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Reece Topley is set to sign for Surrey on a two-year deal.

ESPNcricinfo understands that Topley, the 25-year-old left-arm swing bowler, will have a medical at The Oval next week. It is also understood he has been the subject of interest from several other counties.

Sussex were disappointed that he rejected their offer to renew his contract, and released a statement which made reference to the fact the club's medical and coaching staff had helped him back to fitness before he had signed for them. He was the club's leading wicket-taker in the Blast, and took six wickets in two end-of-season Championship games.

Topley will be viewed primarily as a T20 specialist at Surrey, though he could be used in the first-class side if required. He is also likely to be picked in The Hundred's inaugural draft next Sunday (October 20).

If Topley's signing is completed it would make Surrey the fourth county of his injury-blighted career. A series of stress fractures to the lower back have caused long injury absences but there are hopes that an operation performed during 2018 has delivered a long-term solution. Earlier fractures were treated with rest and gym work.

Topley's attraction to any teams are pretty obvious. A tall, left-arm bowler blessed with good skills and the ability to swing the ball, he looked set for a permanent role in England's white-ball squads before injury intervened. It remains possible he could yet feature in the England Lions squad over the winter.

His choice of Surrey is intriguing. A strong, deep squad could create selection issues at times, but may also ensure he is not over-bowled. And, rightly or wrongly, he may have reasoned that performances at The Oval are more likely to capture the attention of the media and selectors.

Ashley Giles, England's director of men's cricket, has warned that there is no easy way to protect the team's star players from the heightened profile that comes with their summer's successes, after a week in which Ben Stokes once again attracted media attention for all the wrong reasons.

Stokes was last week named as the PCA's Player of the Year following his remarkable feats during the World Cup and Ashes. However, he was subsequently forced to rebut claims that he had assaulted his wife, Clare, during the PCA event, after paparazzi photos were published on a website showing him raising his hand to his wife's face.

That incident followed the publication, last month, of a front-page story in The Sun, detailing a family tragedy that occurred in Stokes' native New Zealand, three years before he was born.

Stokes has since launched legal proceedings against the newspaper, citing invasion of privacy. But, with England due to tour New Zealand next month (Stokes is missing the T20I leg but will be involved in the Tests), the issue is doubtless likely to resurface - not least because Stokes appears to have attained a level of interest to the tabloid press that matches his fellow England allrounder, Ian Botham, in the 1980s.

England are also due to make two trips to Australia in the next 24 months - a country that Stokes has not toured since missing the 2017-18 Ashes in the wake of his arrest in Bristol - and Giles admitted that the pressures that come at the very top of the game are far removed from those that he fleetingly experienced in 2005, as part of the last England team to truly capture the public's imagination.

"I think everything is wrapped up for these guys now," said Giles. "Success brings money, brings more pressures, and the pressures are certainly far different to what we experienced when we played.

"There's a lot of good stuff there they get, but there's also a lot of negative stuff. Part of my job is to protect them from that, but how exactly do you do that? I don't know. You can't always watch them or their families 24 hours a day. But we're certainly there for them and player welfare and support is a big thing for us going forward.

"It's just a worry, in some sense, how his profile can be used against him, and how susceptible they are as a family to this," Giles added. "The bigger your profile the more difficult it can become."

Within hours of the photos appearing on the Guido Fawkes website, Clare Stokes dismissed the story as "nonsense", tweeting that that the pair had merely been "messing about" before leaving the event to get a "romantic McDonalds 20 mins later."

"I spoke to both of them the other night," said Giles. "I was pretty sure, as soon as I saw the story, there was nothing in it. They were obviously concerned because domestic violence is a really serious issue, and we're not making light of that at all. But in this instance it's a very happy couple having some fun, and a picture telling a thousand words, but just the wrong ones."

Chris Silverwood, England's newly appointed head coach, said that the PCA incident had been a "lesson for everybody", adding that "innocent things can be taken out of context if you are not careful". But he, like Giles, was satisfied that the issue had been taken out of context, and that the matter was now considered closed.

However, it is not merely Stokes who has been on the wrong end of some negative publicity in recent months. The England Lions duo, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Joe Clarke, were stood down from selection in the summer after their misdemeanours on social media came to light in the rape trial of a former team-mate, while Alex Hales was dropped from England's World Cup squad after failing two tests for recreational drugs.

Giles, however, reiterated that the players would be given the chance to learn from their mistakes and be considered for selection again, just as Stokes has done post-Bristol, so long as they too demonstrate a willingness to buy into the team culture in the future.

"Yes, some [headlines] have been not so good, but I think we have to accept that they're human beings and they're going to make mistakes," Giles said. "Ben has made mistakes in his past and we've seen how he can turn it around and we have to think that others who have made mistakes can do that also.

ALSO READ: Silverwood's 'wow' factor before understated unveiling

"We've always said it's not the end of the line. But the culture bit is really important to us. We have to continue down that line because as we've seen with Australia and the scrutiny they fell under in South Africa [during the ball-tampering scandal], we don't want to be putting ourselves in that position. So it takes constant, consistent short-term checks to make sure we are functioning in the right way."

Asked whether he felt that Silverwood had it in him to make the tough decisions if challenged to do so in the future, Giles insisted that his new appointment had hidden qualities beneath his placid demeanour.

