Initial indications were that Chubb, 27, sustained a torn left anterior crucial ligament, but doctors now reportedly believe that although he stretched the ACL on the play, it was not a complete tear.

Chubb is now believed to have torn only his medial collateral ligament, which is not considered a career-ending injury, per ESPN. He is still expected to need six to eight months to recover.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski had announced Tuesday that Chubb would undergo season-ending surgery, which reportedly is expected to take place this week.

In Cleveland's 26-22 loss to the host Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night, Chubb rushed up the middle for a gain of 5 yards with 14:14 left in the second quarter and was in the process of being tackled by Pittsburgh linebacker Cole Holcomb when safety Minkah Fitzpatrick dropped his shoulder and ran directly into Chubb's left knee.

The hit by Fitzpatrick caused Chubb's leg to bend, and Chubb sat up and grabbed his knee and could be heard yelling in anguish through the field microphones.

Chubb rushed for 64 yards on 10 carries before exiting. He has 170 yards on 28 carries this season.

The four-time Pro Bowl selection topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of the past four seasons, gaining a career-high 1,525 last season. Chubb had 996 yards as a rookie in 2018 before beginning his streak of 1,000-yard seasons.

Williams, 28, left Monday night's win against the Carolina Panthers late in the first half with a hamstring injury and missed Wednesday's practice. He is required to miss at least four games.

Drafted out of BYU in the fourth round (134th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft by Green Bay, Williams spent four seasons with the Packers before signing with the Detroit Lions for two years, where he scored 17 rushing touchdowns in 2022, a career- and league-high mark.

This offseason, he signed a three-year deal with the Saints worth $12 million.

He started both games this season, finishing with 74 yards on 27 carries, including 29 yards on nine carries before leaving Monday's game.

When the Saints face Williams' old team, the Packers, on Sunday in Green Bay, they'll still be without running back Alvin Kamara, who will miss one more game on a suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

Tony Jones Jr. and Kendre Miller are expected to be the running backs on Sunday.

The team also announced that cornerback Paulson Adebo (hamstring) and tight end Foster Moreau (ankle) have been downgraded to out for Sunday's game. Safety Johnathan Abram and defensive back Cameron Dantzler Sr. were elevated from the practice squad to the active roster.

Waddle was listed as questionable and was able to practice Friday in a limited capacity. He was in concussion protocol following a helmet-to-helmet hit during the 24-17 win Sunday night over New England. Patriots rookie safety Marte Mapu was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play.

The Dolphins (2-0) elevated wide receiver Robbie Chosen and linebacker Cameron Goode on Saturday from the practice squad to the active roster for the game against the Broncos (0-2).

Waddle, 24, has eight catches for 164 yards through two games. He has 187 receptions for 2,535 yards and 14 scores in 35 games (all starts) since Miami drafted him with the No. 6 overall pick in 2021 out of Alabama.

Chosen, 30, signed with Miami in April and spent the first two games on the practice squad. The former Robbie Anderson has played seven seasons with the New York Jets (2016-19), Carolina Panthers (2020-22) and Arizona Cardinals (2022). He has played in 111 games (86 starts), making 375 receptions for 4,956 yards and 29 touchdowns.

The Dolphins selected Goode, 25, in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of California. He played in the first two games this season.

The contract includes $35.3 million in guaranteed money for the undrafted fifth-year player, per Saturday's report.

Granderson, 26, has recorded 2.5 sacks and six quarterback hits through the first two games this season.

He has 108 tackles, 17 sacks, 34 QB hits and four forced fumbles in 56 career games (nine starts) with the Saints.

The Texans announced Saturday that Tunsil would not travel to Jacksonville with the team.

Signed to a three-year, $75 million contract in March, Tunsil has started one game this season for Houston.

Tunsil, 29, earned his third Pro Bowl selection in 2022 and started all 17 games. He has 95 starts in seven seasons with the Texans and the Miami Dolphins (2016-18), who drafted him 13th overall in 2016.

Stingley, who sustained a hamstring injury during Wednesday's practice, will miss the team's next four games.

Stingley, 22, has made nine tackles and allowed four catches for 37 yards and no touchdowns on six targets this season.

The 2022 first-round pick (third overall) made nine starts as a rookie and posted 43 tackles, one interception and one sack without giving up a touchdown. He sustained a season-ending leg injury in Week 10.

Also on Saturday, the Texans signed safety DeAndre Houston-Carson to the active roster from the practice squad. Houston also elevated defensive tackle Khalil Davis and offensive tackle Austin Deculus from the practice squad.

Brown missed practice all week with hip and shoulder issues as the Jets (1-1) prepared to host the Patriots (0-2).

Brown, 38, is a five-time Pro Bowl selection with 217 career starts across 16 seasons with three teams.

Billy Turner is expected to take over Brown's responsibilities protecting quarterback Zach Wilson's blind side.

Backup guard Wes Schweitzer (concussion) and starting safety Tony Adams (hamstring) were also ruled out.

Defensive end John Franklin-Myers (hip) and kicker Greg Zuerlein (groin) are questionable for the AFC East clash.

Jones (ankle) and Sow (concussion) initially were listed as questionable to face the Jets (1-1).

The Patriots (0-2) will be without three of their top four cornerbacks. Both Jack Jones and Marcus Jones previously were placed on injured reserve.

Jonathan Jones, 30, had one tackle and one pass deflection in New England's 25-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 10 before sitting out in Week 2. He has 331 tackles, 11 interceptions and eight forced fumbles in 102 career games (44 starts) with the Patriots.

Sow, 25, was a fourth-round pick of New England in April. He started the Patriots' season-opening loss to the Eagles.

McCarron, 33, was a fifth-round pick by Cincinnati in 2014 and as with the Bengals through 2017.

The Bengals could add him as further insurance with Joe Burrow dealing with a calf injury leading into Monday night's home date with the Los Angeles Rams.

Cincinnati signed quarterback Reid Sinnett to the practice squad on Friday after losing Will Grier off the practice squad to the New England Patriots.

Backup Jake Browning could make his first NFL start Monday if Burrow can't go.

McCarron last played in an NFL game with the Houston Texans in 2020. Playing for the St. Louis BattleHawks, the former Alabama star led the XFL with 24 touchdown passes during the 2023 season.

McCarron is 2-2 as a starter in the NFL, throwing for 1,173 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions in 17 appearances with the Bengals (2015-17), then-Oakland Raiders (2018) and Texans (2019-20).

Samuel (hip/illness) and Curl (illness) both missed practice on Friday and were listed as questionable to face the Bills (1-1). On Saturday, the Commanders (2-0) upgraded both players.

Samuel, 27, has recorded eight catches for 73 yards to go along with two carries for 19 yards in two games for Washington.

Curl, 24, has totaled 19 tackles and one pass defensed in two games this season.

Jackson rushed for just 14 yards on 13 carries and gained only 14 yards on five receptions in the season-opening 31-21 loss to Jacksonville on Sept. 10.

