Digital Sports Desk

AFC EAST

New England Patriots: Tom Brady missed Rob Gronkowski during last week’s 34-10 loss to Tennessee. A lot. In his news conference Wednesday, Brady had this to say about his longtime tight end. “When he’s not there, there’s just a different level with other players. Sometimes we don’t try some things because Gronk’s not in there, sometimes we do,” Brady told reporters. He continued: “Whenever we get him back, I think everyone’s going to be excited about that. Hopefully it’s soon, but those things are really up to him and the trainers and so forth. I know he works extremely hard at preparing and I know he wants to be out there.” Gronkowski missed the past two games with back and ankle injuries.

Buffalo Bills: So much attention has been paid to the Bills’ quarterback situation and the struggling offense that the defense’s accomplishments have been overlooked this year, but they deserve some attention. The Bills (3-7) are the best defensive squad in the NFL. They lead the NFL in fewest yards allowed at 302.2 yards per game, and they are second in the league in pass defense (202.4), narrowly behind the Jacksonville Jaguars (200.6). The Bills’ pass rush ranks 12th. “Coach (Leslie) Frazier and his staff have done a phenomenal job.” head coach Sean McDermott said of the defensive coordinator, per the team website. “There’s still a lot of work (that) remains, but the growth that they’ve undergone since those first two games in particular and the culture that they’ve started to build on that side of the football with the discipline and effort (is impressive).”

Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins signed wide receiver Brice Butler on Wednesday to help rebuild their injury-ridden receiving corps. Butler has been in the NFL six seasons — two with the Oakland Raiders and the last four with the Dallas Cowboys. The Dolphins need replacements for DeVante Parker, who injured the AC joint in his shoulder, and Jakeem Grant, who has a leg injury. Both injuries occurred last week in the team’s loss to Green Bay, and both players are expected to miss a few weeks. The Cowboys waived Butler last month when they traded for receiver Amari Cooper. Butler, 28, has 73 career receptions for 1,177 yards and has scored eight touchdowns.

New York Jets: Jets safety Jamal Adams admitted this week that his team was unprepared before Sunday’s 41-10 drubbing by the Buffalo Bills. The Jets, he said, weren’t expecting to face quarterback Matt Barkley, signed by the team just 12 days earlier. “We obviously planned for Josh Allen to come in there,” Adams said Tuesday on his weekly show on WFAN radio. “We thought he was going to play. Obviously, he didn’t play. Obviously, we didn’t have a lot of film on Barkley. We definitely didn’t have film on him.” Allen was listed as limited in practice throughout the week.

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens: Though he has had 10 days to rest since the Ravens’ last game, quarterback Joe Flacco remains unable to practice because of a hip injury. And with fewer than four full days until his club’s next game, Sunday at home against the Bengals, coach John Harbaugh is giving more time under center to rookie first-round pick Lamar Jackson. Harbaugh didn’t tip his hand at who would start at QB, but Jackson said he’d be ready if needed. “I feel like I’d be very prepared,” Jackson said, per ESPN. “I’m trying to sponge everything in. Whatever happens, will happen.” Jackson has taken part in 84 plays, frequently as a runner, and has thrown for 87 yards, but he said he’s improved. “Before I had to ask coach 100 times, ‘Say it again, say it again,'” Jackson said. “Now, he’ll say it one time to me. Sometimes, don’t get me wrong, if it’s longer, I have to say, ‘Say it again.’ But, other than that, I’m getting better at that.”

Cincinnati Bengals: After firing defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and taking over play-calling duties, then hiring former Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson to be a special assistant, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis met with the media to discuss how he anticipates the changes to impact his club. “Hue is here to right now trying to … just get immersed back in what we’re doing, how we’re doing it,” Lewis said of his former offensive coordinator. “He assists with the players on the field. He’ll continue to look at things analytically.’ But Lewis added Jackson won’t have a hands-on role with the offense right now. As for himself? “We’re not reverting back to 2002 the last time I did this. I’ve been involved throughout and I study everybody throughout the league throughout the season … Don’t worry about that part. I got it.”