"I think there's a steeliness that don't you particularly want to cross as a player," Giles said. "I think the hairdryer treatment is a bit dated but one of the things that's impressed me about him from what I've seen and the people I've spoken to is the way he manages people.

"It's clear at Essex, you just need to look at that dressing-room and the different personalities - Alastair Cook to Ravi Bopara and others in between. But each of them only has good things to say about his style. I think it bodes well.

"He's a good man with solid values and I'm pleased the right man is English because it helps break that cycle we were in where we couldn't employ an English coach and I think we've got a good one here."

Warren Deutrom, the chief executive of Cricket Ireland, has restated his interest in Ireland touring Pakistan. He had been in Lahore for the recently concluded T20Is against Sri Lanka and was very impressed with the way the series went off.

"First of all, we have been treated fabulously well," Deutrom said in the PCB's podcast. "The courtesy, the generosity, the hospitality, the warmth, the love of cricket is plainly obvious for anyone to see. Cricket Ireland is now a Test nation and we certainly feel it is important that we play our part in being a mature and grownup member of the cricket family," Deutrom said in PCB's podcast. "We want to play our part in assisting getting international cricket back in Pakistan."

There is no free window - at least for the next eight months - to fit in this series but Ireland are expecting to be invited to Pakistan within a year's time.

Tom Harrison, the England and Wales Cricket Board Chief Executive, was also in Pakistan during T20 series against Sri Lanka in Lahore. Both he and Deutrom were given a walk-through of the security arrangements made for cricket teams during international matches in the country.

"To be honest, and just at a very human level, until you see it with yourself, you come with a set of conceptions or preconceptions," Deutrom said, "And I think this visit, which was generously made at the invitation of the Pakistan Cricket Board, would begin to change those perceptions."

Sri Lanka were given presidential-level security over the course of the entire series which began on September 30. When it ended, on October 9, their interim coach Rumesh Ratnayake said "the doubt [over touring Pakistan] has been taken out now."

Deutrom echoed similar sentiments. "What we saw in Islamabad and Lahore is the extraordinary lengths to which the cricket authorities, the security authorities, the government and police, everyone has been working incredibly closely together to building that confidence," he said Deutrom. "It begins to build a sense of okay, well, what are the reasons now to say why wouldn't we come if we have all these sensitive comforts provided to us. So, it is the beginning, I believe, of a conversation.

"We have a board meeting at the end of this month and would like to convey to the board what we have seen and the remarkable steps that have been taken to instill that level of confidence in other cricket boards around the world. We will do what we have always done, engage with our governments and insurers, and talk to our players. We will speak with the other boards that have been here in the past, obviously Sri Lanka Cricket, and then, we need to wait for an invitation.

"When we receive an invitation, we will go through the motions and will take it extremely seriously. There is no date set. However, it wouldn't surprise me if that date or if that invitation was received by the end of the year for a tour taking place, perhaps next year, maybe the year after, I don't know. I think that's something we should take extremely seriously."

Ireland had been interested in touring Pakistan in 2014 as well and negotiations to play a three-match ODI series had been near their final stages when they were forced to a halt by the attack on Karachi airport in September of that year. Pakistan were Ireland's opponents when they made their Test debut in 2018 and the two teams are set to play each other again in a T20I series next July.

Ravens' Thomas fined $21K for hit to QB Rudolph

Published in Breaking News
Friday, 11 October 2019 11:53

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens safety Earl Thomas II told ESPN that he was fined $21,000 by the NFL for his hit on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Thomas plans to appeal the fine.

In Sunday's 26-23 overtime win in Pittsburgh, Thomas' helmet connected on Rudolph's chin. Rudolph suffered a concussion and appeared to get knocked out on the collision. Thomas wasn't initially flagged, but officials later penalized him for roughing the passer.

Thomas reached out to the second-year quarterback by calling him and texting him this week. Rudolph didn't respond, according to Thomas.

"I wanted to him to know that I didn't do it on purpose," Thomas said. "That's all I wanted him to know."

Rudolph remains in concussion protocol and has been limited in practice this week. It's uncertain whether he'll play Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said it's clear that Thomas wasn't looking to hurt Rudolph.

"I see Earl trying to pull off. There's no question about it when you watch the tape," Harbaugh said. "He goes in there, and as he gets close, he's running to the ball. Mason is scrambling and going, and he [Thomas] is running to the ball, playing fast, and he tries to pull out. It's clear. So, I respect him for that. It's just an unfortunate collision."

Redskins' Callahan opts to start Keenum vs. Fins

Published in Breaking News
Friday, 11 October 2019 11:58

The Washington Redskins will start Case Keenum at quarterback for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, interim coach Bill Callahan announced Friday.

Rookie Dwayne Haskins will serve as the backup Sunday. Callahan said Haskins will be active for the game because he is the future of the franchise.

The decision means Week 5 starter Colt McCoy will likely be inactive for the battle of winless teams.

Keenum was benched by former head coach Jay Gruden in favor of Haskins during the first half of a Week 4 loss to the New York Giants. He started the first four games but had a sprained right foot that caused him to miss a few practices prior to games against the Giants and Patriots.

McCoy started against the Patriots, going 18 for 27 for 122 yards and an interception as the Redskins fell to 0-5.

