NFL Player News

Coach Jon Gruden said after Thursday's 30-27 overtime loss to the Chargers that Carr's groin injury is "significant" but not a tear, Tashan Reed of The Athletic reports.

That would seem to rule out a worst-case scenario for Carr, who pulled up awkwardly early in the first half due to a non-contact groin injury. Marcus Mariota filled in admirably in emergency duty, throwing for 226 yards with a touchdown while also setting a franchise record at the QB position with 88 rushing yards and another TD. However, Mariota also threw a gut-wrenching interception near the Chargers' end zone with less than two minutes on the clock. Carr will benefit from a few extra days of rest before the Raiders next suit up on Dec. 26 versus the Dolphins, but if he can't go, Mariota has at least proven the ability to competently command this offense.

Mariota entered Thursday's night's 30-27 overtime loss to the Chargers for Derek Carr (groin) with 13:29 remaining in the second quarter and completed 17 of 28 passes for 226 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also rushed nine times for 88 yards and another score.

Seeing his first game action since the Titans' AFC Championship Game loss to the Chiefs in January, Mariota looked like he hadn't missed a beat, hitting Fabian Moreau for a 22-yard gain on his first pass attempt and culminating his first drive with a 35-yard scoring strike to Darren Waller. The 2015 second overall pick continued to produce throughout the contest, leading three scoring drives comprised of at least 10 plays and impressively capping off the penultimate one with a two-yard touchdown dive into the right corner of the end zone. Mariota's late fourth-quarter interception may very well have cost the Raiders a win, considering it came at the Chargers' 16-yard line with under two minutes to play and the score tied, but it's difficult to find fault overall with what the sixth-year pro was able to do in an emergency capacity. Carr will have a couple of extra days to try and heal up for a Week 16 Saturday night battle against the Dolphins on Dec. 26, but if he's ultimately unable to suit up, Mariota will be in line to start a potentially critical game for Las Vegas.

Herbert completed 22 of 32 passes for 314 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the Chargers' 30-27 overtime win over the Raiders on Thursday night.

He also rushed four times for 14 yards and a game-winning score, committing a fumble on the play prior to that, which was recovered by fullback Gabe Nabers. The rookie QB had been in somewhat of a yardage slump by his lofty standards, as he'd fallen short of the 300-yard mark in two straight games after eclipsing the figure in six of his first 10 career contests. However, a back-and-forth affair that culminated in an extra period offered the 22-year-old just enough opportunity to get back to a hefty tally through the air Thursday. Herbert has paid off handsomely in both a real-world and fantasy sense during a prolific first season as a pro and he'll look to continue his momentum against the Broncos in a Week 16 matchup Sunday, Dec. 27.

Carr (groin) is ruled out to return to Thursday's game against the Chargers.

Carr was ruled out just as the second quarter began, which paves the way for Marcus Mariota to conclude Thursday's contest under center. He only had a chance to complete three of five passes for 53 yards before being forced out with a non-contact groin injury. Carr will benefit from a bit of extra time to get healthy ahead of the Raiders' Dec. 26 tilt against the Dolphins.

Carr (groin) limped off the field and into the locker room in the first quarter of Thursday's game against the Chargers, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

Carr pulled up awkwardly while scrambling near the goal line on a third down play, evidently suffering a non-contact groin injury. He's officially questionable to return. Marcus Mariota will helm Las Vegas' offense if Carr isn't able to return for the next offensive series.

Jones (hamstring/ankle) was listed as limited on Thursday's estimated injury report, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

Jones is dealing with a pair of injuries at the moment: a right hamstring injury that sidelined him Week 13 and a sprained left ankle that he picked up this past Sunday against the Cardinals. While the Giants didn't hold practice Thursday, coach Joe Judge noted that he was "encouraged" by Jones' ability to move about at Wednesday's session, per Ralph Vacchiano of SportsNet New York. This comment comes on the heels of Judge stating Jones will be the starting quarterback Sunday against the Browns as long as he holds up on the field this week. Thus, Friday's practice may be the determining factor for Jones' Week 15 status. In the event he can't suit up this weekend, Jones will hand over starting duties to Colt McCoy.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that Allen (knee) won't practice Thursday, but the quarterback could still start Monday's game against the Steelers, Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site reports.

Per Ben Baby of ESPN.com, Ryan Finley "is going to get as many reps as he can" this week, but Allen still appears to be the Bengals' preferred starting option, despite the fact that he's continuing to deal with a bone bruise in his right knee. The Bengals would gain confidence in Allen's chances of suiting up Monday if he can return to practice in any capacity Friday or Saturday.

Lions interim head coach Darrell Bevell said Stafford (rib/thumb) won't practice Thursday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Stafford is missing his second practice in a row while he tends to a painful rib-cartilage injury in addition to a more minor right thumb concern that he's been playing through since mid-November. Bevell noted earlier this week that Stafford doesn't necessarily need to practice in order to play Sunday against the Titans, but even in that scenario, his status would most likely come down to a game-day decision. Chase Daniel will direct the first-team offense for the second straight day, staying prepared for a potential starting assignment if Stafford doesn't receive the green light to play this weekend.

Mayfield's 96.6 quarterback rating ranks 12th in the NFL, 10 spots higher than where he was two weeks ago, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Mayfield cites the Browns' Week 9 bye as the turning point in his season. After eight weeks, Mayfield had a 90.9 rating, but in the five games since the break, he's averaged a 105.0 rating (113.5 the last three games). "It was conversations that we had to be able to kind of evaluate where we were as an offense, what we were doing well and what we were not doing well,'' Mayfield said. Coach Kevin Stefanski said they discussed ways to restore the quarterback's confidence. Additionally, Stefanski and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt implemented plays designed to bring the "Oklahoma Baker" back, such as more play-action, keepers and shotgun formations. Mayfield looks to keep his second-half momentum rolling Week 15 in New York against the Giants' 17th-ranked pass defense, who will be without top cornerback James Bradberry (reserve/COVID-19).

Coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday that McSorley's knee sprain should take about three weeks of recovery, Daniel Oyefusi of The Baltimore Sun reports.

McSorley is apparently dealing with a minor knee sprain, but his IR placement will require him to miss the rest of the regular season. Meanwhile, Robert Griffin (thigh) is on track to return from IR for the Week 16 matchup against the Giants. Tyler Huntley is expected to be brought up from the practice squad to serve as Lamar Jackson's backup until Griffin returns.