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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is dealing with a sprained shoulder that could jeopardize his status for a Week 16 clash against the Dallas Cowboys, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter added the team doesn't expect this to be a long-term issue for its starting signal-caller, though Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported he could be out for Philly's next two games.

John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia added that the injury is "not serious" and that Hurts is expected to be ready for the playoffs.

PhillyVoice.com's Jimmy Kempski initially reported Hurts underwent X-rays for an undisclosed injury following Sunday's 25-20 win over the Chicago Bears.

The Eagles handed Hurts the keys to the offense when they traded Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts. Hurts proceeded to guide Philadelphia into the playoffs, while Wentz's Week 18 performance helped cost Indianapolis a postseason berth.

In his first full season as the starter, Hurts threw for 3,144 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions and ran for 784 yards and 10 scores.

The 2020 second-round pick proved Philadelphia right in moving on from Wentz and looked like he might be a long-term solution at quarterback.

Hurts' performance in the Wild Card Round (23-of-43 for 258 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions) showed he still has some improvements to make, though, in order to take the next step up.

He appears to have done just that with 3,472 passing yards and 747 rushing yards through 14 games.

The Eagles acquired Gardner Minshew from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 to serve as Hurts' backup, and he was pressed into duty twice a season ago.

Minshew has a clear ceiling, hence Jacksonville's decision to select Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, but the fourth-year signal-caller if needed is a solid stopgap who has performed well enough when given starting opportunities.

Playoff spots will be on the line during Week 16 of the NFL season.

The league released the various playoff-clinching scenarios for the upcoming slate Monday:

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AFC

• Buffalo Bills: Clinch AFC East with win over Chicago Bears OR Miami Dolphins loss (to Green Bay Packers)
• Cincinnati Bengals: Clinch playoff berth with win over New England Patriots OR New York Jets loss (to Jacksonville Jaguars)
• Baltimore Ravens: Clinch playoff berth with either 1. win over Atlanta Falcons paired with losses by the Jets and Patriots OR 2. win over Falcons paired with losses by the Jets and Dolphins OR 3. win over Falcons paired with losses by the Patriots and Dolphins
• Los Angeles Chargers: Clinch playoff berth with win over Indianapolis Colts paired with losses by the Jets, Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders (to Pittsburgh Steelers)

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NFC

• Philadelphia Eagles: Clinch NFC East and NFC's No. 1 seed with win over Dallas Cowboys
• New York Giants: Clinch playoff berth with either 1. win over Minnesota Vikings paired with losses by the Detroit Lions (to the Carolina Panthers) and Seattle Seahawks (to Kansas City Chiefs) OR 2. win over Vikings paired with losses by Lions and Washington Commanders (to San Francisco 49ers) OR 3. win over Vikings paired with losses by Seahawks and Commanders

There are a number of games with playoff implications that stand out, but the headliner is the showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

It is a marquee matchup whenever these two rivals square off, and Philadelphia can send a message by clinching the top seed with a head-to-head victory. Fortunately for the Eagles, they will likely end up with the No. 1 seed even with a loss since they would still be two games ahead of the Cowboys and at least one game ahead of the Minnesota Vikings.

As if the rivalry and playoff stakes weren't enough, Cowboys pass-rusher Micah Parsons added another layer to this contest with comments he made during a discussion with Von Miller on The Voncast:

Parsons suggested Philadelphia's "system and team" is more responsible for Jalen Hurts' MVP candidacy than the quarterback's individual talents.

There is something to be said about Hurts benefiting from a strong offensive line while throwing to the likes of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but the comments will be framed as bulletin-board material for Hurts and the Eagles as they look to clinch a division crown.

And Parsons will be under plenty of pressure to perform well for a Cowboys team looking to bounce back from a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell wonders whether star receiver Justin Jefferson is being targeted by opposing teams.

"I think it's about the fifth or sixth week in a row he took a type of hit that drew a flag," he told reporters Monday. "Clearly, there's an emphasis on the teams we're playing that some of those hits, they don't just seem to be by accident at times."

