Saints shut down Panthers, Newton
Alvin Kamara had 103 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, and the Saints put the clamps on Cam Newton to defeat the Panthers 12-9 on Monday night and take a big step toward locking up home-field advantage in the NFCplayoffs.
The Saints' defense, which has been among the best in the league the last six weeks, held Newton to 131 yards passing, sacked him four times and forced two turnovers.
The Panthers' only scores came off a trick play on fourth down — a 50-yard touchdown pass from Christian McCaffrey to Chris Manhertz — and an interception return by Donte Jackson on a 2-point conversion attempt. The Panthers were held to 247 yards and 13 first downs.
Drew Brees had 203 yards passing for the Saints (12-2), who took a one-game lead in the NFC over the Rams. The Panthers have lost six straight.
The Jaguars have totaled 658 yards in three games since quarterback Cody Kessler replaced inconsistent starter Blake Bortles, including a season-low 192 yards in a 16-13 loss to the Redskins on Sunday. It's the franchise's worst three-game stretch of offense since Blaine Gabbert's second year in 2012.
But coach Doug Marrone doesn't plan on switching back to Bortles for the final two games of the season, beginning Sunday at the Dolphins.
“All the players, we're telling them just to be ready to go,” Marrone said Monday. “It's hard to evaluate when there's a high level of inconsistency around you.”
The Jaguars have apparently moved on from Bortles, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, and want to see if Kessler deserves to be on the roster next season.
With another season stumbling toward the finish line, the Dolphins can begin thinking about 2019, and that includes Frank Gore.
The NFL's leading active rusher is expected to miss the rest of the year with a sprained foot, a person familiar with the situation said. The person confirmed Gore's status on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't commented on the severity of his injury.
Gore was hurt during Sunday's 41-17 loss to the Vikings. He has played in 126 consecutive games and made 122 starts in a row.
Last week Gore, 35, said he was uncertain whether he wanted to play next year.
The Falcons placed rookie RB Ito Smith on injured reserve with a knee injury and are moving closer to ruling out a return for starter Devonta Freeman. Smith is the ninth Falcons player to be placed on IR this season. Coach Dan Quinn said it is “unlikely” Freeman will return this season. Freeman, was placed on IR on Oct. 16 with a groin injury. ... Chargers TE Hunter Henry took part in his first practice nearly seven months after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Henry remains on the physically unable to perform list. ... Titans CB Logan Ryan says he broke his left leg in Sunday's victory over the Giants, writing on social media he believes a player should release his own injury news.