Coaches failing on challenges for interference

Published in Breaking News
Friday, 11 October 2019 11:46

NFL coaches have failed on 20 of their past 21 challenges for pass interference this season, a trend that could discourage them from using the league's marque rule change in 2019.

Overall, there have been seven reversals in 40 pass interference-related reviews since the start of the season, including those initiated by the replay official in the booth. But coaches have grown increasingly frustrated by their inability to get calls changed in what seem to be clear instances of a mistaken call. The most recent instance occurred in the fourth quarter of the New England Patriots' 35-14 victory over the New York Giants Thursday night.

Giants coach Pat Shurmur challenged a no-call on a play in which Patriots defender Jonathan Jones made significant contact with Giants receiver Golden Tate before the ball arrived. NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron upheld the original call of referee Brad Allen's crew.

"[W]e see that replay doesn't overturn much," Shurmur said afterward. "So I am not surprised."

Earlier this week, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin -- a member of the NFL's competition committee -- said he doesn't think "any of us have a feel" for what an overturned pass interference ruling would look like. He added: "I'm just being honest. I don't have any idea what I'm going to do moving forward because it appears to be a moving target."

This season, NFL coaches have challenged a total of 10 plays in which officials have called offensive or defensive pass interference on the field. None have been reversed. They have been slightly more successful in challenging plays in which a flag was not thrown, getting four of those 23 plays reversed.

But their recent inability to achieve reversals of any type -- the 1-for-21 streak began at the start of Week 3 -- could lead to fewer challenges overall. Coaches have only two challenges at their disposal for a game but get a third if the first two are successful. They lose a timeout if a challenge fails.

The NFL declined to comment on the recent reluctance to reverse pass interference decisions. The rule was implemented on a one-year trial basis in response to a missed interference call in the 2018 NFC Championship Game. All NFL replay decisions are based on whether Riveron sees clear and obvious visual evidence of a mistaken call.

Why the Bengals should trade A.J. Green

Published in Breaking News
Friday, 11 October 2019 11:45

CINCINNATI -- An unprompted comment from Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor hinted at the long-term outlook for the downtrodden franchise.

After Thursday's practice, Taylor addressed the speculation about a potential trade involving wide receiver A.J. Green, whose contract expires at the end of the season. On the same day Green practiced for the first time since July, Taylor emphatically said Green would not be moved by the Oct. 29 trade deadline and was part of the Bengals' future.

If that's the case, the Bengals will forgo one of their best options to acquire additional quality draft picks. Instead of moving Green to a contender such as the San Francisco 49ers or New England Patriots for a first- or second-round pick, the Bengals are moving toward giving Green, 31, a deal that could limit their ability to improve the roster.

Taylor's comments about Green, coupled with statements earlier in the week about the urgency to win, indicate the 0-5 Bengals might not believe the roster needs to be rebuilt. However, the winless start to the season and the current roster indicates Cincinnati is not in a position to end its streak of 29 seasons without a postseason win.

The first-year coach rebuked the notion of using the rest of the 2019 season as an evaluation for the young players on the roster.

"It's [about] trying to win a game this week," Taylor said. "That's the emphasis right now. We want to win. We all want to win, and we're willing to do what it takes to win."

Winning has been difficult for Cincinnati. The Bengals have dropped 12 of their past 13 games. In the five losses this season, they have the league's fourth-worst scoring differential.

After the Bengals hired Taylor to replace Marvin Lewis, the franchise kept the roster relatively intact. Cincinnati entered the season with an average age of 26.3, the 19th oldest in the league, according to ESPN Stats and Information research. No player drafted by Cincinnati after 2013 has made the Pro Bowl.

Green is one of the only players on the roster who is considered one of the best at his respective position.

Green has the fourth-most receiving yards in the NFL since he entered the league in 2011. Before he suffered a toe injury last season, he had five straight games of 75 or more receiving yards.

He expected that kind of production in 2019 before he suffered an ankle injury in the first practice of the preseason, an ailment that will keep him out for at least the first six weeks of the season.

While Green has been away, the Bengals have suffered their worst start to a season since 2008. In the opening weeks, Cincinnati is 29th in scoring offense and 27th in total defense.

The Bengals, who do not officially have a general manager, allow only the head coach to make public comments during the season. But during a media luncheon in July, Bengals president Mike Brown said Green's age wasn't going to be a factor when it was time for negotiations.

"One thing I've learned is that great players have a tendency to keep on longer, they just have more in the tank," Brown told reporters.

That philosophy lines up with some of the deals the team has issued in recent years. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins, 31, is under contract until 2022. Defensive end Carlos Dunlap, 30, has a deal that runs through 2021. Both are among the five highest-paid players on the team.

Ninth-year quarterback Andy Dalton, who is the Bengals' top cap hit next year at $17.7 million, could also be in contention for a long-term deal after his contract expires following the 2020 season. Dalton turns 32 at the end of October.

Based on the Bengals' on-field performance, it's hard to make a case that a rebuild isn't necessary. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Bengals have better odds of a top-5 pick than making a playoff push.

If the Bengals don't win nine of the remaining 11 games in the regular season, they will suffer their fourth straight season with a .500 record or worse. The front office hired Taylor this offseason to reverse that trend. But it's probably going to take more than that.