In the fourth quarter of the Vikings' 39-36 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, referees flagged Colts safety Rodney Thomas II for unnecessary roughness for a hit on Jefferson. On the Vikings' next drive, Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore was flagged for unnecessary roughness against Jefferson as well.

Que paulada do Gilmore no Justin Jefferson! #NFLBrasil pic.twitter.com/xZGUwG7xBP

— NFL Brasil (@NFLBrasil) December 17, 2022

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted the Minnesota staff took exception to the latter sequence:

O'Connell and others on the #Vikings sideline were livid after Stephon Gilmore's leaping hit on Justin Jefferson on Saturday, wanting him ejected. Gilmore was allowed to stay in the game. https://t.co/XUBzQxZhvM

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 19, 2022

The two-time Pro Bowler leads the NFL in receptions (111) and receiving yards (1,623), and he has eclipsed 150 yards on four occasions. Calvin Johnson's single-season record (1,964 yards) is within reach over the final three weeks.

Because of his consistency, Jefferson will always be a focal point of a team's defensive game plan. O'Connell seems to believe the Vikings' opponents are crossing a line when it comes to covering the dynamic wideout.

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said Monday the team will not bench Taylor Heinicke after Sunday's 20-12 loss to the New York Giants.

"The biggest thing more than anything else is sticking with Taylor and what we're trying to accomplish," Rivera told reporters.

The coach indicated a quarterback change could still come if things don't improve for the 7-6-1 squad.

"It is something to be quite frank, I do have to think about at some point," Rivera added. "But if we get back on track and play the way we've played and do the things we've done, then we'll stick where we are."

Carson Wentz, who started the first six games of the season, was activated from injured reserve last week after dealing with a finger injury.

The Commanders acquired Wentz in an offseason trade with the Indianapolis Colts, although he struggled in the new location with 10 passing touchdowns and six interceptions in six games, producing an 84.1 passer rating.

Washington was just 2-4 in his starts.

The team has fared better with Heinicke under center, going 5-2-1 in his eight eight games, although the last two starts resulted in a tie and loss to the New York Giants.

Heinicke also hasn't been much better on an individual level, totaling 10 touchdowns with five interceptions and an 87.7 rating.

He ranks 27th in the NFL in Total QBR, while Wentz is 31st of 33 qualified players.

The Commanders have been good enough to overcome mediocre quarterback play this year, ranking fourth in the NFL in total yards allowed and ninth in points allowed. It's kept them in playoff position entering Week 16, half a game ahead of the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions for the last wild-card spot.

Heinicke will keep his starting job ahead of next Saturday's game against the San Francisco 49ers, but he might have a short leash if he continues to struggle.

The positional value of running backs in the NFL draft may have fallen in recent years, but that's unlikely to stop Texas star Bijan Robinson from being a Day 1 selection.

Robinson announced Monday he's entering the 2023 NFL draft and skipping the Longhorns' Alamo Bowl matchup against No. 12 Washington on Dec. 29.

Texas Forever. Thank you, 5🤘 pic.twitter.com/eyPt452GXn

— Bijan Robinson (@Bijan5Robinson) December 19, 2022

The junior ran for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2022. He's the No. 4 overall player on Bleacher Report's big board and was projected to be the 19th pick in B/R's most recent 2023 mock draft.

Robinson is as sure a thing as you'll get out of the backfield this spring, and he should provide immediate help to whatever team takes him.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rank last in rushing yards per game (74.3) and yards per carry (3.3). Leonard Fournette is only one year into his three-year, $21 million contract, though, and the Bucs used third-round picks on Rachaad White and Ke'Shawn Vaughn in 2022 and 2020, respectively.

Even if it means getting an upgrade, would Tampa Bay be willing to use a first-round selection on Robinson?

