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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cam Hart ...Read more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — How desperate are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for pass-rush help?

Enough that they may have gotten a bit nostalgic Monday in signing outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul to their practice squad. He was signed after being the only player to work out for the team Monday.

Pierre-Paul, who will turn 37 on New Year’s Day, has been ...Read more

BALTIMORE — A day after the Ravens suffered a crushing defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, the NFL admitted that it got wrong one of three controversial calls that went against Baltimore.

In the second quarter, defensive tackle Travis Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness on long snapper Christian Kuntz as ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Eventually, the scoreboard gets everybody in the NFL.

You can hide behind inexperience for a while, you can point at injuries for a spell, you can claim the salary cap, the schedule or the phases of the moon were at fault for a variety of stumbles. But as the losses and heartbreaks begin to accumulate, all those rational ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Houston Texans defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-10 Sunday night at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

With the loss, the Chiefs dropped to 6-7 this season.

Here are some immediate observations from the Chiefs’ Week 14 defeat:

Turning point: The 4th-down blunder

The Chiefs never held a lead Sunday night, but ...Read more

Here are some quick takeaways after Denver Broncos’ 24-17 win over Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium:

— Hearty Harvey: Raiders Week is now Raiders Weak. But the Broncos had things to prove, and hardly Harvey becoming hearty Harvey ranked tops on the list. And just like that, the Broncos look better positioned to face their final month ...Read more

GLENDALE, Ariz. — There was no time for players and fans to send Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay get-well-soon cards.

A day after deciding not to travel with the team for fear of spreading stomach-flu symptoms, McVay arrived here Sunday morning.

McVay fist-bumped players during warmups, his trademark gelled hair spike in full effect. And ...Read more

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The game was on the line. The Chicago Bears faced fourth-and-inches from the Green Bay Packers 14-yard line inside the final minute. Trailing by seven points, they needed a first down or the game was over.

Caleb Williams faked a handoff and rolled out to his left. Tight end Cole Kmet had a man beat in the end zone and ...Read more

Talk about domination.

The Miami Dolphins drubbed the New York Jets 34-10 to extend their win streak to four in large part due to a defense that might have had its best performance of the season.

Consider this: not only did the Dolphins defense not allow a touchdown — the Jets’ sole trip to the end zone came courtesy of Isaiah Washington�...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — You could blame the rain. You could blame the injuries.

Or you could say the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just had one of the worst collapses in franchise history.

Given the chance to increase their lead in the NFC South against the last-place Saints, the Bucs bungled the game in almost every way imaginable and came away a 24-20 loser ...Read more