Latest updates on Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, Sam LaPorta and others

As is the case every week, NFL Week 3 had its fair share of injuries across the league. From the Eagles dealing with concussions to their star players to the Chargers’ Justin Herbert exiting the game against the Steelers, many clubs are dealing with injuries they’ll have to addresses during the upcoming week and beyond.

Here’s a rundown of everything we know so far coming out of Week 3:

QB
Justin Herbert (ankle): Herbert was originally listed as questionable to play Sunday due to an ankle injury, and he appeared to aggravate the ankle in the third quarter vs. the Steelers (he confirmed as much afterwards). Taylor Heinicke replaced him under center. Per NFL Media, Herbert has since underwent X-rays on that ankle, which came back negative. He will continue to be monitored this week.
Sam Darnold (knee): The Vikings quarterback briefly exited the club’s Week 3 win over the Texans due to a knee injury. While he came back and finished the game, he did undergo an MRI as a precaution. It was revealed that Darnold has a bone bruise but not structural damage, according to NFL Media. Overall good news for the Minnesota signal-caller.
Jordan Love (knee): The Packers QB, who has missed the past two games with a sprained MCL, will at least be a limited participant to start the practice week on Wednesday, per head coach Matt LaFleur. The team will then take it day-by-day from there as it prepares for a massive NFC North showdown against the Minnesota Vikings.
WR
DeVonta Smith (concussion): The Eagles’ new No. 1 WR took a nasty hit in the second half, where his helmet popped off. He was ruled out with a concussion.
Britain Covey (shoulder): The Eagles receiver was ruled out with a shoulder injury on Sunday. It has since been reported that Covey has a broken bone in his shoulder is expected to miss multiple weeks.
Van Jefferson (eye): Steelers pass-catcher Van Jefferson suffered an eye injury.
TE
Sam LaPorta (ankle): The Lions star suffered a low-ankle sprain, per ESPN. Head coach Dan Campbell noted Monday that he is day-to-day.
Trey McBride (concussion protocol): The Cardinals’ productive tight end is in concussion protocol, head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed Monday. McBride got hurt following a scary collision with Brian Branch late in the loss to the Lions.
OL
Lane Johnson (concussion): The Eagles’ right tackle was seen throwing up on the sideline in the first half vs. the Saints, and shortly after ruled out with a concussion.
Mekhi Becton (finger): Another Eagles starter on the offensive line was injured in the first half.
Rashawn Slater (pectoral): It was a rough injury day for the Chargers, as star offensive tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a strained pec.
Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee): The Browns left tackle was making his season debut this week, but he went down in the second half.
Wyatt Teller (knee): The Browns right guard was ruled out due to a knee injury. Head coach Kevin Stefanski noted on Monday that he could land on injured reserve.
James Hudson (shoulder): The Browns lineman suffered a shoulder injury in the loss to New York.
Erik McCoy (groin): The Saints’ offensive front suffered a massive hit with their center being ruled out with a groin injury. On Monday, head coach Dennis Allen said he is still being evaluated.
Kaleb McGary (knee): The Falcons right tackle, who was ruled out Sunday night with a knee injury, is believed to have suffered a sprained MCL, per NFL Media. He’ll have an MRI to confirm.
Drew Dalman (ankle): Atlanta’s center suffered a high-ankle sprain in the loss to Kansas City, according to NFL Media. He’ll undergo an MRI, but is expected to miss time.
Joe Alt (knee): The Chargers first-round rookie suffered a sprained MCL in Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh, according to NFL Media. He does not need surgery, but is expected to miss time.
DL
Leonard Williams (ribs): The Seahawks defensive end left with a ribs injury and was later ruled out.
Byron Murphy (hamstring): The Seahawks defensive tackle hurt his hamstring against the Dolphins and was ruled out.
Jeffery Simmons (elbow): Titans head coach Brian Callahan told reporters that Simmons is day-to-day after suffering an elbow injury he suffered in the loss to Green Bay on Sunday.
EDGE
Myles Garrett (feet): The Browns star is dealing with issues with his feet, which he said has led to lower-leg ailments. Garrett left the Giants game for several minutes in the fourth quarter, received treatment in the medical tent and then returned. Head coach Kevin Stefanski called Garrett day-to-day on Monday.
Joey Bosa (hip): The Chargers star defensive end walked off with trainers after one snap played against the Steelers, and was ruled out.
Alex Highsmith (groin): Highsmith did not return to Sunday’s game due to a groin injury. That opened the door for Nick Herbig on the edge.
Marcus Davenport (elbow): The Lions pass rusher has suffered a significant elbow injury in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, per NFL Media. He is now lost for the season.
Kwity Paye (quad): Colts head coach Shane Steichen confirmed Paye is dealing with a quad injury, but has no update on whether or not he’ll miss time.
CB
Adoree’ Jackson (calf): The Giants cornerback was not seen on the field in the second half of their matchup vs. Cleveland.
Cory Trice Jr. (hamstring): Steelers corner Cory Trice did not return to Sunday’s matchup vs. the Chargers due to a hamstring injury.
Terell Smith (hip): The Bears defensive back was originally listed as doubtful to return with a hip injury, but was later ruled out.
Chidobe Awuzie (groin): The Titans corner suffered a groin injury that could land him on injured reserve.
S
Marcus Epps (knee): The Raiders safety suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s loss to Carolina, according to NFL Media. There’s no other damage to Epps’ knee, so he will be ready for 2025. He is set to be a free agent this offseason.

