The Cardinals quarterback struggled in his team’s 30-23 win on Sunday night, and Raiders second-year linebacker Khalil Mack was a big reason why. PHOTOS: NFL Preseason Week 3 action | MORE: Former WWE announcer Jim Ross cuts fantastic promo for Redskins’ Trent Williams Mack stalked Palmer relentlessly, coming up with two sacks and forcing Palmer into an 8-for-23 performance with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He did, however, have an awkward-but-effective 10-yard run, which still probably isn’t what the Cardinals want to see from their quarterback fresh off his second knee surgery....

The five first-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft quarterback class had a rough go of it in 2021, with different degrees of bad-ness. There’s little debate that Mac Jones was the league’s best rookie passer, but who followed him might surprise you. But before we get into the nitty-gritty of QB grades though, a few things on rookie quarterbacks: The NFL is hard, man. Playing quarterback is hard. The Joe Burrows and Justin Herberts of the league are few and far between, and it’s important to remember that progress isn’t linear....

Instead, NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron said, entertainment value is what led the league to tweak its catch rule. Riveron, speaking with media Friday ahead of the weekend’s NFL officiating clinic in Dallas, explained the reasoning behind the simplified standards. “I think we got to a point where fans, the office, coaches, players wanted to see more exciting plays,” Riveron said. “How do we make this particular play a catch?...

On March 16, the new league year begins, which means that it is cap casualty season. Teams are scrambling to get under the salary cap, so they’re restructuring contracts and, if that fails, releasing players outright into free agency. The salary cap for 2022 is $208.2 million, up from $182.5 million last season. That means that every team must be under that $208.2 million by March 16. For some teams, that’s an easier ask than others....

Both teams are ideally located in cities with great weather, both are in rather easy divisions with one stalwart at the top, and both need a quarterback who can take them to the next level. Brady has spent the last 20 seasons in New England, where he won six Super Bowl titles and took his team there three other times. Brady is currently a prohibitive favorite to sign with the Buccaneers, who have a supporting cast similar to the Patriots, but a better overall receiving corps....

For many, that includes laying down some initial bets on season win total over/unders. For some teams, getting in early means getting the best possible value; for others, you might know you’ve lost before the season even begins if there’s a training camp injury or surprise trade. Either way, it’s fun to look at the expected win totals and try to find some worthwhile plays. Keep in mind, there are 17 games this year, so if a total looks particularly high, that could be why....

No matter, as the NFL seems to find a way to win every battle it fights. The Bills face the Broncos in the first game Saturday with the nightcap featuring the Packers and the Panthers. Both games will feature likely playoff teams against opponents angling for draft positioning, so it’s not the most intriguing of doubleheaders, but at least Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers are in action. MORE: Watch NFL games live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)...

As Sunday rolls around, there is plenty of must-see action. At 1 p.m. ET, two teams that impressed in Week 1 will square off when the Ravens host the Dolphins, while the Saints will face their second divisional rival in as many weeks when they host the Buccaneers. In the 4:25 p.m. ET window, the Dak Prescott-less Cowboys will have their work cut out for them as they look to bounce back from a Week 1 letdown against a Bengals team that is also looking to get back on track....

The NFC powers remember very well what happened the last time they met: the Fail Mary game, when Seattle won on a hotly disputed desperation heave into the end zone (yes, Golden Tate pushed off, and yes, it was an interception, so there). MORE: Photos | Betting preview | Iyer’s Week 1 picks | Steele’s picks | Fantasy rankings: Top 50 | Super Bowl pick Follow the action live on Sporting News’ NFL scoreboard ....

The first game will be played in Week 4 on Sept. 28, with the Oakland Raiders facing the Miami Dolphins. A month later, in Week 8, the Atlanta Falcons will play the Detroit Lions on Oct. 26. All the games will be played at Wembley Stadium. The teams and matchups had been previously announced. The Raiders, Falcons and Jaguars are the designated home teams. The NFL has been playing regular-season games at Wembley since 2007....

The league kept its expanded playoff field, with 14 of its 32 teams (43.8 percent) set to qualify for the latest postseason. That includes 7 each from the AFC and NFC, with only the No. 1 seeds getting byes on top of home-field advantage. Who would be in, who’s still in contention, and who should be thinking about next season? Here’s a comprehensive look: NFL POWER RANKINGS: Packers go to No....

At this point, there are already several teams in that third category, ensuring their seasons will end once Week 18 comes to a close. Before the start of Week 16, there are five teams that have been eliminated from postseason contention. By the end of it, there could be several more that get officially knocked out of the playoffs. Who is already making offseason vacation plans? And who could soon be joining them?...

The league confirmed the temporary hold on the use of pyrotechnics in a statement Friday morning obtained by ESPN. Teams, however, can still use pyrotechnics away from the field (like along the roof of U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis), according to a separate statement from the Vikings. The moratorium will continue until the NFL finishes its investigation into Sunday’s fire at Nissan Stadium that delayed the start of Tennessee’s game against the Colts....

Despite the fact the Falcons are 2-5 and playoff hopes are fading for the reigning NFC South champions because of injuries, the organization, led by coach Mike Smith and general manger Thomas Dimitroff, has made it clear they don't want to deal Gonzalez. Gonzalez, in what is set to be his final NFL season, also isn't about to lobby to be moved to a team that still has a shot at winning the Super Bowl....

Gase, the Jets coach and interim general manager, agreed Wednesday to send linebacker Darron Lee to the Chiefs in exchange for a 2020 sixth-round pick, according to a report from ESPN, which cites unidentified league sources. The Jets selected Lee out of Ohio State with the 20th pick in the 2016 draft. But he was inconsistent, recording just four sacks during his time in New York. The 24-year-old totaled 74 tackles and three interceptions in 12 games last season....

Broncos star cover man Chris Harris has already garnered interest from multiple teams, according to 9News in Denver. The Texans also expressed interest in him last week, but ultimately they acquired Gareon Conley from the Raiders in return for a third-round pick. Harris’ market is expected to heat up by Tuesday, but he should play against the Colts on Sunday. There has been a lot of action on the trade market already this season with the Conley move already going down as well as Jaguars corner Jalen Ramsey being traded to the Rams....

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Miami is working to finalize a trade that would send Albert to the Jaguars for tight end Julius Thomas. The deal could be contingent on the players restructuring their contracts, though the Sun Sentinel reported that all parties support the trade — including Albert, who confirmed the news. The trade cannot be finalized until the start of the NFL year on March 9....

According to ESPN, the Texans have traded quarterback disaster Brock Osweiler, a 2018 second-round pick and a 2017 sixth-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for the Browns’ fourth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. MORE: NFL free agency tracker Osweiler had a miserable 2016 season, completing 59 percent of his passes for 2,957 yards and 15 touchdowns — to 16 interceptions. The Texans lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Patriots in the AFC divisional round, a game in which Osweiler threw three interceptions....