The Dallas Cowboys suffered a brutal 23-0 loss to the Colts in Indianapolis on Sunday, but Ezekiel Elliott seems to be looking at the bright side.

Cowboys’ Elliott Slams Team’s Performance In Colts shutout

The third-year running back said he believes his team desperately needed a “reality check,” and that the defeat to Indianapolis seems to have been one way to accomplish this.

“That was a very embarrassing performance by us,” Elliott said. “I think a loss like this was very much needed,” Elliott said. “I think it’s better for us in the grand scheme of the season. I think we needed to get put in check, I think we needed a reality check and I think we needed someone to remind us we still have a lot of ball left.”

“Nothing’s going to be given,” he added.

The Cowboys (8-6) still lead the NFC East, although they are now only slightly ahead of both the second-place Philadelphia Eagles (7-7) and the third-place Washington Redskins (7-7), which means the division’s wild-card playoff spot could become highly contested over the final two weeks of the regular season.

Dallas was missing a few players due to injury on Sunday, including all-pro right guard Zack Martin and left guard Xavier Su’a-Filo, who recently suffered an eye injury. However, Elliott seemed to dismiss the notion that this was the main reason for the Cowboys’ loss.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

On Sunday, Elliott finished with 87 yards on 18 carries, and also logged a team-high seven catches for 41 additional yards. Dallas amassed 292 yards of offense. A 48-yard field goal attempt by Brett Maher was blocked.

Elliott also fumbled the ball three yards from the end zone, and quarterback Dak Prescott threw an interception 26 yards from home. The Cowboys allowed 178 yards Sunday, 91 more than their average.

“The way we didn’t give ourselves a chance pisses me off,” Prescott said. “Pisses everybody off.”

The New Orleans Saints will visit the Carolina Panthers Monday night for an NFC South showdown, and here is what you need to know.

Saints To Visit Panthers For NFC South Showdown

The Saints (11-2) lead their division and have enjoyed a dominant season from veteran QB Drew Brees, whose passing accuracy remains strong. The rest of New Orleans’ offense — especially players like running back Alvin Kamara — has also proved to be powerful, as it proved in a 28-14 victory over Tampa Bay on Dec. 9. The Saints are also first in the NFL in rushing defense (77.6 yards per game) and 10th in scoring (21.8 points per game). Given all this, they seem to be the heavy favorites to defeat the Panthers on Monday.

Meanwhile, the struggling second-place Panthers (6-7) are coming off a five-game losing streak, including a 26-20 defeat to the Browns (5-7-1) in Cleveland on Dec. 9. However, many of these losses have been by seven points or less, except for a 52-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Cam Newton, on the other hand, has appeared much more inconsistent in his passing. The Panthers QB is reportedly the league’s 17th-rated passer. With a a loss on Monday, Carolina could fall down the pecking order for the second wild-card spot. The playoff race could thus very well be defined after this matchup.

The Saints and Panthers are set to face off again in New Orleans in Week 17 (Dec. 30) to close out the regular season.

Monday’s game will start at 8:15 p.m. EST and will air on ESPN.

There are two big NFL games set for Saturday as we enter Week 15, and here is what you need to know.

Texans Visit Jets, Broncos Host Browns For Week 15

First, the Houston Texans (9-4) will visit the New York Jets (4-9) at 4:30 p.m. EST. This matchup will air on NFL Network.

The Texans, who are first in the AFC South, saw their nine-game winning streak snapped on Sunday after a 24-21 loss to the Indianapolis Colts (7-6), who are second in the division. Meanwhile, the Jets (fourth in AFC East) ended a six-game loss streak last week by defeating the 4-9 Buffalo Bills 27-23.

With a win this weekend, Houston — which lost its first three games of the season — could secure their division title and reach the playoffs. Given the Texans offense’s dominant play in recent weeks, they have been given a solid chance to advance to the postseason for quite some time as long as their strong playing continues.

In Saturday’s game, two of the most-watched players will likely be quarterbacks DeShaun Watson and Sam Darnold. Last week, Texans QB Watson finished with a more than 300-yard (267 passing, 35 rushing) performance against Indianapolis, his first such run since Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys. The former Clemson star has also not logged any turnovers in the past three games. Houston’s defense was also viewed as one of the best in the league going into the game against the Colts, although the secondary ultimately struggled Sunday against a dominant offense led by Andrew Luck. 

