And with the Colts getting their footing with three straight wins, this could turn into a shootout between Andrew Luck and Tom Brady PHOTOS: Week 6 action | Packers and Patriots setting up undefeated Super Bowl 50 We’ve got the latest odds, lines and analysis for Week 6 from our experts. Here are some of the key games for this week. Patriots at Colts against the spread When Indianapolis has had a healthy Andrew Luck, it has never beaten New England....

Including, in some cases, their own union. Ironically, less than 24 hours earlier, the NFL world’s perspective on salaries was almost the complete opposite — stunned that Andrew Luck got such a huge contract from the Colts, $87 million guaranteed . The entirety of the reported six-year, $140 million deal is not guaranteed, as is the norm in the NFL. MORE: NFL’s highest paid players That debate veered toward whether Luck was worth it in comparison to other quarterbacks, and whether he was another example of quarterbacks getting the lion’s share of the payroll at the expense of stars at other positions....

The NFL’s first Week 18 foray turned out to be a pretty eventful one: The Jaguars beat the Colts, eliminating Indy from the dance, while the Raiders-Chargers “Sunday Night Football” matchup came oh so close to a tie. With the playoff picture now set, the second year of a 14-team tournament is underway, and presumably here to stay. There are a number of intriguing matchups to kick off the weekend, which is now spread over three days....

The NFC’s top two teams — the Eagles and the Vikings — are the two squads playing for playoff berths in Week 13. Neither can clinch passage to the postseason with a win alone, but each can do so with a win and some help. The Eagles are the lone one-loss team remaining in the NFL at 10-1. They are certainly expected to qualify for the postseason, but given that they play in the ultra-competitive NFC East, they aren’t in line to guarantee a division win yet....

With only two teams getting byes into the divisional playoffs, anything can happen in the wild-card round and beyond. It all requires all teams to take advantage of the right matchups at the right time — and avoid the bad ones. Based on potential seeding scenarios for teams already in the 2022-23 playoffs and those still trying to qualify in Week 18, here’s the best and worst possible matchups for each:...

But one thing is already clear: the Patriots and Seahawks have put themselves in position to make another strong run at the Super Bowl. WEEK 15: Opening lines, betting previews | MORE: Bad beats of the week AFC Who’s in: Patriots (11-2), champions, AFC East — They had fallen to third after a couple losses but are right back on top with a favorable schedule and a playoff berth in hand....

Sure, there are a handful of teams that are pretty much locked into the playoffs. They either have clinching scenarios in Week 14 or it would take something mathematically improbable for them to drop out of the top seven in their respective conferences. But still, the NFL is unpredictable, and nothing is guaranteed until it becomes official. As such, fans will be paying close attention to playoff-clinching scenarios, the playoff picture in general and seeding across both conferences as they hope their favorite team can challenge for a Super Bowl....

The “Monday Night Football” clash was stopped when Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field after suffering cardiac arrest. The teams went into their respective locker rooms with about six minutes to play in the first quarter and did not return to the field. MORE: Updated NFL playoff picture for Week 18 Hamlin’s heartbeat was restored on the field. On Thursday, he communicated with doctors at University of Cincinnati Medical Center and showed “substantial improvement,” in the doctors’ estimation....

The Titans were almost perfect in their 20-13 win over the Patriots in New England on Saturday, keeping the six-time Super Bowl winners scoreless in the second half and shredding New England’s defense against the run thanks to a phenomenal game from Derrick Henry. The Titans running back, the league’s leading rusher, racked up 182 rushing yards and one score on 34 carries as he celebrated his 26th birthday in style....

How did every team look during their latest games, good or bad? Which teams have real promising outlooks and which teams are developing concerns that will carry throughout the season, injuries or otherwise? We try to answer those questions with our latest 1-32 assessments in Sporting News’ latest power rankings: MORE: Breaking down NFL contenders and pretenders after Week 2 NFL power rankings Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-0 (previous rank: 1) Tom Brady is just having fun out there now, pouring it on with another loaded offense backed by a big playmaking defense....

