The Daily Briefing Friday, December 2, 2022

CHICAGO

It looks like it will be a battle of the starting QBs on Sunday as QB AARON RODGERS practiced for the Packers and QB JUSTIN FIELDS seems good to go for the Bears.  Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times:

Bears quarterback Justin Fields took a major step toward being able to face the Packers when he practiced in full Thursday. If he does so again Friday, he figures to be in line to start the rivalry game at Soldier Field two weeks after separating his left shoulder.

Fields was able to do some things at full speed Wednesday, when he was limited in practice, quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko said. On Thursday, he said the Bears were “trying to cut him loose” during practice.

“And [Friday], that’s when the determination is made,” Janocko said.

Fields’ full participation was surprising given that offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said earlier in the day the Bears would “play that thing out as the week goes, just like we did last week.”

Fields was limited in all three practices last week and couldn’t pass any of the Bears’ three checkpoints to face the Jets — he had to feel good, doctors had to clear him for game action and coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles had to sign off.

“It’s about him being able to be healthy, to protect himself, to do all the stuff needed,” Janocko said. “I think he just keeps getting better every day. That’s a good sign.”

In practice, he looked, well, normal.

“The thing about him is he looks like him,” Janocko said.

Running back David Montgomery agreed, saying Fields appeared to be his old self.

“It’s great to have him back,” Montgomery said. “QB1 — being able to have that guy back there and kinda make some plays and be who he is.”

For the second straight day, Fields looked comfortable in the portion of practice open to the media.

Backup quarterback Trevor Siemian missed his second straight practice with an oblique injury suffered during warmups in New Jersey. Nathan Peterman is next in line to start, with veteran Tim Boyle, signed Wednesday, as insurance.

The Bears waited until 90 minutes before kickoff to rule Fields out last week. Janocko said he was ready to play mentally, though not physically.

Fields is an epileptic, as chronicled by Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com:

Justin Fields regained consciousness in the back of the ambulance with no recollection of what had happened. All he remembered from that morning in ninth grade was feeling “a little bit off” as he headed to Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Sitting in health class, Fields said he zoned out a handful of times. He would later learn he had a seizure and lost consciousness.

The 23-year-old Chicago Bears quarterback, who was 15 at the time, was diagnosed with epilepsy, which is the fourth-most common neurological disorder in the world, according to the Epilepsy Foundation.

“I was crying, because I didn’t know how that would affect my football career,” Fields recently told ESPN.

As it turned out, it hasn’t affected it at all. Fields, in just his second season, is emerging as one of the most prolific rushing quarterbacks in the NFL and leads all QBs with 834 rushing yards this season, despite missing Sunday’s game after suffering a separated left shoulder. After a tough rookie season, Fields was beginning to live up to his hype before the shoulder injury, including rushing for 178 yards — the most by a QB in a regular-season game in the Super Bowl era — against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9. He’s considered day-to-day leading up to Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers (1 p.m. ET, Fox) in Chicago.

The Bears traded up nine spots to select Fields No. 11 overall in the 2021 draft, and former Bears GM Ryan Pace, who was fired after a 6-11 finish last season, said Chicago was comfortable drafting Fields because of how he handled his condition.

As November, which is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, comes to an end, Fields opened up about his journey, from that day in the ninth grade, to understanding the warning signs to the preventative measures he takes every day to the potential of outgrowing the condition. There was a time he said he wasn’t comfortable talking about epilepsy, but now he wants to help raise awareness and be a role model for others.

“I THINK THEY tried to get all the kids out of the class when I was having it,” Fields said of his first seizure. “They said I was foaming at the mouth and stuff like that.”

After a round of testing, including a CT scan and electroencephalogram, where electrodes were placed onto Fields’ scalp to record the electrical activity of his brain, doctors determined he had epilepsy.

They drew a hereditary connection upon learning Fields’ mother, Gina Tobey, also had epilepsy. Tobey was diagnosed in the seventh grade, and she said she outgrew the condition around the age of 19.

“Absolutely you can outgrow it,” said Jacqueline French, the chief medical officer of the Epilepsy Foundation and professor of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “There are some types of epilepsy that you outgrow, and there are others that you don’t.”

Tobey said doctors believe puberty triggered the onset of her epilepsy, and she believes that might have been the same situation for Fields. French said puberty can trigger epilepsy due to the impact hormones can have on a person’s seizure threshold.

Tobey shared her journey with Fields and pointed out warning signs of an oncoming seizure. The most important advice she gave him was to remain diligent about taking his medication. Fields takes four pills every morning to prevent seizures.

He said the seizures have occurred about a year and a half apart, and he estimates his last one was a couple of years ago, before the draft.

“When I did have them, it was just because I didn’t take my medicine,” Fields said. “There was one time I had one, I wanted to see if I grew out of it, because my mom grew out of it. So let me see if I did, too. But I don’t even play with it now.”

Tobey saw a difference in her son’s experience.

“What I noticed that was different from me was his recovery time,” she said. “When you have a seizure, it’s like shaking something in a cup. Your brain is like bouncing all around in your head.

“At the end of the episode, you have these monster migraines, and for me, it would take me one or two days to recover. For him, it takes him two to three hours, he can sleep it off.”

FIELDS IS WELL-VERSED in how to handle the onset of a possible seizure.

