Chiefs, Rams won’t play in Mexico
LOS ANGELES – The NFL moved the Rams’ Monday night showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs from Mexico City to Los Angeles on Tuesday due to the poor condition of the field at Azteca Stadium.
The league announced the extraordinary decision six days before one of the most-anticipated regular-season games of the year.
In a news release, 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.”
The Rams (9-1) will host the Chiefs (9-1) at the Coliseum instead. The much-anticipated game is just the fifth meeting since 1970 between teams with one or fewer losses in Week 11 or later.
The decision creates a morass of logistical concerns for the teams and fans traveling to Mexico, and it disappoints thousands of Mexican fans eager to see a marquee matchup in North America’s most populous city. But the league consulted with the players’ association and local officials before deciding it couldn’t risk the players’ health on a damaged field.
Hue Jackson back in Cincinnati, helping to run defense: Hue Jackson has landed back in Cincinnati, where he’ll help head coach Marvin Lewis try to resurrect the Bengals’ historically bad defense.
The Bengals hired Jackson as a special assistant on Tuesday, a day after Cincinnati fired its defensive coordinator and put Lewis in charge of running the unit. Lewis says Jackson will help him prepare the defense each week and he’ll be on the field during games helping him with decisions.
It’s Jackson’s third stint with the Bengals. He was their offensive coordinator before the Browns hired him as head coach after the 2015 season. Jackson was fired last month after winning only three games in Cleveland.
Bills cut receiver Pryor in latest move during bye week: The Buffalo Bills have released receiver Terrelle Pryor two weeks after signing the eighth-year player.
The move was announced Tuesday during the Bills’ bye week.
Pryor had just two catches on eight targets for 17 yards in two games. He became the odd man out after Robert Foster had 105 yards receiving in a 4110 win over the New York Jets on Sunday, a day after the rookie was promoted off the practice squad.
Chargers officially place Perryman on IR, promote Johnson: The Los Angeles Chargers placed linebacker Denzel Perryman on injured reserve Tuesday with a knee injury and promoted linebacker Tre’von Johnson from the practice squad.
Perryman injured the lateral collateral ligament in his left knee during the first quarter of Sunday’s 20-6 win over Oakland. The fourth-year linebacker started every game this season and was second on the Chargers with 51 tackles going into the Raiders game.
Raiders release defensive lineman Kony Ealy: The Oakland Raiders have released defensive lineman Kony Ealy one week after signing him to a contract.
Oakland also waived linebacker James Cowser from the practice squad on Tuesday.