Zack Moss got the start in Week 2 at Houston and gained 107 yards from scrimmage on 22 touches and scored on an 11-yard run in the Colts' 31-20 victory.

With 2021 NFL rushing champion Jonathan Taylor still on the physically unable to perform list, Moss will remain the RB1 for the Colts (1-1) in Sunday's game in Baltimore against the Ravens (2-0).

Jackson, 24, rushed for 281 yards and two touchdowns and caught 35 passes for 223 yards and one score in 27 games (three starts) over the last three seasons in Indianapolis. He was undrafted out of Duke in 2021.

Sermon, 24, was a third-round pick by San Francisco in 2021. He has rushed for 186 yards and one TD and has three receptions for 26 yards in 11 games (two starts) with the 49ers (2021) and Philadelphia Eagles (2022).

Clark will miss his second straight game, but Simmons popped up on the injury report Wednesday. They both missed practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Defensive tackle Mike Purcell (ankle) also missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, but he returned as a limited practice participant Friday and was ruled questionable for the Miami game.

Simmons, 29, was a Pro Bowler in 2020 and a second-team All-Pro selection in 2019, 2021 and 2022. He had 14 tackles through two games for the Broncos this season.

Clark, 30, is a three-time Pro Bowler who joined the Broncos in the offseason. He had two tackles in Week 1 and has racked up 58.5 sacks in his first eight NFL seasons with Seattle and Kansas City.

The Dolphins listed running back Salvon Ahmed (groin) as doubtful. Ahmed returned to practice in limited fashion Friday after missing Wednesday and Thursday.

Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (concussion) and tackle Terron Armstead (back, ankle, knee) are among seven Dolphins players listed as questionable.

Ekeler didn't practice at all this week due to an ankle injury and was ruled out on Friday.

He also missed last week's 27-24 overtime road loss to the Tennessee Titans. The Chargers had just 61 rushing yards against the Titans as fill-in starter Joshua Kelley had 39 yards on 13 carries.

Ekeler injured the ankle in the season opener against the Miami Dolphins. He rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown and added four catches for 47 yards in the 36-34 loss.

Ekeler, 28, joined the Chargers in 2017 and has 3,844 yards and 35 touchdowns on the ground as well as 393 receptions for 3,495 yards and 29 scores. He has scored 39 touchdowns (26 rushing, 13 receiving) since the start of the 2021 season.

Veteran linebacker Eric Hendricks (hamstring) also will miss his second straight game, as well as his return to Minnesota. Kendricks starred on the Vikings' defense for the past eight seasons.

Star pass rusher Joey Bosa (hamstring) was a limited practice participant on Friday and is listed as questionable. Linebackers Daiyan Henley (hamstring) and Chris Rumph II (hamstring) and defensive lineman Christopher Hinton (back) also are questionable.

For the Vikings, linebacker Marcus Davenport (ankle) will miss his second straight game since getting injured in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Center Garrett Bradbury (back) is listed as questionable. He also was injured in the opener and sat out Week 2's 34-28 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The team trumpeted the deals Friday in the afterglow of the 49ers improving to 3-0 with a 30-12 victory over the New York Giants on Thursday night.

Lynch and Shanahan were hired in 2017 on the heels of a 2-14 season in 2016 that included a 13-game losing streak in Colin Kaepernick's final season with the team.

Lynch, a Pro Football Hall of Fame safety who won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers during his 15 seasons in the NFL, was hired by the 49ers out of the FOX broadcast booth.

Since starting with nine losses in a row in 2017, the 49ers have bee on the climb. In seven seasons under the Lynch-Shanahan leadership, the 49ers are 55-46 in the regular season.

The franchise reached the Super Bowl at the end of the 2019 season (13-3 regular season) and played for the NFC Championship in 2021 and 2022.

Since 2019, San Francisco's 45 wins are second-most in the NFC and tied for fourth-most in the league.

Shanahan has lost multiple top assistant coaches during his tenure. In 2022, the Miami Dolphins hired offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as head coach. Earlier this year, defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans was named Houston Texans head coach.

Shanahan, the son of former Broncos and Washington head coach Mike Shanahan, was previously offensive coordinator on the Washington staff that employed current Packers head coach Matt LaFleur (quarterbacks coach), current Rams head coach Sean McVay (tight ends coach) and McDaniel (wide receivers).

Prior to being hired by the 49ers, Kyle Shanahan was offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons.

His second and final interview with the 49ers came on the eve of the Falcons' Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. Shanahan had also interviewed for vacancies with the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Broncos hired Vance Joseph and Jacksonville hired Doug Marrone while Atlanta was making its march through the playoffs.

"It's just awful. He was playing off the charts. Obviously a big blow. Your heart goes out to Trevon," McCarthy said Friday. "You just make sure he feels the love and support, and we've gotta keep moving forward."

Slot cornerback DaRon Bland moves forward on the Dallas defensive depth chart to what is likely to be exclusive work at outside cornerback. He played nickel, dime and slot cornerback in a varied role that emphasized his versatility in defensive coordinator Dan Quinn's scheme. On Sunday at Arizona, Bland assumes the starting spot that belonged to Diggs.

"Moving back to the outside will be good, I just got to keep my head straight," Bland said Friday. "I'm definitely a lot more comfortable. I'm not playing as much on instincts."

Jourdan Lewis is taking over Bland's role with others in the mix on a more limited basis.

Bland, who said he was "devastated" when Diggs went to the turf in practice Thursday afternoon, has enormous shoes to fill.

A fifth-round pick in 2022, Bland, 24, earned the trust of teammates and has shown a nose for the ball. He returned an interception of Giants quarterback Daniel Jones for a touchdown in the opener.

Diggs forced two turnovers in Week 1 and sealed last week's win over the Jets with an interception, backing up his vow to become "the complete cornerback" when he signed a five-year, $97.5 million extension in the offseason.

Veteran starting cornerback Stephon Gilmore told Bland, "Don't try to do too much. Just be you."

Diggs, 25, led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 2021. The two-time Pro Bowl selection has 18 picks -- including two returned for touchdowns -- to go along with 173 tackles in 47 career games (46 starts) since being selected by Dallas in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

On offense, the Ravens will be without wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle), running back Justice Hill (foot), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee) and center Tyler Linderbaum (ankle).

The defense will be missing cornerback Marlon Humphrey (foot), safety Marcus Williams (pectoral) and linebacker Odafe Oweh (ankle).

All seven players missed practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Wide receiver Devin Duvernay (shoulder) and linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (illness) were full participants for the second straight day Friday and carry no injury designation for Week 3.

Rodgers said in an interview Friday that he's feeling optimistic about playing football again and will return to the Jets' facility in New Jersey in the near future. He didn't want to place a timeline on when he could be back on the field, now only three weeks removed from a torn Achilles tendon.

"There's been some progressions with the rehab the last couple days," Rodgers said in a video interview with Pat McAfee that aired on ESPN. "That kinda gets the hope meter trending upwards."

