NFL Player News

Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy injured his neck during Week 14’s loss to the Rams, but sources have indicated the Redskins do not believe the injury will be a long-term issue, reports the NFL Network.

Tests revealed McCoy suffered no structural damage to his neck, reports The Washington Post. However, the Redskins still want to see how the injury progresses before making a decision on his playing status.

The Redskins play at the New York Giants Sunday.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has thrown 23 touchdowns and no interceptions in seven home games after shredding the Falcons on Monday Night Football. Rodgers completed 24 of 36 passes for 327 yards and three scores, going over 300 yards for the fifth time in the last six games, and added 28 yards on five rushes.

This was Rodgers' 100th career start, and he's thrown for 27,520 yards. That's the most in NFL history through 100 starts, just above Tony Romo's 27,485.

Rodgers opened 10 for 10 for 110 yards. He threw two touchdowns late in the second quarter, hitting running back Eddie Lacy with a 1-yard flip and finding wideout Jordy Nelson from 10 yards out. In the fourth quarter, Rodgers uncorked a perfect 60-yard scoring strike to Nelson off play action.

Up to 36 total touchdowns this year, Rodgers visits Buffalo in Week 15.

Redskins coach Jay Gruden said if quarterback Colt McCoy (neck) can't play Week 15 at the Giants, Robert Griffin III would start, reports the Washington Post. But Gruden added RG3 is the contingency plan "for now" and that Kirk Cousins also would get consideration.

"It's hard to say right now," Gruden said, per the paper. "I don't know how healthy [McCoy] is. I'm not going to make any assumptions or conclusions until I get all the tests back from the doctor."

McCoy left Sunday's shutout loss with a neck injury and was replaced by Griffin. Gruden hopes Griffin will be more decisive if he gets another chance.

"Hopefully he's taken a step back and taken everything in and just continuing to learn the position and learning about the concepts that we run, and hopefully he'll have more of a confident air about him when he jumps back in there, and there's less indecision is what we're hoping for," Gruden said.

"That he is decisive and will just pull the trigger and make plays," Gruden added. "We've just got to get him to relax and play and have some fun and lead a team, if he's the guy to do it."

McCoy had a stiff neck Monday morning and had to turn his whole body to look left or right, the paper said. McCoy replaced Griffin as the starter two weeks ago after Griffin was ineffective in three straight games.

Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt confirmed quarterback Jake Locker, not Charlie Whitehurst, will be the starter moving forward, starting Week 15 against the Jets, reports The Tennessean. Rookie starter Zach Mettenberger reportedly suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Sunday's loss to the Giants, though Whisenhunt maintains there's a chance Mettenberger will return this year.

Locker has played in six games this season, posting a 71.1 passer rating while accounting for six touchdowns and eight turnovers.

Johnny Manziel is a near-certainty to be named the starting quarterback for the Browns, starting with the Week 15 game against visiting Cincinnati, a team source has told CBSSports.com NFL Insider Jason LaCanfora.

Mike Pettine has yet to announce a change, stating that he must confer with his coaches first. But according to LaCanfora, the struggles of Brian Hoyer in the starting role has created a 99 percent certainty that the switch to Manziel is imminent.

Hoyer has thrown seven interceptions without a touchdown in the last three games and has played a major role in the team all but falling out of the playoff race.

Mike Pettine has yet to declare his starting quarterback going forward despite the recent struggles of Browns starter Brian Hoyer.

"It would be natural to be leaning the other way (toward Johnny Manziel)," Pettine told the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Monday. But he added that he wanted to confer with his coaches before making a decision as to his starter for the do-or-die game Sunday against visiting Cincinnati.

Pettine added that he believes Manziel will be prepared if he's indeed named the starter.

Despite miserable numbers over the last four games that include just one touchdown and eight interceptions, Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer is claiming that he's doing nothing different than when he was proving himself to be one of the pleasant surprises of the NFL earlier in the year.

"I don't think I'm playing differently," Hoyer told the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. "I don't have a different mindset going out there, it's just go out and try to see the defense and react. I can't pinpoint one certain thing."

Hoyer could be nailing the coffin shut on his immediate future as an NFL starter, both with the Browns and if he follows through with free agency in the offseason. Any possibility of him signing with his hometown team seems to have disappeared.

"It's so far removed from my mind," he said. "Right now getting over yesterday [a loss to Indianapolis] and moving on to Cincinnati. It's crazy how fast things change. I feel like four or five weeks ago we're talking about contract talks and now we're talking about if I'm even going to be staying here."

Browns embattled quarterback Brian Hoyer has been told nothing about losing his job to Johnny Manziel, per The Associated Press. He added that he believes he still has the trust of his teammates and coaches.

Hoyer has zero touchdowns and seven interceptions over his last three games and many expect the change heading into the Week 15 game against Cincinnati.

For the second straight week, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford took advantage of a favorable matchup, following up 390-yard performance Week 13 against Chicago with a three-touchdown performance Week 14 against Tampa Bay. It was his first game with three passing touchdowns all season and just his fourth with more than 300 passing yards. He finished with 311.

Some will credit the return of star wide receiver Calvin Johnson from an ankle injury for Stafford's turnaround, and certainly, that's played a part. He was responsible for 158 of Stafford's yards in Week 14 and 146 in Week 13. But he returned in Week 10. Stafford was only productive in one of his first three games back.

At least just as responsible for the turnaround is the matchups. Stafford faced the Cardinals and Patriots in Weeks 11 and 12, two teams with some star power in their secondaries, and they were two of his worst games of the season. The Bears and Buccaneers have allowed bunches of touchdowns through the air this season, and Stafford, with help from Johnson, has added to those numbers.

Of course, whether Johnson or the matchups are more responsible is mostly irrelevant. Johnson isn't going anywhere, and Stafford has two more favorable matchups against the Vikings and Bears the next two weeks. He's finally the quarterback you drafted him to be, so keep him active.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson picked up three scores Week 14 against the Eagles.

Wilson completed 22 of 37 passes for 263 yards and two passing touchdowns. He did not turn the ball over during the contest. Wilson was able to use his escapability in the pocket to extend some plays. While he was sacked twice, he also managed to break free and find receivers often. Wilson averaged 7.1 yards per attempt. As usual, he was also a threat in the running game. Wilson ran the ball 10 times for 48 yards. He was able to break free on a 26 yard touchdown run in the second quarter, tying the game up. 

Wilson will look for more Week 15 against the 49ers.