The Miami Dolphins, on the other hand, have all four of their running backs (Salvon Ahmed, Myles Gaskin, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr.) hitting free agency in 2023. Targeting Robinson would fill an immediate need and give Miami a cost-effective solution that frees up some salary cap space for the rest of the offense.

There's only one small problem. The Dolphins forfeited their 2023 first-rounder following a tampering investigation, and they dealt the first-round pick they got from the San Francisco 49ers as part of the Bradley Chubb trade.

Absent moving back into the first round, Miami might not have a path to landing Robinson.

Using a first-round pick on Clyde Edwards-Helaire hasn't worked out for the Kansas City Chiefs so far. Edwards-Helaire ran for 302 yards and three touchdowns before losing his starting job and landing on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain.

It's difficult to see the former LSU star coming back from this, so the Chiefs might be looking for a long-term replacement. Robinson would offer just that if he's still available when Kansas City is on the board.

One team could catapult to the top of the list of Robinson's best suitors: the New York Giants.

Saquon Barkley is on a path to his second Pro Bowl with 1,464 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns in 14 games. Re-signing the 25-year-old could nevertheless be a tricky proposition depending on what kind of demands he'll have.

The Giants saw the limits even an elite running back can have on wins and losses when they posted nine combined victories through Barkley's first two years. Letting him walk will be the more sensible decision if push comes to shove.

In Robinson, New York could have a ready-made replacement in the event it lets Barkley walk as a free agent.

Tua Tagovailoa's Miami Dolphins are trending in the wrong direction with three straight losses, but he can at least take solace in the fact he has plenty of fan support.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport shared the final AFC and NFC vote-getters for each position for the Pro Bowl, and the Dolphins signal-caller leads all players. He is joined by teammate Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings in the top five:

The final leaders in fan votes for the Pro Bowl Games, with fans counting 1/3 (along with players and coaches).

Top vote-getter? Tua Tagovailoa. pic.twitter.com/Tm6rsFfjW5

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 19, 2022

The full rosters will be announced Wednesday, but these players have the inside track on landing roster spots.

As Rapoport noted, the fan vote accounts for one-third of the decision-making formula. Coaches and players account for the other two-thirds, but players such as Mahomes, Jefferson and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who are all in starting position after the fan votes were tallied, will surely be named to the rosters.

Tagovailoa is primed to make the first Pro Bowl of his career during a season in which he has led the Dolphins into playoff position at 8-6. He has completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 3,238 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

Throwing to the likes of Hill and Jaylen Waddle has certainly helped. The former is looking to make the seventh Pro Bowl of his career.

Yet it is a credit to Mahomes, Kelce and the infrastructure in place with the Chiefs that Hill's former team hasn't lost much of a step even without arguably the most dynamic wide receiver in the league.

Kansas City is 11-3 and tied with the Buffalo Bills in the race for the AFC's No. 1 seed and first-round playoff bye. Kelce has 91 catches for 1,144 yards and a league-best 12 touchdowns as a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.

While the idea of Hurts throwing to Jefferson on the NFC side and Mahomes reuniting with Hill and still finding Kelce on the AFC side is surely enticing, there will not be the traditional Pro Bowl game that fans are so accustomed to this season.

Instead, the NFL changed the format for the "Pro Bowl Games" that will feature three flag football games and a series of competitions that will include a relay race.

Perhaps there was a time in the NFL when quarterbacks were given more time before they were expected to be franchise cornerstones, but New York Jets signal-caller Zach Wilson was thrown into the big-market spotlight as soon as the AFC East team selected him with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 draft.

Head coach Robert Saleh wishes that wasn't the case.

"The frustrating thing is that this kid is going to be a good quarterback, but the NFL and this new instant-coffee world that we're in just doesn't want to give people time," Saleh said of Wilson, per Rich Cimini of ESPN. "So, we look at him and he's just nitpicked with a fine-tooth comb."