“I know when I have one coming, I just forget what I’m doing, zone out and then boom, 30 seconds later be locked in, and then I’ll do it two or three times,” he said. “So once I do it two or three times, then I know something’s coming.”

He immediately lays down and tries to rest when he thinks a seizure is coming.

“The last one I had I felt it right away, so I went to lay down and I still had it,” he said. “I went to sleep. I guess I had it in my sleep, then I woke up and my head was hurting.

“So when I wake up and my head’s hurting, I know I had a seizure. My body’s sore. When you have a seizure, usually all your muscles flex up … you’ve been flexing your muscles for 45 seconds or a minute. So I know when I’m about to have one now, I usually just try to lay down and go to sleep.”

Fields can sympathize with how his parents felt, including his father Pablo, who was a resource officer at Harrison High School and is a retired Atlanta police officer.

“I think any time when you see your kid on the floor having a seizure, you can’t do anything about it. You just got to wait until he wakes up,” Fields said. “It’s probably really scary for them. I know my dad; he hates seeing them.

“He has always been so adamant on me taking my medicine and making sure I’m not staying up too late and getting enough sleep. He always used to tell me that he loves when I’m sleeping. Every time I’m sleeping, he won’t tell me to do anything because of course he knows sleep will help with that.”

It’s possible Fields outgrows his seizures, but for the time being, Tobey isn’t taking any chances.

“He’s 23, but I’m still always going to say ‘Are you taking your medicine?”’ she said. “Just because that’s what mothers do when it comes to everything.”

FIELDS SAID HE never missed a game because of epilepsy — from high school through college at Georgia and Ohio State and into the NFL.

“That’s what my first fear was,” Fields said. “When I was first diagnosed, I was like, ‘Dang, football is like — I’m getting hit in the head all the time. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to play for a long time.’ But I don’t think it was a big conversation with the neurologist.”

French said doctors usually advise caution when it comes to playing contact sports with epilepsy, but there are no absolutes that rule out someone’s ability to play football. The key, French said, is to make sure the condition is being properly controlled.

“If it’s not controlled, then there is the possibility that somebody may have an altered awareness intermittently, and if you were playing a sport where that could put you in danger in and of itself, then that would be an issue that would have to be seriously discussed,” French said.

She added: “We don’t want to put people with epilepsy in a glass box. Every conversation that we have with them is: What is the benefit? What does this mean to you? And what is the risk? But at the end of the day, if you’re of age, you get to make a decision about what you do.”

Three team sources present in draft meetings, one from the NFC and two from the AFC, told ESPN that Fields’ epilepsy arose in conversations as they evaluated him as a draft prospect, but it was not considered a reason not to draft him because of how well he managed the condition.

“[Fields has] handled a lot of those things throughout his life, and we have a lot of ties into the Ohio State football program, and our doctors and trainers do a great job,” Pace said on the night he drafted Fields. “We were very comfortable with that and how he handles that.”

Fields said he doesn’t remember having specific conversations about his epilepsy during any of his pre-draft visits with teams. His agent, David Mulugheta of Athletes First, prepared him for any possible questions.

“I mean, it’s crazy, but at the end of the day, it’s a business, so it is what it is,” Fields said.

When Fields’ epilepsy became public before the draft, Ohio State coach Ryan Day took to Twitter to support his quarterback, who was the first one in OSU history to lead the Buckeyes to back-to-back playoffs. Fields finished third in the Heisman voting as a sophomore.

“Justin’s health, toughness and work ethic have never been an issue, and I am incredibly proud of his professionalism and the character he displays on and off the field,” Day tweeted. “The fact that he never missed a game at Ohio State speaks volumes about how he takes care of himself.”

Fields isn’t the first person with epilepsy to play in the NFL. Former Pittsburgh Steelers guard Alan Faneca discussed his experience with epilepsy during his Hall of Fame induction speech in August 2021.

“If I did it, so can Justin Fields, and so can anyone else,” Faneca tweeted after news broke of Fields’ epilepsy. “It is part of us, but does not define us!”

French praised Fields for sharing his journey and using his platform to help raise awareness. Like Faneca, Fields is focused on breaking stigmas and inspiring others, especially children with epilepsy.

“It’s just that, bringing more awareness and then also giving those kids hope,” Fields said.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

When he signed with the Rams, LB BOBBY WAGNER probably didn’t think he would be 3-8 the first time he faced the Seahawks.  Cameron DeSilva of USA TODAY:

Bobby Wagner had been the face of the Seattle Seahawks defense for a long time, spending 10 years with the franchise before getting cut this offseason. He signed with the Los Angeles Rams after being released, giving him the opportunity to face his former team twice a year.

It was a messy breakup between the team and player, which only adds to the drama. Wagner called them out for how the Seahawks handled his release, saying he wasn’t even informed that he was being cut.

Now 13 weeks into the 2022 season, Wagner finally gets to face the team he spent a decade with. But being the pro that he is, he’s treating it like any other game – and not finding it difficult to do so.

“It’s just another game. It’s just a game coming up played in our stadium against a team that’s pretty good,” he told reporters Wednesday. “It’s pretty easy because like being a part of that organization, that’s kind of the method. You never really make a game too big or too little. Never focus on – you never make like a Monday night game or Tuesday night game bigger or the opponent bigger because then it makes you inconsistent because you’ll get up for one game, but then you won’t get up for the next game. I’m personally just treating this game like it’s a normal game.”