Cleveland Browns: With his team heading into a bye week and his head coach position still in flux, Browns general manager John Dorsey met with the media to speak about the state of his club. And he started out with an update on the coaching search. “Senior management and I have kind of gotten together the last 10 days and we’ve kind of begun to walk through the process. … (At the conclusion of the regular season) we’ll be planned, we’ll be prepared and we’re going to get the best coach possible for this organization.” While hesitant to name any potential candidates, Dorsey did say two names: “(Interim head coach Gregg Williams) will get interviewed for the head coaching position, I think he deserves that. I think (offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens) has done a heck of a job.”

Pittsburgh Steelers: Le’Veon Bell isn’t coming back this season, so his teammates decided to help him clean out his locker. His locker had been fully stocked awaiting his arrival, but by Wednesday afternoon, everything was gone. “Awww, they’re ransacking his locker,” guard Ramon Foster said, per Yahoo! Sports. His nameplate was removed, then Steelers players decided to help themselves to the footwear reserved for Bell, along with his CDs, and some other clothing. Even a suit.

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans: Rebounding from an 0-3 start to post six straight wins is a nice deal but coach Bill O’Brien keeps trying to diffuse the excitement. Quarterback Deshaun Watson doesn’t see that to be a problem, not with seven regular-season games remaining, including Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins. “He’s not saying that we don’t deserve to enjoy the six wins and we haven’t done anything, he was just saying we just got ourselves out of the hole, but at the same time, there’s still a lot more football to play,” Watson told reporters. “We can’t get ahead ourselves and think we’re just going to walk in to any situation. Every week is going to be a task, every week is going to be a battle.”

Indianapolis Colts: Versatile offensive lineman Joe Haeg was designated as the team’s second and final player to return from injured reserve, beginning a 21-day window in which the team can place him on the active roster or put him back on the IR. Haeg started the first three games at right tackle before suffering an ankle injury. The Colts will watch him closely as they integrate him back into practice to see what type of progress he is making. Haeg started in 15 games last season at either right guard or right tackle and can play all five positions.

Jacksonville Jaguars: A team that ranks near the top of the list when it comes to the NFL’s biggest disappointments is aware it is running out of time to turn things around. The Jaguars have dropped five straight games entering Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. “I think as an organization, I think we are all frustrated,” Jacksonville coach Doug Marrone told reporters. “I have to lead it and they have to pull it together and we have to go. We have to get on the field, we have to be able to coach them as well as we can, they have to get out there and be able to perform. We’ve got to go win a game. I look at it as it’s more of a whole than one person.”

Tennessee Titans: Quarterback Marcus Mariota is suddenly playing sharper football after struggling earlier in the season. Mariota is 37-of-53 passing for 468 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions over the last two weeks when Tennessee defeated the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. “I think we’ve done a good job on third down, and definitely done a whole lot better in the red zone, being able to score touchdowns,” Mariota told reporters. “If we can continue that, I think we have a chance to be pretty good. When it comes down to it, we can build off of it, we can continue to use the momentum. Guys are flying around. I thought (Wednesday) was a good practice, and we have to continue to build off of it.”

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos: The trade of Demaryius Thomas was made possible in large part because of the emergence of second-round rookie Courtland Sutton, but he’s not the only rookie the team wanted to give a larger role. Fourth-rounder DaeSean Hamilton, who had three catches for 44 yards in Week 5 but has missed the last two games due to a knee injury, is expected to take a large role in three-WR sets when he returns Sunday against the Chargers. “He’s a young player still, but he’s a great route runner,” head coach Vance Joseph said of Hamilton. “I’m excited to see him get more opportunities now. He’s going to be a good football player for us. He does the dirty work. He blocks and he plays on special teams, so whatever you ask him to do, he does. He’s got a bright future.”

Kansas City Chiefs: With the Chiefs’ offense lighting the league on fire, there’s one player who has gotten fewer chances to perform than he’s used to: punter Dustin Colquitt. In a video released by the team Wednesday showing clips of quarterback Patrick Mahomes mic’d up from Sunday’s game, Colquitt joked with the quarterback about finally getting on the field. “Thanks for letting me punt,” Colquitt said with a laugh. “I appreciate it. It felt good to get out there again.” Among punters who have played the whole season, only the Rams’ Johnny Hekker (25) has booted fewer punts than Colquitt (28), meaning Monday night’s matchup could be notably short on special teams. A two-time Pro Bowler, Colquitt is tied for fifth in the NFL in net average (41.4).

