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Bengals looking forward to throwback game vs. Cowboys
Domata Peko started to speak, and then could only furrow his brow and let out a breath as he leaned on his left knee. "It’s been awhile man," Peko said. Four games into his 11th year in the NFL, Peko tried to think of the last team that reminded him of the Dallas Cowboys – a team on pace for 560 rush attempts and nearly 2,400 yards on the ground.
FRISCO -- Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith and cornerback Orlando Scandrick were at practice Wednesday and dressed to participate at The Star. Smith has missed the last two games with a bulging disk in his back and Scandrick has missed the last two weeks with a pair of strained hamstrings. Smith didn't practice at all last week leading up to the San Francisco game.
Why Tyler Eifert won't be Cincinnati Bengals' red zone savior
Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Ken Zampese seemed to choose his words carefully on Monday when he was asked if the return of tight end Tyler Eifert would help an offense struggling to score touchdowns.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert suffers setback in practice
Already battling an ankle injury, Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert suffered a back injury at practice this week and will miss Sunday's game against the Cowboys, a source told ESPN. Eifert, who was not at practice Wednesday, is officially listed as having a "back/ankle injury" on the team's Wednesday injury report.
Notes: Eifert tweaks back, status unclear for Cowboys; Dez doesn't work, but Jones ready
Dallas Week got off to an unsettling start Wednesday when tight end Tyler Eifert missed practice after tweaking his back in Monday's practice. As of late Wednesday afternoon he had not been ruled out for this weekend as the Bengals reviewed a battery of tests and it was unclear if it is a short or long-term problem.
Lewis, Dalton News Conference Transcripts
The Cowboys are playing good football. They’ve obviously done a very effective job offensively with running the football, winning on third down – at a 50 percent conversion (rate) – and their yards per carry. Their quarterback has been very, very good. He’s not really even throwing the ball into traffic. He’s very efficient with his throws and not making any error that way. That’s been their key thus far. So it’s important for us. We’ve got to play really well. They’re doing a good job, and we have to play our football game.
For the second time in three games Sunday in Dallas (4:25 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Channel 12), the Bengals face a quarterback making one of his first NFL starts. And after slamming Miami shut on 148 yards in the last 54 minutes of Thursday night’s 22-7 win, that’s closer to how defensive coordinator Paul Guenther envisions his unit responding.
Bengals notes: Dalton's picks are down, Clarke's sacks are up
In the offseason, Andy Dalton consistently said he didn’t want to merely pick up where he left off in 2015, which was a career year until his season-ending thumb injury. He wanted to get better. Through the first quarter of the season, he is completing passes and for more yards per attempt at slightly higher rates. He is on pace to challenge his career-high in passing attempts, which he set in 2013.
AFC North Bytes
Joe Thomas laments Browns letting Jabaal Sheard and other young players get away
Joe Thomas lamented the fact that he'll have to try to hold off Patriots defensive end Jabaal Sheard on Sunday instead of watching him get after Tom Brady. Signed by the Patriots in 2015 after the Browns let him walk in free agency, Sheard is the starting right end and has three sacks in four starts — almost his goal of one sack a game that he had here. Last season, he had eight in his 13 games in New England, mostly coming off the bench.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin is sick of NFL's double-standard with Antonio Brown
The belief was that you were allowed two pumps per touchdown celebration, but Antonio Brown wasn't even granted that this weekend.
Baltimore Ravens | Full Wired Episode 5: Terrell Suggs Mic'd Up vs. Raiders
Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs is Wired against the Raiders during the back-and-forth 28-27 loss. Receiver Steve Smith Sr. discusses his motivation, goals, trash talk and the plays that keep him up at night. Host Keith Mills goes inside the locker room to hear what Ravens players had to say about their first loss of the season.
Random Bytes
NFL panic index, Week 5: Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston have a bad case of the sophomore slump
It was always going to be a rough year for the NFL’s veteran quarterbacks. Peyton Manning retired. Tom Brady accepted his DeflateGate punishment and sat out the season’s first four games. Tony Romo’s glitchy back banished him to the shadow zone of Dallas’ sideline.
NFL, NFLPA add synthetic weed to testing list for new drug policy
The NFL and NFLPA have come to an agreement on the 2016 drug and steroid policies, and it includes one major addition — synthetic weed. Some NFL players have tried synthetic marijuana to prevent testing positive, but a new drug policy has added it to the panel (AP).
We Gave Each NFL Team Its Own Unique Pokemon For Fans To Obsess Over
Pokemon is back in the public eye after the release of Pokemon Go, so we decided to see what would happen if every NFL team was a Pokemon.
Bears' Kevin White (fibula) placed on injured reserve
Kevin White suffered a severe high ankle sprain that resulted in a fracture in his fibula in Sunday's win over the Lions, resulting in a trip to the injured reserve list for the second-year wideout.
2017 NFL Mock Draft: Matt Miller's Quarter-Season Predictions
As the quarter-mark of the NFL season hits, things begin to come into focus regarding the 2017 NFL draft. Where will teams be selecting? What are obvious strengths and weaknesses of each club? Who are the top college players likely to be available in Round 1?
Jason Verrett Injury Update: Chargers CB Expected to Undergo Knee Surgery
San Diego Chargers star Jason Verrett expects to undergo season-ending surgery after suffering a partially torn ACL. Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune quoted the third-year cornerback announcing the news Wednesday