Wagner clearly wasn’t happy about the way he was released or the lack of communication from the team, but he seems to have moved on.

“I am a mature man and that happened a long time ago,” Wagner said when asked if he has any hard feelings toward the Seahawks. “So I am focused on performing at my best ability against the team that I’m playing this week.”

Wagner didn’t seem overly interested in even talking about the Seahawks this week or what has transpired since then. He was asked if he’s surprised by how quickly Seattle has turned things around after parting ways with marquee players such as himself and Russell Wilson in the offseason.

“I did not pay any attention to them, to be honest,” Wagner said. “I was focused on the Rams cause that’s what my shirt says.”

And how about facing standout rookie running back Kenneth Walker III?

“He’s a rookie that I’m looking forward to tackling, I guess,” Wagner replied with a smirk.

It’s obvious he’s moved on from what transpired in Seattle and is focused on winning with the Rams – even if he hasn’t done that much this season. Few people could’ve expected the Seahawks to be in better playoff position than the Rams at this point in the year, but it’s just been an incredibly difficult season for Los Angeles.

Meanwhile this from the offensive side of the ball:

The biggest issue has been the offensive line, and it’s not necessarily the team’s fault. Every starting O-lineman except for one has missed at least four games this season, and several backups have gone down with injuries, as well.

In total, they’ve started 13 different linemen this year, and 11 of them have started more than one game. The Rams haven’t had the same five starting offensive linemen in multiple games this season, going with 11 different combinations in 11 games.

That’s a record for the Super Bowl era, which dates back to 1966.

DENVER

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com has some secret NFL insiders re-grade Denver’s trade for QB RUSSELL WILSON.  It doesn’t get high marks from a Denver standpoint, but higher than you might think:

Russell Wilson to the Broncos

The deal: The Seattle Seahawks sent nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos in exchange for two first-round picks (No. 9 overall in 2022 and another in 2023), second-round picks in 2022 (No. 40 overall) and 2023, a 2022 fifth-round pick, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, tight end Noah Fant and quarterback Drew Lock

Grade for Broncos: C-

Grade for Seahawks: A-

Most people around the league are sensible: When a franchise starved for good quarterbacking for over a decade can secure a top-10 passer, trading heavy capital for that player is justifiable.

“I still think many teams would have made the same trade, at the time,” an AFC executive said. “Despite some of [Wilson’s] small signs of decline on the field.”

And that’s where Wilson’s legacy becomes complicated. His 10 seasons with Seattle placed him on a Hall of Fame trajectory thanks to his consistency, flair and clutch playmaking. Just two years ago, Wilson ranked No. 2 in our QB polling of league execs, scouts, coaches and players — sandwiched between Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers.

Denver and GM George Paton, in his second year on the job, eyed long-term stability at the position. But evaluators whose teams looked at quarterback options this offseason say Wilson’s mobility — which made him so dangerous for years — appeared to be declining, which is a problem for a 5-foot-11 quarterback who’s not known as a precision pocket passer.

Tension bubbled under the surface in Seattle, which explored the idea of trading Wilson for years. As one NFL general manager told me as those rumors were swirling, ‘I just think they aren’t sold on the guy.’ It didn’t help that several ex-teammates had thrown shade at him either on social media or in interviews or podcasts.

Fast forward to Week 13 of 2022 and Wilson is playing the worst football of his career. After a decade of averaging nearly 30 passing touchdowns per year, Wilson is pacing for 12 passing scores this year. Not passes longer than 40 yards or interceptions — that number is for touchdowns.

His five-year, $242 million extension signed with Denver before the season makes Wilson virtually untradeable, with $107 million in 2023 dead money.

Meanwhile, Seattle is enjoying success with Wilson’s backup, Geno Smith, while using picks from the Denver trade to rebuild its offensive line and defense.

Multiple league execs are still convinced that Rodgers was the team’s first choice, before the four-time MVP re-signed with Green Bay.

“Aaron Rodgers, I could understand giving up that sort of package, but not Russell,” said a high-ranking NFC exec about all that Denver gave up in the Wilson deal. “Denver didn’t have any familiarity with the player or his fit in the system, and he’s declining as an aging, smaller quarterback.”

To be sure, Denver isn’t doing Wilson many favors. While Seattle emphasized the running game around Wilson, Denver’s ground attack ranks 26th in yards (1,026) and tied for 28th in yards per attempt (3.9). His receivers appear off on their timing with the quarterback. Four of his top five skill players — Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, Javonte Williams, KJ Hamler — have missed time to injury. He’s been beat up for much of the year, playing through lat and hamstring injuries. Several key offensive linemen have missed significant time, including left tackle Garett Bolles.

But Wilson ranks 30th in QBR (32.2), behind Zach Wilson and Carson Wentz, ahead of Baker Mayfield and Davis Mills. His 27th-ranked passer rating of 82.3 is 10 points lower than his lowest Seattle clip (92.6).

His track record says he should improve. And have you seen Denver’s quarterback roster over the past decade? It could probably be worse. Evaluators have questioned Wilson’s fit in a Nathaniel Hackett offense that often has the quarterback in straight drop-back plays instead of getting him on the move.

