gordon (groin), who was injured in warmups before the Green Bay game, was listed as a non-participant.

For the Browns, 10 players did not practice Wednesday: left guard Joel Bitonio (knee/back), right tackle Jack Conklin (concussion), strong safety Grant Delpit (illness/groin), defensive tackles Mason Graham (rib) and Adin Huntington (quad), tight end David Njoku (knee), running back Dylan Sampson (calf/hand), right guard Wyatt Teller (calf), wide receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion/rib) and cornerback Denzel Ward (calf).

Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson, who had his 21-day practice window opened, took part in individual drills. He has been sidelined since twice tearing his right Achilles tendon last season.

The Jaguars (9-4) jumped into sole possession of first place with their fourth straight win last week, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 36-19 to take over the top spot in the AFC South.

They are home again Sunday and host the New York Jets (3-10), who began the work week saddled with quarterback questions that cloud what has been an underwhelming debut season for coach Aaron Glenn.

Making his third straight start after Justin Fields was benched, Tyrod Taylor sustained a groin injury in the first quarter against the Dolphins and was unable to return. With Fields (knee) inactive, that left just rookie quarterback Brady Cook to finish the game.

Glenn didn't have a clarity on Taylor or Fields' status vs. Jacksonville when the Jets began practice Wednesday other than neither would be on the field and Cook would receive the first-team reps.

"There's a plan for the quarterbacks, either way it works out during the week," Glenn said. "We've got all our bases covered."

Jacksonville is starting to feel as good about its quarterback situation as it has all season. Trevor Lawrence had a bit of a midseason lull that coincided with Jacksonville losing three out of four games to fall to 5-4, but he's been on a tear the last few weeks.

Lawrence threw 11 interceptions in the team's first 11 games. Since then? Interception free.

During the past two games, Lawrence has 473 passing yards and four touchdowns in wins over Tennessee and Indianapolis.

"I think he's just starting to feel more and more comfortable within the system and with the guys that he's playing with," Jaguars coach Liam Coen said of Lawrence.

Lawrence popped up on the injury report Wednesday as a limited practice participant with an ankle injury. Supposing he's good to go, he'll face a Jets defense which is still looking for its first interception of the season.

Jacksonville's defense has rediscovered its turnover-forcing ways. After leading the league in forced turnovers early this season, the Jaguars forced five turnovers between their sixth and 11th games this season.

In the last two weeks, the defense has five takeaways.

Thrown into his first NFL action last week, Cook struggled as the Jets limped to a 34-10 loss. He completed 14 of 30 passes for 163 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

"A lot of learning experiences for sure on Sunday. Some good stuff, some stuff I need to clean up," Cook said. " ... Every rep I get this week is so valuable. I'm going to take advantage of them."

Down their top two quarterbacks and running back Breece Hall (knee) idle, the Jets might need to make magic to score points. Hall has eight of the team's 22 offensive touchdowns in 2025 (four rushing, three receiving and a TD pass). Hall is expected to be available for the game but could be less than 100 percent healthy.

The Jets' lone touchdown vs. Miami was a 78-yard punt return by Isaiah Williams, his second of the season, tying him for the league lead.

With a kickoff return touchdown as well from Kene Nwangwu, New York is tied for the league lead with three return touchdowns in 2025.

"The special teams unit can score in both the return games at any point. It has definitely provided a spark," Coen said of the Jets. "One of the best special teams units in the National Football league right now."

Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (hip), left tackle Walker Little (concussion) and safety Andrew Wingard (concussion) were all limited Wednesday.

Eight additional Jets missed Wednesday's practice along with Taylor and Fields. That list included tight end Mason Taylor (neck), cornerback Azareye'h Thomas (shoulder) and linebacker Quincy Williams (hand). Cook was a full participant despite being listed for an ankle injury.

The only previous meeting between coaches Pete Carroll of the Raiders (2-11) and Nick Sirianni of the Eagles (8-5) occurred during Philadelphia's late-season swoon two years ago.

Carroll's Seattle Seahawks beat the visiting Eagles 20-17. That game, which was also played in Week 15, was part of a 1-5 collapse for Philadelphia after a 10-1 start.

Until Monday night, that Seahawks-Eagles contest was also the last time Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts finished a game with multiple interceptions and zero touchdown passes.