Los Angeles Chargers: A major part of the Chargers’ hot streak this season has been getting ahead early in games, allowing the team to play with the lead rather than chase a deficit. “We’re trying to start with more urgency this year, playing from ahead,” head coach Anthony Lynn said. “…You force teams in obvious situations where you’ve got to pass the football, our guys get a chance to come off the ball and tee off a little bit.” This week, Lynn is particularly focused on getting out in front so the Broncos’ fierce pass rush can’t be the group teeing off. “If they put you in a situation where you have to pass the football to beat them, it could be a long day because their pass rush is excellent,” Lynn said. Denver is seventh in the NFL with 28 sacks, but the Chargers have allowed just 13 this season (fourth fewest).

Oakland Raiders: A few weeks after trading Amari Cooper, the Raiders could be awfully short-handed at wide receiver on Sunday against the Cardinals. Martavis Bryant is out with a PCL injury, and Jordy Nelson will likely be listed as questionable with a bone bruise in his knee. That should open up opportunities for seventh-round rookie Marcell Ateman, who was promoted from the practice squad in late October but has yet to play in a game. “Coach said I was going to get my opportunity sometime, and it’s here,” Ateman told reporters. “…I just didn’t take a backseat when I got on the practice squad. I just was like, I’m going to keep grinding, keep working, and when I get my opportunity, I’m going to be better.” A 6-foot-4, 216-pounder, Ateman had 12 catches for 139 yards in the preseason.

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys: All-Pro center Travis Frederick has been sidelined all season by Guillain-Barre syndrome but he has encouraging news. He has sensation back in his hands for the first time in almost three months, according to the Dallas Morning News. “It’s starting to come back in my hands a little bit here, which is good,” Frederick said. “Now it’s more just numbness, no tingling, and it’s more in the tips. I mean the fact there is some light at the end of the tunnel is definitely a positive.” Frederick said he still doesn’t have any feeling in his feet, but he cited statistics that said almost all people who suffer from Guillain-Barre — an autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system — make a full recovery. “I’m doing good. I’m getting better, slowly but steady.”

New York Giants: He doesn’t sign the paychecks for the Giants, and he doesn’t make the roster decisions, but legendary anchorman Dan Rather has a strong opinion on one New York player — Eli Manning. “I’ll tell you what, whatever you think of the Giants — and they are terrible — I love Eli Manning,” Rather told TMZ Sports on Tuesday. “As an anchorman on the fade, on the way out, you say to yourself, ‘I’m not as good as I once was. But, for once, I’m as good as I ever was.’ That was Eli Manning last night against San Francisco.” Monday night, Manning completed 61.3 percent of his passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns.

Philadelphia Eagles: Coach Doug Pederson and New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton played some golf at league meetings in March, and Payton lost. When the two teams meet on Sunday, Payton’s team will pay off the bet between the two coaches. They’ll be wearing their all-white “color rush” uniforms at home, while the Eagles will wear their home green on the road. “We wanted to liven up the match, and we decided to bet and we chose jersey colors,” Pederson said Wednesday. “Three holes into it I ended up beating him, and that was it.” Payton lost twice to Pederson on the course this year. In his second loss, in July, he made a donation to the Eagles Autism Challenge.

Washington Redskins: Safety D.J. Swearinger isn’t mincing any words about his first team, the Houston Texans, who the Redskins meet on Sunday. The Texans selected him in the second round of the NFL draft in 2013 and released him during the offseason in 2015. Tampa Bay claimed him off waivers. “I never got a fair chance from Tampa,” Swearinger told ESPN recently. “I remember my first interview with (then-coach) Lovie (Smith), he asked me about all the things Houston bashed me on. I was sitting there shocked, like, ‘They really said that about me? This is horrible.’ I took that and put that chip on my shoulder, like I never got that fair opportunity.” He blames Texas coach Bill O’Brien for that, and on Instagram this week he referenced O’Brien: “That Same Coach Told Me I Would Be Outta The League In 3Years. Unfortunately, My God & Grind Had A Plan And Knew That 6years Later….I Would Make Him Eat His Words!”

