AFC South

Urban Meyer is committed to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Michael DiRocco of ESPN reported the Jaguars head coach "has no interest" in leaving professional football to return to the college game. Meyer is a former Notre Dame assistant coach whose name naturally came up amid Brian Kelly's departure for LSU. Meyer has described being Notre Dame's coach as his "dream job" on a number of occasions.

One of the most successful college coaches in history, Meyer has not been an immediate hit in the NFL. The Jaguars are 2-9 with an offense that ranks among the NFL's worst in nearly every category.

Most disconcertingly, Meyer has not gotten quarterback Trevor Lawrence prepared for the uptick in speed at the pro level. Lawrence, considered by most as a can't-miss prospect, has thrown for 2,369 yards and nine touchdowns against 10 interceptions in his first 11 career starts. The Jaguars have topped 20 points only three times all season.

Meyer's leadership qualities were also questioned after he chose to stay in Ohio rather than take the team plane back to Jacksonville after a Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Several social media posts showed the coach at an Ohio bar, leading to his issuing multiple apologies to the team, and owner Shad Khan publicly reprimanding him.

It's been speculated on multiple occasions that Meyer would abandon his NFL experiment and return to the college game, where a number of high-profile vacancies have opened up. Meyer is 187-32 in stops at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State as a college head coach. 

Add the Tennessee Titans to the list of teams affected by the recent rise of COVID-19 cases in the NFL. 

Titans starting safety Kevin Byard was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday, per team reporter Jim Wyatt. Tennessee is on a bye in Week 13 and will return to action Dec. 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It wasn't all bad news, as the Titans activated linebacker Joe Jones off the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Byard is Tennessee's most consistent defensive player and has not missed a game in his six-year career. The 2017 first-team All-Pro selection has started 83 straight regular-season games. He leads the team this season with five interceptions, 12 passes defended and two defensive touchdowns, and he ranks second with 64 tackles. 

The Titans selected Byard in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft, and he has grown into one of the best safeties in the league. The Middle Tennessee product has 495 career tackles, 23 interceptions and 56 passes defended.

While it is unclear is Byard will be forced to miss any time, the uncertainty of his status comes at a tough time for Tennessee. The Titans have lost back-to-back games, most recently falling to the New England Patriots 36-13 on Sunday to drop to 8-4. The loss pushed Tennessee out of first place in the AFC.

If Byard were to miss time, sixth-year safety Matthias Farley will take his place. Farley has played in all 12 games this season and has 11 tackles with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

The Tennessee Titans have declared wide receiver A.J. Brown out for their road game against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

Per ESPN's Turron Davenport, Brown suffered chest, rib and hand injuries last Sunday in a 22-13 loss to the Houston Texans. He finished the game with five catches and 48 yards.

Brown has appeared in 10 games for the Titans this season. He missed a Week 4 matchup against the New York Jets with a hamstring injury.

The 24-year-old has been a significant factor in Tennessee's offense since being drafted in 2019. He has two consecutive 1,000-plus-yard seasons to begin his career and leads the team with 46 catches for 615 yards and three touchdowns this year.

Brown has been Tennessee's most reliable player this season, as fellow star wideout Julio Jones has missed five games because of injury. He's also been that much more important to the Titans offense with Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry sidelined after undergoing foot surgery in early November.

Brown has been fairly durable throughout his early career. He appeared in all 16 games during his rookie campaign in 2019 and played 14 games during the 2020 season.

With Brown sidelined, the Titans will rely on Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Chester Rogers.

The 8-3 Titans will need Brown to be healthy later in the season for a final push ahead of the postseason.

Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, 27, has no plans to play as long as Tom Brady.

"If I'm playing football at 44, it means I'm broke," he said, per Stephen Holder of The Athletic.

The comment comes as Buckner and the rest of the Colts defense prepares to face the all-time great in Sunday's matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady's longevity is frankly incredible at this point, and he led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title last season at age 43.

He also hasn't shown many signs of slowing down at the age of 44 considering he leads the league with 29 touchdown passes and is behind only Patrick Mahomes with 3,177 passing yards.

Figuring out a way to at least contain Brady and the high-octane Tampa Bay offense will be key for the Colts if they hope to continue playing at such a high level.

They enter the contest with a three-game winning streak and victories in five of the last six, although they face the Buccaneers, New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals over the course of the next four games during a critical stretch for their postseason push.          

The NFL announced Wednesday that Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is the leading vote-getter after one week of Pro Bowl voting.

The league tweeted the following graphic with Taylor up top thanks to the 81,087 votes he has received:

After one week... the top five players in the 2022 #ProBowlVote!

