AFC West

Denver Broncos star Russell Wilson downplayed the significance to what appeared to be a testy moment with teammate Mike Purcell.

Wilson told reporters after a 23-10 defeat to the Carolina Panthers that he and Purcell are "on the same page" and that "there's no animosity there at all."

#Broncos Wilson on sideline exchange with Purcell. Said there is no issue between them #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/YWgcUMFWBK

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) November 27, 2022

Purcell and the Broncos defense were coming off the field following a Panthers field goal when he approached Wilson and was very animated. Wilson explained it as the nose tackle saying the Broncos "gotta f'in go."

Broncos lineman Mike Purcell is not happy with Russell Wilson

(via @NFLonFOX)pic.twitter.com/MaIMgbxYcm

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 27, 2022

Purcell addressed the incident as well. He said he was generally frustrated and looking to motivate the offense with the team trailing 20-3.

Mike Purcell on heated exchange with Russell Wilson. pic.twitter.com/jDVAcaOVJz

— Rod Mackey (@RodMackeySports) November 27, 2022

Wilson's and Purcell's postgame comments offer a plausible narrative. Emotions can boil over when a team is on its way to losing its eighth game, and Purcell may simply have been trying to light a fire under Wilson and a sputtering offense.

For those watching, however, it was a moment that carried a larger significance.

That locker room is 100% divided, and now we could see it publicly That exchange between Purcell and Wilson will be all over social media and talked about for the next week. If you weren’t gonna fire Hackett before its pretty much impossible not to now after that. #BroncosCountry

— Orlando Franklin (@OFranklin74) November 27, 2022

Trading for Wilson and handing him a five-year, $242.6 million extension might work out for Denver, but this year has been an unabashed flop so far.

Entering Sunday, the nine-time Pro Bowler was on pace to set career lows in completion percentage (59.5), passer rating (83.3) and QBR (32.6), per Pro Football Reference.

Because Wilson is misfiring so badly, the efforts of the defense are being wasted. The Broncos were allowing the third-fewest yards (302.1 per game) and second-fewest points (17.1 per game) through 10 games. Football Outsiders ranked them fifth in defensive efficiency.

And what does the defense have to show for all of that? A 3-8 record.

Blaming Wilson alone would be unfair, but he's supposed to be the franchise quarterback who lifts Denver over the top.

More than that, the 33-year-old might not be leading by example. Former offensive lineman Tyler Polumbus reported on Nov. 16 that Wilson wasn't always in agreement with head coach Nathaniel Hackett about the offense's philosophy and play-calling. Polumbus added the signal-caller is also "using audibles from the Seahawks" and "using codewords that guys don't know what the codewords are."

For better or worse, the Broncos are wedded to Wilson for the foreseeable future because of his massive contract. Right now, both sides are probably wishing they could fast-forward to the offseason and start fresh.

Former Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon III has cleared waivers and is now a free agent, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Broncos waived Gordon on Monday following an overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in which he recorded his fifth fumble of the season. He fumbled at the two-yard line just before halftime, though the Broncos recovered.

Gordon rushed for 318 yards and two touchdowns on 90 carries in 10 games for the Broncos this season. He also caught 25 passes for 223 yards.

The 29-year-old signed with the Broncos in March 2020 after spending the first five seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers. He had an impressive 2020 season, rushing for 986 yards and nine touchdowns, in addition to catching 32 passes for 158 yards and a score.

Gordon also had a productive 2021 campaign, having rushed for 918 yards and eight touchdowns on 203 carries in 16 games, in addition to catching 28 passes for 213 yards and two scores.

However, the two-time Pro Bowler's performance this season wasn't up to par, and now the Broncos will turn to Latavius Murray and Marlon Mack moving forward. Chase Edmonds is expected to miss time with an ankle injury.

Murray has rushed for 209 yards and three touchdowns on 63 carries in five games with the Broncos. Mack, meanwhile, has yet to appear in a game for the Broncos this year.

Denver is fourth in the AFC West with a 3-7 record and will travel to face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Kolton Miller is inactive for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos because of shoulder and abdominal injuries, the team announced.

Miller practiced on a limited basis leading up to Sunday's game.

Miller joined the Raiders as the 15th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. The tackle quickly emerged as a cornerstone of the team's offensive line, starting 63 of a possible 65 games over his first four seasons.

The 27-year-old California native missed a majority of the 2016 campaign at UCLA because of a foot injury. It was his only notable health setback at the college level. He didn't miss any games as a rookie in the NFL despite dealing with knee issues. He sat out two games in 2020 with an ankle injury.