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears: At Soldier Field, the Bears plan to leave the lights on for kicker Cody Parkey on Wednesday night and again Thursday. Parkey, who missed four kicks by clanging the ball off the upright last week against the Lions, will practice with the Bears all week but his evening plans include spending time kicking at the Bears’ gameday home to replicate the environment the team will play in Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. Head coach Matt Nagy hinted that the primary concern would be lakefront wind conditions that can’t be produced at Halas Hall, the team’s northeast suburban practice facility in Lake Forest. Parkey said the exercise was more about checking boxes in mental preparation. Parkey said he will travel into the city with long snapper Patrick Scales and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor.

Detroit Lions: With three games in a 12-day span, the Lions skipped practice Wednesday and ran only a light walkthrough. Head coach Matt Patricia said he is anticipating a highly physical game with the Carolina Panthers, who were lit up for 52 points by the Pittsburgh Steelers last Thursday. Patricia said there is no sign of surrender in his locker room after three consecutive blowout losses and big hits absorbed by quarterback Matthew Stafford. “We’re not hitting the panic button,” Patricia said.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers flew to Seattle on Tuesday after a light workout and game plan installation for Thursday’s game, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he’s glad to see running back Aaron Jones continue to get prime billing. Jones rushed for 145 yards last week against the Miami Dolphins. Notably, he was a regular option in the red zone. Attacking via the run is typically low on the play sheet when coach Mike McCarthy’s teams get to the red zone. “Running the football in the red zone has not been a high priority for us, but the abilities that he brings slashing inside can give us some opportunities to run some more of those plays in the red zone,” Rodgers said of Jones.

Minnesota Vikings: Chicagoan Mike Zimmer is excited to test the Bears’ offense in the Sunday night showdown this week. Zimmer, who called the Bears’ passing game “Kansas City-ish” gave a lot of credit to quarterback Mitchell Trubisky for avoiding mistakes. Trubisky has 22 total touchdowns this season. But he has not faced a blitz-heavy man scheme the caliber of Minnesota’s, and the Vikings are coming off of a bye week. In his only start against the Vikings last season, Trubisky had six completions and saw 18 blitzes. According to Pro Football Focus, Trubisky has a completion percentage of 45 (45 of 100) facing a rush of five or more in 2018.

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons: Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones (foot) was a limited practice participant Wednesday after being removed from injured reserve two days earlier. Atlanta coach Dan Quinn is promising caution when it comes to the handling of Jones, so there is not yet a verdict as to whether he could play in Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. “Well, we’re going to great care of him, No. 1, because he is so important,” Quinn said a radio appearance. “I think the best way to go about it is, let’s take him all the way through a full week where he can really get ready to play. And when he’s ready to go, that’s when we’ll make him active. Until that time, we’re not going to put him out there until he’s 100 percent ready.”

Carolina Panthers: Cameron Artis-Payne doesn’t have a carry this season but he is now the No. 2 running back entering Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. The team released C.J. Anderson on Monday, giving Artis-Payne the opportunity to get some snaps whenever lead back Christian McCaffrey needs a breather. “You don’t want to go out there and do too much. You just want to go out there and play to the best of your ability,” Artis-Payne told reporters. “The offense has been rolling. Christian has shown he’s one of the better backs in this league. When you go in there to spell him, you got to do your job and make sure you’re taking care of the ball.” Carolina also claimed running back Kenjon Barner off waivers and waived cornerback Josh Hawkins.

New Orleans Saints: The team is taking a long look at receiver Brandon Marshall after signing the veteran earlier this week. Marshall was signed after Dez Bryant tore his Achilles late last week, but he is in football shape after being with the Seattle Seahawks earlier this season. The test is finding out if being available to play this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles is too ambitious or if the fact Marshall has been on an NFL roster will speed up the curve. “Having had the training camp experience and he was not 100 percent healthy, this gives us a chance to see where he is at, week by week, take a peek and try to evaluate his skillset to where and if it fits with what we are doing,” Saints coach Sean Payton said.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul didn’t need a reminder that the New York Giants are the opponent on Sunday, and he still has hard feelings about the offseason trade from New York to Tampa Bay. “I didn’t speak to no owners or nothing,” Pierre-Paul told reporters. “Obviously, I gave a hard eight years with the New York Giants and won a Super Bowl there, and the only thing you get is a phone call. I wouldn’t say I was hurt but it was just shocking. You know what I mean? Honestly, I had this game checked off since I left there. Emotions running big. I’m coming, man. I’m bringing the house down.” Pierre-Paul did indicate that he received phone calls from general manager Dave Gettleman and quarterback Eli Manning after the trade.