“His accuracy was just OK over the years, but he was so good moving around and making plays and providing legitimate rushing production that you didn’t have to keep him in the pocket all the time,” said an AFC executive about how Seattle handled him. “If he can’t do that part as well anymore, the rest of his game can suffer. And with questions about how his personality, whether he could galvanize a group is a question that now looks magnified.”

CINCINNATI

Things have gotten frosty between Bengals TE HAYDEN HURST and Chiefs S JUSTIN REID.  Ben Baby of ESPN.com:

Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst definitely knows who Chiefs safety Justin Reid is.

On Thursday, Hurst responded to Reid’s comments about shutting down Hurst in Sunday’s game between Kansas City and the Bengals at Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium. Initially, Reid struggled to identify Hurst, mistaking the tight end for Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins.

Hurst didn’t offer many laughs at Reid’s take.

“You can pick anybody in this locker room, but I feel like I’m probably the last person you want to talk s— about,” Hurst said.

A day earlier, Reid spoke to Kansas City’s WDAF-TV about Cincinnati’s offense. Initially, he mistook Hurst for Rams tight end Tyler Higbee before mistaking Hurst for Higgins.

“He’s a very talented receiver,” Reid said. “More of a finesse-type of guy, not the best blocker. I’m going to lock him down, you know what I mean? Straight up.”

Hurst, who signed with the Bengals on a one-year deal last offseason, said the barbs were uncharted territory for him.

“That’s definitely the first guy who’s going to attempt to cover me that’s said about me or to me or I guess whoever he thought he was talking about,” Hurst said. “Don’t really care.”

Reid later went on Twitter and clarified that he meant Hurst but doubled down on his comments as Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and defensive tackle DJ Reader chimed in as well.

Bengals safety Jessie Bates compared the situation to earlier in the season when current Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill called out Cincinnati cornerback Eli Apple before their Week 4 meeting that the Bengals won.

Bates added that Reid should be fortunate the chatter didn’t involve more of Cincinnati’s top offensive players.

“I’ve been able to experience it, being on the same team as them in training camp,” Bates said. “I know what it gets like when people start talking to those guys. I just hope they’re ready for it. I know our guys will [be].”

In his debut season with Cincinnati, Hurst has become one of quarterback Joe Burrow’s most reliable options. He is third on the team in catches (46) and receiving yards (388). He also has two touchdowns on the season.

Hurst said he wasn’t fazed by what Reid had to say about the team’s offense.

“Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion,” Hurst said. “You can say whatever you really want to say about me. [I] really don’t give a s—. I’m who I am. On Sunday at 4:30, it’s going to be pretty fun.”

CLEVELAND

Charles Robinson of YahooSports.com is disappointed that QB DESHAUN WATSON won’t further discuss his off-the-field problems:

For some time now, a portion of the difficulty facing the Cleveland Browns’ future with Deshaun Watson has been as obvious as it is inconsistent.

He talks, things don’t get better.

Instead, it would become a different kind of showcase, one displaying Watson’s struggle to navigate unscripted questions about the sexual assault and misconduct allegations levied against him. He’d meander and make contradictory statements about personal accountability. Eventually, a relentless, lingering feeling would set in: Watson was creating more problems than resolutions seemingly every time he spoke into a microphone or camera.

In one moment, he was suggesting a personal need to grow and learn and show true character. In the next, he was professing his innocence. The glue in between? A rationalization that he believed was cleansing tonic for all of these accusations.

He was raised by women. And he would never …

Living in Houston, where multiple accusers encountered Watson — and covering the NFL, where there is a vast, profit-reaping infrastructure inclined to both punish and shield him — the one thing I can say is this: In nearly every moment when Watson spoke before this week, tidal waves of emotion began slamming into one another. Washing over the alleged victims, to the media covering him, to the lawyers litigating his actions, to Watson’s close-knit camp furiously thrashing beneath it all and, finally, to the NFL and Browns organization, each just trying to stay above water.

All of it funneled into this week, when Watson was set to make his first appearance before the media since training camp. The underlying goal for the Browns and Watson was fairly clear. Whether the public is satisfied or not, they are turning the page to the football portion of Watson’s Cleveland story. The only question was how to do that in the most concise way.

On Thursday, we found out: Simply wall off everything but football. Brick it up, and build an ending to the story where there was supposed to be another beginning.

That’s what happened this week for the first time since Watson arrived in Cleveland. Unlike in past meetings with the media, he declined to further engage in any subjects connected to his civil lawsuit allegations. As it stands, 24 lawsuits have been settled by Watson out of court. Two have not. But those remaining two are now the staging point where Watson established the barrier that he apparently intends to utilize. Per advisement, due to that ongoing litigation, he won’t be talking about his past or current civil lawsuits or anything related to them.

That means no questions related to his accusers, nothing about his 11-game personal conduct suspension, no delving into his league-mandated therapy as part of his reinstatement process. Nothing related to the awkward return that awaits him in Houston on Sunday, when 10 of his accusers will reportedly be watching the game from a suite. All off-limits. And if there’s anything else that somehow snakes away from the specifics of football and only football, it’s being placed on a raft and pushed out to sea, destination unknown and likely unrealized.

As Watson put it when he kicked off Thursday’s media conference: “I understand that you guys have a lot of questions, but with my legal team and my clinical team, there’s only football questions that I can really address at this time.”