After throwing just two interceptions in the first 12 games this season, Hurts was picked off four times in Monday's 22-19 road loss to the Los Angeles Chargers -- the last one to end the game in overtime.

Sirianni chose to see the glass as half full in his weekly appearance Wednesday on 94 WIP.

"There was a lot of good things on offense on Monday night," he said. "It was really good defense, it was really good special teams and there were a lot of good things on offense.

"I come away encouraged from that game, knowing that we have things to clean up. ... No one is pressing, everyone is just thinking, how do we get ourselves in the best position to win this game and play our best game?"

It was the third straight loss for the Eagles, their longest streak since dropping their last two regular-season games and the playoff opener in the 2023 season. They still lead the NFC East over the Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1) but this untimely swoon has dropped them two games behind the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the race for the No. 1 seed.

Philadelphia has turned the ball over nine times during its three-game slide after posting only four giveaways during its 8-2 start to the season.

The margin for error is too small right now for the defending Super Bowl champions to survive such miscues against Las Vegas.

Carroll's Raiders are just 1-11 since a Week 1 win against the New England Patriots that now seems incomprehensible. Their only other win came in Week 6 against the Tennessee Titans, who are now 2-11.

Still, three of their defeats in the current skid have been one-score games, including last week's 24-17 home setback against the division-leading Denver Broncos.

"It's super frustrating," rookie running back Ashton Jeanty told reporters Wednesday. "... We've just got to continue to find ways to clean up our play and execute better when it matters the most."

"I do think a lot of times all it takes is one play, one spark to change the direction of the game ... to lead towards wins," Jeanty added.

The Raiders have finished with fewer than 250 yards of offense in four of their last five games. Geno Smith was sacked 28 times over that same span and entered the week tied for the NFL lead with 14 interceptions this season.

Smith left the loss to Denver with a right shoulder injury, potentially giving backup Kenny Pickett a shot at his former team. Pickett won a ring with Philadelphia last season, appearing in five games in the regular season and beat Dallas in a Week 17 start. Aidan O'Connell is also available after returning from a fractured wrist.

Raiders left tackle Kolton Miller (ankle) returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since Week 4. Smith did not practice and tight end Michael Mayer (ankle) was limited. Wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. has cleared concussion protocol.

Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson (foot) and defensive tackle Jalen Carter (shoulders) did not practice Wednesday and left guard Landon Dickerson (calf) was limited.

The forecast in Philadelphia on Sunday calls for snow and temperatures in the low 30s.

The all-time series between these teams is tied at 7-7, including the Raiders' 27-10 win in Super Bowl XV.

Washington (3-10) has dropped eight straight -- the longest current streak in the NFL -- while New York (2-11) has lost its last seven. Barring a tie, one of these teams will go home happy for the first time since early October.

Sunday's game could have featured the first matchup between young quarterbacks Jaxson Dart and Jayden Daniels. However, Washington coach Dan Quinn said Daniels, who fell hard on his previously dislocated left elbow and departed Sunday's 31-0 loss at Minnesota, will not play against New York.

"No structural setbacks. However, through the medical evaluations over the last couple days, including this morning, the doctors advised us we hold him this Sunday," Quinn said Wednesday. "We're really bummed for Jayden. He is working incredibly hard to get back on the field with his guys."

Daniels has already missed six games overall and left three others due to injury. Marcus Mariota will make his seventh start of the season.

The Giants are coming off their bye week and play three of their final four games at home against the Commanders, Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys with a road game at the Las Vegas Raiders in the penultimate week of the season.

"I think it's extremely important and it's really required for us to make sure that these last four games we really put our best foot down," said Dart, who returned from a concussion and threw for 139 yards and a touchdown in a 33-15 loss to the Patriots in Week 13.

Interim head coach Mike Kafka spent the bye week reflecting on his first three weeks at the helm and areas he wants to improve on over the final stretch, including play calling.

"Just taking notes, looking at the notes from the post-game stuff and thoughts that we had after the game, things that we really liked that we wanted to get to," Kafka said. "Just being really critical of myself on things that our players do really well and how can we get to those things more?"

Despite similar records, New York and Washington have generally managed to lose in different ways.

The Giants have lost five games in which they led in the fourth quarter while Commanders defeats have tended to be more definitive. Though two recent losses came in overtime, they have lost by more than 20 points five times, including Sunday when Daniels and wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and Noah Brown played together for the first time.

