MATT RHULE

Tom Brady topped 5,000 yards passing for the second time in his career and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers set a franchise record for regular-season victories with a 41-17 win over the Carolina Panthers.

Cam Newton will begin the season finale on the bench as Sam Darnold starts at QB against Tampa Bay.

Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral wasn't about to miss a chance to make history in the Sugar Bowl. The potential first-round NFL draft choice has spent four years helping the Rebels (10-2) rise from the bottom of the Southeastern Conference standings to a No. 8 ranking and the cusp of the program's first 11-win season — if they can beat sixth-ranked Baylor (11-2) on Saturday night. Corral said the bond he has formed with Ole Miss teammates over several seasons outweighs the risk of an injury that could sink his draft stock — and his rookie pay day along with it.

The Indianapolis Cots have placed five players on the COVID-19 list as the virus continues to work its way through NFL locker rooms, even with the vast majority of players in the league vaccinated.

Tom Brady threw for 232 yards and a touchdown, Antonio Brown made a grand return to the lineup after missing the last eight games and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers 32-6 on Sunday to clinch their first NFC South title since 2007.

Matt Ryan threw for 190 yards and a touchdown, Mykal Walker returned an interception of Cam Newton 66 yards for a touchdown and the Atlanta Falcons continued to play well on the road with a 29-21 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Panthers coach Matt Rhule says Cam Newton will start Sunday at quarterback against the Washington Football Team.

The Carolina Panthers agreed to a one-year contract to bring quarterback Cam Newton back to the franchise that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2011.

Texas Tech has named Baylor assistant and longtime Texas high school coach Joey McGuire as its next head coach.

Cameras caught Robby Anderson yelling at someone after Sam Darnold’s third interception of the day.

Sam Darnold threw for 304 yards and ran for two touchdowns, and the Carolina Panthers eased past the Houston Texans 24-9 despite losing Christian McCaffrey to a hamstring injury early in the second quarter.

The Tennessee Titans’ COVID-19 outbreak is nearing an end even with two starting offensive linemen still on the reserve list.

Jacob Eason was efficient in place of the injured Carson Wentz, and rookie Sam Ehlinger delivered in the final quarter for the Indianapolis Colts.

Dave Aranda became Baylor's coach about 19 months ago knowing NCAA penalties were coming.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Keith Kirkwood was hit in the neck area during practice Tuesday, carted off the field and taken away by ambulance.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Robby Anderson couldn’t help but notice a difference in Sam Darnold’s persona when he walked into Bank of America Stadium for the team’s mandatory three-day minicamp.

Brayden Point and Ross Colton scored and Andrei Vasilevskiy controlled the crease, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 on Tuesday night to win the second-round playoff series in five games.

(AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)Bill Belichick never was one to spent wildly in free agency. Whether by trade, free agency or re-signings, the group brings a good mix of offense, defense and special teams. In addition to keeping Von Miller, Justin Simmons and Shelby Harris, Paton filled his biggest defensive pothole by signing free agent cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller. FUTURE CONSIDERATIONSThe Lions didn’t do much in free agency but nobody in Detroit should be bothered. The Lions are focused on rebuilding through the draft after sending QB Matthew Stafford to the Rams and then letting star wide receiver Kenny Golladay walk in free agency.

American Team quarterback Kellen Mond of Texas A&M (12) has his throw tipped by National Team offensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa of UCLA (92) during the first half of the NCAA Senior Bowl college football game in Mobile, Ala., Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)MOBILE, Ala. – Texas A&M's Kellen Mond was the Senior Bowl Most Valuable Player but two fellow Southeastern Conference Western Division products made the decisive big play. Fitzpatrick had six catches for 90 yards in the showcase game for senior and graduate NFL prospects, earning offensive player of the game honors. Obviously, kind of shaky at the beginning but it definitely shows a lot of poise to be able to bounce back.”North Carolina running back Michael Carter also had a big game. Jamie Newman completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Trevon Grimes with 49 seconds left for the American team after Franks and Yeboah made it a two-score game.

The next game he plays is for his NFL draft stock, provided the Alabama quarterback's gimpy left ankle is good to go. Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said the plan is for Jones to dress out and see how his ankle feels. “Just being in that room, I already learned so much about NFL football,” he said. Mond started 44 games for the Aggies, Ehlinger logged 43 starts for the Longhorns,Mond led the Aggies into College Football Playoffs contention in his final season. I just wanted to come and kind of learn more about NFL football and learn a new playbook, which I thought I did a good job with.

