Amid an abysmal showing and an even more unpromising season for the Buffalo Bills, cornerback Vontae Davis retired from professional football at halftime down 28-6 to the San Diego Chargers.

Bills’ Vontae Davis retires due to health concerns

Though not the typical way to go about it, 30-year-old Davis cited a few reasons for his departure, none of which were the halftime deficit or the state of the Bills franchise. “This isn’t how I pictured retiring from the NFL,” he said in a statement on social media. “I’ve endured multiple surgeries and played through many different injuries throughout my career.”

Davis was drafted by the Miami Dolphins as a first-round pick (No. 25 overall) in 2009 out of Illinois. He spent three seasons with the team before joining the Indianapolis Colts. Davis then signed a one-year deal with the Bills in February.

The two-time Pro-Bowler had only been with the Bills for the 2018 season, but the few quarters in Western New York were too much to handle for both the cornerback’s physical and psychological well-being. “Over the last few weeks, this was the latest physical challenge.”

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His unorthodox decision prompted an uproar from NFL fans on social media, accusing Davis of quitting on the team. ESPN’s Damien Woody was so incensed about the matter that he said he would have “fought the cat” had he been his teammate. It all stirs up more dialogue concerning the physical endurance NFL players sacrifice at the expense of billionaire owners and ungrateful fans, and the critical state of the NFL altogether.

Davis, although retiring in possibly the strangest fashion the NFL has seen, prompted a viscerally human and emotional response, demanding the NFL’s attention to player safety both on and off the field. He isn’t alone in any of this. The past two NFL seasons have seen a surge in early retirees, especially those before the age of 30. Davis’ decision is one of many pages in the developing story of the NFL’s public relations fiascos, making every fan think twice about what their favorite players are really going through when playing professional football.

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“Do I want to keep sacrificing?” Davis asked himself. “I do not … the season is long, and it’s more important for me and my family to walk away healthy than to willfully embrace the warrior mentally and limp away too late.”

Monday night’s primetime matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field will showcase two teams vying for the crowns of their respective divisions, despite not being the favorites to win either of them. Both teams sit at 0-1, after losing their opening games on the road, though both by very close margins.

Monday Night Football week 2: Bears vs. Seahawks

Week one’s historic showing by the Bears’ new acquisition, defensive end Khalil Mack –traded from the Oakland Raiders just before the season – was thwarted by the Packers and the games purest talent, Aaron Rodgers. A miraculous comeback was the only answer to the twenty-point deficit built up by Mack’s dominant defensive showcase: a two-tackle, forced-fumble, pick-six, game with a sack on the side was the verdict. Mack is the only player since 1982 with this distinction, the only other being some guy named Lawrence Taylor.

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An unrelenting menace against a heralded offensive line, Mack singlehandedly outperformed both the Packers through three quarters and his former team. According to Pro Football Focus, Mack’s sack and five quarterback hurries outweighed the Raiders’ entire defense, which only recorded one sack, one QB hit, and three hurries against the Los Angeles Rams last week. The Seahawks’ offensive line struggles could set the tone for another field day for the league’s best defensive player.

Playing the adversarial role at quarterback tonight, Russell Wilson might have to take a page from the Aaron Rodgers playbook if the Bears defense resembles anything from last week. The Bears’ run game, revitalized by rookie head coach Matt Nagy, will undoubtedly be a force against the crumbling Seahawks linebacker core. The team added the likes of Mychal Kendricks, recently charged with insider trading, to bolster what was once the league’s most feared defense. The diverse arsenal of attack from the Bears, including rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, will be the key to the outcome of the game, but all eyes will be on Mack and the other tenacious ten staring down Wilson in Chicago.

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The Bears and Seahawks are set to kickoff at 8:15 Monday night on ESPN.

The Raiders have decided to re-sign receiver Martavis Bryant, just 11 days after waiving him at the conclusion of training camp. 

Raiders Sign Wideout Martavis Bryant – Again

Oakland’s initial decision to part ways with the former Pittsburgh Steelers weapon was possibly due to a suspension, the third of his career, pending appeal. At the helm of the Raiders’ offense, quarterback Derek Carr showed support for the trialed pass-catcher. 

“I think that with us, we can be there for him, help him with whatever he needs,” said Carr. “And he can help us win football games.”

Head coach Jon Gruden also spoke positively of Bryant re-signing, despite earlier claims that the receiver’s performance was surpassed while still in camp.

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“As I said when we made the trade to get him, when he’s right, he can be a difference-maker,” Gruden said.

Bryant’s services were traded from Pittsburgh for the 79th overall pick in the 2018 draft, which yielded a minimal return for the Raiders. Carr is positive a speedy six-foot-four weapon will have an impact from the start.

“Teams can try to play certain coverages with him, but he’s so fast it doesn’t matter,” Carr said. “You make one false step, he can be gone like that.”