The growing number of empty seats inside Paul Brown Stadium indicates the fan base is eager to watch a winning team, too.

The Week 6 NFL slate is stacked with great matchups. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the keys to every game, a bold prediction for each matchup and final score predictions.

Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information provides a stat to know for each game, and the Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a game projection. ESPN Fantasy's Kyle Soppe and ESPN Chalk's Mackenzie Kraemer hand out helpful nuggets as well. It's all here to help get you ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.

Let's get into the full Week 6 schedule, including a showdown between two of the NFL's top quarterbacks.

Jump to a matchup:
CAR-TB | HOU-KC | PHI-MIN
NO-JAX | SEA-CLE | CIN-BAL
WSH-MIA | SF-LAR | ATL-ARI
TEN-DEN | DAL-NYJ | PIT-LAC
DET-GB

Thursday: NE 35, NYG 14
Bye: BUF, CHI, IND, OAK


Panthers (3-2) vs. Buccaneers (2-3), London

9:30 a.m. ET | NFL Network
Matchup rating: 56.2 | Spread: CAR -2 (47)

What to watch for: Shaquil Barrett likely won't be rendered sackless two weeks in a row, especially against the team that allowed him three sacks in one quarter in Week 2. The Bucs also will have a healthy Devin White, who suffered a sprained MCL on the Panthers' opening series in Week 2 and missed three games, giving them an extra run-stopper to slow Christian McCaffrey. -- Jenna Laine

Bold prediction: McCaffrey will top 175 all-purpose yards for the fifth time in six games. OK, when it's put that way, it might not sound bold, but the one time he didn't reach that total this season came against Tampa Bay, which held him to a season-low 53 yards from scrimmage. -- David Newton

Stat to know: The Panthers' defense allows just 5.95 yards per pass attempt, third fewest in the NFL, and a 42.3 QBR (fifth lowest). But it has been susceptible against the run, allowing 4.87 yards per rush, the seventh most among all teams. And the Buccaneers pass on just 60.2% of plays, the 20th-highest rate in the league.

What to know for fantasy: Bucs receiver Chris Godwin has finished three weeks as a top-10 receiver this season, while teammate Mike Evans has finished outside of the top 45 on three occasions. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Carolina is 4-0 outright and against the spread (ATS) in Kyle Allen starts, including 3-0 this season. In the past 10 seasons, the only quarterback to start his career 5-0 outright and ATS is Patrick Mahomes. Read more.

Newton's pick: Panthers 27, Buccaneers 24
Laine's pick: Buccaneers 28, Panthers 24
FPI prediction: TB, 54.9% (by an average of 1.8 points)

Matchup must-reads: Abandoned in London as a child, Efe Obada returns as NFL player ... Bucs to be minus two offensive-line starters ... Addison, Barrett an unlikely pair of sack leaders


Texans (3-2) at Chiefs (4-1)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 85.3 | Spread: KC -4 (55)

What to watch for: The Chiefs scored 13 points, by far their lowest total with Patrick Mahomes as their starting quarterback, last weekend in a loss to the Colts, while the Texans hung 53 on the Falcons. So it will be interesting to see whether the Chiefs can bounce back despite potentially being without two injured starting offensive linemen and wide receiver Sammy Watkins. The Texans, who are 12th in the league in scoring defense allowing 22 points per game, offer a significant challenge. -- Adam Teicher

Bold prediction: Mahomes and Deshaun Watson will combine for 750 passing yards. This game will be about the offense, and we'll see big games from two of the NFL's best young quarterbacks, who almost combined to surpass that total in each of their Week 5 games. -- Sarah Barshop

Stat to know: The Chiefs are allowing 155.8 rushing yards per game this season, which is the third-worst in the NFL and the most for Kansas City through five games since 2008. The Texans acquired Carlos Hyde via trade with the Chiefs prior to the regular season, and his 310 rushing yards this season ranks 15th among running backs.

What to know for fantasy: In Week 5, Will Fuller doubled his catch total for the season and jumped up 58 spots in the wide receiver fantasy ranks. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Watson is 8-1 ATS in his career as a road underdog, with four outright wins. Read more.

Barshop's pick: Chiefs 38, Texans 31
Teicher's pick: Chiefs 31, Texans 30
FPI prediction: KC, 66.8% (by an average of 6.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: What separates Watson and Mahomes? One huge stat ... Mahomes says ankle injury won't limit his mobility vs. Texans ... Re-drafting the top 10 picks of the 2017 NFL draft: Where will Mahomes, Watson land? ... Texans' Lunch Pail Crew eats up blocks for Watt, Mercilus


Eagles (3-2) at Vikings (3-2)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 74.6 | Spread: MIN -3 (44)

What to watch for: The Eagles are coming off a 10-sack performance, while the Vikings harassed Giants quarterback Daniel Jones last weekend with aggressive blitzes. Philadelphia scheming to stop Dalvin Cook and the run while Minnesota's pass rush aims to force Carson Wentz into a tough spot is a matchup of two stalwarts. -- Courtney Cronin

Bold prediction: Vikings receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs will be happier with the direction of the offense under QB Kirk Cousins after this one. They will combine for 160 yards and a pair of touchdowns against a patchwork Eagles secondary. -- Tim McManus

Stat to know: Wentz has gone four consecutive games with a completion percentage south of 60%, the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest by an Eagles starting quarterback since Mike McMahon went seven straight starts in 2005.

