Covered Vikings for Minneapolis Star Tribune, 1999-2008
The Minnesota Vikings have designated Pro Bowl receiver Adam Thielen as questionable for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. But indications are strong that Thielen will start, despite a lower back injury that cost him one day of practice this week and limited him for two others.
Safety Andrew Sendejo (concussion) is also listed as questionable. But Sendejo was a full participant in practice Friday and appears set to start as well. Sendejo still must formally be cleared by an independent neurologist via an exam that will take place no later than Saturday.
Vikings receiver Adam Thielen has been limited this week by a lower back injury, though he is expected to play in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Eagles. Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire
Meanwhile, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer would not say whether Sam Bradford or Teddy Bridgewater would back up quarterback Case Keenum. Bradford took that role from Bridgewater for last week’s divisional playoff round and is expected to do the same Sunday. Earlier this week, Zimmer left open the possibility that all three quarterbacks will be active.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — At 4:13 p.m. Thursday, the New England Patriots tweeted news that jolted their loyal worshipers more than a double shot of espresso in their Dunkin’ Donuts coffee:
Quarterback Tom Brady, with an ailing right hand, didn’t participate in practice.
Three days before the AFC Championship Game, mind you.
The Patriots have a mini-crisis, and they’ll have no one to blame but themselves if this turns into the worst-case scenario — if Brady struggles and the defending Super Bowl champions lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
If that’s how it plays out, the Patriots will be subjected to an offseason of massive criticism, and it would be justified because they sold off the NFL’s best insurance policy — Jimmy Garoppolo — for 50 cents on the dollar.
Coach Bill Belichick might be the smartest football guy in the history of the sport, but he erred in trading Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers for a second-round pick. Forget about the long-term implications; let’s focus on the now.
In Super Bowl-or-bust mode, always the case in these parts, Belichick decided to go Brady or bust by shipping out Garoppolo in a highly controversial trade. Brady has been terrific this season — he probably will be named the league’s MVP for the third time in his illustrious career — but he’s 40 years old and football is a contact sport.
Guys get hurt, and Brady injured his famous right hand while colliding with a teammate in practice on Wednesday. There’s no way he will sit out Sunday, but if he suddenly starts throwing like Blake Bortles, everyone will know he’s not right. Brady’s hand will get more TV time than Curt Schilling’s right ankle/bloody sock got in the 2004 postseason.
What then?
Worse, what if Brady aggravates the injury and can’t finish the game?
Belichick will have no choice but to turn to Brian Hoyer, whose only postseason experience was a disaster. Starting for the Houston Texans in 2015, he threw four interceptions and passed for 136 yards in a 30-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
That would be the Patriots’ worst nightmare, and it would shine a harsh light on the Garoppolo trade and the story behind it. ESPN the Magazine recently reported that Belichick wasn’t on board with it, and that he was “furious and demoralized” when the deal went down at the trading deadline. The story reported that owner Robert Kraft, perhaps influenced by Brady, ordered the trade. Kraft, in an interview with The MMQB.com, told a conflicting version, saying Belichick was the driving force behind it.
Someone isn’t telling the truth.
The Patriots should’ve kept Garoppolo, who has blossomed into a star, even though it would’ve meant losing him after the season as a free agent. A third-round compensatory pick in 2019 isn’t as good as a second-round pick in 2018, but the risk-reward would’ve justified the lower compensation.
New England is in the business of winning now, and they left themselves vulnerable. It’s ironic, because they’ve been two steps ahead of the competition for nearly two decades, winning five Super Bowls. This season, they made one move too many, creating their current predicament.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell said last week that he’s prepared to sit out a season, or even retire, if he is hit with the franchise tag for the second consecutive year. The 25-year-old Bell played on a $12.1 million franchise tag in 2017, and that number is projected to increase to around $14.5 million for next season.
From the wild-card round through Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, ESPN.com has the playoffs covered.
Last July, Bell turned down a long-term contract that reports said was worth up to $30 million in the first two years because he felt the team didn’t value his full skill set.