Washington's defense, which had shown improvement after Quinn took over the play calling, gave up 25 first downs and 313 yards to a Vikings team that had been shut out the previous week.

The Commanders' defense is ranked 30th in the league, allowing 382.5 yards per game and the Giants are 31st (385.8 yards per game). Both teams are in the bottom five in points allowed.

Washington tight end Zach Ertz (50 catches, 504 yards, four touchdowns) suffered a season-ending knee injury against Minnesota. Running back Chris Rodriguez (groin), linebacker Bobby Wagner (knee) and cornerback Jonathan Jones (rib) did not practice Wednesday.

Among the Giants not practicing Wednesday were offensive guard Greg Van Roten (shoulder), defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches (ankle), linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder), cornerback Nic Jones (shoulder), and punter Jamie Gillan (knee). Tight end Thoe Johnson (toe) was limited.

Washington defeated New York 21-6 in Week 1. Daniels passed for a season-high 233 yards and then-starter Russell Wilson was unable to lead the Giants into the end zone.

The Patriots will be seeking their 11th straight victory, a streak that includes a 23-20 triumph over the host Bills on Oct. 5.

Buffalo (9-4) has won the past five AFC East crowns but the Patriots (11-2) have improved in coach Mike Vrabel's first season and quarterback Drake Maye's second with the club.

Maye, an NFL MVP candidate, is ready to facilitate a changing of the guard.

"They've won the division for five years,' Maye said Wednesday. "We have something that we need to go take, and know it's going to be hard to do."

New England went just 4-13 in Maye's rookie season but has been a season-long surprise this year.

The Patriots lost two of their first three games before beginning their impressive winning streak. Now they are one of the hottest teams in the NFL as they eye their first season sweep of the Bills since 2019, when Tom Brady was the team's quarterback.

Buffalo has won five of its past seven games but a loss to the Patriots will leave them unable to win the division.

"They're one of the top teams, if not the top team in the AFC right now," Bills coach Sean McDermott said of New England. "We'll have our work cut out for us. If you don't take care of the ball against any team in the league, it's going to be hard to win against a particular team this strong."

The blossoming of Maye has been a major ingredient of New England's success.

The 23-year-old has completed a league-best 71.5 percent of his passes and is on track to break Brady's franchise record of 68.9 percent set in 2007. Maye has thrown for 3,412 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions.

For comparison, reigning MVP Josh Allen of the Bills has passed for 3,083 yards and 22 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, while completing 70.1 percent of his throws.

"Obviously, Drake is playing at an extremely high level right now," Allen said Wednesday. "He's extremely fun to watch and he's put his team in a very good position."

Maye passed for 273 yards in the October road win over the Bills. Allen threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns and was intercepted once.

Maye's improved play has led to comparisons with Allen and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel sees why there is such chatter.

"I think they're both really good at what they do," Vrabel said. "Josh probably has got a couple (pounds) on him and can kind of throw his shoulder in there probably a little bit more than I would want Drake to, but I think they're both great competitors. (I have) a lot of respect for Josh and just his ability to make something out of nothing.

"I've enjoyed watching Drake's growth here, but I'm not going to say one's a certain way and one's the other. Just a huge challenge going against a quarterback that's under control, he's got command and just doesn't look panicked or rattled when you rush him. Just an excellent, obviously, MVP quarterback."

The Bills held a walk-through on Wednesday and tight end Dawson Knox (personal) was the lone player to miss it. Star linebacker Terrel Bernard (elbow), defensive end Joey Bosa (hamstring/wrist), receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle) and offensive lineman Spencer Brown (shoulder) were limited participants.

New England running back Terrell Jennings (concussion) sat out practice on Wednesday. Linebacker Harold Landry (knee), defensive tackle Christian Barmore (not injury related) and offensive tackle Vederian Lowe (abdomen) were limited.

The Chiefs (6-7) are on the outside of the playoff field, two games behind the Houston Texans, who hold the third and final AFC wild-card spot. The Chargers (9-4) are playoff eligible as a wild-card qualifier.

The last time Kansas City was not a playoff participant was 2014, when Alex Smith was the quarterback. Patrick Mahomes has led each of the past seven playoff runs and not only has helped win three Super Bowls, but he has also never missed an AFC Championship Game as a starting QB.

