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Joe Mixon is feeling confident ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals showdown with the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills on Monday night.

"At the end of the day, what people got to realize and understand, we the big dog of the AFC, and that's just what it is," he told reporters Saturday. "For anything to happen, it goes through us."

The Bengals (11-4) are the defending AFC champions, though they are currently chasing the Bills (12-3) in the standings. And while Mixon is confident, he isn't taking the Bills lightly.

"The Bills, what better team would you be able to go up and put your best against?" he said. "It's a great opportunity for us, but at the same time, I know our guys, we [are] ready."

So are NFL fans for a clash between two of the league's best teams.

Atlanta Falcons practice squad wide receiver Cameron Batson was arrested early Saturday morning in Atlanta after allegedly fighting with police officers and fleeing the scene of a traffic stop.

According to ESPN, the Atlanta Police Department stated in a release that Batson was pulled over at 2 a.m. ET on Saturday for speeding and failing to maintain his lane on an interstate. Officers on the scene determined that Batson was intoxicated.

Batson allegedly resisted arrest, and an officer fired his gun during the struggle, but no one was hit. Police say Batson then got into his truck and drove away before crashing, fleeing on foot and ultimately getting subdued and arrested.

The Falcons released the following statement on Batson's arrest: "We have been made aware of an overnight incident involving Cameron Batson and are currently gathering information from law enforcement agencies. We take this matter seriously and have no further comment at this time."

Batson, 27, originally signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech in 2018.

He spent four seasons with the Titans, registering 22 receptions for 197 yards and two touchdowns in 27 games from 2018-2021. He also returned 16 kickoffs for an average of 19.4 yards.

After a torn ACL cut Batson's 2021 season short, he signed with the Falcons in free agency ahead of the 2022 campaign. The move reunited Batson with Arthur Smith, who became Atlanta's head coach after previously serving as the Titans' offensive coordinator.

The Falcons released Batson in August, but he then signed with the practice squad and has spent the entire 2022 season in that role.

The 5-10 Falcons will host the 4-11 Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in their second-to-last game of the season.

The Arizona Cardinals announced Saturday that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will not play in Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons due to a knee injury.

Hopkins had been listed as questionable on the Cards' injury report after not practicing Friday.

The 4-11 Cardinals have little to play for over the final two weeks of the 2022 regular season, as they have already been eliminated from playoff contention.

If anything, it would behoove the Cardinals to lose their final two games of the season to improve their draft position. Perhaps they considered that while weighing whether to sit Hopkins this week.

The 30-year-old veteran missed the first six games of the season due to a suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, but he hit the ground running upon his return. Despite playing in only nine games this season, Hopkins has racked up 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns, putting him on pace for more than 120 receptions and 1,300 yards over a full 17-game season.

Last week's 19-16 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was Hopkins' worst game of the season by far, as he finished with only one reception for four yards on 10 targets. Before that, Hopkins had recorded at least 60 yards or a touchdown in every game he played this season.

Third-stringer Trace McSorley started at quarterback for Arizona against Tampa since starter Kyler Murray is out for the season with a torn ACL and backup Colt McCoy was also unable to play due to a concussion. With Murray and McCoy both still out, the Cardinals announced Friday that they will start journeyman David Blough at quarterback against Atlanta.

Hopkins is one of the Cardinals' most important players, and they made a big investment in him in 2020 after acquiring him from the Houston Texans. They extended his contract by two years and $54.5 million, tying him to the team through the 2024 season.

There isn't much sense in risking Hopkins' health in meaningless games since he will either return as the Cards' No. 1 receiver in 2023 or get dealt for some assets to aid in a rebuild.

With Hopkins out Sunday, Blough's top options at wideout will be Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Greg Dortch, Robbie Anderson and A.J. Green.

Cleveland Browns star edge-rusher Myles Garrett told reporters on Friday that head coach Kevin Stefanski's decision to keep him on the sidelines for the first series of Saturday's game against the New Orleans Saints stemmed from a "misunderstanding."