Newman is hardly alone among the players trying to shake off the rust after long layoffs leading up to Saturday's Senior Bowl for senior NFL prospects. A number of the Senior Bowl players had shortened seasons or none at all because of the coronavirus pandemic. He was the lone quarterback at the Senior Bowl not made available for post-practice media interviews. But I think he’s done a really good job.”AdThere are number of players at the Senior Bowl returning after a long absences from the field. Darby trained in Las Vegas for the Senior Bowl and the now-canceled combine.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions have made the hiring of their new head coach and general manager official, meaning the team’s staff should start coming into focus. Now, ESPN reports quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan will leave to take the same job with the Carolina Panthers. Ryan previously served on the same staff as Panthers coach Matt Rhule when both were with the New York Giants. The team also made Dan Campbell’s hiring as head coach officially official. Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley previously interviewed in Cincinnati for the same job, but the Bengals hired Frank Pollack.

Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady is becoming a popular name for NFL teams seeking to fill head coaching vacancies. A person familiar with the situation says the Chargers, Falcons and Texans have all asked for and received permission from the Panthers to interview Brady for their head coaching jobs. (AP Photo/Brian Westerholt, File)ATLANTA – The Atlanta Falcons have interviewed a pair of offensive coordinators, Nathaniel Hackett of the Green Bay Packers and Joe Brady of the Carolina Panthers, for their head coaching job. The Falcons conducted a virtual interview with Hackett on Thursday, one day after meeting virtually with Brady. “I think one of the (prerequisites) to being a good head coach is presence in front of a room," Rodgers said.

The Saints (12-4) will host the seventh-seeded Chicago Bears in the wild-card round next weekend. He also ran for five TDs, but the Panthers struggled to make winning plays late in games all season with Bridgewater at the helm. That leaves questions about his future as the Panthers starting QB, especially with the team having a top 10 draft pick in 2021. UP NEXTSaints: The four-time defending NFC South champions host the Bears next weekend in the playoffs. Panthers: After failing to make the playoffs for the third straight season, Carolina will look to the NFL draft to upgrade a number of pressing needs.

FILE - In this April 17, 2019, file photo, Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney speaks to the media in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers have fired Hurney after the team lost eight of its last nine games and failed to make the playoffs for a third straight season. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Marty Hurney is out again as Carolina's general manager. The Panthers are the fifth team this season to fire their general manager, joining the Lions, Jaguars, Texans and Falcons. He was the general manager from 2002-12 before being fired by former owner Jerry Richardson.

The NFL Network reports the Carolina Panthers quarterback is “unlikely” to start against the Lions in Week 11 after another limited practice. Bridgewater suffered an MCL sprain in his knee last week, with Panthers coach Matt Rhule describing the quarterback as “extremely limited” so far this week. It’s worth noting the Panthers coach said the same of Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is practicing through a partially torn ligament in his throwing hand. “Well, I think when you take veteran guys like, you know, Stafford and Bridgewater, especially on a Wednesday when they’re limited,” Rhule said. I love watching Stafford play.

ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions-Carolina Panthers Week 11 matchup is highlighted by banged-up starting quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater has proven to be a fit for Matt Rhule’s offense, getting the ball out in space to receivers D.J. Mike Davis has been strong in relief of McCaffrey, but it’s been the growing pains on defense holding this group back. “So you have to be very disciplined in the run defense or otherwise this guy will hurt you very quickly. See below for the previous five meetings (or click here for the full rundown):2018 -- Lions 20, Panthers 19 (highlights below)2017 -- Panthers 27, Lions 242014 -- Panthers 24, Lions 72011 -- Lions 49, Panthers 352008 -- Panthers 31, Lions 22

Brady threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns, Ronald Jones set a franchise-record with a 98-yard touchdown run, and the Buccaneers bounced back from a dreadful defeat with a resounding 46-23 win over the Carolina Panthers. Panthers coach Matt Rhule described Brady’s play as “elite” and “fantastic.”The Bucs ran the ball just five times last week. Tampa Bay racked up 544 yards on offense and outgained the Panthers 322-35 in the second half and outscored them 29-6. Chris Godwin had 92 yards receiving for the Buccaneers (7-3), who swept the season series and handed the Panthers (3-7) their fifth straight loss. Rhule said the Panthers were unaware the ball had hit the ground or else he would have just had Bridgewater spike the ball.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland (21) during the second half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Rhule said McCaffrey has a separation of the AC joint, which is located at the tip of the shoulder where the shoulder blade and collarbone meet. “I'm anticipating from I know being much more day to day and week to week than that. McCaffrey injured the shoulder in the fourth quarter of Carolina's 33-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. McCaffrey has six touchdowns in the three games he's played this season, including two in a 31-17 loss to Tampa Bay in Week 2.