The Steelers could let Bell test the free-agent market to try to get a long-term deal elsewhere. Pittsburgh drafted James Conner in the third round in 2017, and Fitzgerald Toussaint is a restricted free agent, so the Steelers have replacement options on their roster.
We asked our panel of ESPN NFL insiders to weigh in on Bell’s realistic next steps:
Which team is the best fit for Bell in 2018?
Jeremy Fowler, ESPN NFL Nation Steelers writer:Pittsburgh Steelers. Bell’s do-it-all skill set pairs well with several teams armed with cap space. A Bell-Jimmy Garoppolo-Kyle Shanahan attack in San Francisco would deepen the intrigue in the NFC West. But for as much as Bell wants to test his true value on the market, he knows the Steelers offer him the best on-field package, which provides hope for a long-term deal. The Steelers have invested five years in Bell. They watched him turn into a star and got him the ball more than 1,600 times. Letting him walk runs contrary to their draft/develop/pay strategy for cornerstone players. Riding a trio of Bell, Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown is still the Steelers’ best route to a Super Bowl. Tagging Bell at $14 million-plus is good business for the Steelers. Offering him an impressive deal is even better business, assuming they structure it with escape hatches after two years. That places the onus on Bell to decide whether sitting out 2018 is really worth it.
The All-Pro running back said the Steelers have the right players to make a playoff run next year, but didn’t say if that group included himself.
Running back Le’Veon Bell told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that he’s prepared to sit out a season, or even retire, if the Steelers use the franchise tag on him for the second consecutive year.
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Matthew Berry, senior fantasy analyst:Pittsburgh Steelers, but … Under the age old adage of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” staying with the Steelers is the ideal spot. It’s a team and offense that know him and his skill set well and will use him in a variety of ways to take full advantage of his talents. He has become one of the best — if not the best — running backs in the league there, and with Roethlisberger announcing his intention to return, it makes the most sense. If that doesn’t work, he should go to a team with a good offense that only lacks a true franchise back. Taking money out of it and just looking at the best fit, how about the Detroit Lions? They have a great quarterback in Matthew Stafford and an improving defense, but the issue for years has been their inability to run the ball. Ameer Abdullah has struggled with inconsistency and injuries, and Theo Riddick is a nice change-of-pace player but not a true three-down back. Adding a franchise back like Bell, especially with his pass-catching abilities, to a Stafford-led offense would greatly improve the Lions as they look to get back to the playoffs with a new head coach in a tough division.
Mike Clay, NFL writer:New England Patriots. Though a return to Pittsburgh is the most logical and likely outcome, there are plenty of terrific fits for Bell across the league. The one that stands out most to me (cover your ears, Steelers fans) is in New England. Bill Belichick has been guilty of “tipping” pass or run based on personnel in recent years (85 percent of James White’s snaps have been passes, compared to 29 percent for Mike Gillislee this season, for example), so he could look to become less predictable by bringing in the super-versatile back. Bell has racked up at least 261 carries and 75 catches during each of the past three seasons in which he has played in at least 12 games. Tom Brady will be 41 when the 2018 season begins, and he could use the additional weapon. Considering Belichick’s committee-heavy history, it seems like a long shot that the Patriots would spend big on a running back, but Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead are both unrestricted free agents, and Gillislee quickly fell out of favor after rushing for three touchdowns in Week 1.
Dan Graziano, NFL writer:Pittsburgh Steelers. They know they can run their offense through him, that they can use him as a runner and a receiver, that he coexists peacefully with their other stars and that they can win tons of games with him. For Bell, the comfort level of knowing all those things has to matter, too. Can he be sure he’d be used the same way elsewhere that the Steelers use him? Would he be happy if he went to a team that didn’t? The Steelers may still want to go year to year on Bell, given his history of injuries and suspensions. But he didn’t have any of those issues in 2017, and if they were looking for him to “prove it” on the franchise tag, he absolutely did. They should be able to work out something, unless one side’s demands proves too out of line with the market. So far, that has been Bell’s side.