What to know for fantasy: Minnesota's Cook has had at least 20 touches in every game this season and is on pace for 362. See Week 6 rankings.

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0:59

Ninkovich: Eagles defense is gaining confidence

Victor Cruz predicts the Vikings are going to utilize Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs more vs. the Eagles while Rob Ninkovich thinks Philadelphia's defense is going to step up.

Betting nugget: Mike Zimmer is 31-12-1 ATS at home as the Vikings' coach, the best ATS percentage by any coach in the Super Bowl era (minimum 25 games). And he is 2-0 this season. Read more.

McManus' pick: Vikings 26, Eagles 24
Cronin's pick: Vikings 30, Eagles 28
FPI prediction: MIN, 65.1% (by an average of 5.4 points)

Matchup must-reads: Howard emerging as Eagles' lead back: 'Kind of going that way' ... Vikings will put newfound balance to test against Eagles' elite run D ... Thanks, Phillies: Eagles away from the nest for rest of October


Saints (4-1) at Jaguars (2-3)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 56.9 | Spread: JAX -1 (44)

What to watch for: Expect Saints pass-rushers Marcus Davenport and Cameron Jordan to be in the face of Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew. The rookie is tied for the NFL lead with seven total fumbles and four lost fumbles -- three of which happened last weekend -- and the majority have come when he's been sacked or scrambling to avoid a sack. Davenport and Jordan have combined for six sacks and two forced fumbles. -- Mike DiRocco

Bold prediction: Jacksonville's Leonard Fournette will snap the Saints' streak of 31 games without allowing a 100-yard rusher, including the playoffs -- the longest active streak in the NFL. The Saints' front seven is playing great, and will make Fournette work for it. But he has 333 yards over the past two games. -- Mike Triplett

Stat to know: New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara has been held under 70 rushing yards for four consecutive games. He is averaging 3.95 yards per rush over his past four games after rushing for 97 yards (7.46 per rush) in Week 1.

What to know for fantasy: DJ Chark was drafted in just 11.8% of fantasy leagues. Yet through five weeks, he has the same number of fantasy points (105.5) as Brandin Cooks and Stefon Diggs combined. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Teddy Bridgewater is 26-7 ATS in his career as a starting quarterback, the best mark by any quarterback with at least 15 starts in the Super Bowl era. He's 14-2 ATS in his career as an underdog (7-9 outright). Read more.

Triplett's pick: Saints 23, Jaguars 20
DiRocco's pick: Jaguars 24, Saints 21
FPI prediction: NO, 57.8% (by an average of 2.7 points)

Matchup must-reads: Florida Man 2.0: Behind Minshew's mustache lie 'genius tendencies' ... Can Saints add Fournette to their under-100 club? ... Inside the 'ax-cident' and a quirky piece of Jaguars history ... Shad Khan thinks Ramsey will play against Saints ... Saints getting money's worth from WR Thomas, no matter who's at QB


Seahawks (4-1) at Browns (2-3)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 51.2 | Spread: SEA -1.5 (46)

What to watch for: Russell Wilson has been fabulous this season, with 14 total touchdowns and no interceptions. Can a banged-up Cleveland secondary finally force him into turnovers? If not, it could be another long day for the Browns. -- Jake Trotter

Bold prediction: Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny will combine for at least 150 yards on the ground, which is about what Cleveland's 29th-ranked rush defense is allowing per game. -- Brady Henderson

Stat to know: According to NFL Next Gen Stats data, Seahawks receivers are producing 3.8 yards of average separation when targeted this season, best in the NFL. They have been considered open -- three or more yards of separation at arrival of the throw -- on 55% of their targets, also the highest mark in the NFL.

What to know for fantasy: Wilson leads the league in touchdown pass percentage (7.7%) and is in search of his third straight season finishing as a top-three player in that metric. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Seattle played last Thursday, while Cleveland played Monday. Since 2015, teams coming off Thursday games are 10-3 ATS against teams coming off Monday games. Read more.

Henderson's pick: Seahawks 27, Browns 20
Trotter's pick: Seahawks 28, Browns 17
FPI prediction: SEA, 53.9% (by an average of 1.4 points)

Matchup must-reads: Wilson's torrid start has him playing at an MVP level ... Browns 'have a lot of concerns,' starting with Mayfield


Bengals (0-5) at Ravens (3-2)

1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 40.9 | Spread: BAL -12 (47.5)

What to watch for: Baltimore averages 36 runs per game, a monumental challenge for Cincinnati, which has given up the second-most rushing yards this season (167.6 per game). -- Jamison Hensley

Bold prediction: With that in mind, the Ravens will have at least 250 rushing yards. This is a bad matchup for the Bengals, who have allowed 250 rushing yards or more in two of the first five games this season. Baltimore running back Mark Ingram and quarterback Lamar Jackson each has more than 300 rushing yards this season. -- Ben Baby

Stat to know: Jackson has a 68.4 QBR when pressured this season, the second-best in the league (minimum 20 action plays). But Andy Dalton is second-worst in that category (0.9 QBR).