From the season-altering (Dak Prescott, Barkley) to the bizarre (Tyrod Taylor, Trent Brown), injuries are playing their traditionally significant role in the NFL. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)ARLINGTON, Texas – From the season-altering to the bizarre, injuries are playing their traditionally significant role in the NFL. Brown also recently went back on the COVID-19 list, a newcomer among potential ailments with the NFL playing during a pandemic. Few teams have had the volume of injuries that have hit defending NFC champion San Francisco. New Orleans' star receiver, Michael Thomas, has had a tumultuous season in part because of ankle and hamstring injuries.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) celebrates after scoring against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Panthers coach Matt Rhule says running back Christian McCaffrey is “day to day” with a shoulder injury he suffered in the closing seconds of Carolina’s 33-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Rhule would not say if McCaffrey has already had an MRI or an X-ray, adding that he should know more about the extent of the injury on Wednesday. McCaffrey left the game for a few plays and was seen holding his shoulder on the sideline. I thought he had some really nice runs, obviously scored a couple touchdowns.”If McCaffrey can't play, Mike Davis would get the start.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) runs toward the end zone to score against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Chiefs coach Andy Reid liked it so much that he put it in the game plan. The Panthers' onside kick was recovered by Kansas City, but they used their three timeouts to get the ball back, and Teddy Bridgewater's 23-yard pass to Curtis Samuel with 9 seconds remaining gave them hope. It took nine plays and consumed nearly nine minutes before McCaffrey reached the end zone, keeping the potent Kansas City offense on the sideline. The Panthers still led 17-13 after the teams traded missed field goals to start the second half, but the Chiefs finally hit their offensive stride.

That means that going into tonight’s Saints-Buccaneers showdown, home teams are 65-65-1 so far this season. That homefield advantage has largely been erased with sparse crowds or no fans at games because of the coronavirus pandemic. Las Vegas though has taken control on its first two drives of the second half. Neither had started an NFL game, but both have been in the league much longer than DiNucci. The Tennessee Titans already lost left tackle Taylor Lewan for the season, and now they are without left guard Rodger Saffold.

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)The NFL is recommending that players on the sidelines who are not participating in a game or about to go on the field wear protective masks. Although the NFL stopped short of mandating masks for all players not on the field, it “strongly encouraged” all active players in the bench area who are not about to enter the game to wear masks while standing on the sideline and/or sitting on the bench. While the NFL considers expanding the bench area further down the sideline, teams may consider reconfiguring or adding benches. Earlier Friday, the NFL said that the Los Angeles Chargers’ game at Denver this weekend isn’t in jeopardy after players on both teams tested positive for the coronavirus. There’s no change to the status of the game,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told The Associated Press.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan gets sacked by Atlanta Falcons linebacker Foye Oluokun during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)CHARLOTTE, N.C. – This time, the Atlanta Falcons finished. Carolina was driving late, but Atlanta stopped the rally when Blidi Wreh-Wilson intercepted Teddy Bridgewater near the Falcons' 10-yard line with 1:04 remaining. Moore on third and 18 to move the Panthers into Falcons territory. Bridgewater was limited to 176 yards passing as the Panthers (3-5) lost their third straight game without injured Christian McCaffrey. UP NEXTFalcons: Host the Broncos on Nov. 8Panthers: Open the second half of the season at the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs on Nov. 8.

22 Marshall has scheduled a Nov. 7 home football game against Massachusetts, athletic director Mike Hamrick said Monday. ___The Carolina Panthers have closed their facility for the next two days after receiving an “unconfirmed” positive coronavirus test Monday. ___Toledo basketball coach Tod Kowalczyk has tested positive for the coronavirus, the school’s athletic department said Monday. Kowalczyk tested positive on Sunday and will self-isolate for 10 days, he said in a statement. Four players and three staff tested positive last week, and Wasps hasn't trained since last Wednesday for its first appearance in the final since 2017.