The media availability itself was unusual. It happened a day later than typical with quarterbacks in Cleveland, and reporters were directed to raise their hands and be called upon rather than verbally jousting to ask questions. Watson clearly knew his “four food groups” talking points: playing against the Houston Texans, playing quarterback for the Browns, executing the offense, not answering anything unrelated to football.

At one point, a reporter reminded Watson that last August he said there would be a day when he told “his side” of the story regarding the allegations against him. Asked when that day might be, Watson gave a telling answer.

“Who knows what the future holds?” he said. “Right now, I’m locked in on being the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.”

It’s not difficult to interpret what that means in the broader context. First, it conveyed the message that Watson has likely already finished his last unscripted question-and-answer session with the media about the civil lawsuits. Second, he might never speak about them again, unless it’s to a hand-chosen person or opposing counsel in a courtroom. And finally, this all feels like it’s set up to be kicked down the road, potentially settled out of court with his last two lawsuits and then closed with a statement that he’s moving on with his life and football career.

That often happens in sports. It’s the other playbook, mastered by utilizing time and distance and steeping everything else in the narrative of football. I’m not saying it’s right. I’m saying that it’s something we’ve all seen before, something we’ve criticized before and something that continues to be malignant in the NFL.

For some — maybe most — that outcome with Watson will be unsatisfying and disgusting. For others closer to the quarterback, it will be a relief. For his accusers, it will be empty. Unfortunately for everyone, it should be clarifying. There will be no satisfactory resolution here to cover anyone. There never was going to be one.

On Sunday, Watson will step on a field again and start shifting his track back to football. Just like the questions he now entertains, it goes only one direction.

“Just get to the games” isn’t simply a statement. It’s an NFL train that is consistent, unashamed and unrelenting. The Browns are stepping aboard with Watson this weekend. Whether you’re going along for the ride is now up to you.

BUFFALO

Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic on all the good things the Bills did in beating New England on Thursday:

The Bills arduous — and slightly unexpected stretch on the road is done at last. After a three-game in 12 day frenzy, they ended with their most complete victory of the bunch.

Against the rival Patriots, the Bills controlled things almost all game long, claiming both a 24-10 victory and their first AFC East win of the 2022 season. Now with a 9-3 record heading into a mini bye over the weekend, the Bills enter the stretch run of the season with the final five games.

Diggs was a cut above the rest as the offense won in a new way

While the Bills didn’t quite put together the offensive explosion they did against the Patriots last season over their previous two games, they thoroughly dominated the game from start to finish using different means. It began with Stefon Diggs, who is normally consistent within the Bills offense, but there just seemed to be a little bit extra in his step as the game wore on. And Diggs did a lot of his damage when the Bills faced a down-and-distance with a higher degree of difficulty. Three of Diggs’ seven receptions were a third down the Bills converted for a first. Two others were on a second-and-long where the offense faltered on first down, both of which resulting in a 19-yard gain and moving the chains. And then his super-charged route on a second-and-8 to the sideline of the end zone got the Bills their first touchdown and a 10-7 lead. And that’s not even considering his 41-yard touchdown down the right sideline that was called back due to a holding penalty. Diggs was in a different stratosphere all game, even if his numbers weren’t astronomical. But that was also by design for the Bills.

Just as they did against the Browns, the Bills worked in the running game far more than they usually do and used heavier sets to help their cause. The Bills used heavier formations on 22 percent of their non-kneel down plays throughout the game, which helped open up 112 yards on 29 carries for their running backs on the Patriots, who usually are a stout run defense. It was also a keep away effort in the second half where they quickly ran through clock by racking up plays, first downs and time of possession in one fell swoop. Their 15-play, 94-yard touchdown drive that extended through the end of the third quarter and into the fourth gobbled up nearly nine minutes of the second half. And by that point in the game, the Patriots had only run 31 offensive plays. It was utter dominance, even if the scoreline didn’t show the Bills putting up 40. The Bills should be feeling very good about how they operated offensively through their system, even with some individual problems sprinkled in from time to time.

Cook bursts through, and why it could be here to stay

Ever since James Cook arrived, you could tell there was something quite different between him and the rest of the running back room. He has always had an explosive quality to his game, is a natural pass-catcher and can rack up a bunch of yards in a hurry when he hits a crease. But to this point in the season, Cook hadn’t factored into the game plan as heavily as some may have wanted. That all changed on Thursday night against the Patriots. It was very clear from the beginning of the game that the offense had an overall philosophical shift about how they wanted to utilize their running backs from what it had been in previous weeks.

Cook was on the field early and often, leading the way in snaps almost the entirety of the game. By the end of it, his 33 snaps to Singletary’s 32 and Hines’ 24 gave Cook the edge, but that’s not where it ended. Cook popped for several big plays and managed some decent gains when the big plays weren’t available. His 28-yard run looked effortless as he snuck through a smaller crease and zoomed up the field to maximize the gain. And as a pass-catcher, Cook possesses the explosive open-field qualities that Singletary has lacked since the Bills drafted him. It was a true breakout game for Cook, and Sean McDermott’s comments after the game indicate this might be a continuing trend as the Bills move forward.

“I thought they did a good job offensively, coach (Kelly) Skipper, of rotating different guys in there. It just wasn’t all (Singletary) and, I think that’s a good thing.”