Vote for the #ProBowl HERE: https://t.co/0bg710O4t5 pic.twitter.com/NknyEiP01z

— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2021

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is the only other player with at least 80,000 votes, while Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs round out the top five.

Taylor has earned the No. 1 position in the Pro Bowl voting with his strong performance this season, especially in Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills.

The second-year back was the driving force behind Indy's 41-15 road upset of Buffalo, as he rushed for 185 yards and four touchdowns, while also catching three passes for 19 yards and one touchdown.

On the season, Taylor leads the NFL with 1,122 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, and he has pitched in 32 grabs for 322 yards and two scores.

Like Taylor, Kupp has been dominant at his position this season.

The 28-year-old has been quarterback Matthew Stafford's favorite target and leads the NFL in most major receiving categories, including receptions (85), receiving yardage (1,141) and receiving touchdowns (10).

Kelce has been the premier tight end in the NFL for the past several seasons, and that continues to be the case in 2021, as he leads all tight ends in receptions (67) and receiving yardage (821). He is also tied for second with five receiving touchdowns.

Unless he suffers an injury, Kelce is virtually guaranteed to finish with over 1,000 receiving yards for the sixth straight season, extending his NFL record for tight ends.

Garrett, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, is having his most productive season.

His 13 sacks are a half-sack shy of his career high, and they represent the most in the league.

Meanwhile, Diggs is the NFL leader in interceptions with eight and pick-sixes with two. The second-year man has broken out after Dallas selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Alabama.

Fans can continue voting for the Pro Bowl until Dec. 16.

The Tennessee Titans released veteran running back Adrian Peterson on Tuesday, per multiple reports, leaving fantasy players to question whether they should be targeting players like Dontrell Hilliard and D'Onta Foreman while Derrick Henry remains sidelined. 

News: the Titans have waived RB Adrian Peterson.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 23, 2021

The #Titans waived RB Adrian Peterson. Possible he returns. For now, Dontrell Hilliard is up to the active roster after picking up 82 yards from scrimmage on Sunday.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 23, 2021

Truth is, you can make a pretty strong argument for both players. 

Hilliard seems likely to be more of the passing-down threat after catching eight passes for 47 yards on 10 targets Sunday, though he did also get seven carries that he turned into 35 yards. A solid showing all in all. 

But Foreman also saw a decent workload, with seven carries for 25 yards and one reception for another 15. It seems likely these two will split the touches in Tennessee's backfield, limiting both of their short-term upsides to emergency-flex status. 

Long term, however, Hilliard may not have as big a role once Jeremy McNichols returns from a concussion. McNichols likely will take up the scatback role when healthy, limiting Hilliard's touches. 

Dontrell Hilliard played the Jeremy McNichols role today, seeing a 19.6% target share. That's the second-highest share from any Titans running back this season.

— JJ Zachariason (@LateRoundQB) November 22, 2021

For as long as Jeremy McNichols is out (might not be long), Dontrell Hilliard is the Titans best bet on passing downs and to split rushing downs with D'Onta Foreman. And I'm not convinced he'll entirely go away when McNichols clears the concussion protocol.

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) November 23, 2021

So Foreman is the safer waiver priority, even if he feels like a ho-hum choice himself given his limited effectiveness—23 carries for 84 yards—across three games.

In order of waiver priority, then, go Foreman first and either Hilliard or McNichols second, depending on the latter's availability. 

Hopefully, however, you have better running back options in place. 

The Tennessee Titans waived veteran running back Adrian Peterson on Tuesday, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. However, it's "possible" Peterson will return to the team. 

The 36-year-old rushed for 82 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries across three games in Tennessee. 

Tennessee replaced Peterson by promoting Dontrell Hilliard to the active roster. The 26-year-old had seven carries for 35 yards and eight catches for 47 yards in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans. 

The Titans signed Peterson about three weeks ago to help replace Derrick Henry, who has been sidelined with broken foot since Week 9. ESPN's Dianna Russini told Get Up there's "optimism" Henry will return by January. 

Peterson, a seven-time Pro Bowler and the 2012 league MVP, is fewer than 200 yards away from the 15,000-yard rushing mark. If he rejoins the Titans or signs with another team, he could very well join the elite 15,000-yard rushing club that includes Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Frank Gore and Barry Sanders.

If Peterson doesn't return, D'Onta Foreman, Jeremy McNichols and Hilliard figure to see more playing time in the coming weeks. Foreman, a 2017 third-round pick out of Texas, has rushed for just 84 yards on 23 carries in three games this season. He also has three catches for 63 yards. 

Meanwhile, McNichols, a 2017 fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Boise State, has 18 carries for 69 yards and 25 catches for 215 yards and one touchdown in 10 games. 