Videos from the team’s Twitter account show players gathered in close proximity to Foley — and each other — and singing along without masks on. “.... All of the coaches, including coach Foley who is singing, if it continues, they definitely have to have masks on. I want to make sure we are safe and in compliance.”As for the players, Rhule said that decision will be left up to the team's medical staff. The NFL has fined coaches $100,000 each for not wearing masks on the sideline during games. The Associated Press reached out to the NFL for comment about whether the Panthers locker room singing celebrations were in violation of the league's COVID-19 protocols, but the league has not responded.

You'd never know it watching Bridgewater break the pocket, juke two defenders and race 18 yards to the end zone on Sunday, helping the Carolina Panthers defeat the Arizona Cardinals 31-21 for their second straight win. Bridgewater also threw for 276 yards and two scores as the Panthers solved their red-zone issues from a week ago by scoring TDs on their first four trips inside the Arizona 20-yard line. It was tough to catch up all day.”Said Panthers DE Brian Burns: “We put emphasis on keeping eyes on (Murray). After the game, Bridgewater gave his offensive line the game ball. “We didn’t play well enough or coach well enough in any phase,” Kingsbury said.

The All-Pro running back is expected to miss “multiple weeks” with a high right ankle sprain he sustained in Carolina’s 31-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. “As soon as the third quarter ended I went and got taped and tried to play it off,” McCaffrey said. In two games this season McCaffrey has run for 156 yards and four touchdowns and caught seven passes for 67 yards. The loss of McCaffrey is a devastating blow for the Panthers' offense. The Panthers rewarded the fourth-year running back with a four-year, $64 million contract making him the highest-paid running back in the league.

The Latest on Week 2 in the NFL (all times EDT):___12:45 p.m.Tom Brady is making his home debut with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Carolina Panthers. The six-time Super Bowl champion and his new team hope Sunday is more enjoyable than Week 1. Brady struggled in an 11-point loss to New Orleans in his first NFL game not in a New England Patriots uniform. The Panthers are also hoping to bounce back from a season-opening loss in Matt Rhule’s first game as their coach. Players and coaches have been tested daily for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Jacobs’ 6-yard run around the right end with 4:14 left put the Raiders ahead for good after they’d surrendered a 12-point fourth quarter lead. McCaffrey racked up 134 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns for Carolina. Carolina battled back with McCaffrey getting 11 touches for 64 yards on one drive and scoring on a 3-yard run. Bridgewater, who replaced Cam Newton as the starting QB, finished 22 of 34 for 270 yards and one touchdown in his Carolina debut. 1 cornerback Donte Jackson left with an ankle injury early in the first quarter and did not return.

FILE - Carolina Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater watches during an NFL football camp practice Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers invested $63 million over three years in Bridgewater, and the QB has proclaimed, “this definitely feels like my team." I remember everybody was hurting in practice," Diggs said. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who worked with Bridgewater while with the Saints, is confident Bridgewater can be thrive in Carolina. “Knowing what I know now, I would just go back and tell myself the moment I was on the ground screaming in pain, ‘life is just a race,’” Bridgewater said.

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019 file photo, Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley talks with players during an NCAA college football game between Iowa State and Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. As usual, Riley is taking his time naming a starting quarterback. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

The Sooners are still considered the overwhelming favorite to win their sixth consecutive Big 12 crown overall because nobody has dethroned them with Riley there. Purdy last year set school records with 3,982 yards and 27 TDs passing, leading the Big 12 with 306.3 yards per game. Conference play begins Sept. 26, the start of an 11-week stretch for nine league games before the Big 12 title game Dec. 12 or Dec. 19, if an extra week is needed. Since this is only TCU's ninth season in the league, Patterson technically isn't the longest-tenured Big 12 coach. Former Oklahoma State quarterback Mike Gundy is in his 16th season as head coach for his alma mater.