Before you settle in to watch the Bears and Packers kick off the NFL’s 100th season for real, here is a look at Sporting News’ final preseason NFL power rankings, just in time for Week 1. 2019 NFL PREDICTIONS:Standings, playoff projections, Super Bowl pick NFL power rankings Kansas City Chiefs (previous preseason ranking: 2) Patrick Mahomes ended up losing only one starter in the offense around him, giving him a chance to maintain the team’s explosive pace from last season....

When that happens, that leads to another shakeup in the league’s power structure. Things might be getting a little tighter at the top and bottom, but everything in between is subject to total chaos. MORE: Latest NFL QB power rankings Here’s how Sporting News sees all 32 teams stacking up against each other with seven weeks left until only 12 will still be standing in the playoffs: NFL power rankings New England Patriots, 8-1 (previous ranking: 3) The Patriots needed their bye to recover from the Ravens game, and you can bet Bill Belichick and Tom Brady will have them laser-focused for a tough stretch against the Eagles, Cowboys, Texans and Chiefs....

NFL practice squads serve more than one purpose. Oftentimes, it is simply to, well, practice, but players stashed on practice squads can play a big part for franchises throughout the course of a grueling NFL season. With changes to practice squads in recent years, the rules have become a little bit more team-friendly in allowing NFL franchises a bit more flexibility in who they can move up to their gameday roster, when, and how often....

So predictions regarding how all teams including the Bears will finish in the 2020 NFL standings and beyond are more of a crap shoot than usual. We have no choice but to operate with the roster and schedule knowledge we have of all 32 teams heading into what will be a strange season. Based on NFL senior writer Vinnie Iyer’s game picks for the entire 2020 season, SN is projecting a slight slip in Chicago from ....

While many eyes were on players taking the field in new or unfamiliar uniforms, some intrigue also stemmed from one familiar player coming back from injury. WATCH: Best moments from preseason Week 1 Here’s the obligatory roundup of such understated overreactions. Josh Allen Coming The Bills knew before their game against Panthers that Allen, the former Wyoming quarterback they drafted No. 7 overall, was a raw prospect and a clear No....

One involves an alternative to onside kicks. The other involves receivers and penalties. Why is the NFL doing this? With the loose nature of the game, focused more on offense than defense, it’s a good testing ground. Here’s breaking down what each rule really means: MORE: Pro Bowl rosters 2020: Selections, results, snubs and alternates 1. Options after a successful field goal or try attempt with no kickoff When Team A scores, it has the following two options, per NFL Operations:...

What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear. Those are just two examples of the terrible jokes NFL Pro Bowlers read, as part of a game called, “Bad Joke Telling.” Watch as the players hilariously went head to head to see who could hold out the longest without laughing: MORE: Pro Bowlers offer tips on how to beat Patriots, Falcons After watching this, I’m convinced Casey Hayward and Melvin Gordon need their own TV show....

NFL official Tony Corrente defended the offensive pass interference penalty called on Gallup in the closing stages of Sunday night’s Cowboys-Rams game, leaving no gray area in Gallup’s offense. MORE: What to know about Dak Prescott’s contract situation “I can tell you it was clear and obvious on the field, of a hand into an opposing player,” Corrente said. “A full arm extension created that separation. In all situations that would be called....

Without a clear front-runner, it appears oddsmakers have defaulted to the only first-round quarterback as the most likely winner of the offensive award. As for the defensive winner, No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson edged out No. 5 pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, with No. 1 pick Travon Walker rounding out a three-headed monster of pass-rushers. MORE: Desmond Ridder vows to make NFL pay after fall to third round This year’s awards are difficult to predict, and they could end up being based on fit....

Want to make September-December plans now to see that rockin’ concert or go on that hot date? Here are the 10 worst prime-time NFL games you can certainly miss, counting down to No. 1. PRIME-TIME SCHEDULES: Thursday | Sunday | Monday Night Football NFL schedule 2017: 10 worst prime-time games Broncos at Colts (Week 15, Thursday night, Dec. 14) This one was a lot more fun when there was that whole Peyton Manning thing....