"I was sick and I didn't communicate well enough," he continued. "That's how it went down. Got to respect how [Stefanski] feels about the situation and his judgment."

#Browns Myles Garrett confirmed his 3-play benching was a misunderstanding connected to him being sick. He said it was Kevin Stefanski’s decision and he abided by it pic.twitter.com/mmjtv930sr

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) December 30, 2022

Garrett, who missed multiple practices during the week due to an illness, added that being benched to start a game wasn't a great look on his part.

"It's just a bad look for a starter just in general," he told reporters. "So just don't put myself in that situation again."

Stefanski said the situation is in the past.

"He's done a nice job [this week]," he said. "Been good."

When he's been on the field, the 27-year-old Garrett has been superb, registering 45 tackles (15 for loss), 13.5 sacks, 22 quarterback hits, four passes defensed and two forced fumbles in 14 games. That earned him his fourth Pro Bowl selection.

It's been a bit of an odd year for both Garrett and the disappointing Browns (6-9), however. Garrett missed an early October game against the Atlanta Falcons after crashing and flipping his car on Sept. 26, though he managed to avoid serious injury.

The Browns, meanwhile, struggled to a 4-7 start under Jacoby Brissett while Deshaun Watson was suspended. Since Watson's return to the starting lineup, the team has gone 2-2, though Sunday's 17-10 loss against the Saints officially eliminated them from postseason contention.

"We're trying to figure it out all together and right now we don't really have the recipe to get wins consistently as we'd like," Garrett said. "But I think most of the pieces are here and we just have to tighten a couple of screws."

The Philadelphia Eagles have officially ruled Jalen Hurts as doubtful for Sunday's matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

Marcus Maye is out. Major situation against this opponent pic.twitter.com/Iecj2Grpg0

— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) December 30, 2022

But according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Hurts has made major progress in returning from his right shoulder injury this week after missing the team's Week 16 loss against the Dallas Cowboys.

#Eagles QB Jalen Hurts (shoulder) is doubtful to play Sunday, but sources say he made significant strides this week in returning to practice and the team is very confident he’ll return in the short term. Hurts has been pushing to play, but his health and safety comes first. pic.twitter.com/NZKPFkzXCT

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 30, 2022

Per Tim McManus of ESPN, however, the Eagles plan to rest Hurts against the Saints in what may be a precautionary measure given that progression:

The Eagles plan to rest Jalen Hurts against the Saints.

The decision came down to a health and safety issue, a source said, as Sirianni referenced today.

Hurts’ functionality in his shoulder has progressed to a point where the team expects him back on the field soon.

— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) December 30, 2022

The Eagles could clinch both the NFC East crown and the top overall seed in the NFC playoffs with a win Sunday, along with helping to improve the 2023 first-round pick owed to them by the Saints.

Hurts could still see playing time in the regular season if the Eagles handle business Sunday, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo:

The side note here is the #Giants are the #Eagles’ Week 18 opponent. So they’d be wise to handle their business this week against the #Colts and not have to worry about Jalen Hurts being an obstacle to the postseason.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 30, 2022

Hurts' injury has stalled a potential MVP season. The 24-year-old has thrown for 3,472 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions, completing 67.3 percent of his passes while taking 35 sacks. He's also rushed for 747 yards and 13 scores.

The Eagles are 13-1 in his starts.

With Hurts out, Gardner Minshew will start for the second straight week. He offered a mixed bag against the Cowboys, throwing for 355 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

He's a solid backup option, and the 6-9 Saints are an easier matchup than the Cowboys. It will be up to Minshew to clinch the top overall seed in the NFC, or the Eagles will face a rivalry game against the New York Giants to close out the season with a lot on the line.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters on Friday that star quarterback Lamar Jackson is "progressing well" but added it's a "fair assumption" that Tyler Huntley will start Week 17's matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jackson was later ruled out for Sunday night's game.

It will be the fourth straight game Jackson has missed as he recovers from a knee injury.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman noted Thursday that he would love to see Jackson get in some game time before the playoffs, if possible.