What to know for fantasy: Tyler Boyd ranks fourth in the NFL with 53 targets and is playing for a Bengals team that is dropping back to pass at the third-highest rate (71%). See Week 6 rankings.

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1:06

Cruz: Ravens are starting to find their niche

Victor Cruz and Rob Ninkovich see the Ravens having no problems in their matchup vs. the Bengals.

Betting nugget: The Ravens are 32-0 as a double-digit favorite, making them the only active franchise to never lose as a double-digit favorite. However, since 2010, they are just 3-10 ATS in those games. Read more.

Baby's pick: Ravens 35, Bengals 14
Hensley's pick: Ravens 33, Bengals 17
FPI prediction: BAL, 81.0% (by an average of 12.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: How to fix Bengals' struggling offense? Start in the red zone ... No longer 'Marvin'? Humphrey making big name for himself ... Bengals leaning on strong connections while trying to snap winless start ... From picks to deep passes: Jackson's learning curve still steep


Redskins (0-5) at Dolphins (0-4)

1 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 0.0 | Spread: WSH -3.5 (42)

What to watch for: Washington has the NFL's sixth-worst rushing offense, averaging 69 yards per game. Miami is the NFL's worst run defense at 176 yards per game. Washington interim coach Bill Callahan is a big "establish the run" guy, so we've got a team that can't run but wants to versus a team that can't stop the run but knows it needs to do so. -- Cameron Wolfe

Bold prediction: With Callahan stressing commitment to the running game, the Redskins will run the ball 40 times -- their highest total since the season opener in 2018. The Dolphins will keep the Redskins under their per-game average, but Adrian Peterson will rush for a season-best 80 yards. -- John Keim

Stat to know: The 0.0 FPI matchup quality -- on a 0-100 scale -- is the worst of any game measured since it was first tracked in 2008. This marks the sixth game in the Super Bowl era between teams with a combined record of 0-9 or worse, and the first since 2004. The Dolphins and Redskins are the only two teams in the NFL that rank in the bottom five in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

What to know for fantasy: In a matchup of two of the worst teams in terms of offensive snaps with a lead this season, it's worth noting that Terry McLaurin has been targeted four times when Washington was leading and turned it into three catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Washington is the second team 0-5 or worse to be listed as a road favorite in the Super Bowl era, joining another Redskins team in 1998 (-2.5 at Philadelphia, lost 17-12). Read more.

Keim's pick: Redskins 24, Dolphins 16
Wolfe's pick: Washington 23, Miami 19
FPI prediction: WSH, 63.2% (by an average of 4.7 points)

Matchup must-reads: Redskins, Dolphins battle it out in Week 6 Winless Bowl ... Dolphins' ideal 2020 draft: Tua Tagovailoa leads bounty of first-rounders ... Redskins not changing stance on Haskins after Gruden's firing


49ers (4-0) at Rams (3-2)

4:05 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 80.7 | Spread: LAR -3.5 (50.5)

What to watch for: The ground game will be crucial. The 49ers boast the top rushing offense in the NFL, averaging 200 yards per game. That could spell trouble for a Rams defense that ranks 15th at stopping the run (107 yards per game). On the flip side, the Rams average 96 yards, and the 49ers' front has been among the best in allowing only 82 per game. -- Lindsey Thiry

Bold prediction: Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay are known for their offensive acumen, and these teams average a combined 61 points per game. But both sides have injuries and questions marks dotting their offensive depth charts. The over/under for this one is set for 50.5. It'll go under. -- Nick Wagoner

Stat to know: Twelve running backs in the NFL have had at least 20 rushes and are averaging over 5 yards per rush, and the 49ers have three of them in Matt Breida (6.5), Raheem Mostert (5.8) and Tevin Coleman (5.5). Yet the only 49ers player with multiple rushing touchdowns this season is Jeff Wilson Jr. (four), who averages 2.9 yards per rush.

What to know for fantasy: The Rams' Cooper Kupp is seeking to become the first player in NFL history with four consecutive games of at least nine catches and a receiving score. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Underdogs with 4-0 or better records are 15-8-1 ATS since 2003, and 4-0 ATS since 2015. Read more.

Wagoner's pick: Rams 23, 49ers 17
Thiry's pick: Rams 28, 49ers 24
FPI prediction: LAR, 56.2% (by an average of 2.2 points)

Matchup must-reads: Rams off to uneven start, but don't plan on relinquishing NFC West ... Behind dynamic run game, 49ers forging a fast and physical identity ... Gurley (thigh) doesn't practice; day-to-day


Falcons (1-4) at Cardinals (1-3-1)

4:05 p.m. ET | Fox
Matchup rating: 28.0 | Spread: ATL -2.5 (51)

What to watch for: The Cardinals figured out how running the ball can lead to victory. Sure, it was against the Bengals, but a win is still a win. Watch for Arizona to repeat that run-first game plan against Atlanta, even if David Johnson is either slowed or doesn't play due to back issues. -- Josh Weinfuss

Bold prediction: Devonta Freeman will have his first 100-yard rushing game of the season and more than 20 carries as the Falcons finally achieve the balance they've been seeking. -- Vaughn McClure

Stat to know: Matt Ryan has 300 passing yards in every game this season, and he could join Kurt Warner and Steve Young as only players with 300 in each of their teams' first six games in the Super Bowl era (Patrick Mahomes could also do so this weekend). But the Falcons will also be trying to avoid their worst six-game start since 2007 (1-5), the season before they drafted Ryan.