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Darnold wasn’t statistically outstanding against the Bills last week, although he did have some noteworthy moments. The Jets QB completed 66.7 percent of his passes, his best finish since Week 6. The Texans appear to be the heavy favorites to win this game.

Later on Saturday, the Cleveland Browns (5-7-1) will visit the Denver Broncos (6-7) at 8:20 p.m. EST, a contest that will also air on NFL Network. Cleveland is third in its division ahead of Cincinnati (5-8) and is coming off a 26-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers (6-7).

Meanwhile, Denver is third in the AFC West, well behind first-place Kansas City and the second-place Los Angeles Chargers, both of whom are 11-3. The Super Bowl 50 champion Broncos will more than likely not reach the playoffs this year, while the Browns also have a difficult path to the postseason ahead but may have a chance if they win their last three games.

The Broncos have boasted a powerful pass rush corps this year thanks to players like Von Miller and rookie Bradley Chubb. 

Browns rookie cornerback and first-round pick Denzel Ward has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against Denver with a concussion. Meanwhile, the Broncos have injuries at wide receiver and in their secondary. Linebacker Shaquil Barrett and cornerback Isaac Yiadom are both out.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz underwent a CT scan that revealed a fractured vertebrate.

Wentz Possibly Out For Season With Vertebra Fracture

The franchise QB is not expected to play Sunday, as rest can help Wentz to fully heal without further issues. Sources say that evaluations will commence to determine if Wentz’ injury will worsen if he continues to play in 2018.

The injury has hindered Wentz all season, but no previous scans have yielded the result of a fracture. Although there is uncertainty regarding his status for the remainder of the season, Wentz will, fortunately, be able to recover without surgery.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

The team’s game against the Rams would have been huge if the Eagles weren’t so far from the playoffs. They now have little to gain from starting an injured Wentz, and only have two games following that. The Eagles will likely start backup Nick Foles, the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

Wentz has played every snap since returning from the Injured Reserve, as he suffered torn a torn ACL and LCL last season. Wentz recently said the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles shouldn’t be counted out of the playoff race after the team beat the NFC East-rival Washington Redskins 28-13 on Dec. 3. Last week, Philadelphia suffered a crushing 29-23 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys that many Eagles fans were especially furious about because of what they believed was a terrible call made by officials on the first play of the game, which resulted in a Cowboys touchdown. Even safety Malcolm Jenkins said after the matchup that replay officials should “stay off the bottle.”

The Eagles (6-7) are second in the NFC East, while the Redskins (6-7) are third and the Cowboys (-5) lead the division.

Scorched Earth gridiron. Playoff stakes. A lot of touchdowns. That’s what you can expect from the mammoth division matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night in Arrowhead Stadium.

Chargers Look To Snap Nine-Game Losing Streak To Chiefs

The Chargers, (10-3) are just one (!) game behind the Chiefs, (11-2) and are the hottest team in the AFC. Reeling off three straight wins, the Chargers boast the second-longest winning streak in the league behind the Dallas Cowboys. Yes, even ahead of Kansas City and New England. The Chiefs can expect the most difficult division game of the season, one that can end up as the game that decides the winner of the AFC West and possibly the first seed in the playoffs. The Chargers have proved to be a force, but lack a dominant win over an elite team such as the Chief. Even further, the Chargers haven’t beaten the Chiefs in five years. 

Yes. It’s been five years since the Chargers (then of San Diego) have won a game against Kansas City, losing nine of their previous matchups against them, including one at the beginning of the 2018 season. The last win against Kansas City for the Chargers came in Week 12 of 2013, but since the franchise has relocated, fans and players look to start a new trend.

Offensive lineman Mike Pouncey, a newcomer to the LA franchise, is looking forward to the chance of changing course. “It was nine?” He asked. “We lost nine in a row to them? Damn. Yeah, I didn’t know that, but I guess it really doesn’t matter. It’s the next game for us.”

Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn is as new as the Los Angeles version of the Bolts. He’s in his second season with the team, and isn’t happy about keeping the pace of losses against the heralded division leaders. “We’ve lost three that I know of,” He said. “I don’t know about much, but three is too many for me. We’d like to stop that streak.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

It’ll be up to quarterback Philip Rivers to continue his heroics if the streak is to finish under ten losses. The offense under Rivers is spectacular, but Kansas City’s is one of the greatest the league has ever seen. In their two losses against the Rams and Patriots, the Chiefs have averaged 45 points. Rivers, who has been with the team for all of the past nine losses against the Chiefs, says he doesn’t think much about the trends and feels that this team has what it takes to grab the division by the throat.

“We can make stats say whatever we want,” Rivers said. “We kick off on Thursday. This game, we’ll see what happens on Thursday. Each game, to me, stands alone. While I acknowledge that’s been the case — it’s been a while — but there are guys in this locker room that have only played them one time.”

The juggernaut offense of the Chiefs, led by phenom quarterback Patrick Mahomes, will surely face a challenge and a motivated team with the division on the line is the makings of a must-see game.

Thursday’s game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. EST and will air on FOX, NFL Network and Amazon Prime.

There was momentary hope last week that Aaron Rodgers would return for the Green Bay Packers for the rest of this season, and now that possibility is gone.

Aaron Rodgers injury news

The team placed their veteran quarterback, a two-time NFL MVP — on injured reserve again on Tuesday.

Rodgers, 34, missed seven games after he fractured his right clavicle on Oct. 15 at Minnesota. He returned Sunday against Carolina. But after Green Bay (7-7) lost to the Panthers and Atlanta won on Monday night, the Packers were eliminated from playoff contention with two games remaining this regular season. It’s the first time the Packers will miss the postseason since Rodgers’ first year as a starter (2008).

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers did not experience any pain in his collarbone against the Panthers on Sunday — during which he threw three touchdown passes — but did not say whether the team would have also benched him had they reached the postseason this year.

“With all the factors involved, we felt this was clearly in Aaron Rodgers’ best interest,” McCarthy said. “He’s not happy about it. It’s a hard day for him. This is not the way, I don’t think, any player wants to see their season come to a conclusion, being on IR. We all understand and appreciate and respect his competitive spirit, but we felt as an organization this was in his best interest.”

Rodgers also tossed three interceptions and was sacked three times on Sunday.

Brett Hundley, who went 3-4 in place of Rodgers this season, will start Saturday night at home against the Minnesota Vikings. Green Bay re-signed backup Joe Callahan, who was released last week when the team activated Rodgers off IR.

McCarthy added the Packers may still make a few more roster moves. Green Bay also recently released practice squad quarterback Jerod Evans.

Rodgers had surgery on Oct. 19 to have 13 screws and two plates implanted to stabilize his collarbone.

“He’s the leader. … He did a lot of really good things in the Carolina game,” said McCarthy of Rodgers. “To play and come back and have the challenge, I mean, they’re an excellent defense. But yes, I think it shows you his competitive spirit and his will to be a champion and you know, we fully went into Carolina with the expectations to win the game.”

After Minnesota, the Packers will visit Detroit on Dec. 31 for their season finale.

ARLINGTON, TX – JANUARY 15: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers throws a pass in the first half during the NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on January 15, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Ezekiel Elliott returned to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday after completing his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Ezekiel Elliott suspension return news

However, coach Jason Garrett has admitted he is unsure how his team should use the second-year running back.

Garrett said his message to Elliott was to “get back to work” and that the 22-year-old “looked good.”

On Tuesday, Elliott and the full team will be together for the first time since the Cowboys — who are on a three-game winning streak — defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 5. Dallas (8-6, second in NFC East) next hosts the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Elliott ran for 93 yards and a touchdown against Kansas City.

The Cowboys removed Elliott from the reserve/suspended list and cut running back Trey Williams to make room for Elliott on the active roster.

Garrett was not prepared to state with certainty on Monday in what capacity Dallas will utilize Elliott in their final two games.

“Just have to wait and see,” Garrett said. “Got to see how he is [Tuesday], got to see how he practices as the week goes on.”