While he's sidelined with the latest ailment, Thayer Munford should be in line to fill the starting void opposite Jermaine Eluemunor for the Raiders. Jackson Barton is the team's other reserve option at tackle.

Las Vegas has embraced an old-school brand of football, which places an extra level of importance on play up front. Miller will be a crucial factor in that scheme over the long haul, but the team should have enough depth to replace him in the short term.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce isn't sure why the New York Giants were willing to trade wide receiver Kadarius Toney, but he's happy general manager Brett Veach stepped up to get a deal done.

Kelce discussed Toney, who made his first touchdown catch with K.C. during Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, on Wednesday's episode of the New Heights podcast (h/t Brian Wacker of the New York Post).

"I don't know how he got out of that building," Kelce said. "I don't get it one bit...I don't even want to know what happened over there. I am just extremely happy that Brett Veach found a way yet again to get an unbelievably talented player in this building."

The Giants invested a first-round pick in the 2021 draft on Toney, who'd earned First Team All-SEC honors during his final college season at the University of Florida.

He failed to make an impact in New York, playing in just 12 of a possible 24 games because of injuries and recording a modest 41 catches for 420 yards and no touchdowns when on the field.

Toney had been sidelined since mid-September because of a hamstring injury when the trade occurred in late October, but he hinted at some behind-the-scenes drama in a Twitter post that was later deleted.

"That joke would've been funny if I was actually hurt still lol...Irrelevant people don't get updates," Toney wrote.

Regardless of the reason for his limited involvement in New York, the Chiefs capitalized on the situation to acquire a potential high-impact target for their offense.

Kelce explained there's been no red flags since the 23-year-old Alabama native arrived.

"When you get a trade like that, you think there's something you have to weigh out," Kelce said. "Ever since he's been in the building it's, man this dude's smart, man this dude's crazy athletic, man this guy has a lot of confidence. When you have a lot of confidence, that means you understand what's going on out there. You're seeing things, you know how to attack it. That goes back to being a smart player and a smart person. He's been a great teammate."

Toney getting up to full speed within the Chiefs' offense may be coming at a perfect time.

JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (illness) and Mecole Hardman (abdomen/illness) all missed practice Wednesday, leaving K.C. thin on receivers.

It's too early to know their statuses for Sunday's clash with the Los Angeles Chargers, but it's not out of the realm of possibility Toney operates as the team's No. 1 receiver this weekend.

Kelce's comments make it sound like the Chiefs' new arrival would be up to the challenge.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels is glad to have team owner Mark Davis on his side.

"I appreciate Mark's support—I've always appreciated it," McDaniels told reporters Wednesday. "I've said that number of times. We're all here because of him and we all want to do right by him.

"He's continued to try and give us anything we need or ask for to try to help us be successful. I appreciate his long-term view on it, too. I really do."

McDaniels' comments come after Davis said he believes the coach is "doing a fantastic job," per Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The owner also said "why wouldn't I?" when asked if he thinks the Raiders have their long-term head coach.

Echoing those sentiments, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported McDaniels, who signed a four-year contract with Las Vegas ahead of the 2022 campaign, was "given assurances by ownership that he will return" next season.

While there may be more of a long-term approach for the Raiders after a 2-7 start, they figured to be in win-now mode this year after trading for Davante Adams during the offseason. This team made the playoffs a season ago and gave up multiple draft picks for one of the top wide receivers in the league.

Things have not gone to plan, and Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts was perhaps the most jarring considering the AFC South team was playing its first game since firing head coach Frank Reich and hiring former center Jeff Saturday even though the latter had no coaching experience at the NFL or college levels.

McDaniels has a track record of success that includes three Super Bowl titles as an offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots as part of Bill Belichick's staff.

Yet the concern for the Raiders is that his track record doesn't extend to his time as a head coach when he doesn't have Tom Brady under center. He went just 11-17 as the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010 and isn't exactly inspiring much confidence during his start with Las Vegas.

Perhaps things will eventually turn around, but he can at least take solace in knowing that Davis is in his corner.

If you're looking for a buy-low candidate to help your backfield in dynasty fantasy football leagues, then Los Angeles Chargers running back Isaiah Spiller could be your man.

Los Angeles selected Spiller in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. In three years at Texas A&M, he ran for 2,993 yards and 25 touchdowns and caught 74 passes for 585 yards and one score.

Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski gave the Chargers a "B" grade for taking Spiller and called him "a bigger (217 lbs) and more physical back to play alongside Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley."

Whereas it looked like Spiller could at least spell Ekeler enough to be a fantasy sleeper or flash big long-term potential, the 21-year-old has been a peripheral figure. He has made just three appearances so far, running for 27 yards on 12 carries.

