LOS ANGELES — The NFL is advocating a more performance-driven model for its game officials, one linking bonuses and postseason assignments to regular-season grades as opposed to seniority.

The plan was outlined in a memo distributed to the league's 32 teams Wednesday and obtained by the Los Angeles Times. It comes with the NFL's collective ...Read more

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The NFL is the ultimate wait-until-next-year sports league. The Atlanta Falcons have been waiting for eight years.

Make it nine years with no playoffs in 2026 for the Falcons. I don’t see how they’ll be much better next year.

The quarterback will be unproven next season, as he was this year, except Michael Penix Jr....Read more

NEW YORK — Surely the Giants can’t be serious.

Or maybe they are serious. And don’t call them Shirley.

Airplane seating apparently was the final straw that led to the firing of assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox during the team’s bye week.

“You’d have to ask him,” head coach Mike Kafka said Wednesday of Cox.

The Giants’...Read more

GREG COTE’S NFL WEEK 15 THURSDAY PICK

FALCONS (4-9) at BUCCANEERS (7-6)

Line: TB by 4 1/2.

Cote’s pick: TB, 24-21.

TV: 8:15 p.m., Prime Video.

Among this year’s many NFL mysteries: Who is Tampa Bay? Is it the Buccaneers who were sailing at 5-1 and 6-2 ... or the team that has withered since? With that reverse gear caused by Baker ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — For the first time all season, the Bucs’ top four receivers could be in the lineup Thursday night against the Falcons.

Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan were activated from injured reserve Wednesday after a solid week of practice, giving a boost to Tampa Bay’s struggling offense.

Both were listed as questionable on Wednesday’...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — This is bigger than stopping the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night.

It’s more important than stopping Kirk Cousins or Bijan Robinson or Drake London.

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, the real question is this:

Are they capable of stopping their own demise?

We are at the point of the season where Tampa Bay’s defense ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — It may not appear as such after the Pittsburgh Steelers allowed the Baltimore Ravens to rush for over 200 yards for the third consecutive meeting.

Or when, beginning with the 10-play drive that produced a field goal at the start of the fourth quarter, the Ravens outgained the Steelers, 209 yards to eight, the rest of the way.

...Read more

LAS VEGAS — The Raiders dealt Broncos bettors one of the worst beats imaginable Sunday when Daniel Carlson kicked a 46-yard field goal with no time remaining to cover the spread as 8-point underdogs in a 24-17 loss at Allegiant Stadium.

Barstool Sports founder and high-stakes sports bettor Dave Portnoy was outraged by the ending, in which a ...Read more

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — When the schedule was released, the Week 14 game between the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers figured to be a battle for the NFC South title.

The Bucs (7-6) have held up their end of the bargain, but the Falcons (4-9) have slipped toward the bottom of the division. The two teams will meet at 8:15 p.m. ET Thursday...Read more

Each week I’ll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define “widely available” as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free-agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.

Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown if you ...Read more

MIAMI — The wife of Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill will sit down with the NFL for an interview amid the league’s investigation into domestic violence during their marriage, which have included accusations that he tried to punch her stomach while she was pregnant, according to a court document filed Monday.

Keeta Vaccaro, 29, — Hill’s ...Read more

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — There are few adjectives that Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh will spare in talking about Justin Herbert, especially in the aftermath of a week in which the quarterback treated hand surgery as a minor inconvenience.

“He’s a superhero,” Harbaugh said Monday night after Herbert guided his team to a 22-19 ...Read more

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — So we know what kind of team the Eagles are now. It took 13 games, and to watch most of them was to experience the same amount of pleasure as when you slam your fingers in a door. But they have revealed themselves, and there’s no use disputing the diagnosis.

The Eagles are an excellent defensive team, and that is all, ...Read more

Longtime San Diego Chargers defensive back Quentin Jammer had a rough year in 2011.

On the field, he was having his worst statistical season after a decade in the NFL. Off the field, the father of three young sons was going through a painful divorce.

On Monday, Jammer made a revelation that shed some light on just how dark those days were for ...Read more

These are not your grandfather's Indianapolis Colts.

Or perhaps they are.

The Colts are planning to sign Chargers legend Philip Rivers, who recently became a grandfather, bringing back the 44-year-old quarterback after five years of retirement.

According to multiple reports Tuesday, the franchise intends to sign him to its practice squad in ...Read more

Frederick Green, a Bronx man who authorities said has four prior arrests, was charged Tuesday with attempted murder, assault and weapons possession in the shooting of New York Jets defensive back Kris Boyd on Nov. 16 outside a Midtown restaurant.

Green, 20, was hiding in his girlfriend's apartment in upstate New York and identified through ...Read more

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