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The game-breaking speed of Bryant will join a veteran wideout corps. in Oakland, headed by Amari Cooper, Seth Roberts, and new addition Jordy Nelson. They hope for a recovery from their pedestrian performance in week one, a loss to the Los Angeles Rams at home when they take on the Broncos (1-0) in Denver this Sunday. 

The Cincinnati Bengals will host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, and here is what you need to know.

Bengals vs. Ravens Game Preview

Both teams won their season openers on Sunday. The Bengals (1-0) defeated the Colts 34-23 in Indianapolis, while the Ravens (1-0) trounced the Buffalo Bills 47-3 at home. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns tied 21-21 on Sunday, thus putting the AFC North standings in an interesting position just one week into the NFL season.

Thursday’s game will start at 8:20 p.m. EST on NFL Network.

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The Ravens surpassed the Bills in terms of yardage and in many other respects last week. Meanwhile, the Bengals were also stellar against Indianapolis: they scored 17 points in the final quarter. Cincinnati running back Joe Mixon put on one of his strongest performances in recent memory. Andrew Luck turned the ball over twice and failed to make many long-pass attempts.

The Bengals and Ravens previously faced off in the 2017 regular season finale, which ended with Cincinnati winning in the final minute after Andy Dalton threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd on fourth-and-12. This allowed Buffalo to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2000.

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Bengals linebacker Preston Brown is questionable with an ankle injury, and running back Kenneth Dixon will reportedly miss several weeks because of a knee injury. Cincinnati will also be without Vontaze Burfict, who is still serving a four-game suspension for a performance-enhancing drug use violation.

The New York Giants (0-2) suffered a crushing 24-10 home loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday night, and coach Ben McAdoo said Eli Manning was primarily to blame for the defeat.

Giants vs. Lions Score and recap

“Sloppy quarterback play,” McAdoo said. “Quarterback and the center need to be on the same page there. We’ve got to get the ball snapped.”

The Lions (2-0) sacked Manning five times and the Giants quarterback also threw one interception to Tahir Whitehead early in the second quarter. One of Manning’s other big mistakes came with 5:20 remaining in the third quarter, on a fourth-and-goal from the Detroit 2-yard line. McAdoo signaled to go for it on fourth down, but the play clock expired before the ball was snapped and New York received a five-yard, delay-of-game penalty.

“Because we have a veteran quarterback who has played a lot of football,” McAdoo continued when asked why he didn’t use one of his remaining time outs. “I expect us to get the ball snapped. Usually the clock goes from three, two, one, zero. Once it hits zero, they look at the ball, then look at the clock. Usually we have a tick once it hits zero to get the ball snapped without being a delay of game. I thought we had a chance to get it off.”

After the penalty was assessed, the Giants scored a 25-yard field goal to trail 17-10.

“Well, I can play better,” Manning said of his performance. “So, I’ve got to find ways to play better and get some completions, convert on third down. That’s a quarterback’s job. He’s got to find ways to move the offense and move the ball and score touchdowns. So, we’re not doing that enough.”

Manning finished 22 for 32 for 239 yards, while Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford was 15 for 21 for 122 yards. Stafford threw two touchdowns, first a 27-yard pass to Marvin Jones with 4 minutes left in the first quarter to put the Lions up 7-0, then a go-ahead 7-yarder to Eric Ebron in the second. Matt Prater successfully converted an impressive 56-yard field goal that bounced off the crossbar to give Detroit a 17-7 lead at halftime.

Rookie tight end Evan Engram — a first-round draft pick from Ole Miss — scored the Giants’ only touchdown — the first of his NFL career — to tie it 7-7 at the start of the second quarter by catching an 18-yard pass from Manning. However, Engram was called for unsportsmanlike conduct for a seemingly obscene gesture. This allowed the Lions to get the ball at the Giants 45 after the kickoff went out of bounds and Stafford drove them for a second touchdown.

Rookie Aldrick Rosas made a 25-yard field goal for the Giants early in the second half

 Rookie Lions cornerback Jamal Agnew — a University of San Diego product — scored his first NFL touchdown by returning Brad Wing’s punt for 88 yards early in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

Agnew’s punt-return TD is the fifth-longest in Lions history.

 Odell Beckham Jr., a three-time Pro Bowl wideout who missed the Giants’ season opener due to an ankle sprain, returned but only made four catches for 36 yards in limited action. This time, New York was missing a key player on defense: cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who sat out with an ankle/hand injury. Eli Apple filled in at cornerback for the Giants. The hosts were also missing linebacker B.J. Goodson with a lower leg injury.

The Giants held a halftime ceremony to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their 2007 Super Bowl championship team. Coach Tom Coughlin and Hall of Famer Michael Strahan brought the Lombardi Trophy onto the field. New York defeated the previously undefeated New England Patriots in that title game.