Perhaps the biggest headlines Brady drew recently came when he defied players' union recommendations to cease informal practices with teammates as a coronavirus precaution. (Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP, File)In seven weeks, the NFL expects to kick off its 101st season with the Super Bowl champion Chiefs hosting Houston. Still set on conducting a somewhat normal training camp, though without any preseason games, and then opening the regular season on time, the NFL pushes onward. We could have a ton of social distance, more than we have with our football team, Chiefs coach Andy Reid says. Perhaps the biggest headlines Brady drew recently came when he defied players' union recommendations to cease informal practices with teammates as a coronavirus precaution.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Transitioning from head coach at the college level to the NFL is never easy. But for Carolina Panthers first-year coach Matt Rhule, it has been particularly challenging given the coronavirus pandemic. The only face-to-face time he's had with most players has come during virtual meetings via the laptop in his home office. None of it has been ideal for a new coach looking to make an impact in the NFL. He feels like they've succeeded and, in an pleasantly unexpected way, the virtual offseason has helped his staff become better coaches and teachers.

Usually, NFL head coaching deals don't exceed five or six years, but Gruden changed that with this agreement. "It raised the bar," former NFL head coach Tony Dungy told CNBC in an interview. In the NFL, coaching contracts are not included in a team's salary cap, so those numbers don't typically get released. Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers is congratulated by head coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks after their 28-23 win in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 12, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Tepper also signed Rhule for seven years when owners typically don't commit to first-year head NFL coaches for more than four years.

We're not perfect, but a lot of teams would have lost that game today," Rhule told reporters afterward. Oklahoma has surrendered at least 41 points in back-to-back contests after holding opponents to an average of 19.4 points in its first seven games. The Bears boast a Big 12-best 29 sacks this season after finishing with 25 in 2018. Lamb, who leads all non-seniors nationally with 31 career receiving scores and 2,948 receiving yards, is the only Power Five player who has at least five games of 135-plus receiving yards. PREDICTION: Baylor 41, Oklahoma 38

Safety Blake Lynch #21 of the Baylor Bears celebrates an interception during the second half of the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on November 24, 2018 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Baylor defeated Texas Tech 35-24. LINE: Oklahoma State -3.5. ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (4-2, 1-2)Spencer Sanders (63.3 percent, 1,333 yards, 10 TDs, eight interceptions) needs 296 yards to break the freshmen school record for passing yards in a season. PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 35, Baylor 31More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

The Bears, though, will leave the state of Texas for the first time Saturday when they travel to Kansas State for a Big 12 road clash. Kansas State, meanwhile, wasn't so fortunate, falling at Oklahoma State 26-13 on Saturday in its Big 12 opener after a 3-0 start. Brewer ranks third among Big 12 quarterbacks in efficiency, completing 66.4 percent of his throws with 10 TDs and no interceptions. Kansas State's second-leading receiver, wideout Malik Knowles (nine catches-137 yards-two TDs), missed the Oklahoma State game with an unspecified "lower-body" injury, and his status remains uncertain for Saturday. PREDICTION: Kansas State 27, Baylor 26More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

"To see who Rice is, I go back and watch the Army game (a 14-7 season-opening loss). The Bears have won eight straight straight games in the series, outscoring Rice 108-27 in back-to-back wins in 2015 and 2016. Mims has at least one catch in 26 straight games. Baylor has won four straight games for the first time since a 6-0 start in 2016. PREDICTION: Baylor 44, Rice 17More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

UTSA won its seventh opener in nine seasons of existence last weekend, holding crosstown rival Incarnate Word to 209 total yards in a 35-7 victory. Sincere McCormick became the first freshman to start at running back since Chris Johnson in the team's inaugural game in 2011 and churned out 92 total yards, including 74 on the ground. Rhule's teams at Temple and Baylor have won each of the last 33 games when they take a lead into the fourth quarter. Baylor running backs have 126 receptions during Rhule's 26-game tenure. PREDICTION: Baylor 42, Texas-San Antonio 17More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

WACO, Texas - Baylor owns a record of just over .500 (584-565-41) entering its 114th season of college football, but it has looked like a powerhouse program every time it has faced Stephen F. Austin. The junior may not be asked to do much in the season opener if Baylor's history against Stephen F. Austin is any indication, as the Bears have yet to allow a point to their in-state rivals in four meetings (201-0). ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN (2018: 2-8)Jake Blumrick (1,597 passing yards, nine touchdowns, seven interceptions in eight games last season) is coming off back surgery but expected to hold off freshman Cam Arnold for the starting job under center. The Bears beat the Lumberjacks 48-0 in a lightning-shortened game in 2011 in the last meeting between the schools. PREDICTION: Baylor 45, Stephen F. Austin 7More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.