Throughout his tenure, McDermott has made it a habit of subtle suggestions through press conferences with some pieces of his roster and offensive philosophies. “I think that’s a good thing” could certainly be interpreted as a sign the head coach would like this style of running back usage to continue moving forward. And if nothing else, Cook earned it. He was their best back on Thursday night and will likely continue to see some opportunities moving forward.

The Cook and Hines package returns with a vengeance

Against the Browns in Week 11, the Bills flashed a personnel package including both Cook and Nyheim Hines as a means to put pressure on the defense in different ways. They did it on a handful of snaps, but it wasn’t a heavy piece of their game plan. Then against the Lions in Week 12, the Bills mostly went away from that personnel grouping, and Hines himself as the back had only four snaps total. But offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey may have been keeping it in his back pocket for the Patriots game, as they used Cook and Hines on the field together a whopping 12 times throughout the game. While it doesn’t seem like a lot, that’s far more two-running back sets than the Bills had ever run previously. The Bills effectively used Hines in a similar way Brian Daboll used Isaiah McKenzie as a gadget receiver several years ago. And despite some plays that were duds, it was highly productive with some chunk plays. The Bills gained 78 yards on those 12 plays, for an average of 6.5 yards each time. Considering the Bills only averaged 4.6 yards per play on their other 60 plays, that Cook and Hines group gave them a major edge as it was sprinkled in throughout the game.

Tre’Davious White is back almost in full, as CB2 has plenty of movement

The day the Bills had been waiting for finally arrived, as star cornerback Tre’Davious White returned to a near-every-snap role against the Patriots. The team chose to play him on only the first two series against the Lions, but both the player and the team were ready to give him all he could handle on Thursday night. White played on all but two of the Bills’ defensive series, and each had a good reason. On the first series without White, he had just gotten checked out for a stinger, but was cleared to return to the game and the Bills were likely just being cautious. And the second series without White was when the Bills had the game well in hand in the fourth quarter. It seems like it’s all forces go from this point forward for White and the Bills.

NEW ENGLAND

QB MAC JONES was not a happy camper during Monday’s loss to the Bills.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

After losing 24-10 to the Bills on Thursday night, there were questions for Patriots players about offensive frustration.

The answer seemed obvious during the game. Quarterback Mac Jones could be seen on the Amazon broadcast yelling to “throw the fucking ball” on the sideline before adding that the “fucking running game sucks.”

Jones’ postgame press conference kicked off with a question about the video and what led to his outburst. Jones said it was tough watching the defense play well and “not being able to give them anything back” over the course of the evening.

“Obviously, just kind of let my emotions get to me but we’re kind of playing from behind,” Jones said. “What I said was about throwing it deeper in the short game. I got to execute that part better. But it’s the short game we kept going to, which is working. But I felt like we needed chunk plays. I shouted that out to kind of get everyone going. That’s emotional. That’s football. I’m passionate about this game. Obviously, you don’t want to let your emotions get the best of you. But yeah, I think that’s pretty much it. It wasn’t directed at anybody. Just emotion coming out and we kind of needed a spark.”

While Jones said his words weren’t directed at anyone in particular, he still faced more questions about the play calling before his time at the podium was up. He called it “definitely a coaching question” as to why the Patriots weren’t more aggressive earlier in the game while doing his best to keep it from being a referendum on offensive play caller Matt Patricia.

“Yeah, I think it was just me at that point in the game like, ‘all right, we’re playing catch-up here, let’s go for it, let’s be aggressive, let’s take those shots, just go down fighting.’ Matty P. was on the same page,” Jones said. “We kind of did it there at the end and moved it a little bit more. At the end of the day we have to execute the plays and do a better job. Sometimes you’re just so competitive, right? You want to go out there, ‘hey, let’s get a 50-yard gain.’ Sometimes it doesn’t happen, but we might as well go down trying, and try to make it work.”

There was no spark for the Patriots on Thursday night and the offense’s lack of one has been an issue throughout the season. At this point, it isn’t all that realistic to believe that things are going to change during the season and, whether the Patriots can find their way to the playoffs or not, that will set up an offseason with big questions about the path to take on offense in the future.

THIS AND THAT

TROUBLES FOR ANTONIO BROWN

He is still in Tampa and he has been assaulting the mother of four of his children.  Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times:

An arrest warrant has been issued for controversial former Bucs receiver Antonio Brown following an altercation Monday afternoon at a home in South Tampa, according to the Tampa Police Department.

Brown, 34, is wanted on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence battery.

The altercation turned physical, after which Brown threw a shoe at the woman, according to a Tampa Police Department news release. He also attempted to evict her from the residence, locked her out of the home and threw many of her belongings onto the street, court documents say.

The Police Department petitioned for a risk protection order against Brown on Tuesday, but it was denied by a judge the same day, according to court records. Brown and the woman have four children together, with another of Brown’s sons also residing at the home, the documents said.

A risk protection order, which must be filed by either a law enforcement officer or a law enforcement agency, is used when there is evidence that a person poses a significant danger of harming themselves or others by possessing a firearm or ammunition.

According to police reports included in the petition, Brown became upset upon learning the woman — and the children residing with her — returned late from a holiday vacation to North Carolina, causing them to miss a day of school.