Le’Veon Bell rushed for 1,291 yards and nine touchdowns and added 655 receiving yards and another two touchdowns in 2017. Mark Alberti/ Icon Sportswire
Field Yates, NFL Insider:Cleveland Browns. In a piece that ran earlier this season, I tackled this exact question by noting that a return to Pittsburgh makes sense and is probably where he winds up. But if we were to explore other options, wouldn’t a fit in Cleveland add up? Want to take pressure off a rookie quarterback? Having the best back in the league alongside would be a great place to start. Bell has shown that he can handle an incredible workload, piling up touches as a runner and a receiver, plus the Browns have virtually limitless cap space to afford any player of their liking in free agency.
Matt Bowen, NFL writer:Pittsburgh Steelers. With his versatile skill set, plus the ability to handle high-volume touches, Bell is one of the catalysts for the Steelers’ high-powered offense. And while he could obviously fit as a featured back with multiple offenses in the league, his talent and overall usage is maximized in the Pittsburgh game plan.
Mike Sando, senior NFL writer:Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are clearly the best spot for him. Coaches, evaluators and agents I’ve polled generally thought Bell would have been wise to accept what was offered. If he leaves, he’d be a great fit for any team without an established top back. Cleveland could help itself and hurt a division rival. Tampa Bay has taken chances on talented players carrying baggage of varying types. The Bucs should probably think twice before adding another one, but the need for a running back is obvious and the stakes are high for coach Dirk Koetter.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane registered a blood-alcohol-content level well under the legal limit but admitted to having smoked marijuana before he was pulled over early Sunday morning, leading to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to a Washington State Patrol incident report.
Lane was pulled over on Mercer Island just east of Seattle after his 2006 Dodge Charger was clocked traveling 80 mph in a 60 mph zone, according to the report, which was obtained by ESPN. The arresting patrolman said he observed the vehicle drifting and changing lanes without signaling. Lane’s vehicle also had its hazard lights on.
The patrolman wrote in the report that there “was a strong odor of burnt marijuana inside the vehicle” when Lane rolled down the window and that he could smell “a moderate odor of intoxicants emanating from Lane in the open air” once the cornerback stepped out of his vehicle. Lane said he hadn’t been drinking and that he had smoked marijuana about three hours earlier, according to the report.
The Seahawks’ Jeremy Lane told Washington State Patrol when he was pulled over that he hadn’t been drinking and that he had smoked marijuana about three hours earlier, according to an incident report. Michael Zito/AP for Panini
The patrolman noted that Lane’s eyes were watery and bloodshot and that his speech was slow and slurred. Lane showed possible signs of impairment on all three of the field sobriety tests he underwent, according to the report. He agreed to take a breath test and registered a BAC of .039. The legal limit in Washington State is .08.
The patrolman wrote, “I explained to Lane several times throughout our contact that he was under arrest because of his driving ability, performance on the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, and admission to smoking marijuana led me to believe that he was impaired by a combination of alcohol and marijuana.”
The report states Lane expressed concern over being arrested on suspicion of DUI and that he didn’t want people thinking he was drunk, with Lane quoted as saying, “This time I was more high than anything.”
After being taken to Overlake Hospital for a blood draw, Lane was booked into King County Jail and was released almost four hours later on his own recognizance, according to the report and jail records.
After news of Lane’s arrest broke Sunday morning, Lane tweeted, “A fail DUI is 0.08 right? I blew 0.03 why was still arrest!!! I’ll leave it at that.”
The Seahawks have not publicly commented on Lane’s arrest.
Lane, 27, is one of the Seahawks’ longest-tenured players, having been drafted in the sixth round in 2012 out of Northwestern State in Louisiana. He was Seattle’s primary nickelback from 2014 to 2016 and made 21 starts, including six this past season at cornerback.
He is scheduled to make $6 million in salary and count $7.25 million against the cap in each of the remaining two seasons on his contract. Those costs plus Lane’s down 2017 season have led to the belief that he’s unlikely to remain with Seattle in 2018.