Ravens reunite with veteran edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, beef up pass rush, per report

The Baltimore Ravens are reuniting with an old friend as the team is signing veteran edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue to their 2024 squad, according to ESPN.

Ngakoue, 29, last suited up for the Ravens in the 2020 season after coming over in a midseason trade from the Minnesota Vikings. He totaled three sacks and 26 quarterback pressures in nine games that season. His 69 career sacks are tied for the ninth most in the NFL with Joey Bosa since entering the league as a third-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ngakoue has played for six teams in his now-nine-year NFL career, suiting up with the Jaguars (2016-2019), the Vikings (2020), the Ravens (2020), the Raiders (2021), the Colts (2022) and the Bears (2023). He suffered a broken ankle that caused him to miss the final four games of his 2023 season in Chicago, which led to him finishing with a career-low four sacks last season.
Ngakoue has an established reputation as a pass rush expert, totaling at least eight sacks in each of his first seven NFL seasons. That puts him in a club with three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald (2015-2020) and three Hall of Famers — DeMarcus Ware (2005-2011), Derrick Thomas (1989-1995) and Reggie White (1985-1991) — as the only players to accomplish that feat in their first seven seasons since sacks became an individual stat in 1982.

Baltimore is making this move in the hopes that it will increase the consistency of its pass rush after a 1-2 start to 2024. Yes, the Ravens’ 10 sacks as a team are the ninth most in the league through three games, but their team quarterback pressure of 27.1% is the fourth worst in the NFL entering the “Monday Night Football” doubleheader in Week 3.

NFL picks, Monday Night Football bets by model on 41-22-run

Teams trending in opposite directions will meet in the first of two Monday Night Football games when the winless Jacksonville Jaguars battle the unbeaten Buffalo Bills. Jacksonville opened the season with a 20-17 loss at Miami and an 18-13 home loss to Cleveland. Buffalo defeated Arizona, 34-28, in Week 1 and followed that up with a 31-10 win at Miami. The Jaguars, who reached the postseason two years ago, are looking to improve on last year’s 9-8 mark and second-place finish in the AFC South. The Bills, who have reached the playoffs in six of seven seasons, including five in a row, are seeking their fifth consecutive AFC East title.

Kickoff from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The Bills are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Jaguars vs. Bills odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 45.5. Before making any Bills vs. Jaguars picks, be sure to see the NFL predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 187-130 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It is also on a 41-22 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick’em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.

Now, the model has set its sights on Jaguars vs. Bills and just locked in its picks and NFL predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NFL odds and NFL betting lines for the spread, money line and over/under for Bills vs. Jaguars:

Jaguars vs. Bills spread: Buffalo -5.5
Jaguars vs. Bills over-under: 45.5 points
Jaguars vs. Bills money line: Buffalo -250, Jacksonville +203
JAC: Jaguars have covered the third-quarter spread in 12 of their last 17 games (+6.75 units)
BUF: Bills have hit the third-quarter money line in 11 of their last 19 games
Jaguars vs. Bills picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back the Bills
Quarterback Josh Allen, a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, is off to another solid start to his season. Through two games, he has thrown for 371 yards and three touchdowns on 31 of 42 passing, and has compiled a 124.2 rating. He has also carried 11 times for 41 yards and two scores. In parts of seven seasons, Allen has thrown for 23,074 yards, completing 63.4% of his passes, and has thrown for 170 touchdowns and just 78 interceptions for a 92.7 rating.

Also helping power the Buffalo offense is running back James Cook. He leads the team in rushing, carrying 30 times for 149 yards (5.0 average) and two touchdowns. He has eight first-down conversions and has a long run of 49 yards. In the passing attack, Cook has caught four passes for 49 yards (12.3 average) and one touchdown. In three seasons with the Bills, he has 356 rushes for 1,778 yards (5.0 average) and six touchdowns. See which team to pick here.

Why you should back the Jaguars
Wide receiver Gabe Davis aims for his third game in a row with 40-plus receiving yards. He also has 55 or more receiving yards in two of his past three games in prime time. Davis totaled 163 catches for 2,730 yards and 27 touchdowns over four seasons with Buffalo from 2020 to 2023. He has six catches for 105 yards (17.5 average) and five first-down conversions on the year.

Wide receiver Christian Kirk has four or more catches in four of his past five road games. In his last meeting against Buffalo, he had six catches for 78 yards. Under the lights, Kirk has played well. He has 90-plus receiving yards and a touchdown catch in two of his past three games in prime time. He also has 85-plus receiving yards in two of his three career games on Monday Night Football. See which team to pick here.

How to make Jaguars vs. Bills picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 50 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that hits in over 60% of simulations. You can only get the NFL model’s picks at SportsLine.