The woman told police that Brown dumped out her purse’s belongings and was yelling at her. She stated that when she walked outside and sat on a chair on the patio, Brown went outside and threw a shoe at her.

The woman told authorities she believed the shoe was meant for her head but only grazed her ponytail. She stated that when she came back to the house a little later, many of her belongings had been thrown in the street.

She also told police that Brown threatened to shoot her if she tried to reenter the house.

A report filed by an officer called to the scene indicated Brown remained in the residence and refused to speak with authorities. It also said Brown had two firearms — a handgun and a rifle — in the house, according to the woman.

On Thursday afternoon, WFTS-TV in Tampa reported that police were outside a house for an hour trying to get Brown to come out. Police said late Thursday that Brown was not in custody. Police spokesperson Merissa Lynn said he was “not communicating with officers, so it’s unclear if he’s still inside the home or not.”

Brown has been a frequent subject of litigation, ranging from a marketing company alleging that he didn’t pay a commission to an assault/battery accusation from a moving truck driver (who was awarded $1.2 million this fall). In October, a Sarasota man filed a lawsuit in Broward County, alleging that Brown sold him a counterfeit watch for $160,000.

WHERE SHOULD OBJ GO?

This from ESPN.com’s correspondents in Dallas, Buffalo and the Meadowlands.

The Odell Beckham Jr. derby is heating up, with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants believed to be at the front of the pack. But don’t count out the Buffalo Bills.

Beckham was removed from an American Airlines flight on Sunday, though Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the incident will have no bearing on his future with the team. His visits with the Giants and Bills remain unaffected, as well.

Beckham is scheduled to meet with the Bills on Friday, though the Giants and the Cowboys seem most likely to land the coveted free agent. The two division rivals are pitted against one another off the field after the Cowboys dominated the Giants in the second half on Thanksgiving.

Jones has already had a conversation with Beckham. He said it was a “great meeting.” The Cowboys, who have a visit scheduled with the receiver on Monday, have been publicly recruiting Beckham. They are considered the “favorites,” according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and linebacker Micah Parsons have all made their pitches.

The Giants are expected to meet with Beckham beginning Thursday. It’s a getting-to-know-him session for the new regime. The Giants have perhaps been working more behind the scenes with two of his close friends, Saquon Barkley and Sterling Shepard, on the roster. Barkley and Shepard attended Beckham’s lavish California birthday bash during their bye week.

Beckham is believed to be close to full health after tearing the ACL in his left knee in the Super Bowl win with the Los Angeles Rams in February. It has been nine months since the injury, and he’s expected to sign with a new team in the next few weeks.

The question is where.

Why Beckham will sign with Dallas

If it is about winning, how can it not be the Cowboys? They swept the Giants this season. Which team is poised for a better postseason run? The Cowboys. Which quarterback would he rather have? Prescott. The Giants might be able to offer him a larger role as a receiver from the get go, considering what the Cowboys have in CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, but the Cowboys have more going for them in every other department.

From Jones to Prescott, Elliott, Lamb and Parsons, the Cowboys have put a full-court recruiting press on Beckham that would make Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari proud. Normally Jones is quiet when it comes to free agents for fear of impacting the competitive nature of the negotiations. He has not been shy about his desire to add Beckham. — Todd Archer

Why Beckham makes the Cowboys a contender

This question can’t really be answered fully without knowing just how healthy he is and what type of condition he is in. But if all that checks out, then he gives the Cowboys another option on the outside. Should something happen to Lamb or Gallup, they would have a pretty good insurance policy.

The Cowboys are a run-first team with Elliott and Tony Pollard, but there will come a time when they will need to throw the ball to win, especially in the important games down the stretch and into the playoffs. Beckham showed last season with the Rams that he can learn a system quickly and have success. But there has to be a word of caution because of his knee. Gallup tore an ACL a month or so before Beckham and has needed time to round into form. Can Beckham really be, well, Beckham in short order? — Archer

Likelihood Beckham re-signs with Dallas in 2023

I guess this is an assumption that he will accept a one-year offer as a rental player. That might be fine with the Cowboys, considering how tight they could be against the 2023 salary cap. But if it is not, then the Cowboys will likely have to move around quite a bit of money to make it all work. Prescott’s cap figure next year is $49.13 million and the only way the Cowboys can gain relief would be to extend his contract.

They will have financial decisions to make on Tyron Smith and Elliott, while also trying to keep Pollard, tight end Dalton Schultz, safety Donovan Wilson and 17 others who are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents after this season. They can also open extension talks for the first time with Lamb and cornerback Trevon Diggs. The Cowboys had interest in acquiring Brandin Cooks at the trade deadline from the Houston Texans, but one of the hang-ups was the $18 million he was guaranteed in 2023. If Beckham is looking for top-end money, then this might not work, or would require the Cowboys to get out of their financial comfort zone with free agents. — Archer

Why Beckham will sign with New York

Well, it’s New York. The Big Apple. The place where Beckham was drafted No. 12 overall in 2014, burst onto the scene and made that breathtaking catch against, you know, the same Cowboys that want to sign him. This means something to Beckham. Being on the same team with Barkley and Shepard (even if he’s on injured reserve) is an enticing proposition. They remain two of his closest friends. But as Barkley said recently, returning to New York, the place where Beckham began his career and reached stardom, means something. It would allow Beckham to remain in the spotlight and handle unfinished business.