Another loss Sunday, which would be a season-long third consecutive defeat, would only eliminate the Chiefs from playoff contention if each of the other AFC wild-card contenders win their games.

"I have learned over the years that anything is possible," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said this week while looking back at Sunday's 20-10 loss to the Texans. "I communicated that to the guys. They were down in the dumps after (Sunday's) game. ... At the same time, there is a way you have to pick yourself up and get going again. Hope is always a good motivator there."

While Kansas City's defense was much better over the second half Sunday, dropped passes held Mahomes to a paltry 160 yards through the air while completing just 14 of his 33 throws.

It was Mahomes' fewest completions in a game since October 2019 against the Denver Broncos when he departed in the first half with a knee injury.

"I know we're not winning games, but that mindset that these guys have in this locker room -- even in the games we're not winning -- you can never question the fight of this team," said Mahomes, who was a full practice participant Wednesday after experiencing knee pain late in Sunday's loss.

The Chargers will not be able to clinch a playoff spot this week, although dealing a potential final blow to their division rivals would feel almost as sweet.

Los Angeles faced something like a playoff test Monday night when the Chargers battled the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles and secured a hard-fought 22-19 win thanks to four interceptions from the defense and five field goals by Cameron Dicker.

The Chargers not only forced Jalen Hurts into an interception and a fumble on the same play in the second quarter, but they also ended the game with an interception at the 1-yard line in OT by Tony Jefferson.

Quarterback Justin Herbert had just 139 yards passing, yet his play, despite a broken left (non-throwing) hand that required surgery earlier in the week, was an inspiration. Under constant pressure, as he has been all season, Herbert also ran 10 times for 66 yards.

"It felt like we were in a movie where the quarterback's doing these things and you get to a point where you go, ‘OK, this is getting a little unrealistic,'" Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "That's what it felt like to me. He refuses to lose. He's as tough as they get. He's a superhero quarterback."

Herbert was limited in practice Wednesday but is expected to play. Not practicing were wide receiver Derius Davis (ankle), linebacker Troy Dye (hip), defensive back Elijah Molden (hamstring) and offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III (ankle).

Chiefs offensive linemen Wanya Morris (knee) and Jawaan Taylor (triceps/knee) did not practice Wednesday.

"We're 6-7. The urgency becomes a little more urgent," safety Kyle Hamilton said. "There's no excuses that are to be made at this point."

After losing consecutive games to AFC North rivals Cincinnati and Pittsburgh following a five-game winning streak, the Ravens are still on the playoff math.

Should the Ravens win out, beginning with Sunday's rematch against the Bengals in Cincinnati, they would leapfrog Pittsburgh for the division title.

Still, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh knows the team's nonexistent wiggle room demands focus under pressure.

"To say we control our own destiny, that's only if we win," Harbaugh said. "You have to win to control your destiny, so that's what we have to do. It's been that way the last two weeks and we haven't been able to pull off a win. ... We need to go win; that's it."

Cincinnati defeated host Baltimore 32-14 on Nov. 27 as Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (261 passing yards, two touchdowns) outdueled counterpart Lamar Jackson (246 yards, one interception).

Jackson passed for a touchdown and ran for another in Week 14 at Pittsburgh, while Derrick Henry rushed for 94 yards and helped the Ravens to a 217-34 edge in yards on the ground. But Baltimore still lost 27-22 as the Steelers seized control of the North.

Cincinnati (4-9) would be eliminated from postseason contention with a loss.

The Bengals' bid to keep their fleeting playoff hopes alive might find them without wide receiver Tee Higgins, who was a limited participant in practice Wednesday while remaining in concussion protocol. Higgins reported concussion-like symptoms after shining during a narrow Week 14 loss in Buffalo, gaining 92 yards on six receptions with a pair of touchdowns.

Playing in his second game since returning from turf toe surgery -- the Ravens are aware of what happened in the first -- Burrow passed for 284 yards and four touchdowns, but also threw a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions.

Burrow said the Bengals are amped up and eager to regroup.

"Since I've been back, everybody's been great. The energy bringers are bringing energy, and I think that's been positive," he said. "We've had good practices, and we've been competitive."

Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson underwent season-ending core muscle surgery this week, but the team has navigated life without the All-Pro since a Week 8 loss to the New York Jets in a season rife with injuries.