What to know for fantasy: Kyler Murray had just 17 total rushing yards in his first two career games, but he's racked up at least 27 in each of the three games since, and his 16-game pace over those three games is that of a 1,000-yard rusher. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Over the past two seasons, Atlanta is 6-15 ATS, the worst record in the NFL. That includes 2-9 ATS on the road and 3-12 ATS in non-division games. Read more.

McClure's pick: Falcons 28, Cardinals 21
Weinfuss' pick: Cardinals 20, Falcons 17
FPI prediction: ATL, 55.6% (by an average of 2.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: Quinn stays on the defensive with playcalling duties ... Is Quinn really on the hot seat? ... No more Little Debbies: Chandler Jones remakes his body -- again


Titans (2-3) at Broncos (1-4)

4:25 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 60.6 | Spread: DEN -2.5 (41)

What to watch for: Noah Fant and Jeff Heuerman should be targeted a lot. The Titans have surrendered eight touchdowns in the passing game this season, and four of those have been to opposing tight ends. They also have surrendered one 100-yard receiving game this season, also to an opposing tight end. -- Jeff Legwold

Bold prediction: Derrick Henry will rush for more than 100 yards and have two touchdowns. Denver's defense is 22nd against the run (126.4 yards per game), a prime spot for the Titans and Henry to get back to their smashmouth style of offense. -- Turron Davenport

Stat to know: The Titans are the only team that has yet to see an offensive drive end in a turnover this season. And the Broncos' defense is tied for the second-fewest takeaways in the NFL this season (three, all in Week 5).

What to know for fantasy: Courtland Sutton is a top-10 receiver in terms of fantasy points per catch with 3.23 (minimum 20 catches). That rate ranks ahead of Brandin Cooks, T.Y. Hilton and, even after the historic Week 5, Will Fuller. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: The underdog has won all five Tennessee games this season outright. Read more.

play
0:53

Cruz: Titans will establish the run early and often

Victor Cruz and Rob Ninkovich are rolling with the Titans in their matchup vs. the Broncos because of their run game and being motivated after a loss.

Davenport's pick: Broncos 24, Titans 21
Legwold's pick: Broncos 17, Titans 13
FPI prediction: TEN, 50.8% (by an average of 0.3 points)

Matchup must-reads: Cut 21 combined times, Broncos' Bausby, Rodgers still 'believe' ... How have the Titans' free-agent additions fared? ... Rookie Fant trying to smooth out the 'rough spots'


Cowboys (3-2) at Jets (0-4)

4:25 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 39.1 | Spread: DAL -7.5 (45)

What to watch for: It's the No. 1-ranked offense and a two-game losing streak versus the No. 32 offense and a four-game losing streak. Sam Darnold's return from mono will help the Jets out of their offensive funk, but the Cowboys have too many playmakers on both sides of the ball for this to be close. By the fourth quarter, it could be a two-touchdown game and the stadium will be overrun by Dallas fans. -- Rich Cimini

Bold prediction: Ezekiel Elliott will have 20 or more carries after three consecutive games without reaching that number. He never has gone four straight games in his career without reaching 20 attempts. In their past three games vs. a Gregg Williams-led defense, the Cowboys have averaged 137 yards on the ground and had six rushing touchdowns. -- Todd Archer

Stat to know: The Cowboys' defense allows a third-down conversion just 26% of the time, second-best in the league -- and the Jets' offense converts only 21% of its third downs, the worst in NFL this season.

What to know for fantasy: Amari Cooper is coming off a career-high 226 receiving yards against the Packers, but in the game following his other two career 200-plus-yard contests, he has averaged just 40 receiving yards. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Dak Prescott is 7-2-1 ATS in his career when favored by six or more points (10-0 outright). He is also 13-5-2 ATS when facing teams that enter with losing records. Read more.

Archer's pick: Cowboys 26, Jets 13
Cimini's pick: Cowboys 24, Jets 13
FPI prediction: DAL, 72.8% (by an average of 8.3 points)

Matchup must-reads: Why haven't the Cowboys, Prescott agreed on a deal? ... For Darnold's sake, Jets must rebuild O-line the Dallas way ... Mistakes overshadow career days for Cooper, Prescott ... Darnold's return intensifies spotlight on Gase


Steelers (1-4) at Chargers (2-3)

8:20 p.m. ET | NBC
Matchup rating: 44.6 | Spread: LAC -7 (41.5)

What to watch for: The Chargers are allowing 120 rushing yards per game this season, No. 18 in the NFL, and have given up more than 190 rushing yards in a game twice. So will the Steelers lean on James Conner and the running game to help protect rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges? They average just 67 rushing yards per contest, 28th in the NFL. -- Eric D. Williams

Bold prediction: JuJu Smith-Schuster will have his first 100-yard receiving game this season. The Chargers have one of the better pass defenses in the league, but third-string QB Hodges isn't afraid to throw the ball. Smith-Schuster is looking for redemption after fumbling away a chance to win last weekend's game against Baltimore in overtime. -- Brooke Pryor

Stat to know: Melvin Gordon gained just 31 yards on 12 rushes in last weekend's season debut, but he hasn't been held under 40 rushing yards in consecutive weeks since 2016 Weeks 3-4.