He admittedly played the worst game of his career in his only playoff game with the Giants in a 2016 loss to the Green Bay Packers. “I think it would be a great story to come back to a place that you were at before and continue to help build success,” Barkley said. The Giants star running back told ESPN after Thursday’s game that he speaks to Beckham regularly. They talked as recently as last week. Beckham also maintained an amicable relationship with Giants ownership (John Mara and Steve Tisch) despite the messy 2018 divorce. His animosity was always directed at former general manager Dave Gettleman. — Jordan Raanan

Why he makes the Giants a contender

The Giants’ need at the position is well-documented. They’re throwing borderline practice-squaders out there on a weekly basis. Any weapon would be a boost to their offense and for quarterback Daniel Jones. But what Beckham can actually bring to the table this season is unknown. This is something Barkley has repeatedly said — Barkley himself needed a lot of time to get back to his former self after tearing an ACL.

It’s the second time Beckham has torn that same ACL. Beckham is 30 years old and hasn’t taken a single practice rep his season. Not in the spring, summer or fall. His range of outcomes when he does return varies greatly. Still, it’s hard to imagine he’s not an NFL-caliber receiver. Even if he’s just a contributor, the Giants would take that. It’s safe to say he can be an equal or No. 2 alongside Darius Slayton by default. The Giants just don’t have much else at the position. — Raanan

Likelihood he re-signs with New York in 2023

Everything I’m hearing is that Beckham wants more than a one-year deal. He wants some guaranteed money moving forward. Deals in the range of what the Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s Chris Godwin and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Mike Williams have signed have been mentioned. That doesn’t seem realistic, especially with the Giants. If anything, general manager Joe Schoen has been extremely disciplined financially this season.

He hasn’t made a single signing during this season that wasn’t for the veteran minimum. One of his primary goals was to get the Giants salary cap in order this year and for the future. Putting any sort of significant money into the future with Beckham doesn’t seem to fit what he’s been doing. But from the start, there has been talk of Beckham going elsewhere for the remainder of this season and landing with the Giants next year. Maybe that is a more likely scenario than Beckham signing there now. — Raanan

Why Beckham will sign with Buffalo

Josh Allen is a good place to start. Playing with the fifth-year quarterback has been part of the appeal for many of the team’s additions in the past year. The Bills roster is one of the best in football, even with the offense’s recent dip in performance in the five-game stretch since the bye week. They have shown an ability to win close games and still have an 8-3 record, despite not playing their best football. There is also plenty of opportunity to have a big role in the offense with the Bills hurting at wide receiver (Jamison Crowder, Marquez Stevenson and Jake Kumerow are all currently on injured reserve).

The team’s wide receiver depth behind Stefon Diggs also hasn’t quite played up to the level that the Bills would like, so adding someone like Beckham would give him plenty of opportunities to be an integral part of a solid offensive group.

And what’s better than joining a team with your friends? Pass-rusher Von Miller has been publicly recruiting Beckham to join the Bills for months and is certainly also doing so behind the scenes. The pair won the Super Bowl together with the Rams last season and Miller’s word certainly could go a long way. Beckham’s former LSU teammate, cornerback Tre’Davious White, has also sent Beckham, “probably 2,700 Buffalo Bills emojis.” — Alaina Getzenberg

Why he makes Buffalo a contender

The Bills are a contender without Beckham, but adding a receiver of his caliber just takes this team that much stronger. Bills general manager Brandon Beane said earlier this month that, “if we think he can help this team, we’d be crazy not to at least look into it.”

He would not only add to the Bills’ receiving game as a target for Allen, but he would also take some of the attention away from Diggs, who is on pace to set career highs in receiving yards and touchdowns this season. As a team, the Bills have the third-most drops in the NFL (20) with Gabe Davis (six) and Isaiah McKenzie (four) combining for 10 of those. Davis, the team’s No. 2 receiver, has dropped 10% of his targets. More consistency and reliability at the position will go a long way in helping Allen, and while Beckham’s production hasn’t been quite to the level it was earlier in his career, he did not drop any of his 48 regular-season targets with the Rams last season.

The Bills don’t need Beckham to come in and be a No. 1 receiver, they have Diggs for that. But this receiver group has been a weakness at times, and adding someone with his talent and experience could be the boost the offense needs. — Getzenberg

Likelihood he re-signs with Buffalo in 2023

It’s certainly within the realm of possibilities. The Bills have most of their key players locked down for the foreseeable future and are looking to become contenders for the Super Bowl on a consistent basis. This is a team that is built just for that. It should be an appealing place for Beckham to settle in and play for over multiple seasons, especially after hearing about Miller’s experience.

The question here could come down to how much Beckham is looking to be paid and the extent to which the Bills can trust his ability to stay healthy over a longer period. Beckham has only had two seasons in which he played in every regular-season game.

Buffalo has multiple starters set to hit free agency that have been key contributors to the defense this year in linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and safety Jordan Poyer. The Bills also currently have the lowest available cap space in the league for 2023, per ESPN’s roster management, although that is subject to change. Beane has referenced wanting to build a team that is consistently making Super Bowl runs, not just putting all the chips in one basket (or season). There could be a fit here, as the Bills could use him in 2023, but it’s not a necessity for the future that the Bills sign him long-term as help could also be found elsewhere. — Getzenberg