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals: No team wants to put its rookie quarterback under regular pressure, as Arizona has with Josh Rosen this season, but the Cardinals have been pleased with how well Rosen has handled it. “Quarterbacking in this league is hard,” interim offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich told reporters. “When things get bad, this kid tends to be fine.” Rosen added that he has always emphasized the ability to stay strong in the face of pressure. “It’s definitely a point of pride for me, to stand in the pocket and not get flustered,” he said. “Whenever I see ghosts, I get mad at myself. That’s what quarterback is all about.” The No. 10 overall pick is also intent on maintaining a high standard despite his team’s 2-7 record. “It’s about consistency,” Rosen said. “You kind of want to be a rock for other guys who may be looking for some sort of steadying force.”

Los Angeles Rams: A day after their Monday night matchup with the Chiefs was moved from Mexico City to Los Angeles over field quality concerns, the Rams had another — more minor — schedule change made. The NFL announced the Rams’ Week 14 visit to Chicago has been flexed into prime time, meaning L.A. will play on Sunday Night Football in back-to-back weeks, including hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. That will give the Rams the maximum of five prime-time games this year, after they had previously played in a total of 12 since 2008. The last time the franchise played more than two prime-time games in a season was in 2004, Marshall Faulk’s second-to-last season.

San Francisco 49ers: Meanwhile, the 49ers are done playing under the lights this year after playing in consecutive prime-time games the last two weeks, on Thursday night in Week 9 and Monday night in Week 10. The NFL announced that San Francisco’s Week 13 visit to Seattle has been flexed out of the Sunday night slot and into the typical late afternoon start, with the Chargers-Steelers game moving to SNF. The Niners will play their final five games in that late afternoon slot after a Week 12 visit to Tampa Bay in the early window. Including their Monday night game in Week 6 at Green Bay, the 49ers played three prime-time games this season after having a total of three over the last two years.

Seattle Seahawks: One surprisingly important contributor for the Seahawks this season has been a former first-round Cleveland Browns draft bust, linebacker Barkevious Mingo. Playing on a two-year, $6.8 million free agent deal, Mingo has played 333 of Seattle’s defensive snaps (59.5 percent) and 207 snaps on special teams (83.1 percent), notching 26 tackles (three for loss) on defense and four more on special teams. “He has done a really good job of spreading his availability across the board,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s a great (special) teams player… he’s been a rusher, he’s been an outside guy playing Sam linebacker, he’s played the Will backer spot for us, nickel, done some specialty things in rushes as well. …He’s been a really fantastic addition and surprised us in so much versatility.”

–Field Level Media

AFC East

New England Patriots: Wide receiver Julian Edelman wasn’t shy about sharing his thoughts about the Patriots’ 34-10 loss to Tennessee on Sunday night. “You better learn from a game like this, because the weeks get harder and harder,” Edelman told reporters after the game Sunday. “That’s a good football team. They’re well coached and have good players. You tip your hat to them, but we got to go out and we’ve got to watch this film and we’ve got to fix it because this is when you start separating or you start falling behind.” The Patriots have a bye this week, then meet the Jets on Nov. 25. “Well, I mean, we got a bye week, so you’re going to go into that bye week with a dirty taste in your mouth,” Edelman said, adding: “So, we go out and take advantage of it this week, and I’m sure our coaches are going to have us ready. Guys going to be out there fiery and it’s up to us.”

Buffalo Bills: Recently signed quarterback Matt Barkley turned in a strong performance Sunday during a 41-10 win over the Jets, completing 15 of 25 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns in his first game action in nearly two years. Head coach Sean McDermott said there’s no quarterback controversy, though. As soon as rookie first-round draft pick Josh Allen is ready to go, he’s back in the starting spot in preparation for 2019, if nothing else. “Josh is our starter when healthy and his development, for him and us, getting experience. … It’s important that he gets as many reps as he can get in live-game action,” McDermott told reporters Monday. “Matt, in a separate issue, I thought he performed extremely well, there’s certainly some plays he’d like back, but to come in and play the way he did on a short run, it was really impressive.” Buffalo has a bye this week and will host Jacksonville in Week 12.