Ravens OC Greg Roman said he would “love to see (Lamar Jackson) get some work in” before the playoffs.

“But you can’t rush Mother Nature,” Roman said. “We have to make sure he’s right at the same time.”

Jackson has been sidelined since hurting his knee 25 days ago. pic.twitter.com/AkYpWgk9Lq

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) December 29, 2022

Ravens OC Greg Roman said Lamar Jackson is “definitely engaged” while sidelined with a knee injury.

“With our backup QBs, we’ve been able to go 3-1,” Roman said. “I’m sure Lamar, in his own ways, is really contributing to that.” pic.twitter.com/s0pxQ7VyAw

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) December 29, 2022

Jackson, 25, was having a solid season, throwing for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 62.3 percent of his passes and taking 26 sacks. The Ravens are 8-4 in his starts.

With Huntley under center, the team has more than treaded water, going 2-1 when he's been called into starting duty. The 24-year-old backup hasn't been asked to do too much through the air, throwing for 528 yards, a score and two picks, but he has completed a solid 67 percent of his passes and only taken six sacks.

Harbaugh said of Huntley:

"It's never too big for him. He operates well, he makes plays while he's under pressure, duress, he manages the situations of games well. I just love the way he plays the position. I think he continues to improve every time he goes out. It's Tyler. We're past that. We're not at 'What surprises you? What impress you?' We expect him to play well."

The result has been a 10-5 Ravens team that will win the AFC North if it can win out against the Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals sit atop the division at 11-4, but the Ravens would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against Cincy with a Week 18 win.

It remains to be seen who will be under center for the Ravens in that potentially crucial matchup.

The Arizona Cardinals will start their third-string quarterback Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters Friday that David Blough will play as Colt McCoy is still dealing with concussion symptoms.

Kingsbury announced Wednesday that McCoy had cleared concussion protocol and was on track to start. The team listed the 36-year-old as a full practice participant Wednesday and Thursday.

McCoy suffered the concussion in the third quarter of Arizona's loss to the Denver Broncos on Dec. 18. Trace McSorley finished the game and started the Cardinals' Week 16 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

There's no indication McSorley is dealing with an injury. The 27-year-old journeyman is not listed on the team's injury report.

The Cardinals signed Blough off the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad Dec. 14. He was active for the Bucs game but didn't play.

He will be the fourth quarterback to start for the Cardinals this season.

Kyler Murray's season ended when he tore his ACL in Week 14 against the New England Patriots. McCoy started in Weeks 10, 11 and 15. McSorley made his first career start last week.

Blough will make his first start in three years. The undrafted Purdue product threw for 984 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions in five starts for the Detroit Lions in 2019. His most recent appearance in an NFL game was with the Lions in Week 8 last season.

The 4-11 Cardinals enter Week 17 having lost five consecutive games. Their 11 losses are their most in a season since 2018 (3-13).

Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns because of foot and knee injuries, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The news was expected as Gibson was trending toward not playing after he missed the last three days of practice.

Gibson eclipsed 1,000 yards from scrimmage for the second straight year in 2021. He finished with 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and 42 receptions for 294 yards and three scores.

His 2022 season hasn't matched that pace. Through 15 games, he has run for 546 yards and three touchdowns.

This offseason, the Commanders made a big investment in their passing game. First, they acquired quarterback Carson Wentz from the Indianapolis Colts. Then, they selected Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson with the 16th pick in the 2022 draft.

The arrivals of Wentz and Dotson theoretically lessened Washington's reliance on the running game, and rookie Brian Robinson Jr. has emerged as the team's top running back this year, having rushed for 710 yards and two scores in 11 games.

Robinson will be asked to shoulder the load for the Commanders in Week 17 as they hope to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Browns.

The Baltimore Ravens are reportedly planning to resume contract talks with quarterback Lamar Jackson at the end of the 2022 season.

According to Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun, the Ravens will attempt to work out a long-term deal with Jackson after failing to do so prior to the 2022 season. If they can't, they have the option of placing the franchise on him and paying him an estimated $45 million in 2023, or they could tag and trade him.