The Jets (1-1) started Zach Wilson at Dallas in a 30-10 loss last week, the first game since Rodgers' season-ending injury on the opening drive of New York's Week 1 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Rodgers said he watched the game and was hoping the Jets would double-team block Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons.

"It's really tough, knowing you should be out there," Rodgers said.

Immobile for the first 10 days after the surgery, Rodgers has taken in plenty of football. He said he watched former Packers understudy Jordan Love put up three TD passes at Chicago in Week 1 and reached out to the first-year starter via text.

The text read: "Congrats for keeping the ownership in place," Rodgers said, a reference to his statement to fans at Soldier Field that he "owns" the Bears.

The Jets are hoping to get Rodgers back in the team facility soon, head coach Robert Saleh said on Friday.

"Hopefully, I'd like to be able to get back there at some point, but I'd like to be walking," Rodgers said.

According to stadium staff, thieves tore down a security fence sometime overnight on Wednesday in order to drive lawn mowers and utility vehicles out of a parking structure.

It's a distraction the 0-2 Bears definitely don't need in a week that saw defensive coordinator Alan Williams resign for personal reasons and quarterback Justin Fields suggest that overcoaching has contributed to his poor results.

Things don't get any easier this weekend as Chicago visits the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

"Kareem's going to play. He's ready to play," head coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday.

How much he plays remains to be determined as the Browns adjust to the loss of four-time 1,000-yard rusher Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury.

Hunt, 28, signed a reported one-year deal worth up to $4 million on Wednesday to rejoin Cleveland, where he played the previous four seasons.

Hunt has rushed for 4,025 yards and 31 touchdowns and caught 211 passes for 1,806 yards and 17 TDs in 76 games (36 starts) with the Kansas City Chiefs (2017-18) and Browns.

Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards as a Chiefs rookie in 2017, earning a Pro Bowl selection and Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Kansas City drafted the Ohio native in the third round out of Toledo.

While Hunt's role is unclear, Stefanski said multiple times this week that Jerome Ford will be the featured back for the Browns (1-1) on Sunday against the visiting Titans (1-1).

Newer bettors can be overwhelmed by the almost limitless offerings. Viewing your props as merely a derivative of how you expect the game to unfold is critical.

With that strategy in mind, here are our top five player props for Week 3.

Ryan Tannehill over 197.5 passing yards (-118 at FanDuel)

Per DVOA metrics, the Browns rank second defensively. However, a big part of their ranking involves the three points allowed the Bengals on a wet day in Cleveland.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had all sorts of problems during the game, and it's not a stretch to say that he's nowhere near fully healthy this season due to a lingering calf injury.

In Week 2, Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett threw for 222 yards.

FanDuel has a projection under 200 passing yards for Tannehill, and that number is short.

It's worth noting that according to the NFL's Next Gen Stats, Tannehill ranks seventh in intended air yards per attempt (8.6 per game), whereas Burrow and Pickett rank 23rd and 24th.

Tyler Allgeier over 40.5 rushing yards (-115 at BetMGM)

The Atlanta Falcons are flying high and off to a 2-0 start. A big part of their success has been the running game behind the duo of Allgeier and Bijan Robinson.

Robinson will get the bulk of the headlines as a first-round rookie, but Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith seems committed to getting Allgeier touches, especially near the goal line.

Interestingly, Allgeier (31) has two more carries than Robinson (29) through two games.

And although Atlanta is tied for first (51%) with Dallas in average run rate, their average margin of victory (+7.5) is 22.5 points less than the Cowboys.

Allgeier posted at least 48 rushing yards in his two games against the Panthers (ninth) and Packers (14th), two teams ranked higher in run defense EPA than the Lions.

Look for the Falcons to continue to share the workload with Allgeier rushing for over 40.5 yards.

Jordan Love over 1.5 passing touchdowns (+135 at BetMGM)

Green Bay missed a golden opportunity to stay perfect on the season after blowing a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Falcons.

The 1-1 Packers host New Orleans to take on a Saints team off to a 2-0 start.

New Orleans (+2.0) has the lowest margin of victory of any of the remaining undefeated teams. And according to TeamRankings, the Saints sit third in their luck factor metrics.

We've noticed with Green Bay the offense might not always look fluid, but it has been potent inside the red zone -- tied for first with an 83.3 percent touchdown conversion rate.

Love ranks fourth (75.2) in the league in Total QBR with six touchdowns on the season and has yet to throw an interception.

Raheem Mostert under 13.5 receiving yards (-110 at BetMGM)

I don't want to rely on too many overs, which ushers in this play on Mostert receiving yards.

The Dolphins running back had a heavier workload in Week 2, with 18 rushing attempts compared to 10 in the season opener.

Mostert gets the bulk of carries, but Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will continue to use Mostert sparingly in their passing game.

In Week 1, the Dolphins had 466 receiving yards against a Chargers team that ranks 29th in EPA against the pass, and Mostert still finished with two catches for 13 yards.

Miami already has five players with at least 65 receiving yards, and McDaniel said he's ready to roll out rookie running back De'Von Achane in a more consistent role starting Sunday.

JuJu Smith-Schuster under 35.5 receiving yards (-115 at PointsBet)

Smith-Schuster signed a three-year deal worth $33 million and signs pointed to the former Steelers and Chiefs receiver playing a major role.

Through two games, he's averaging just 30.5 receiving yards and has yet to score a touchdown.

A closer look at his NFL Next Gen Stats reveals that Smith-Schuster (-2.1) ranks 97th among 99 players in yards after catch above expectation (YAC +/-) with at least eight targets.

Enter the New York Jets, a team with a strong secondary.

New York ranks 13th in defensive DVOA, and Smith-Schuster will likely line up against Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.

Per Pro Football Focus, Gardner is tied for 10th in pass coverage with a 79.2 rating.

Despite being tied for second on the team in targets (13), Smith-Schuster is only fifth in total reception yards (61).

Given the matchup with Gardner and this being a divisional game, I like the Patriots wide receiver to stay under 35.5 receiving yards.

Young, the top overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, officially was ruled out for Sunday's game against the host Seattle Seahawks (1-1). Veteran Andy Dalton, 35, will be under center for the Panthers (0-2).

Jake Luton, who was signed to the practice squad, will serve as the backup quarterback to Dalton in Seattle.

Young had his ankle checked out after the Monday night home loss to the New Orleans Saints and missed the Wednesday walkthrough. He was held out of the team's first full practice of the week Thursday, and again on Friday.

Reich expressed optimism that Young could return to action versus the visiting Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 1.

"I think there is a possibility that he plays next week, but I tend to be too optimistic in these situations," Reich said.

Young, 22, has completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns against two interceptions.

Dalton completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 2,871 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 14 games last season with the Saints.

On Friday, linebackers Brian Burns (ankle) and Justin Houston (calf) joined running back Mile Sanders (pectoral) in turning in limiting practices. Houston was listed as questionable to face the Seahawks.

Thomas was hit in the helmet by Broncos safety Kareem Jackson after catching a 4-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of a 35-32 Week 2 win at Denver. Jackson was ejected from the game but avoided a suspension.