What to know for fantasy: Conner has yet to deliver more than 55 rushing yards in a game this season, but he is facing a Chargers team that gave up 174 yards on 25 carries to Indianapolis' Marlon Mack and 114 on Phillip Lindsay's 15 totes for Denver earlier this season. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Quarterbacks making their first career starts are 7-0 ATS this season. Read more.

Pryor's pick: Chargers 24, Steelers 21
Williams' pick: Chargers 24, Steelers 13
FPI prediction: LAC, 64.4% (by an average of 5.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: New QB Hodges brings athleticism, 'fearless' approach ... Goal-line turnovers an issue for Chargers, Rivers


Lions (2-1-1) at Packers (4-1)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN/ESPN App
Matchup rating: 64.1 | Spread: GB -4.5 (47)

What to watch for: Aaron Rodgers hasn't had one of those Aaron Rodgers games yet this season, the kind when he just shreds a defense. But the Lions could be just what Rodgers needs. They rank 30th in the NFL in passing defense, allowing 280.8 yards per game. -- Rob Demovsky

Bold prediction: Kerryon Johnson gains more than 100 yards and scores two touchdowns -- one rushing and one receiving -- to lead the Lions to their third consecutive victory at Lambeau Field. -- Michael Rothstein

Stat to know: The Lions blitz 9.1% of the time, the lowest percentage by a team this season and the lowest since 2006 when that data became available. And according to ESPN pass-rush metrics powered by NFL Next Gen Stats, the Lions are last in the NFL in pass rush win rate, beating their blocks within 2.5 seconds just 29% of the time. The Packers, meanwhile, have the eighth-best pass block win rate in the NFL (60%).

What to know for fantasy: Marvin Jones has scored six touchdowns in five games against the Packers since joining the Lions in 2016. See Week 6 rankings.

Betting nugget: Detroit has won and covered all four meetings between these two teams in the past two seasons, including three times as an underdog. Prior to that, Detroit had been 4-18 straight up and 6-16 ATS in its previous 22 meetings against Green Bay. Read more.

play
1:30

Cruz: Packers will continue to have Lions' number on Monday

Victor Cruz believes the Lions will put up a fight but it won't be enough against the Packers.

Rothstein's pick: Lions 28, Packers 24
Demovsky's pick: Packers 28, Lions 27
FPI prediction: GB, 65.8% (by an average of 5.6 points)

Matchup must-reads: How Packers' Matt LaFleur is doing what other first-year coaches haven't: win ... Against Packers, Lions can lean on Patricia's success against top offenses ... Packers' good vibrations: Rodgers likes 'the vibe on this team' ... Rewriting the Rodgers narrative, according to his backup center

Evans to work with Edmund's former coach

Published in Tennis
Friday, 11 October 2019 04:26

Dan Evans has returned to former coach Mark Hilton - three weeks after Hilton stopped working with Kyle Edmund.

Evans, who will replace Edmund as the British number one on Monday, has been searching for a coach since August.

Hilton will join Evans on a trial basis at next week's Stockholm Open, and then the Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel.

"Obviously, the timing was a little fast from splitting with Kyle, but I had to get a coach in place for myself," Evans told BBC Sport.

"I spoke to a few other people, and that hadn't worked for me, and when I heard about Mark and Kyle I just asked if there was a chance of trying it out to see if things were still the same.

"It would be silly to dive straight in, because things change in time," Evans said.

"Obviously I'm a different person now, and he may be a different person. I'm sure it will work, we obviously get on well, so we'll see how that goes, and then hopefully next year we'll be working back together."

Evans and Hilton worked together for 18 months from the end of 2015 until Evans failed a drugs test in April 2017.

In that time, Evans reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, and the third round of both Wimbledon and the US Open. He also reached a career high ranking of 41.

"He's obviously a very good coach," Evans added.

"Signs of a good coach are how well they adapt - he did very well with Kyle, and I would say me and Kyle are pretty different in our personalities and the way we play tennis."

Edmund, meanwhile, has lost six matches in a row, but just accepted a wildcard into qualifying for next week's European Open in Antwerp.

The 24 year old is the defending champion, but had been planning to give the tournament a miss this year.

He is still seeking a replacement for Hilton, but is understood to be now getting quite close to putting a team together for next season.

Watson into first WTA Tour semi-final in 13 months

Published in Tennis
Friday, 11 October 2019 06:53

British number two Heather Watson reached a WTA semi-final for the first time since September 2018 with victory over Magda Linette at the Tianjin Open.

Watson, 27, saved four match points to beat Polish world number 42 Linette 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6) in three hours and two minutes.

She last reached a WTA semi-final in Quebec 13 months ago.

"I'm so full of emotions right now," Watson said on court. "That match was so up and down from both of us."

Victory over eighth seed Linette ensures Watson will return to the world top 100 next week.

She will play Russia's Veronika Kudermetova or Ukraine's third seed Dayana Yastremska for a place in the final.

The 2018 Quebec tournament was its last year as a WTA International tournament. Watson's previous WTA semi-final appearance came at the Hobart International in January 2018.

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