"Really want to win this game, to get ourselves a little bit of momentum before the next one," Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said. "But every season is a challenge in some ways, even when your record is flipped from what it is now, there's still challenges and diversity you're going to face. And our guys are here for this one."

Baltimore will aim to limit Bengals wideout Ja'Marr Chase, who had seven receptions for 110 yards in the previous matchup. Chidobe Awuzie (shoulder), who joined fellow cornerbacks Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey as primary Chase defenders in that game, did not practice Wednesday.

Polamalu, 62, joined the staff in February 2024 when Mike Macdonald took over as head coach. Polamalu's duties will be assumed by run game specialist/assistant offensive line coach Justin Outten and offensive assistant Michael Byrne.

NFL Network reported that Polamalu might perform other duties for the team during his absence.

Polamalu has extensive coaching experience after playing fullback at Southern California from 1982-85.

His numerous college coaching jobs include at his alma mater as well as at UCLA, San Diego State and Colorado. His NFL experience as a running backs coach includes the Cleveland Browns (2004), Jacksonville Jaguars (2005-09), Minnesota Vikings (2017-21), Las Vegas Raiders (2021-23) and Seahawks.

He is the uncle of Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductee Troy Polamalu, who played safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2003-14.

Evans was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 22, two days after he broke his collarbone in the Buccaneers' 24-9 loss to the host Detroit Lions.

McMillan, in turn, has been out since sustaining a neck injury during a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 16.

Evans, 32, has 14 catches for 140 yards and one touchdown in four games this season. He had missed three earlier games with a hamstring injury.

The six-time Pro Bowl selection had a record-tying streak of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, a mark set by Hall of Famer Jerry Rice from 1986-96.

Drafted with the seventh overall pick by Tampa Bay in 2014, Evans is the franchise's all-time leader in catches (850), receiving yards (12,824), touchdown receptions (106) and scoring (650 points).

McMillan, who turned 24 on Sunday, made a big impact last season after fellow wideout Chris Godwin was lost for the campaign in October. McMillan had seven touchdown receptions in the final five games as a rookie and totaled 37 catches for 461 yards and eight TDs in 13 games (12 starts).

Tampa Bay selected McMillan in the third round of the 2024 draft out of Washington.

The Bucs waived defensive lineman C.J. Brewer and wide receiver Ryan Miller.

Brewer, 28, had four tackles and one-half sack in five games as a reserve this season. Miller, 25, had two receptions on four targets and one TD in 13 games (three starts).

Kenny Pickett, who replaced Smith after he was hurt in a 24-17 home loss to the Denver Broncos last Sunday, is reportedly in line to start against his former team.

Smith was injured during the third quarter and later gave way to Pickett at the start of the fourth quarter.

Raiders coach Pete Carroll was concerned afterward but said on Sunday that initial tests "didn't show any damage" to Smith's passing shoulder.

"It's just kind of jammed up right now," Carroll said. "The early indications that they were able to get didn't show any damage. His shoulder's really locked up. So, we'll see what that means."

Smith completed 13 of 21 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown before exiting. Pickett finished 8-of-11 passing for 97 yards and a touchdown.

Carroll said on Tuesday that Pickett has "looked terrific in practice."

"He runs around well. He moves well. He throws the ball on the move well, which he did in the game," Carroll said. "He scrambled for a first down, I believe. I think he might have missed his first three (pass attempts) and hit seven or eight in a row. He came on really strong and finished on a good note."

Pickett, 27, is in his first season with Las Vegas. He was acquired from the Cleveland Browns in late August.

He is 10 of 14 for 105 yards and one touchdown in three games as a reserve this season.

Pickett has completed 481 of 769 passes (62.5%) for 4,870 yards, 16 TDs and 14 picks in 33 games (25 starts) for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2022-23), Eagles (2024) and Raiders. He is 15-10 as a starter.

The Steelers selected him 20th overall in the 2022 draft out of the University of Pittsburgh.

The Raiders (2-11) have lost seven straight games heading into Sunday against the Eagles (8-5).

Smith, 35, has passed for 2,648 yards and 16 touchdowns and is tied for the NFL lead with 14 interceptions. He is in his first season with the Raiders after being acquired from the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason.

