Bucs clear Winston to start against Bills
QB practices well despite AC sprain; Kuechly sidelined.
Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston tested his injured throwing shoulder in practice and will start Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter made the announcement Friday after the thirdyear quarterback worked with the first-team offense for the first time since spraining his right shoulder during last week’s 38-33 loss at Arizona.
Winston was limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday, taking “mental reps” while backup Ryan Fitzpatrick prepared.
“Jameis threw the ball well today,” Koetter said following the team’s hourlong practice. “He will be out there.”
Jaguars: Running back Leonard Fournette could miss his first game of the season because of a sprained right ankle. The Jaguars list Fournette as questionable to play Sunday at Indianapolis. He did not practice all week.
Center Brandon Linder (illness) was ruled out for the third consecutive game.
Panthers: Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly will miss Sunday’s game against the Bears while in the concussion protocol. Receiver Kelvin Benjamin (knee) and All-Pro center Ryan Kalil (neck) are expected to start.
Packers: Placed Aaron Rodgers on injured reserve after the quarterback had surgery on his broken collarbone. Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthy said the surgery went well but the twotime MVP is out indefinitely.
Titans: Running back DeMarco Murray, who tweaked his hamstring for the second time this season Monday night, returned to practice on a limited basis and will be a game-time decision against the Browns.
Tight end Delanie Walker (calf injury) was held out of Friday’s practice and is listed as questionable.
Broncos: Donald Stephenson tore his left calf muscle at practice this week, the third right tackle to get hurt in a five-day span. Stephenson was preparing for his first start after Menelik Watson (calf ) and backup Billy Turner (hand) were hurt in Denver’s loss to the Giants. Veteran guard Allen Barbre will now start at right tackle.
Bills: Wide receiver Jordan Matthews (thumb) is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bucs after participating fully in practice.
Late Thursday
(At) Raiders 31, Chiefs 30: Oakland scored two apparent tying touchdowns that didn’t count. Kansas City forced incompletions on back-to-back plays that ended with no time on the clock only to have the game extended by penalties.
On a wild night that featured many premature celebrations, it was the Raiders who finally ended up on top.
Derek Carr shook off the two overturned touchdown passes to connect for the winner to Michael Crabtree after the game was extended by two defensive holding penalties, and the Raiders snapped a four-game losing streak after a successful PAT.
“There’s something about that that is exhilarating,” coach Jack Del Rio said. “We tapped into that. Our guys came in with a great mindset and we were determined to leave here with a victory.”
It sure didn’t come easy as the Raiders (3-4) had to overcome a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs (5-2) and then drive 85 yards in the final 2:25, getting a fourth-and-11 conversion to Jared Cook that set the wild finish.
Giorgio Tavecchio won it with the extra point, sending the Chiefs to their first AFC West loss in 13 games.
Lynch suspended one game: Oakland running back Marshawn Lynch was suspended for one game without pay by the NFL on Friday for shoving an official during Thursday night’s game. Lynch was ejected after he shoved line judge Julian Mapp.
The scuffle started when Carr was hit late on a run by Kansas City’s Marcus Peters midway through the second quarter. Raiders offensive linemen Kelechi Osemele and Donald Penn immediately confronted Peters, and Lynch sprinted from the bench to join the fray.
Mapp tried to intervene, but Lynch pushed him and grabbed his jersey.