Thomas, 32, started the first two games this season and caught six of 11 targets for 65 yards and a touchdown.

He has 170 catches for 1,571 yards and 13 scores in 80 career games (44 starts) with the Arizona Cardinals (2014), Buffalo Bills (2017-18), Detroit Lions (2019) and Washington.

Second-string tight end John Bates and backups Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges figure to see larger roles Sunday when the Commanders (2-0) host the Bills (1-1).

Several teams with strong support as Super Bowl contenders are facing seemingly inferior opponents on Sunday and offer significant betting value.

Favorites got off to a strong start on Thursday with the 49ers easily handling the Giants as 10.5-point favorites.

Fans and bookmakers might be factoring too much of that uncertainty into these lines, but just to be sure we are going to make the numbers more palatable and use two games in a parlay.

We have a primary play, along with a pair of bonus bets for Week 2.

THE HEADLINERS

Bears at Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday

Cowboys at Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday

The lines: Cowboys -12.5, Chiefs -13

For all the worry about the Chiefs offensive shortcomings (no dependable receivers outside of Travis Kelce in addition to a stuttering running game), Kansas City has three of the very best players at their respective positions: quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones.

Compounding the concern for Chicago Bears backers, this game is in Kansas City and the Bears are working overtime to redefine dysfunctional.

Chicago's defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned this week and quarterback Justin Fields has two TD passes and two pick-6s. He has been sacked 10 times and enters the game without starting left tackle Braxton Jones (placed on injured reserve this week).

Mahomes is not satisfied with his team's progress and aims for a much better showing Sunday.

"You play bad and win, it's a lot better than playing bad and losing," Mahomes said. "So I was glad we were able to find a way to get a win at the end of the day, but a lot of stuff that we have to be better at."

Bears cornerback Josh Blackwell (hamstring) was limited at practice on Wednesday, while safety Eddie Jackson (foot) did not participate.

Granted, this is the NFL, and when it seems certain ...

Therefore, we'll take that 13-point spread and bring it down to 6.5.

Applying a similar logic to the Cowboys-Cardinals game, we see a championship-caliber Dallas defense facing an Arizona offense that ran out of fuel during a Week 2 upset attempt against the New York Giants last Sunday.

Cowboys game planners have plenty of video to parse, assuring that the Cardinals' offensive wrinkles won't be able to overcome a vast disparity in talent.

Dallas, with Super Bowl aspirations, can't afford to let up in the desert, seeking a workmanlike victory similar to its Week 2 throttling of the overmatched New York Jets. Without cornerback Trevon Diggs, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on Thursday, the Cowboys might be in an emotional slumber.

Moving the line from -12.5 down to -6.5 should be enough to carry the parlay.

The pick: Parlay the Cowboys -6.5 and the Chiefs -6.5 at a price of -111 (BetMGM as of Thursday afternoon).

BETTING TRENDS

Fans know that betting luck is a real concept, so why not apply luck as a handicapping tool?

Done.

Proactively wagering on the Action Network luck rankings narrowly beat the spread in nine games that fit their model (4-3-2 against the spread), but that moved unlucky teams to 100-57-6 (63.2%) ATS since the start of 2018.

By the Action Network definition: "Luck percentage represents the win probability swing between a team's expected winning percentage from their on-field performance and their actual winning percentage."

BONUS COMBO

A game that fits the luck trend, along with a player prop to consider.

Patriots at Jets, 1 p.m. ET Sunday

The line: Patriots -2.5.

In their Week 1 and 2 defeats, the 0-2 Patriots' margins were not reflective of the expected outcome, according to the Action Network.

New England was able to move the ball against the Eagles as well as the Dolphins, but breakthrough plays eluded them.

No fewer than six drives into Dolphins territory failed to produce a touchdown, and the Patriots collected only three points from those six opportunities in a 24-17 loss.

The Jets' luck is awful, of course, given the injury to quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Their luck percentage, however, is rated No. 7, meaning they're a mediocre team despite being lucky; the Patriots are dead last at No. 32.

The pick: Patriots -2.5.

PROP CORNER

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa passing yards

Miami took down a pretty good defense in Week 2, solving Patriots coach Bill Belichick's game plan in a 24-17 road victory.

The Dolphins' Week 3 opponent, Denver, surrendered 35 points in a home loss to the Washington Commanders and must play in hot, sticky Miami.

Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill was held to only 40 yards receiving while Tagovailoa still managed 249 yards through the air as the Patriots played three- and four-deep safety looks and invited Miami to run the ball.

All signs point to continued success, and the over/under of 262.5 yards for Tua seems too low.

The pick: Tagovailoa over 262.5 yards passing (available at BetMGM).

Minshew likely will be under center for the Colts (1-1) on Sunday against the host Baltimore Ravens (2-0).

Also on Friday, three-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly did not participate in practice.

Minshew, 27, relieved Richardson in Indianapolis' 31-20 victory over the Houston Texans last Sunday and completed 19 of 23 passes for 171 yards. He also tossed a touchdown pass to tight end Kylen Granson.

Richardson, the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, was forced out of last Sunday's contest for the second time in two career games when he absorbed a hard hit.

The Colts led the Texans 14-0 behind two Richardson TD runs when he left to be evaluated for a concussion. He was assisted to the sideline in the final minute of the game after trying to run the ball in for a score in a 31-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 10.

Richardson, 21, is 30-of-47 passing for 279 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also has 13 carries for 75 yards and three touchdowns.

If Joe Burrow can't play Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, Sinnett would back up Jake Browning.

Sinnett, 26, spent part of training camp and the preseason with Cincinnati before being released on Aug. 29.

Undrafted out of San Diego in 2020, Sinnett has also spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers but has not appeared in a regular season game.

Burrow is day-to-day with a right calf strain and did not participate in Thursday's practice. He has completed 41 of 72 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and one interception during the Bengals' 0-2 start.

Colts (1-1) at Ravens (2-0): Baltimore digs in for its second game against a rookie starting quarterback in three weeks, but the Colts might hit the field without No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson. He spent the week in concussion protocol. Gardner Minshew had a 120.8 passer rating the last time he started against the Ravens (2020 with the Jaguars) and completed 19 of 23 passes off the bench to beat the Houston Texans last week. The Ravens won four of the past five meetings and have limited opponents to 16.5 points and 275 total yards per game in 2023. That has helped ease the transition to a new offense under coordinator Todd Monken. QB Lamar Jackson can get the Ravens to 3-0 for the first time since 2016. He had a career-high 504 total yards (442 passing) in his last game against the Colts.

Titans (1-1) at Browns (1-1): Nick Chubb's season-ending knee injury shifts personnel -- Jerome Ford gets first dibs on the starting role -- but the Browns plan to push forward with a run-first offense. That doesn't spare QB Deshaun Watson from being asked to do more, especially considering the Titans' standing rep as a stout run defense under coach Mike Vrabel. The Titans are holding opponents to 65 rushing yards per game. Watson's 19 TD passes against the Titans, his highest point output against any team, could increase if the Browns can protect him. Watson has been sacked nine times and has a passer rating of 69.0 this season. The Titans are involving explosive rookie Tyjae Spears in the running game alongside Derrick Henry to average 122.5 yards per game on the ground. QB Ryan Tannehill, sacked eight times this season, went over 300 passing yards with three-plus touchdowns in each of his past two starts in this matchup.

