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Bengals eye best shot to get back into North race
No one wants to call it an elimination game. But no one has to because the AFC North standings do it all for you when the 3-6-1 Bengals play the 5-5 Ravens Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Channel 12) in Baltimore. The Bengals.com Media Roundtable is doing what the rest of the NFL is doing and after perusing a Bengals depth chart without perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green and game-breaking running back Giovani Bernard, it installs the Ravens as heavy favorites to re-join the 6-5 Steelers at the top of the division.
Bengals turn to new long snapper; Safety spot blitzed with injuries
The Bengals special teams were sent a shock wave a day before Sunday's game against the second-place Ravens in Baltimore (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 12) when long-snapper Clark Harris (groin) was downgraded to doubtful and backup safety Derron Smith (thigh) was downgraded from questionable to out.
Bengals activate Peerman, Ott; waive Williams
Saturday was an unusually busy day for the 3-6-1 Cincinnati Bengals in the hours before they departed for Baltimore for a game against the 5-5 Ravens on Sunday afternoon. The team usually holds a walkthrough in the morning, and after that workout, the team downgraded backup safety Derron Smith from questionable to out with a thigh injury while also downgrading long snapper Clark Harris from questionable to doubtful with a groin injury. Harris was injured last week against Buffalo but finished the game. Smith was injured in practice.
Fantasy fallout: Tyler Boyd, Steve Smith could fill A.J. Green void
Injuries are part of the deal in fantasy football. But it’s not every week that teams lose their best player -- which is now the case for many A.J. Green owners. The Cincinnati Bengals are in the same boat. Not only did they lose Green to a hamstring injury that leaves the rest of his season in doubt, but they lost their No. 2 pass-catcher -- running back Giovani Bernard -- to a season-ending ACL tear.
AFC North Bytes
Four downs: Steelers still seeking complement to Brown
In recent years across the NFL among wide receivers, Antonio Brown has been second to none. This season, the Steelers seemingly have none as a second to Brown.
Looking at how the Cleveland Browns are utilizing LB Jamie Collins
In Bill Belichick’s most recent edition of "Well, I guess we can’t really question him," the Cleveland Browns acquired All-Pro linebacker Jamie Collins from Belichick’s Patriots. It was a stunning...
Boyle was suspended for the first 10 games of the season for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing drugs. A 2015 fifth-round pick, Boyle also served a four-game suspension during his rookie season for another violation of the policy.
Random Bytes
Injuries: Rob Gronkowski expected back vs. Jets
The Patriots will be pretty close to full strength on offense. Tight end Rob Gronkowski is expected to play Sunday against the Jets, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources. Gronk missed last week's win over the 49ers with a perforated lung, but will be back in the lineup as expected.
Falcons’ Desmond Trufant expected to miss rest of season
The NFC South-leading Falcons have suffered a serious loss in their secondary. Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant has a torn pectoral and is expected to have season-ending surgery, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick defends Fidel Castro
The August evening the nation first noticed Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem at an NFL game, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback held a postgame news conference, as is typical league policy. At that news conference Kaepernick wore a T-shirt emblazoned with photos from a 1960 meeting between Malcolm X and Fidel Castro.
Ohio State rallies for 30-27 comeback win over Michigan
ith championship aspirations at stake, Ohio State kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive with a 30-27 comeback win over visiting rival Michigan in double overtime Saturday, rallying from a 17-7 second-half deficit. The Buckeyes' Curtis Samuel, who hadn't made much of an impact in regulation time, scored the game-winning touchdown on a 15-yard run around the left side. Buckeyes QB J.T. Barrett scored a touchdown on a quarterback draw play on OSU's first overtime possession.