In Week 16 of the NFL season, two quarterbacks in the AFC South are hurt going into big games, and one star wide receiver is out and another is questionable.
Just three weeks remain in the 2023 NFL regular season, and this weekend’s holiday slate features several matchups that could shake up the playoff picture.
The Ravens, Chiefs, Dolphins and Lions could all clinch their respective divisions if the dominos fall in their favor, while the Browns also have the potential to clinch a playoff spot this weekend. As is the case throughout every season, injuries are a key storyline for this weekend.
With most of the league injury reports coming in Friday, let’s take the temperature of the various injury situations. Below, you’ll find the final injury reports for teams playing on Saturday and Sunday.
The Athletic, the Baltimore Ravens are bringing a former Maryland Terrapin back to the Chesapeake, as running back Jake Funk will be added to the team’s practice squad.
Combined with the return of Melvin Gordon to the active roster, Baltimore (11-3) continues to adjust its rushing attack in the wake of Keaton Mitchell’s season-ending injury.
Funk racked up 2,070 yards from scrimmage over four years with the Terps and was later chosen in the seventh round of the 2021 draft by the Los Angeles Rams.
As a rookie, the Gaithersburg native appeared in 10 games during Los Angeles’ run to Super Bowl LVI, primarily partaking on special teams. Funk previously played four games with the Indianapolis Colts this season.
Cincinnati, once left for dead after Joe Burrow went down for the season, has now won three straight games thanks to the steady hand of backup quarterback Jake Browning.
With their hot streak, the Bengals are keeping pace in the very crowded AFC playoff picture. Saturday’s win propels them up to the No. 6 seed with an 8-6 record, at least for the time being.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, and Denver Broncos, who also entered the day at 7-6, play later, with the former two facing each other. The Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills, who also have the same record, play on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Bengals also keep the pressure on the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens, who hold the conference’s top seed at 10-3. The Ravens are two games ahead of the Cleveland Browns for the division lead, but with all four teams still alive for the division title, Baltimore can’t afford to get complacent.
Baltimore’s offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, 57, is in his first season with the team and has turned around an offense that struggled the past couple of seasons.
Monken has pro experience elsewhere as the Jaguars wide receivers coach from 2007-2010, the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator from 2016-2018, and the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2019.
The Buffalo Bills already showcased their power by defeating the Los Angeles Rams 31-10 in the NFL Kickoff Game Thursday night, stamping themselves as the early-season Super Bowl favorites.
While the Rams are defending champions, they’ll have some things to work on in the coming weeks as they prepare to repeat.
For the early slate of injuries, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles announced Chris Godwin is a true game-time decision for the “Sunday Night Football” showdown against the Dallas Cowboys and has not ruled any players out. Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (shin) will also play Sunday.
Teams will be figuring out who they are, starting with an exciting Week 1 slate of games on the schedule.
Below, you’ll find the final injury reports for all of the Week 1 games on the schedule and see who is in and who is out for their respective teams.