In the first eight games of the season before his ban for domestic violence, Elliott put on an impressive run. He ran for 783 yards and seven touchdowns on 191 carries and had at least 93 yards rushing in each of his past four games.

Earlier this year, the Cowboys worked defensive tackle David Irving back into the lineup following a four-game suspension for violating the substance abuse policy. Defensive end Damontre Moore, currently a free agent, also returned from a two-game suspension.

Elliott — an Ohio State product who was the NFL’s rushing yards leader as a rookie in 2016 — reportedly spent his suspension training in Cabo, Mexico, and appears to have gained some muscle.

ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 26: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys runs for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the first half at AT&T Stadium on December 26, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

The Atlanta Falcons defeated the Buccaneers 24-21 in Tampa Bay on Monday night after the hosts missed a 54-yard field goal in the final moments.

Falcons vs. Buccaneers game score

The defending NFC champions (9-5) trail New Orleans and Carolina by one game with two weeks left in the regular season.

“We’re right where we need to be at this point of the season,” said quarterback Matt Ryan following the victory. “We’ve got to find a way to get back to work this week, try to improve and make sure we play the best we’re capable of playing this Sunday.”

”That’s really all our focus needs to be about,” he added. ”If we’re worried about anything else then you’re not as locked in as you need to be.”

Devonta Freeman had 194 yards from scrimmage — rushing for 126 on 22 carries and catching five passes for a team-high 68 yards — to help lead Atlanta to its fifth win in six games, which eliminated Green Bay from playoff contention.

Ryan threw for 212 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.

”Can’t think too far into the future. Always focus on what we’ve got next,” Falcons safety Keanu Neal said. ”Look too far ahead, you lose sight of the present.”

Freeman’s 32-yard TD run gave the Falcons a 10-point lead that the defense almost blew over the final eight minutes.

Since Tevin Coleman is out with a concussion, third-string running back Terron Ward shared the rushing load with the two-time 1,000-yard rusher.

Tampa Bay lost several players to injuries, including rookie safety Justin Evans (ankle), linebacker Adarius Glanton (lower leg), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (ankle), safety T.J. Ward (concussion), guard J.R. Sweezy (lower leg), tight end O.J. Howard (ankle) and cornerback Ryan Smith (leg injury/concussion).

It has been rumored that the struggling Bucs (4-10) will soon be parting ways with coach Dirk Koetter, and it has also been speculated that Koetter could be replaced by ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, a former coach for Tampa Bay.

Gruden, whose brother Jay Gruden is the Washington Redskins’ head coach, led the Buccaneers to their lone Super Bowl title in 2002. Jon Gruden was inducted into the Bucs’ Ring of Honor on Monday night.

Jameis Winston faced a lot of pressure but still excelled. Tampa Bay’s quarterback completed  27-of-35 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns. He also had a 130.5 rating — the second best of his career.

The Falcons next visit New Orleans on Sunday before hosting Carolina for their regular season finale. The Buccaneers visit the Panthers on Sunday and then host the Saints on Dec. 31.

TAMPA, FL – NOVEMBER 3: Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons drops back to pass during the second quarter of an NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 3, 2016 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Steelers may have clinched their division this year, but they left Sunday’s 27-24 home loss to the New England Patriots particularly livid.

Steelers controversial touchdown play video

The hosts felt like the game had been stolen from them.

A controversial play that was overturned after review erased a would-be Steelers touchdown in the final seconds of the matchup. The reversal eventually led to a game-ending interception that sealed the Patriots’ win.

“That last call was (expletive),” Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said. “I think he scored, and that was it. They overturned it and that’s what it is. We’ve got to live by it. We’ll come back.”

With 34 seconds left in the contest, Pittsburgh faced a first-and-goal from the 10-yard line. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger snapped the ball and launched a pass to tight end Jesse James, who caught it near the end zone and stretched his arms to cross the plane.

After initially ruling the play a touchdown that would have given the Steelers a 3-point lead, referee Tony Corrente reversed his decision.

“That’s the key here, he is going to the ground,” NFL vice president of officiating Al Riveron said in a video explanation that was posted to the NFL Football Operations official Twitter account. “By rule, to complete the process of the catch, he must survive the ground, and by that we mean he must maintain control of the football.”