Falcons (2-0) at Lions (1-1): Injuries are threatening to short-circuit the Lions' feel-good story. S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (torn pectoral muscle) and DE James Houston (ankle fracture) are on injured reserve and RB David Montgomery (quad bruise) won't play this week, with two starting offensive linemen -- including LT Taylor Decker -- not expected to suit up, either. Rising RB talents should still be on display. The Falcons' Bijan Robinson, the No. 8 overall pick in 2023, rushed for 124 yards in the Falcons' 25-24 win over the Green Bay Packers last Sunday. He also has 10 receptions in his first two games. Lions rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, the No. 12 overall pick, has averaged 4.2 yards per on 14 carries with nine catches. His workload could increase if Montgomery is sidelined.

Saints (2-0) at Packers (1-1): At long last, QB Jordan Love, in his third season and first as the successor to Aaron Rodgers, makes his first start at Lambeau Field. Love is the top-rated passer in the NFL with a rating of 118.8, tied for the league lead with six touchdown passes and has not thrown an interception. The Saints' defense has yielded one touchdown in two games. New Orleans is down another running back -- Jamaal Williams' hamstring injury means he won't face his former team -- with rookie Kendre Miller likely to start in the final week of Pro Bowl RB Alvin Kamara's suspension. New QB Derek Carr has just one TD pass but three productive wide receivers in Chris Olave (14 receptions, 198 yards), Michael Thomas (12 receptions, 116 yards) and Rashid Sheheed (9-152). The Packers are expecting RB Aaron Jones to be back after he missed last week's loss at Atlanta. He averaged 103.6 total yards in nine games at home last season.

Texans (0-2) at Jaguars (1-1): For a franchise with few wins to celebrate, the Texans have enjoyed seeing the Jaguars with nine wins in the past 10 games with their AFC South rival. Houston has produced only 29 points this season and rookie QB C.J. Stroud stares down a stellar defense that limited the Chiefs to 17 points in Week 2. Stroud has 58 completions, second-most by any player in his first two NFL games, with much credit due WR Nico Collins (13 receptions, 226 yards in 2023). Jacksonville is plus-3 in turnover margin with six takeaways. But the Jaguars have had issues inside the 20, including 0-for-3 in red-zone chances last week. Texans CB Derek Stingley (hamstring) and Jaguars WR Zay Jones (knee) are key injuries to monitor. Jones is second in the NFL with five red-zone targets. The Jaguars routed the host Texans 31-3 in Week 17 of last season to snap a nine-game losing streak against Houston.

Broncos (0-2) at Dolphins (2-0): Before Mike McDaniel was hired to lead the Dolphins, franchise owner Stephen Ross attempted to woo current Broncos head coach Sean Payton (and friends) to South Beach. Now McDaniel's Dolphins are following up a playoff appearance with a 2-0 start, flexing the type of prolific offense one might expect from Payton's teams. Alas, Payton sat out one season -- Ross was fined and suspended for tampering with the then-Saints coach -- then was hired to revive Russell Wilson and the Broncos. So far, no luck in that department. Wilson has been good enough to win and is one of three quarterbacks with two TD passes and a 100-plus rating in the first two games (Kirk Cousins, Jordan Love). Denver's defense allowed 52 points in the first two games and faces the Miami machine averaging 30 points per game behind a red-hot start from Tua Tagovailoa. A win puts the Dolphins at 3-0 for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1994-96.

Chargers (0-2) at Vikings (0-2): Chargers coach Brandon Staley reminded anyone who'd listen there are 15 games left in the regular season. His team is on the road and coming off a two-point loss against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 and a three-point overtime loss against the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. "We lost two really tough games right there at the end. ... We're doing a lot of good things out there," Staley said this week. "The mistakes that we made out there, we can correct all of them." The same message resonates with Minnesota, which has also lost each of its first two games by single digits against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell and Staley were roommates and Rams assistant coaches during the COVID-19 pandemic. One will leave U.S. Bank Stadium 0-3 after going to the playoffs last season. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins is 9-2 with 25 TDs (23 pass, 2 rush), five INTs in his past 11 home starts. But Minnesota has the most turnovers (seven) and the worst turnover ratio (minus-6) of any team in the NFL heading into Week 3.

Patriots (0-2) at Jets (1-1): Bill Belichick is 38-12 against the Jets, including 14 consecutive wins in the regular season. But with points hard to come by (18.5 ppg) and a defense lacking playmakers, the Patriots are in danger of starting a season 0-3 for the first time since Belichick's debut season in Foxborough. The Jets last beat the Patriots on Dec. 27, 2015, when Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Eric Decker for a touchdown in overtime after Belichick told his captains to kick it away if New England won the coin toss. New York wants to play behind the push of its defense after a 30-10 loss to the Cowboys. The Patriots lead the NFL in pass attempts and have only 164 rushing yards in two games.

Bills (1-1) at Commanders (2-0): The Commanders are now 3-0 when Sam Howell starts at quarterback. Once a projected No. 1 overall draft pick who instead fell to the fifth round, Howell won his only start when Washington gave him the reins at the end of 2022. Howell completed 27 of 39 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns against Denver last week. His cause has been helped by Brian Robinson Jr., Washington's clear No. 1 running back who has gained 146 rushing yards over two games. After a four-turnover showing in a loss to the Jets Week 1, Josh Allen bounced back with a boost from RB James Cook (123 rushing yards) in a 38-10 win last week. The Commanders' five-star defensive line is "one of the best" in Allen's estimation.

Panthers (0-2) at Seahawks (1-1): Carolina turns to QB Andy Dalton with No. 1 pick Bryce Young hobbled by an ankle injury. Dalton pilots a Panthers' scheme averaging 13.5 points and 133 passing yards in the first two games. Seattle can score in bunches (30.5 ppg) and gives opponents fits with a WR corps led by DK Metcalf (nine receptions, 122 yards) and Tyler Lockett, who caught two TDs last week. Rookie WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba is among NFL leaders averaging nearly five yards of separation per route according to NFL Next Gen Stats. The Panthers' defense is replacing LB Shaq Thompson, who went down with a season-ending injury last week.

Cowboys (2-0) at Cardinals (0-2): All-Pro CB Trevon Diggs tore his ACL in practice on Thursday, dampening the mood in Dallas after a dominant open to the season. The Cowboys outscored the Giants and Jets 70-10 and are trying to break a run of poor luck in the series with Arizona. The Cardinals have won six of the past seven meetings. But the ask of journeyman QB Josh Dobbs isn't small. A challenge for the offense, which has 44 points in two games, will be finding a way to move the ball while limiting the impact of Dallas pass rusher Micah Parsons. The Cowboys are leading the NFL in multiple defensive categories, yielding 5.0 points per game, collecting 10 sacks and boasting a turnover margin of plus-7. Opponents are converting only 23.1 percent of third downs to first downs (6 of 26).

