Ankle injury may sideline receiver Hopkins
Arizona Cardinals receiver Deandre Hopkins is a game-day decision to play in Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers, coach Kliff Kingsbury said on Friday.
Hopkins, who was acquired from the Houston Texans in the off-season, leads the NFL in both receptions (32) and receiving yards (356). It would be a major blow if he sits out against the Panthers.
Hopkins is bothered by an ankle injury he sustained in last Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions. He missed all three practices this week and the Cardinals listed him as questionable on their injury report.
“We'll see,” Kingsbury said. “He's been working through it and there has been progress, but I don't think we'll know until Sunday. We'll see how he feels. If he can go, he'll go, but we don't want to put him out there — it's early in the year — if he isn't feeling his best.”
Fellow receiver Christian Kirk (groin) also is a game-time decision. Kirk missed last week's game and Kingsbury said, “I wouldn't say he's 100 per cent yet.”
Two-time Pro Bowler Budda Baker (thumb) and Chris Banjo (hamstring) will miss the game at a time when starter Jalen Thompson (ankle) remains sidelined, leaving the Cardinals without their top three safeties.
HERBERT TO START AT QB FOR CHARGERS
The Los Angeles Chargers declared quarterback Tyrod Taylor out for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, 22, will lead the team against 43-year-old Tom Brady. He told reporters on Friday that he'll relish the experience going head to head with the six-time Super Bowl champion. Herbert said while growing up in Oregon, Brady and Peyton Manning were among his favourite QBS as was Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, who quarterbacked the Oregon Ducks, just like Herbert did.
“I was definitely a huge Tom Brady fan. There is a lot I can learn from him,” Herbert said of Brady. “He's one of the best to ever do it, I'm fortunate to be able to line up across from him on Sunday.”
Taylor started Week 1 at Cincinnati but injured his ribs.
Herbert is 0-2 as a starter, but held his own in his first two NFL games, completing 69.5 per cent of his passes for 641 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Chargers selected him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
NO NEW POSITIVE TESTS AMONG MLB PLAYERS
With MLB'S wild card round nearing an end and the remaining teams preparing to enter the league's bubble cities, the league on Friday announced its latest data on COVID-19 testing.
According to the release, for the week ending Thursday, the league conducted 15,024 tests with two new positives. The league identified both positives coming from
“Tier 2 staff members” from the same team.
The lack of any positive tests among players extends the league's streak of no positive tests among players to 33 straight days and means 41 of the last 42 days have seen no positive tests among players.
TWO MORE TITANS TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID- 19
Two more Tennessee Titans players have tested positive for COVID-19, ESPN reported Friday morning. That brings the total positives in the organization to 13 — seven players and six others.
The NFL postponed Sunday's scheduled Titans-pittsburgh Steelers game because of the outbreak in Tennessee.
The Week 5 schedule calls for the Titans to host the Buffalo Bills, but ESPN reported that game could be in jeopardy if further tests come back with positive results.
The NFL juggled the schedule on Friday, moving the Titans-steelers game to Oct. 25.
The Steelers, originally scheduled to meet the Ravens that week, instead will play Baltimore on Nov. 1.