Jackson has missed the Ravens' last three games with a knee injury, and he has not practiced this week, meaning he is trending toward missing a fourth consecutive game when Baltimore faces the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.

Even without Jackson, the Ravens have continued to win and remain in the AFC North divisional title race. Backup Tyler Huntley led Baltimore to a 10-9 win over the Denver Broncos after replacing the injured Jackson and also beat the Steelers and Atlanta Falcons, although he fell to the Cleveland Browns.

Despite Baltimore's success, the Ravens clearly have a far less dynamic offense when Jackson is out, as Huntley has thrown for only 341 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his three starts.

In 12 games this season, Jackson has an 8-4 record and has completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Most impressively, he has rushed for 764 yards and three scores as well.

While Jackson is a two-time Pro Bowler, one-time first-team All-Pro and was the 2019 NFL MVP, there are some concerns surrounding him.

Jackson has gotten the Ravens to the playoffs four times, including this season, but he only has a postseason record of 1-3.

That is something that can easily change and evolve over time, but there is also the subject of injury issues, which have cropped up over the past two seasons.

Jackson missed five games last season, which may have ultimately cost the Ravens a playoff berth, and he is now on the precipice of missing his fourth game this season.

His fearless style of play puts him in harm's way and results in him taking more hits than most quarterbacks, so it is fair to wonder if durability will continue to be a problem moving forward.

Despite that, it is difficult to envision the Ravens moving on from Jackson, as he is highly productive when healthy, and there doesn't figure to be any clear upgrade available to them in the near future.

Getting a deal done may take some compromise from both sides, but it is undoubtedly in the best interest of the Ravens to lock Jackson up as soon as possible.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones denied rumors the team has been in contact with wide receiver Terrell Owens about a potential return for America's Team this season.

"I've never talked to him or his agent and will not seriously consider it," Jones said during his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "But I've never talked to him."

Owens' agent, Gregory D.L. Daniel, recently told Sports Illustrated's Aaron Wilson that the former NFL wideout had been in "constant communication" with Jones about a possible deal.

Daniel said:

"We've been in constant communication with Jerry Jones' office over the last few days about the possibility of him returning to the Cowboys. Terrell is ready to contribute and play any role, big or small. He's in outstanding shape. He looks no different than he did years ago. I watched him running routes full-speed with DeSean and he looked great. He didn't drop a pass.

"He most recently ran a 4.5 40-yard dash, which was his warm-up. He's a legend. We want to make history and see him break these records. If anybody can do it, it's him. His three Ds are desire, dedication and discipline. He embodies that every day, even running hills at 3 a.m. on Christmas morning."

NFL reporter Dov Kleiman reported Wednesday that Owens "won't be signing with the Cowboys at this time." A source told Kleiman that one reason the deal isn't happening is because Owens is asking for more money.

It's no secret the Cowboys could use another wideout, but signing the 49-year-old would be a risk that many teams probably wouldn't be willing to take at this point in the season.

Owens said earlier this month that he had also been in contact with the San Francisco 49ers, another of his former clubs, about a possible return during an appearance on 95.7 The Game's The Morning Roast (h/t Angelina Martin of NBC Sports). The two sides obviously never reached a deal.

Owens last suited up in the NFL in 2010 when he was 37. He spent three seasons with the Cowboys from 2006-2008, racking up 3,587 yards and 38 touchdowns in 47 games.

In addition to the Cowboys and 49ers, Owens also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals across his 15-year career. The Hall of Famer's 15,934 receiving yards trails only Jerry Rice and Larry Fitzgerald for most receiving yards in NFL history

The Cowboys had also been in contact with Odell Beckham Jr. about joining the team this season, but Jones essentially ruled out that possibility, saying recently that "it's not realistic to think about having him in any meaningful way for the playoffs."

Beckham remains unsigned while rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered in the Super Bowl last season.

The Cowboys enter their regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders next week having already clinched a playoff berth with a 12-4 record. CeeDee Lamb has been their best receiver with 1,307 yards eight touchdowns in 16 games.