Beckham is still out
The New York Giants will need to keep their faint playoff hopes alive without Odell Beckham Jr. for the second straight week. Coach Pat Shurmur said Friday the NFL's highest-paid receiver will be sidelined again with a quad injury when the Giants (5-8) play the Tennessee Titans (7-6) Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Shurmur said Beckham's status will remain day to day. He practiced on a limited basis Wednesday and missed the last two days, getting further testing on his injury on Thursday. "No setback. He can't go," Shurmur said of Beckham, who is second on the team with 77 catches for a team-high 1,052 yards and six touchdowns. Beckham wasn't available for comment in the locker room after practice on Friday. Beckham was hurt on the final play of the Giants' loss to the Eagles in Philadelphia on Nov. 25. He played against Chicago the following week but missed last weekend's game against Washington. The Giants, who need to win their final three games and get a lot of help to make the playoffs, didn't need Beckham in a 40-16 win over Washington. Eli Manning spread the ball around to eight receivers in throwing for 197 yards. Sterling Shepard, Bennie Fowler and Russell Shepard caught touchdown passes.
Season over for Eagles' Wentz
Carson Wentz's back injury means Nick Foles gets another opportunity to rescue the Philadelphia Eagles. Eagles coach Doug Pederson said Friday that Wentz does not require surgery for a stress fracture in his back and the injury could take up to three months to heal. The quarterback is listed as "doubtful" for Sunday night's game against the Rams in Los Angeles and is scheduled to travel with the team. Foles wasn't available to speak to reporters, but teammates expect the Super Bowl MVP to start. "He's the guy and it's my job to create as much separation for him or if he gives me an opportunity and I am covered, go get it," wide receiver Nelson Agholor said after practice.
AP source: NFL fines umpire $9,300, reinstates him
A person familiar with the move says the NFL has fined umpire Roy Ellison $9,300 and reinstated him from administrative leave after his dispute in Miami with Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes. The person confirmed the fine to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the league hadn't commented. The fine is the amount of one game check for Ellison. TV video showed Hughes confronting Ellison in the tunnel near the locker room after the Dolphins' win over the Bills on Dec. 2 and accusing the official of using a derogatory term. Hughes waved his index finger and shouted, "I'll catch you! I'll catch you, guaranteed!" before being pulled away by a teammate. Ellison was placed on administrative leave last week.
Raiders WR Bryant suspended
Oakland Raiders receiver Martavis Bryant has been suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL policy on substance abuse. The NFL announced Friday that Bryant has violated the terms of his conditional reinstatement in April 2017 and has been placed back on the suspended list for an indefinite period of time. Bryant is currently on injured reserve with a knee injury. He is in the final year of his contract and eligible for free agency next year. The Raiders traded a third-round pick to Pittsburgh for Bryant during the draft. Oakland cut Bryant on Sept. 1 and then brought him back later that month. He had 19 catches for 266 yards in eight games this season.
Chicago's Nagy picked by AP as top coach
Matt Nagy is making an impressive first impression as an NFL head coach. Nagy has helped develop second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky into a solid NFL starter, convinced Vic Fangio to stay on as defensive coordinator, and has the Chicago Bears in position to earn their first playoff berth since 2010 in his first year on the job. For doing all that, Nagy was picked as having done the NFL's best coaching job in 2018 in voting released Friday by a panel of 10 football writers for The Associated Press. Nagy received seven of the 10 firstplace votes for his work leading the Bears (9-4) to the top of the NFC North behind an improved offense led by Trubisky and a fierce defense spearheaded by preseason acquisition Khalil Mack. "(Nagy's) overseen a total turnaround of the Bears in just his first year as an NFL head coach, taking a team that hadn't finished above .500 since 2012 and turning them into the best of the NFC North," said Washington-based Howard Fendrich, who voted Nagy first. "He's an offensive guru who learned from former boss Andy Reid, and Chicago's play calling has been creative and fun — and overcome limitations at the QB spot to be good enough to let a superb defense lead the way." Seattle's Pete Carroll finished second in the voting for rebuilding the Seahawks on the fly following the departure of most key members from the Super Bowl-winning Legion of Boom defense. The Seahawks can clinch a playoff spot with a win this week despite losing key players Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett, Kam Chancellor and Cliff Avril in the past year. Star safety Earl Thomas has also been sidelined most of the season, but it hasn't slowed down the Seahawks.