Bears (0-2) at Chiefs (1-1): It was a week to forget for the Bears what with the resignation of defensive coordinator Alan Williams and quarterback Justin Fields wondering aloud if coaching might have him thinking too much. Noise might be the least of the Bears' worries at Kansas City. Chicago lost its starting left tackle and another cornerback to injured reserve and takes the field trying to win a game for the first time since Oct. 24, 2022. The Super Bowl champion Chiefs won at Jacksonville and could be looking to this week to get healthy. Chicago enters Sunday with just one sack while allowing opponents to convert 54.8 percent of their third downs, the second-highest rate in the league.

Steelers (1-1) at Raiders (1-1): Pittsburgh has scored just 19 offensive points and has punted 13 times, compared to 24 total first downs. The Steelers posted a 26-22 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Monday night behind defensive touchdowns by Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt. The Raiders (1-1) are tied for last in points per game (13.5). Star rusher Josh Jacobs is coming off a career-worst minus-2 rushing game (on nine attempts) in a 38-10 loss to the host Buffalo Bills. Jacobs, the NFL's leading rusher with 1,653 yards last season, has just 46 yards on 28 carries in two games with a long gain of 7. In the loss to Buffalo, the Raiders ran just 13 second-half offensive plays and 39 for the game as the Bills controlled the ball for 40:04.

Eagles (2-0) at Buccaneers (2-0): Baker Mayfield has been the NFL's best quarterback under pressure, completing more than 70 percent of his passes in that scenario, and the Eagles tend to bring plenty of attacking fronts to test a quarterback's mettle. Mayfield is 1-4 on Monday Night Football. He'll square off against another former Oklahoma quarterback, Jalen Hurts, who insists his big contract and smaller stats are no bother as long as Philadelphia keeps winning. With two rushing touchdowns this week, Hurts would tie Cam Newton for the all-time QB record of 10 games with two-plus rushing TDs. WR A.J. Brown would like a few more passes thrown but downplayed a sideline spat with Hurts last week. With CB James Bradberry (concussion) back from a one-week absence, the Eagles pass rush and secondary is better equipped to contend with WR Mike Evans. He's the only player in the NFL with six-plus catches and a TD in each of the first two weeks of the 2022 season.

Rams (1-1) at Bengals (0-2): Another 0-2 start for Cincinnati, which reached the AFC title game after dropping two in a row to open the 2022 season, might be cause for alarm this time around. QB Joe Burrow (calf) is hurting and without the threat of a deep passing game, defenses are adjusting to sit on shorter underneath throws and zapping the life out of Cincinnati's scheme. That scheme was partially crafted by Rams coach Sean McVay, who goes head-to-head with former assistant Zac Taylor as part of the MNF doubleheader. Without WR Cooper Kupp (hamstring), the Rams are consistently moving the chains thanks to breakout rookie WR Puka Nacua. McVay said this week he'll need to throttle back Nacua's workload to keep him healthy, which invites more targets for shifty slot receiver Tutu Atwell (15.1 yards per catch this season). Bengals Pro Bowl WR Ja'Marr Chase called for more vertical shots to open up Cincy's attack. He's averaging just 7.0 yards per catch, down from 18.0 in 2021.

Brown contends the two merely were involved in a "discussion" during last week's home opener against the Minnesota Vikings when cameras caught them in an animated sideline interaction that boiled just enough to prompt head coach Nick Sirianni to step between them.

"The sideline discussion, I want you all to know that's what it was, a discussion," Brown said, via the Delaware News Journal. "It's a game that we both love and I want everybody to understand that sometimes emotions run high and that's kind of what happened. That doesn't mean it's the end of the world. That doesn't mean I'm beefing with Jalen.

"And no, it was not about targets. I'm sure everybody thought that because he threw me the ball three times in a row afterwards. But no, I was not over there discussing targets. It was about something that happened earlier and we were having a discussion about it."

Brown, 26, recorded four catches for 29 yards in the 34-28 victory over Minnesota. His 11 receptions are tied for the team lead with DeVonta Smith, however Brown has yet to find the end zone this season.

Brown, who set a franchise record with 1,496 receiving yards last season, returns to action with the Eagles (2-0) on Monday night against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0).

The second-year standout sustained the shoulder injury during the Week 2 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Jones will miss at least the next four games, starting with Sunday's contest between the Patriots (0-2) and host New York Jets (1-1) in East Rutherford, N.J.

Jones, 24, posted five tackles and one fumble recovery in the first two games. He also returned three punts for 29 yards.

The 2022 third-round pick earned first-team All-Pro honors as a return specialist in his rookie season, leading the NFL with 12.5 yards per punt return, including an 84-yard touchdown to beat the Jets in Week 11.

Jones also averaged 23.9 yards per kickoff return and recorded 39 tackles and two interceptions (one pick-six) in 15 games (four starts) last season.

Christian McCaffrey rushed for a touchdown and totaled 119 yards (85 rushing, 34 receiving) for the 49ers (3-0), who won their 13th consecutive regular-season game. Deebo Samuel had six receptions for 129 yards and one score, George Kittle caught seven passes for 90 yards and Ronnie Bell hauled in his first career touchdown catch for San Francisco.

Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa recorded his first sack since signing a five-year, $170 million extension with the 49ers. The contract is the richest for a defender in NFL history.

Former 49ers running back Matt Breida rushed for a touchdown for the Giants (1-2), who played without star running back Saquon Barkley (ankle). The running game struggled without Barkley, with New York totaling 29 yards on 11 attempts.

Daniel Jones was 22-of-32 passing for 137 yards and one interception for the Giants.

San Francisco controlled the ball for 39:10 and had a 78-46 edge in plays. Purdy completed 25 of 37 passes as the 49ers outgained the Giants 441-150.

New York moved within 17-12 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter on Breida's 8-yard scoring run. Jones was sacked on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt.

San Francisco tacked on a 21-yard field goal by Jake Moody to hold an eight-point lead with 4:08 remaining in the period. Moody added a 36-yarder to increase the margin to 23-12 with 12:47 left in the game.

The 49ers put the game away on Purdy's 27-yard touchdown pass to Samuel with 5:58 remaining in the contest.

San Francisco scored two second-quarter touchdowns while taking a 17-6 lead into halftime.

Purdy connected with Bell on a 9-yard scoring pass to give San Francisco a 10-3 lead with 7:49 left in the second quarter. Just over six minutes later, McCaffrey scored on a 4-yard run to boost the lead to 14.

New York's Graham Gano kicked a 57-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining in the first half.

San Francisco opened the game with a 15-play, 64-yard drive before settling for Moody's 28-yard field goal. The Giants answered with a 44-yard field goal from Gano.

Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow was leading the Bengals on a potential game-tying or game-winning drive when nose tackle Aaron Donald got to Burrow on fourth down and sealed the Rams' 23-20 win.