The Giants next visit the Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) on Sunday, when the Lions host the Atlanta Falcons (2-0).

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – SEPTEMBER 18: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants hands off the ball to Shane Vereen #34 against the Detroit Lions during their game at MetLife Stadium on September 18, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Houston Texans will visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, in a matchup of two teams who lost their season openers last week.

Bengals vs. Texans Thursday Night Game Preview

The Bengals, who were predicted to win their home opener this year due to their powerful offense, suffered a 20-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans were trounced by the Jacksonville Jaguars 29-7.

Here is everything you need to know for Thursday’s game:

Game: Houston Texans (0-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)

Date: Thursday, September 14th, 2017

Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

Kickoff: 8:30 PM EST

TV: NFL Network national broadcast, produced by NBC, and Cincinnati viewers may also watch the game on WLWT-TV (Channel 5).

Announcers: Al Michaels (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (color analyst) and Heather Cox (sideline reporter).

Online Streaming: Watch the live stream on the NFL’s mobile app. International viewers can use NFL Game Pass. at NFL.com.

The Texans announced earlier this week that they will start rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson — a Clemson product — over veteran Tom Savage, who was hit with six sacks and lost two fumbles in Sunday’s loss to Jacksonville. Watson was also sacked four times, although he helped Houston score its only touchdown of the contest.

Watson suffered an ankle injury on Sunday, but was later ruled fine for Tuesday’s practice.

Texans defensive end J.J. Watt recently injured his finger, although he said it’s fine. Houston also placed tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz on injured reserve with a concussion. Among the other Texans tight ends who are injured are Ryan Griffin and Stephen Anderson. Linebacker Brian Cushing and wide receiver Bruce Ellington joined Griffin and Fiedorowicz in the concussion protocol with head injuries.

Fiedorowicz signed a three-year contract extension last month worth roughly $22 million, with $10.1 million guaranteed.

On the Bengals’ side, meanwhile, guard Trey Hopkins and defensive end Michael Johnson did not participate in the team’s latest practice due to undisclosed injuries, according to NFL.com.

CINCINNATI, OH – NOVEMBER 16: T.J. Yates #6 of the Houston Texans hands the ball off to Chris Polk #22 of the Houston Texans during the third quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 16, 2015 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by John Grieshop/Getty Images)

DeMarcus Ware was one of several NFL players injured in a Week 2 game this weekend.

NFL Week 2 Injury Report: DeMarcus Ware To Have Surgery On Broken Arm, Danny Woodhead Tears ACL

The Denver Broncos outside linebacker suffered an ulna fracture near his elbow during his team’s 34-20 home victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Ware, 34, cradled his arm as he walked to the sideline just one minute into the third quarter and was taken to the locker room. The play, an 11-yard scramble by Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, was nullified by  a holding penalty on Indianapolis tight end Jack Doyle. 

The veteran linebacker will undergo surgery to repair a broken bone in his right forearm, and will miss four to five weeks, Broncos coach Gary Kubiak told reporters.

Ware missed much of the team’s offseason program, all of training camp and did not play in any of the Broncos’ four preseason games because of back troubles. Denver made that move to try to get him to the regular season and planned to regulate his snap count during games to try to keep him healthy.

Ware had split a sack with fellow linebacker and Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller earlier in the game, thus putting himself in sole possession of ninth place in NFL history with 136.5 career sacks. He now has 19.5 quarterback takedowns in 28 regular-season games with the Broncos.

The Broncos will next travel to Cincinnati to play the Bengals on Sunday.

Other NFL injuries announced Monday include Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee. Coach Mike Zimmer told KFAN the news early Monday.

San Diego Chargers running back Danny Woodhead tore his ACL Sunday, the team announced. Woodhead is out for the season. Head coach Mike McCoy also said safety Jahleel Addae has a fractured left clavicle and had surgery Monday.

Meanwhile, New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo won’t start Thursday’s game against the Houston Texans due to a sprained AC joint, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. The Patriots hope Garoppolo will return by Week 4.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown is also out this week with a shoulder injury, and is week-to-week “from here on,” coach Hue Jackson told reporters. Rookie Cody Kessler is expected to start in place of McCown. Cleveland defensive end Carl Nassib, meanwhile, suffered a broken hand in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Nassib is expected to have surgery. Offensive lineman Cameron Erving (pulmonary contusion), meanwhile, was released from the hospital on Monday morning, the team announced. He’s considered week-to-week.

New Orleans Saints corner P.J. Williams suffered a concussion after taking a knee to the head. Rapoport reported that it is believed Williams escaped without a spine injury. Coach Sean Payton announced the corner “will be coming back (Monday) afternoon” and “all the news is positive.”

SANTA CLARA, CA – FEBRUARY 07: DeMarcus Ware #94 of the Denver Broncos reacts while playing against the Carolina Panthers during Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)