The Titans are entering Sunday's matchup against the New England Patriots with an 8-3 record, first in the AFC South. However, it's clear the team needs to make some adjustments following a disappointing 22-13 loss to the Texans, who are just 2-8.  

The Houston Texans have released running back Phillip Lindsay, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Lindsay totaled 130 rushing yards and a touchdown on 50 carries for the Texans this season, adding three catches for 37 yards and a score. His 2.6 yards per attempt represented the worst mark of his career.

The 27-year-old appeared in just two offensive plays during Sunday's 22-13 win over the Tennessee Titans, finishing with one carry for negative-three yards.

Prior to his struggles in Houston, the 2018 undrafted free agent was a breakout performer during his rookie season with the Denver Broncos. He beat out the highly touted Royce Freeman for playing time before totaling 1,037 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, earning a Pro Bowl selection.

The former Colorado star continued the production in 2018 with 1,011 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, adding 35 receptions for 196 yards.

Though his playing time decreased in 2020 with the addition of Melvin Gordon III, Lindsay finished with 2,550 rushing yards across three seasons with the Broncos, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. 

The past production could make him a target on waivers, especially with notable injuries at the position around the league. The Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and New York Jets could all be interested in a proven running back.

Houston traded leading rusher Mark Ingram II in October, leaving David Johnson as the top remaining player with 137 rushing yards and 198 receiving yards this season.

Rex Burkhead will also get plenty of work. He totaled 18 carries for 40 yards Sunday.

That might not be enough to help a Texans offense that ranks last in the NFL in rushing.    

Jonathan Taylor doesn't like to play favorites.

"They all were my favorite," he told reporters when asked which of his five touchdowns he liked best from Sunday's 41-15 victory over the Buffalo Bills. "Anytime you can get into the end zone, it's a good day."

The Indianapolis Colts running back also thanked his offensive line and defense for helping in the incredible performance:

"The one thing I could say was, 'You guys kept giving it back to the offense...' They create and generate turnovers and we have to capitalize on them."

Jonathan Taylor shouts out the @Colts defense for their impact in today's win over the Bills.

🎤 @Melanie_Collins pic.twitter.com/U1pHojhKbi

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 21, 2021

Taylor finished with 185 yards and four touchdowns on 32 carries while adding 19 yards and another touchdown on three catches. It was a performance fantasy football managers dream of, as the Wisconsin product carried an offense that had just 106 passing yards.

Buffalo's defensive front had no answers for the holes the Colts offensive line created, and Taylor took full advantage with his physical running style between the tackles and ability to break free with even the smallest glimmer of daylight.

Jonathan Taylor fantasy owners, rejoice 🙌

3 TDs in the first half for the Colts RB

(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/GnyXrQhNsZ

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 21, 2021

It was more of the same for the potential MVP candidate, who has scored at least one rushing touchdown in each of his team's last eight games. He has also gone over 100 rushing yards in six of his last eight games and is quickly becoming the best running back in the league with Derrick Henry currently sidelined by injury.

Indianapolis has also won three in a row with Taylor leading the way and is now 6-5 and moving toward playoff positioning.

It is still two games behind the 8-3 Tennessee Titans in the AFC South but closed in on the 5-4 Los Angeles Chargers in the race for the final wild-card spot.

If Taylor continues to run like he has of late, the Colts will be a factor in the AFC playoff picture.           

After Trevor Lawrence has struggled to start his rookie season, the Jacksonville Jaguars are still determining how to best handle the 2021 No. 1 overall draft pick.

According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, there is a "strong debate within that organization" about how to get the most out of him.

Some have reportedly suggested using more "simplified RPOs [run-pass option]" that he ran successfully at Clemson, but increased running would also create a larger risk of injury. The Jaguars are especially cautious after 2020 No. 1 pick Joe Burrow suffered a torn ACL during his rookie season last year.

Something still needs to change with Lawrence after he's registered just eight passing touchdowns with nine interceptions through nine games in the NFL, producing a 72.1 quarterback rating.

The 22-year-old has a 34.8 Total QBR, which ranks 29th of 33 qualified QBs.

Though it's too soon to panic, Lawrence has seemingly not improved over the course of his first season. He hasn't thrown a touchdown pass in his last two games, while he finished just 16-of-35 passing in the team's latest loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

A change in strategy could allow Lawrence to use his legs more, as he did in Clemson when he totaled 766 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns over the last two seasons. So far in the NFL, he has just 169 rushing yards and two scores.

After a 2-7 start to the season with an offense that ranks second-to-last in points per game, it could be time to try something different.