His highest usage came in a 20-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, when he logged 13 offensive snaps.

"I thought that he looked calm," head coach Brandon Staley told reporters after the game. "I thought he had a lot of productive runs. He was getting positive yards. I thought he hit of a couple creases."

Staley added Spiller "was seeing the game" and that the Chargers "have to continue to get him more experience and more opportunities."

There are still good reasons to remain bullish on Spiller's upside.

As good as Ekeler is, he's 27 years old and due to be a free agent in 2024. The Chargers might decide at that time they're ready to move on to a younger, cheaper option at running back.

Were that to happen, Spiller is the most logical candidate currently on the roster. Sony Michel might be little more than a one-year stopgap, and Kelley isn't going to be the solution, either.

If you're willing to be patient, then banking on Spiller to deliver in 2023 might be a smart play for the right price.

Denver Broncos linebacker Aaron Patrick is suing a number of parties, including the NFL, Los Angeles Chargers, ESPN and a mat company, for a series of decisions that he believes led to the torn ACL he suffered during an Oct. 17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

TMZ Sports obtained the lawsuit that is for unspecified damages that include lost bonuses and future earning potential for the 25-year-old.

Patrick's momentum carried him off the field and into the sideline area when he was attempting to make a tackle on a punt return during the Monday Night Football game. In an effort to avoid an NFL official who was monitoring television timeouts, Patrick said he stepped on mats that were covering up NFL instant replay monitor cords and cables.

According to the lawsuit, stepping on the mats caused his knee to bend and the ACL tear that will keep him sidelined for the rest of the campaign.

His attorney, William M. Berman from Berman & Riedel, released a statement:

"Player safety should be the foremost of importance to the NFL and its owners. The NFL is a multibillion-dollar sports enterprise and business, and it needs to do everything possible to protect its players from non-contact game injuries.

"As for Patrick's injuries, SoFi Stadium was built at a $5,000,000,000 expense; the stadium should have the state-of-the-art equipment to protect for player safety, and not use the type of $100 mats that you would expect to see in a restaurant kitchen."

Patrick finished that game, which was a 19-16 victory for the Chargers, with one tackle.

The Eastern Kentucky product appeared in 12 games for the Broncos last season as well as five games this season before suffering the injury.

Player safety at SoFi Stadium has been a concern at times this season with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp among those who have raised issues about the artificial turf playing surface.

Their comments came after Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf and Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson each suffered patellar injuries on non-contact plays during a game at the stadium.

To hear Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis tell it, head coach Josh McDaniels may be around for the entirety of the four-year contract he signed with the team ahead of the 2022 campaign.

"As far as Josh goes, I have no issues," Davis said, per Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I'm getting to know him a lot better. When you sign someone to a contract, don't you expect him to fulfill the contract?"

The Raiders are 2-7, but Davis said the head coach is "doing a fantastic job. That's why I hired him. We did an exhaustive search and found the person we believe is going to bring the Raiders to greatness."

Jeff Howe of The Athletic noted that McDaniels has nothing to worry about this year:

Head coach Josh McDaniels has been given assurances by ownership that he will return to coach the Raiders in 2023, according to a team source. @theathletic

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) November 14, 2022

There is something to be said about giving a new head coach time to build relationships with his players and to promote continuity, but Las Vegas is arguably the most disappointing team in the league at this point.

It made the playoffs a season ago and proceeded to add star wide receiver Davante Adams, elevating expectations even in a loaded AFC West division with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Russell Wilson quarterbacking the three other teams.

Rather than living up to those expectations, the Raiders have lost three in a row and essentially fallen out of the playoff race with nearly half the season remaining. Things might not get much better in the immediate future either with four of the next six on the road.

They also still play contenders in the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.

But Davis is keeping his eye on the bigger picture.

"Life isn't static," he said. "It's fluid. You want to win at the end of the year and be the one holding the trophy. Obviously, we're not there yet. I know it's frustrating for the fanbase. I feel for them. I'm a fan as well."

McDaniels may have the vote of confidence, but his track record as a head coach isn't exactly inspiring. He led the Broncos for two seasons in 2009 and 2010 and posted an 11-17 record, which is a far cry from the success he found as an offensive coordinator on Bill Belichick's staff with the Patriots.

For now, the Raiders are practicing patience. But they would surely like to see the wins start to add up at some point.

With the fantasy trade deadline coming up this week in many leagues, it's time to take a closer look at the Los Angeles Chargers' receiving pair of Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer, both in the short- and long-term.

