Mexico will be back on schedule in 2019

The NFL will return to Mexico City with a regularseason game next year.

Less than a week after the league moved the high-profile Chiefs-Rams matchup from Azteca Stadium to Los Angeles because of the poor playing conditions at the Mexico venue, the NFL and Mexico’s president- elect confirmed the 2019 game. It will be the third match of a contract signed in 2016.

Commissioner Roger Goodell and Mexico’s Presi- dent-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador met before making the announcement Monday.

The date of the game and participating teams won’t be known until the NFL’s 2019 schedule is released in the spring.

The game between the Chiefs and Rams, both 9-1, has been one of the most anticipated this season, and would have been a showcase for Mexico with a likely huge television audience. But in a news release last Tuesday, the league said it determined that the recently re-sodded field at Mexico City’s historic stadium “does not meet NFL standards for playability and consistency, and will not meet those standards by next Monday.”

Colt McCoy knew exactly what his teammates needed to hear.

In the aftermath of a gut-wrenching two-point loss and the sickening season-ending injury to Alex Smith, McCoy stood up in the Redskins locker room and addressed the group.

McCoy “told us we were in good hands,” running back Chris Thompson said. “Wehadnodoubt about that from the jump. We lost the game, but I will say Colt talking to us afterwards really had the dudes hyped up and we’re ready to get to Dallas.”

The team signed Mark Sanchez to serve as the new backup, but this is McCoy’s show now after Smith broke his right tibia and fibula in gruesome fashion. McCoy will start Thursday when the Redskins visit the Cowboys in a Thanksgiving showdown that will go a long way to determining who wins the NFC East.

“I just feel very comfortable with Colt and always have,” coach Jay Gruden said. “It’s been a luxury to have him as a backup quarterback and now it’s a great opportunity for him to take the reins.”

Bills QB Josh Allen will make his return against the Jaguars, coach Sean McDermott said. Allen was a full participant in practice as the Bills returned from their open date. ... Ryan Tannehill made progress during the Dolphins’ bye week in his rehabilitation from a shoulder injury and remains on schedule to meet his goal of returning Sunday at Indianapolis. There are significant hurdles yet to be cleared, however. Coach Adam Gase said he didn’t even know whether Tannehill will participate fully in practice this week. ... Jets quarterback Sam Darnold is sitting out the team’s first practice after its bye-week break while he continues to recover from a foot strain. The rookie wore sweats as practice began, and he mostly watched from the side while Josh McCown and Davis Webb threw passes in individual drills.