The two-time Pro Bowl selection (2022, 2023) and 2022 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, Smith has thrown for 21,791 yards, 121 touchdowns and 86 interceptions in 12 seasons for the New York Jets (2013-16), New York Giants (2017), Los Angeles Chargers (2018), Seahawks (2020-24) and Raiders.

The Jets selected him in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Marcus Mariota will draw back in under center for the Commanders (3-10) in place of Daniels, who landed hard on his left elbow during last Sunday's 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Daniels previously dislocated his left elbow during a 38-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 2.

Per Quinn, Daniels did not suffer structural damage to the elbow, and the Commanders -- who are eliminated from postseason contention -- are not talking about shutting him down for the season.

"As far as what decisions are ahead, we haven't gone down that road," Quinn said. "He's working really hard to get back with the guys."

Mariota replaced Daniels last Sunday and completed 2 of 4 passes for 30 yards and an interception as Washington lost its eighth straight contest.

Mariota, 32, has completed 62.9% of his passes for 1,389 yards with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions in nine games (six starts) this season.

Daniels, 24, has connected on 60.6% of his passes for 1,262 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions in seven starts this season.

He threw for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns while rushing for 891 yards and six scores last season to earn NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed that the team will not activate Benson from injured reserve before his 21-day practice window expires Wednesday.

"(He) just hasn't progressed to the point that he can out there and play football right now," Gannon said Wednesday.

Benson, 23, went on IR on Oct. 1 after sustaining a knee injury late in Arizona's Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 25. He reportedly underwent meniscus surgery and was designated to return from IR on Nov. 19.

Gannon also announced that left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) will not play Sunday when the Cardinals (3-10) visit the Houston Texans (8-5).

Benson rushed for 160 yards in four games this season, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt. He also had 13 receptions for 64 yards.

A third-round draft pick in 2024, Benson has contributed 574 yards from scrimmage with one touchdown in his first 17 games (two starts).

Taylor is dealing with a groin issue that forced him to leave the 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. With demoted starter Justin Fields dealing with knee soreness, Cook made his NFL debut in relief of Taylor.

Cook, 24, was 14-of-30 passing for 163 yards with two interceptions and six sacks.

Glenn did not name Cook as the starter for the Jets (3-10) on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4) this Sunday. The opportunity for Cook to build "continuity" with the first-team offense would be invaluable for the rookie, Glenn said.

"It will be good for him, but we'll see how this week progresses when it comes to our quarterback situation," Glenn said.

On the season, the Jets have completed 223 of 370 pass attempts (60.3%) for 1,904 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. New York is the only NFL team not to have eclipsed the 2,000-yard passing mark.

She passed away last Saturday at 30. She leaves behind three daughters.

No cause of death has been released, but foul play is not suspected, according to reports.

In 2014, she graduated from Carencro High School, where her father played football before becoming an All-American at LSU and spending 13 seasons and winning three championships with the New England Patriots.

She also is survived by her mother, Latisha Faulk, one sister, two brothers and a large extended family.

Another brother, Kevin Jr., died in infancy and her sister, Kevione, died in September 2021 at age 19. At the time, she was a student-worker for the football staff at LSU.

Since his NFL career ended following the 2022 season, Kevin Faulk has worked on the LSU staff and also was a coaching intern with the New York Giants.

After starting the season 8-2, the Eagles are 8-5 and Hurts had a quarterback rating of 31.2 with four interceptions and a fumble Monday in Philadelphia's 22-19 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Is Hurts still the QB1 in Philly?

"Yeah, absolutely," Sirianni said Wednesday in an interview with 94 WIP.

Is there a chance he could be benched later this season?

"No, I think that's ridiculous," Sirianni said. "I know every time I go out in that field with Jalen Hurts as our quarterback, we have a chance to win the game. And that's something that's proven. We've won a lot of football games. We don't ever go in and assign something. This is a team game. You win together as a team. You lose together as a team.

"I know every time I walk on that field with Jalen Hurts as our quarterback we can win every game, any game that we're in."

Philadelphia remains well below league average with 13 giveaways. Hurts' fumble at Los Angeles last week was his first of the season and with four picks he has a total of six in 2025. The Eagles had 16 turnovers in 2024.

The Eagles lead the NFC East but offensive production has been a talking point most of the season, especially of late.

Since scoring 38 points in an 18-point victory over the New York Giants on Oct. 26, the Eagles are averaging 16.2 points per game. They've allowed 20 or more 10 times this season.