It's hard to justify trading for Williams right now, given the ankle injury that has kept him out of action the past two games. It is possible he might return to practice this upcoming week, which would be an indication that his stint on the sidelines is drawing to a close:

Brandon Staley says there’s a “good chance” WR Mike Williams will be back in practice in some capacity next week.

— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) November 11, 2022

A healthy Williams is a WR2, albeit one who will often vary between huge games and more modest showings. In dynasty leagues, he should be viewed as such, but in redraft leagues, try to get him for cheaper given the uncertainty surrounding his injury status.

Palmer is an even bigger question mark, given that a lot of his value this year has been off the back of injuries to Williams and Keenan Allen.

With Allen only playing twice this year, Palmer has often been the second option, turning his promotion into 37 receptions for 390 yards and a score. Nothing to write home about, in other words.

But he has shown flashes. With Williams out in Week 9, Palmer led the passing attack, catching eight passes for 106 yards. He seemed poised for another strong showing in Week 10, only to play second fiddle (three catches for 44 yards) to DeAndre Palmer (four catches for 64 yards and a score).

If you are looking for help for the stretch run this season, look elsewhere. But Palmer is a very intriguing option in dynasty leagues, given that Allen is 30 and has struggled to stay healthy this season. A more regular role as the team's No. 2 wideout behind Williams could be in his future.

Don't pay premium prices for him, but if you can get a good deal to stash him, you might have secured yourself a nice flex option for the future.

The Los Angeles Chargers fell to the San Francisco 49ers 22-16 on Sunday night at Levi's Stadium and fell to 5-4 on the season.

L.A.'s offense was subpar in the loss as quarterback Justin Herbert completed 21-of-35 passes for 196 yards, one touchdown and one interception. That said, Herbert didn't have much to work with as the Chargers have been decimated by injuries at wide receiver.

Both of the team's top two wideouts—Keenan Allen and Mike Williams—missed Sunday's game due to injury. That left Herbert with DeAndre Carter, who caught four passes for 64 yards and one touchdown, and Josh Palmer, who caught three passes for 44 yards, as the top wide receivers.

Running back Austin Ekeler rushed for 24 yards on six carries and also caught seven passes for 39 yards.

Even though the Herbert didn't have his top two targets available against San Francisco, NFL Twitter still criticized the L.A. offense for a disappointing outing, particularly in the second half:

The Chargers' series on offense in the second half:

Punt
Punt
Punt
Turnover on downs
Interception

— Chargers Wire (@TheChargersWire) November 14, 2022

Justin Herbert all alone out there.

— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) November 14, 2022

The Chargers' offense is dog doo right now. Justin Herbert is averaging less than 6 yards per attempt since Week 6. He's had less than 7 six times this year.

— Nick Sabato (@NickSabatoGNN) November 14, 2022

The Chargers have been incredibly flat since coming out of halftime.

Three drives:
- 5 plays, punt (31 yards)
- 6 plays, punt (16 yards)
- Three-and-out (3 yards)

Aside from Everett, it's the same offense that started this game.

— Michael Peterson (@ZoneTracks) November 14, 2022

The Chargers offense is cooked right now. Just can’t get anything going and refuse to force the issue on early downs.

And it’s killing the defense who have been on the field the entire second half.

— Daniel Wade (@dantalkssports) November 14, 2022

The Chargers offense in the second half: pic.twitter.com/7YNyXgBXEn

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) November 14, 2022

Chargers offense is broken.

— Black Dada Nihilismus (@Deuce1042) November 14, 2022

Chargers 2nd half offense 🤮.#LACvsSF

— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) November 14, 2022

This @chargers offense stinks. I get the injuries but man they can’t do anything to move the ball.

— Steve (@Steven_Garrett1) November 14, 2022

Unwatchable Chargers offense. Get off my TV. #LACvsSF

— Doug (@DSinger89) November 14, 2022

It pains me to see the chargers so bad considering how good their offense could be when fully healthy it’s unfortunate even for Herbert young talent in an unlucky situation rn

— Alex A smith (@almjohnson23) November 14, 2022

#Chargers lose 22-16 against the 49ers. They couldn’t conjure up any offense in the second half. The offense terribly misses Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. They now drop to 5-4 and will face the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday Night at SoFi Stadium.#LACvsSF

— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) November 14, 2022

The Chargers desperately need Allen and Williams to return as the offense looks anemic without them. The team is having a lot of trouble moving the ball downfield, and that will only continue if it doesn't figure something out.

L.A. has a tough matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs next weekend at SoFi Stadium. A loss agains KC would drop the Chargers to 5-5.