Saleh benched Wilson this season, although the BYU product was back under center for Sunday's loss to the Detroit Lions because Mike White was sidelined with fractured ribs. It remains to be seen whether White will return for Thursday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Wilson went 18-for-35 for 317 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the loss to Detroit.

Saleh said he was "pumped" for the quarterback because he took the "big step" of overcoming some adversity during the game and leading a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.

Whichever quarterback is under center for the 7-7 Jets will need to get them back on track after three straight losses if they are going to make the postseason. New York is one game behind the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins for the final two AFC wild-card spots.

Former New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns linebacker Willie McGinest was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday morning.

TMZ Sports obtained a video that showed McGinest approaching a man who was sitting at a table at a lounge in West Hollywood, California. They exchanged words with each other before the former linebacker punched the man in the face.

Others who seemed to be in McGinest's group also hit the unidentified man for a sustained period of time.

McGinest also appeared to pick up a bottle before hitting the man in the head with it multiple times.

He was arrested on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon and then released after posting bail that was set at $30,000.

Safid Deen of USA Today reported that McGinest turned himself in to police.

McGinest played 15 seasons in the NFL from 1994 through 2008. He spent the first 12 on the Patriots, where he won three Super Bowls, and the final three for the Browns.

He joined the media during his retirement and is currently an analyst for NFL Network. However, he will not appear on the network while the situation is under review.

"We are aware of the incident and the video, which is disturbing. Willie McGinest will not appear on NFL Network while we review the matter," an NFL Network spokesperson told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

While plenty of notable quarterbacks rarely shy away from showing their frustration on the sideline, the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts looks to keep an even keel.

"I want those guys to look me in the eyes and know there's not a doubt," he said, per the Delaware News Journal's Martin Frank. "And to know that with the preparation we put in together that we'll find a way. I want them to have that trust in me."

That approach contrasts with Tom Brady's demeanor on the sideline. No tablet is safe when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trailing, and his teammates will hear about it if he doesn't think they're performing well enough:

Tom Brady threw the tablet after his INT 😳

(via @NFLBrasil)pic.twitter.com/PyvdFi30NO

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 20, 2021

Tom Brady having a word with his O-line after a 9-point first half 👀

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

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 16, 2022

The same goes for Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers, who isn't above throwing his teammates under the bus, either.

Aaron Rodgers is not happy on the sideline after his last throw was tipped and picked in the end zone.

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/imqwBbvCA3

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 6, 2022

No two players are the same. While Brady and Rodgers' success speaks for itself, not every quarterback has to mirror their demeanor.

Hurts' more measured attitude is serving him well, too. The Eagles own the NFL's best record at 13-1, and their starting quarterback is a candidate for MVP with 3,472 passing yards and 22 touchdowns to go along with 747 yards and 13 scores on the ground.

The Green Bay Packers face the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, but they reportedly made a move ahead of the contest at Lambeau Field.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the NFC North team released wide receiver Sammy Watkins. The Clemson product will go on waivers as a result.

Green Bay signed Watkins to a one-year deal this offseason as it overhauled the wide receiver position.

Its most notable move was trading Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, but it also lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling to free agency and drafted Christian Watson in the second round. Watson has emerged in the second half of the season with eight total touchdowns in his last four games.

As for Watkins, he went on injured reserve in September with a hamstring setback and has not been much of a factor all year.

He has just 13 catches for 206 yards and zero touchdowns in nine games, and the Week 2 win over the Chicago Bears before his injury was the only time he went over 47 yards in a single game.

The lack of production comes after the 29-year-old posted career-low numbers across the board in 2021 for the Baltimore Ravens with 27 catches for 394 yards and one touchdown.

Perhaps another team will take a chance on Watkins considering there was a time when he was a dangerous offensive weapon. His best individual season came in 2015 when he tallied 60 catches for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns as a member of the Buffalo Bills.

Yet he hasn't been able to replicate those totals in subsequent stops on the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Ravens and Packers and heads to waivers as the 2022 season approaches the final push ahead of the playoffs.