The ball did seem to bobble as James made the catch, although he regained control.

“I felt good about it,” James said after the game. “But it’s the National Football League. They reviewed it for a reason. Someone thought it wasn’t a touchdown and that’s what they came up with.”

Though coach Mike Tomlin and owner Art Rooney were vehemently upset with the final call, Tomlin said he wasn’t going to attempt to fight the ruling.

“It’s really irrelevant how I feel about it,” said Tomlin. “It’s not going to change the outcome of the game. I’m not going to cry over spilt milk and all of that crap and talk about replay. I ain’t doing it.”

Roethlisberger revealed he originally wanted to spike the ball, stop the clock and give his team the opportunity to tie the game on a field goal, but that offensive coordinator Todd Haley relayed the call for the fake spike in his headset.

“Maybe that’s on me,” Roethlisberger said. “Maybe I should have clocked it. I don’t’ know. We’re not going to look back and second-guess anything or anybody. We lost the game and I threw a pick at the end of the game to lose it.”

The Steelers converted 10 of 16 third-down attempts. Their interception on Tom Brady also marked the quarterback’s first against Pittsburgh in more than 12 years.

The Patriots and Steelers are both 11-3 and both lead their respective divisions. The former next host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, while the latter will visit Houston on Christmas Day.

PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 23: LeGarrette Blount #29 of the New England Patriots rushes against Vince Williams #98 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half during the game at Heinz Field on October 23, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Adrian Peterson has confirmed that his season is over.

Adrian Peterson Injury news

The Arizona Cardinals running back sustained a neck injury last month in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has missed Arizona’s last two games. However, Peterson has vowed to return next season.

“The good news is my neck injury doesn’t require surgery, but I’m told by Dr. Robert Watkins that the best thing for me is just more rest than the length of the season,” he said. “Obviously, I’m disappointed about going on IR when my body is still able to produce but I look forward to returning completely healthy for another season in 2018. I’m grateful for the opportunity that the Arizona Cardinals have given me to show that I can still contribute on an NFL team.”

The Cardinals acquired Peterson in October in a trade with New Orleans in exchange for a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2018. The pass rusher is under contract through 2018 on a deal that is set to pay him $3.5 million.

Peterson rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns in his Cardinals’ debut Oct. 15, a 38-33 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After rushing for less than 30 yards the following two weeks in losses to Houston and Seattle, Peterson gained 79 yards on 20 carries during a 27-24 victory over Jacksonville.

He is now the 14th different player Arizona has placed on injured reserve this season.

David Johnson remains the Cardinals’ No. 1 running back, although he went on injured reserve after sustaining a fractured left wrist in the season opener at Detroit.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 18: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers on September 18, 2016 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Indianapolis Colts tight end Brandon Williams was diagnosed with a concussion after being transported to a local hospital during Thursday night’s 25-13 home loss to the Denver Broncos.

Brandon Williams head injury news

Colts coach Chuck Pagano stated Williams was released from the hospital and is being treated by the team’s medical staff.

“It was a pretty scary thing… but he’s back here,” said Pagano following the game. “He’s doing well.”

Williams sustained the injury in the second quarter and was carted off the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on a stretcher. He was blocking Broncos linebacker Deiontrez Mount on a punt early in the quarter.

Colts tight end Jack Doyle said he was “upset” when he saw his teammate down.

“Worried about him. Worried about his family that’s watching on TV,” Doyle said. “You think about all those things because Brandon is such a great person, great teammate and great friend. It’s just hard to see, so I just hope he’ll be all right.”

Williams has nine catches for 121 yards this season. His college career at Oregon ended a year early due to a spinal condition.

In the summer of 2011, Williams was told he had spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column. In 2013, an MRI revealed his condition had improved, and doctors told the tight end there was nothing to stop him from playing in the NFL.

He played with the Carolina Panthers from 2013 to 2015, had a brief stint with the Miami Dolphins and signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2016. He signed as a free agent with the Colts in September.

The Colts (3-11) next visit Baltimore on Dec. 23 before hosting Houston on Dec. 31 to close out their season. The Broncos (5-9) will visit Washington on Dec. 24 and then host Kansas City for their regular season finale.