Miami Dolphins: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw the ball on Sunday and has been put on a throwing schedule in hopes of him playing against Indianapolis after their bye this week, head coach Adam Gase told reporters Monday. Tannehill has missed the last five games since suffering a shoulder capsule injury on Oct. 7 against Cincinnati. “That was the start of their throwing progression after so many off,” Gase said of Tannehill’s work with the training staff. “It seemed like it went well. It’s not [as if] he’s out there throwing 60-yard throws. They have a progression of how they want to do it. They said it was a good first step and he felt good. So that’s a positive.” Brock Osweiler has started the last five games in Tannehill’s place, going 2-3.

New York Jets: Former Jets coach Rex Ryan has strong feelings about his former team and wasn’t shy about sharing them on Monday. Speaking on ESPN, Ryan was highly critical of his successor, Todd Bowles, and general manager Mike Maccagnan. Now an analyst for the network, Ryan called the Jets’ 41-10 loss to the Bills on Sunday “one of the most humiliating defeats in Jet history.” He said he is confident the team will start over with new leaders on the field and in the front office for 2019. “They’re going to blow it up — and I hope they get it right,” Ryan said about the Jets. “Bring somebody in who understands the community, gets that kind of passion, can relate to the fanbase and all that. And never, ever have a performance like this again.” Media reports Monday said the Jets would not fire Bowles before the end of the season, if they do, but that might not be fast enough for Ryan. “They always say, ‘Well, Todd Bowles is going to get fired.’ You’re damn right he’s going to get fired. So is everybody else.”

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens: It was an unusual week at the team’s Owings Mills headquarters, and the abnormalities went way beyond the Ravens being on a bye week. Reports circulated in a span of 72 hours that coach John Harbaugh was ready to bow out of Baltimore in a mutual split with the team, and that quarterback Joe Flacco might not play this week because of a hip injury. Harbaugh spent more time than he cared to talking about his status, summing up his feelings by saying, “It’s all BS. Let’s play the game. We have a game Sunday. We have to go win it.” Harbaugh wouldn’t say whether Flacco was good to go against the Cincinnati Bengals. As the needle skipped back to his standing with the Ravens, Harbaugh cut it off. “That stuff doesn’t matter,” he said. “It’s just noise; it doesn’t matter. It’s not something I’m going to think about or concern myself with.”

Cincinnati Bengals: Players were raging Sunday night after a loss Preston Brown called “embarrassing” and defensive end Michael Johnson said was a “look in the mirror loss” to the Saints, who scored touchdowns on their first five possessions and hung 52 on Cincinnati. The result was dismissing defensive coordinator Teryl Austin on Monday, as the Bengals attempt to regroup on the fly and avoid giving up 500-plus yards for an NFL-record fourth game in a row. “I will be coordinating the defense from here on out and I am excited to do that. This football team has a real chance to get back to playing winning football so we can compete for the playoffs, and that is our sole focus,” head coach Marvin Lewis said.

Cleveland Browns: With four overtime games in the first 10 weeks, the Browns are thrilled to get a break with the upcoming bye. Interim head coach said a rest period this late in the season is not common, but nonetheless welcomed in Cleveland. Williams told players to get away without losing focus. “Getting healthier, getting the body to feel better and stronger and getting the mind cleared up a little bit because we all need a little break away from some things,” Williams said. “It is a good time for this to happen right now. We have to make sure that it is right when we get back and not take any steps back.”

AFC South

Houston Texans: Running back D’Onta Foreman (Achilles) has been sidelined 12 months but sees himself returning to the field prior to the end of this season. “I’ve made a lot of progress since I started my rehab process,” Foreman told reporters. “I feel really good and I’m looking forward to getting back out there.” Foreman is currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list and whenever the Texans remove him from that list, the team would have 21 days to decide whether to activate him or place him on injured reserve. “He’s got a lot of talent,” Houston coach Bill O’Brien told reporters. “Everybody saw that last year. But let’s see where he’s at, before we start handing him the ball in big games. Let’s make sure we’re all on the same page with where he’s at.”