The Rams have turned over their roster significantly since, with the exception of Donald, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

The Bengals are just hoping that Burrow can get on the field this week for the rematch after he re-aggravated his right calf strain in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Burrow did not practice Thursday.

"You got to be able to adapt. It's part of the game. Nobody's 100 percent healthy out there," Burrow said. "Everybody's dealing with something."

Burrow initially injured the calf on July 27, the second day of training camp, and felt a twinge again on the play before his second touchdown pass of the game to Tee Higgins.

"Just feeling better. Not as sore," Burrow said Thursday. "Time heals. So we'll see. We'll see."

The Bengals have started 0-2 for the fourth time in five seasons under Zac Taylor. Last year, they were able to recover and win 14 of their next 16 games before falling to eventual Super Bowl LVII champion Kansas City in the AFC Championship.

"The beauty of this team is we know it's a 17-game season," head coach Zac Taylor said. "There's no overreaction on our end. We've got to be prepared for it outside of our locker room, which is natural. This is exactly where we were last year."

"We've done it before," Burrow said. "Obviously, you don't want to start 0-2. It's not what we were planning on, not what you want to do at all. But we're going to bounce back. That's what we do, that's all there is to it."

This marks the first game for Bengals starting safety Nick Scott against his former team after signing with Cincinnati in the offseason. He has 20 tackles through two games.

The Rams won their opener at Seattle before dropping last week's home opener to San Francisco, 30-23.

Rookie receiver Puka Nacua had a record-setting day, catching 15 passes from Matthew Stafford for 147 yards, becoming just the fourth player in the Super Bowl era to record at least 10 catches and at least 100 receiving yards in his team's first two games of the season. He is the only rookie to accomplish the feat and earned NFL Rookie of the Week honors.

"My success will come when the team wins," Nacua said. "So I'm excited us for to be able to come back and capitalize when we're able to win. It was sweet (vs. Seattle). I got things to improve on, but the most important thing is getting that (win)."

Nacua, however, sat out Thursday's practice with rib and oblique injuries. Cornerback Cobie Durant (groin) and center Brian Allen (illness) were also out, and guard Joe Noteboom (shoulder) and defensive tackle Jonah Williams (back) were limited.

Stafford passed Peyton Manning for the third-most passing yards by a player in his first 200 regular-season games (52,723 yards in 193 games). In the loss to the Niners, Stafford completed 34 of 55 passes for 307 yards.

"(The offensive line) did a great job," Stafford said. "They kept me clean the majority of the (game)."

The Rams have turned the running game over to feature back Kyren Williams after trading Cam Akers and a 2026 conditional seventh-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick.

Williams ran for a touchdown and caught another score against San Francisco, marking the first Rams player to score through the air and on the ground since Week 8 of 2021.

Bengals safeties Tycen Anderson (calf) and Nick Scott (concussion) were limited participants at practice Thursday.

Aiyuk was listed as questionable for the game because of a shoulder injury sustained Sunday on his first reception against the Los Angeles Rams. He went on to make two more catches and finished with 43 yards in a 30-23 road victory.

He has gotten off to a strong start this season, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his effort in a 30-7 win at Pittsburgh in Week 1. Aiyuk made eight catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

The 49ers on Thursday activated wide receiver Chris Conley as well as cornerbacks Tre Swilling and Shemar Jean-Charles from the team's practice squad to the active roster, and released cornerback Anthony Brown.

Aiyuk, 25, was a first-round pick (25th overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Arizona State. In his fourth season with the 49ers, he has started 46 of 48 games and has 205 receptions for 2,761 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also has rushed 13 times for 117 yards and two scores.

The resurgent Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback takes on the Eagles for the first time in nearly three years on Monday night in a clash of 2-0 teams in Tampa, Fla.

Mayfield threw two touchdown passes in a season-opening win at Minnesota and completed 26 of 34 passes for 317 yards and a score in last Sunday's 27-17 victory against Chicago. He has not thrown an interception, has been sacked only once and ranks fifth in the NFL in passer rating (104.4).

"He's been through a lot in five years. He's been through the ups and downs," Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said of Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in 2018. "He knows it's not about him. It's about the team. He's being very smart with the football."

Just a few weeks after Mayfield's Browns beat the Eagles in 2020, the Jalen Hurts era began in Philadelphia as the then-rookie quarterback replaced Carson Wentz.

Even though Hurts won his first two starts this season and is 19-1 in his last 20 regular-season starts, his numbers are down this year under new offensive coordinator and play-caller Brian Johnson.

Entering Week 3, the Eagles ranked 27th in passing offense. A.J. Brown, who broke the franchise record with 1,496 receiving yards in 2022, has been held to 108 yards on 11 catches.

Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni addressed the concerns before facing a Tampa Bay defense that has collected eight sacks and five takeaways. The Bucs have recorded 19 quarterback hits and limited both the Bears and Vikings to 17 points.

"We're not in a panic mode or anything like that," Sirianni said. "Have the pass numbers been down? Yeah. Does the defense play into that? Of course it does. And fortunately for us, we're able to win on the ground and we're able to win in the air. You are able to balance off of what the defense does. I thought Brian and the offensive staff did a phenomenal job."

Sirianni sees the sluggish start for the defending NFC champions as an opportunity.

"It's way easier to correct when you are 2-0 and no one's feelings are in it," Sirianni said. "A lot of teams would like to be sitting 2-0. Like I said, when you are in this position, and guys don't know that we aren't playing to the best of our abilities, that's when you can make a lot of growth."

The Eagles' injury report was lengthy on Thursday but only wide receiver Quez Watkins (hamstring), running back Boston Scott (concussion) and safety Terrell Edmunds (illness) didn't participate in some capacity. That includes cornerback James Bradberry, who missed Week 2 with a concussion.

Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (calf) didn't practice for the Bucs.

The Los Angeles Rams moved Akers to the Vikings on Wednesday in exchange for a swap of 2026 draft picks. The Rams gave up a conditional seventh-round pick and will acquire a conditional Vikings' sixth-round selection.

To make room on the Vikings' active roster, wide receiver Jalen Nailor was placed on injured reserve with hamstring discomfort.

Akers lands on a Vikings team that is still coping with the offseason loss of Dalvin Cook. He is expected to be active for Sunday's home game against the Los Angeles Chargers, joining running backs Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler and Myles Gaskin. Mattison has rushed for 62 yards in two starts.

Akers, 24, requested a trade last season after being dissatisfied with his role with Los Angeles. He returned to the team after the Rams failed to find a suitable trade partner.

Akers started in Week 1 for the Rams, rushing for 29 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries in a win at Seattle. But he was a healthy inactive last week against the San Francisco 49ers.

He has 360 carries for 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns in 30 career games (15 starts) since being selected by Los Angeles in the second round of the 2020 draft out of Florida State.

Nailor, 24, has played primarily on special teams in two games this season. He had nine receptions for 179 yards and a touchdown as a rookie with the Vikings last season.

Diggs was set to undergo an MRI, per The Dallas Morning News.