Indianapolis Colts: There could be a day where five NFL teams are criticized for bypassing guard Quenton Nelson in the 2018 NFL Draft. Offensive linemen don’t score touchdowns or land national commercials but Nelson is receiving a lot of mention as the league’s top rookie — regardless of position. Nelson also appears to be getting stronger as opposed to being a player who might hit the proverbial “rookie wall.” “I haven’t seen him slow down at all,” offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni told reporters. “That’s one of the great things about Quenton is that he’s consistent and he’s the same guy every day. That’s something we look for in our players. We don’t want the guys that are up and then down and then up and then down, and Q gives us that steadiness.”

Jacksonville Jaguars: The club is sliding in the wrong direction with five consecutive setbacks and apparently some feelings were hurt when the NFL moved Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers from a nationally televised night game to the afternoon. “We all complained last week about getting flexed out of Sunday that a lot of guys are looking forward to,” safety Tashaun Gipson told reporters. “But who would want to watch the Jaguars play football the way we’re playing right now? That’s tough, because I’ve been on terrible teams. I’ve been on teams that when you’re 3-6 you’re like, ‘That’s a lot better than I thought we would be nine games in.’ The feeling right now is tough on a lot of guys because this is not a 3-6 team. We’re much better than 3-6, but we’re playing like 3-6 and our record says 3-6 and we are 3-6.”

Tennessee Titans: Cornerback Malcolm Butler has largely been a disappointment in his first season with the Titans but he perked up when he lined up against his former club, the New England Patriots, on Sunday. Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel said Butler “had a much better day” and he was glad to see the improvement. “He took care of his techniques, took care of his assignments,” Vrabel said of Butler. “He understood the defense and how he fit in it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a good step for him and our defense on Sunday.” The Titans are encouraged by the progress being shown by offensive tackle Jack Conklin (concussion), who has missed the New England game. Vrabel said Conklin remains in the protocol but “is feeling better.”

AFC West

Denver Broncos: Fresh off the bye week, head coach Vance Joseph expects several players to return from injury this Sunday against the Chargers, including rookie running back Royce Freeman. The third-rounder hasn’t played since sustaining a high-ankle sprain in Week 7, but he had formed an effective one-two punch with undrafted rookie Phillip Lindsay before the injury, averaging 4.4 yards per carry with four touchdowns. Also expected to return are safety Darian Stewart (neck), cornerback Bradley Roby (ankle) and rookie wideout DaeSean Hamilton (knee), who is expected to have a larger role following the trade of Demaryius Thomas.

Kansas City Chiefs: Injuries up front finally appeared to take their toll on Sunday, as the Chiefs allowed a season-high five sacks and 10 QB hits of Patrick Mahomes against the Cardinals. But head coach Andy Reid was not discouraged, referring to it as a learning experience and noting the protection improved with a few second-half adjustments. “It can be a positive for us,” Reid said. “That group hasn’t played a bunch together. They did a couple things in there that’ll help us down the road here and we can learn from. It wasn’t just a physical thing — in a couple cases it was — but it wasn’t just a physical thing.” It’s unclear when center Mitch Morse (concussion) will return to the lineup, but guards Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Jordan Devey are both on injured reserve.

Los Angeles Chargers: Head coach Anthony Lynn remains unwilling to speculate about when defensive end Joey Bosa will return, but the third-year pro appears closer to practicing. “We’ll see,” Lynn said about Bosa returning to practice. “I’m really pleased with the progress that he made last week as far as moving towards getting back on the field, but we’ll see when he’s ready.” Lynn did confirm that linebacker Denzel Perryman will miss the rest of the season with an LCL injury. With Perryman out, Lynn added that second-round rookie Uchenna Nwosu will continue to play defensive end for now, but could see snaps at linebacker again at some point.

Oakland Raiders: Well out of playoff contention, the Raiders made another move on Monday with eyes on the future rather than the present, putting second-year defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes on reserve/PUP and ending his season. Vanderdoes started 13 games as a rookie but tore his ACL in the 2017 season finale. He began the year on PUP before returning to practice a few weeks ago, pointing toward a likely return to game action. Instead, he won’t play at all this year. “We want to make sure that we give him the proper time to get ready,” head coach Jon Gruden said. “We are going to be very precautionary with him. I believe his season will end unfortunately, but it’s the right thing to do for him and his future.”