"I'm not gonna speculate, way too early," Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said. "I saw him leaving the field. Prayers and hoping for the best, simple as that."

Signed to a five-year, $97 million contract extension this summer, Diggs has recorded four tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in two games this season.

Diggs, 25, led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 2021. The two-time Pro Bowl selection has 18 picks -- including two returned for touchdowns -- to go along with 173 tackles in 47 career games (46 starts) since being selected by Dallas in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

St. Brown sat out Wednesday's practice and is dealing with turf toe. He leads the Lions with 12 receptions for 173 yards and one touchdown.

The Lions are preparing for a Week 3 home game with the Atlanta Falcons with the status of left tackle Taylor Decker and running back David Montgomery in doubt.

Montgomery has a team-high 37 carries for 141 yards and two touchdowns, but said his bruised quadriceps muscle would need a few weeks to heal.

Decker (ankle) missed last week's game and right tackle Penei Sewell shifted to the left side, where he continues to practice this week.

The Lions could also be without right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai (knee). He didn't play last week.

Some might say Kelce has been unable to "shake it off."

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end decided to speak on the topic during his appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" Thursday on ESPN.

"I told her that I've seen you rock a stage in Arrowhead, so you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead. And see which one is a little more lit," Kelce said with a smile. "We'll see what happens in the near future."

The (rumored) "Love Story" began in July when Kelce shared that he was upset that his opportunity to present Swift with a friendship bracelet -- along with his phone number -- went by the boards during her Kansas City stop of the "Eras Tour."

The rumor mill began picking up steam throughout the summer about the potential power couple, albeit with unconfirmed reports.

Eagles center Jason Kelce was asked about his brother's relationship situation Wednesday on 94.1 WIP in Philadelphia.

"I don't really know what's happening in Travis' love life. I try to keep his business kind of his business and stay out of that world," Jason Kelce said. "But having said that, I think he's doing great and I think that it's all 100 percent true."

Jason Kelce was quick to note that he was joking.

Let's hope all goes well for Travis Kelce, considering Swift is known for her breakup songs.

After all, it would be a shame if they "are never ever getting back together" -- if they ever are together in the first place.

Burrow's availability for 0-2 Cincinnati's Monday night date with the Los Angeles Rams (1-1) remains cloudy.

"Soreness is an issue right now, so giving him some time is best," Taylor said. "That's all I'll say about today."

Burrow, 26, was originally injured in a training camp session on July 27 and did not participate in practices or preseason games for five weeks. He returned in time to sign a five-year, $275 million contract and suit up for the regular-season opener.

Burrow ranks 28th in the NFL in passing yards (310) and has just one completion longer than 20 yards, a 32-yarder to running back Joe Mixon. He is averaging 4.22 yards per pass attempt, down from 7.38 last season and a league-leading 8.87 in 2021.

Richardson, the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, assumed the role of a spectator for the session while he remains in concussion protocol.

Richardson exited the Colts' 31-20 victory over the Houston Texans last Sunday in the first half. Backup Gardner Minshew relieved Richardson and completed 19 of 23 passes for 171 yards with a touchdown toss to tight end Kylen Granson.

Minshew is in line to start if Richardson isn't available this Sunday against the host Baltimore Ravens (2-0).

Richardson was forced out of last Sunday's contest for the second time in two career games when he absorbed a hard hit.

The Colts led the Texans 14-0 behind two Richardson TD runs when he left to be evaluated for a concussion. In Week 1, he was assisted to the sideline in the final minute of the game after trying to run the ball in for a score against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Richardson, 21, is 30-of-47 passing for 279 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also has 13 carries for 75 yards and three touchdowns.

While the presence of Jones is a promising sign, wide receiver Christian Watson sat out Thursday's session. Watson turned in a limited practice Wednesday due to a lingering hamstring issue that has prevented him from making his season debut.

Jones, 28, was injured at the end of his 35-yard touchdown catch and run in the Packers' 38-20 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sept. 10. He finished with nine carries for 41 yards and a score and two receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown.

Jones, who missed practice Wednesday, would give Green Bay's ground attack a boost after it rushed for just 84 yards on 21 carries in a 25-24 setback to the Falcons.

Watson, 24, recorded 41 catches for 611 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games (11 starts) as a rookie in 2022.

"To hit it straight on, we have adversity right now," Poles said of the state of the Bears, who visit the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

"To make it really, really clear, I know the outside noise -- but no one in our building is panicking, no one is flinching at any situations. Not our owner, not our president, not our head coach, not myself. None of our players. Everyone's focused on solving the issues that we have so that we can be a be a better team."

Poles clarified those issues don't involve any FBI search or operative stings, as was reported Wednesday before defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned citing "health and family" concerns.

"I don't have many details to add there. Halas Hall being raided is completely false. Don't know where that came from. We've worked with Kevin (Warren, team president) and George (McCaskey) and all our leadership to make sure we were handling it the right way, and everything concluded yesterday."

Head coach Matt Eberflus, formerly defensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts, will call defensive plays.

"Got a ton of faith in Flus. He's a leader. He's done a great job. And then as a defensive play-caller as well, got a ton of faith there," Poles said.

There are obvious and undeniable concerns from Warren, Poles and Eberflus around the staggered start from quarterback Justin Fields and Chicago's offense. The Bears have four turnovers and four touchdowns in two games, losses to the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which they were outscored 65-37.

"Now he gets talent around him and has to figure and balance when to do those cool things athletically, when to lean on others," Poles said. "And that is sometimes a gray place to live in, and that takes time."

Young had his ankle checked out after the Monday night home loss to the New Orleans Saints and missed the Wednesday walkthrough before being held out of the team's first full practice of the week Thursday.

"We have some general principles that we operated by, not absolutes, that we say, 'Hey, how many days of practices are needed for a younger player to play?'" head coach Frank Reich said. "If he's a younger player, maybe you want him to practice a little bit more."

Young, 22, is 0-2 to begin his career. The No. 1 overall pick has completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns against two interceptions so far.

The Panthers twice took out Young in short-yardage situations against the Saints, bringing in Dalton, a move Reich later said was done to "limit the exposure" of their franchise QB.

Dalton said Thursday he's preparing as he always has -- to be ready to play -- and hasn't been informed if he's starting this week.

"We'll see how it goes as the week goes on. With Bryce down right now, I'm getting the reps and preparing like I do every week," Dalton said.

Carolina offensive coordinator Thomas Brown said Young was hurt early in the loss to New Orleans but played through it. He said Young is genuine and will be honest with the franchise about his health when it comes time to make a call about Week 3 at Seattle (1-1).

"It's a great environment," Dalton said of the Panthers playing in Seattle. "You talk about NFL environment and crowd noise, it's one of those places that first hits your brain."

The Panthers also listed edge rusher Brian Burns (ankle), linebacker Justin Houston (calf), running back Miles Sanders (pec) and linebacker Chandler Wooten (knee) as limited for Wednesday's walkthrough.

Jake Luton was signed to the practice squad to give Carolina multiple healthy quarterbacks in practice.