NFL Player News

Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel struggled mightily in a 30-7 loss to the Patriots in Week 2, but head coach Mike Zimmer told the Pioneer Press Sunday he is not planning to make a change to rookie Teddy Bridgewater at this point.

"I'm going to hold the quarterback position just like every position here to the same standard, and I also said I wasn't going to have a quick hook," Zimmer said.

Cassel matched a career-high with four interceptions in Week 2, but does not seem to be at risk of losing his job heading into Week 3 against the Saints. And Cassel made no secret of his happiness with Zimmer's vote of confidence after the game.

"I do appreciate it,'' Cassel said. "There's no doubt about it.''

Jets quarterback Geno Smith completed just 16 of his 32 pass attempts for 176 yards while throwing a touchdown and an interception in his team's 31-24 loss to the Packers in Week 2.

Smith also added 26 yards on seven carries and took it into the end zone himself on a bootleg from the one-yard line on the team's first drive after an Aaron Rodgers fumble created a short field. He then hit Eric Decker with a nice pass on a 29-yard touchdown to put the Jets up 14-0. After the Jets capped a 17-play drive with a Chris Ivory touchdown run early in the second quarter, Smith had trouble keeping the offense moving, and the Jets were outscored 28-3 from that point on.

Despite the two total touchdowns, it was a step back for Smith after he completed 82 percent of his passes in a Week 1 win over the Raiders. He'll look to get back on track when he faces the Bears at home on Monday night in Week 3.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 25 of his 42 pass attempts for 346 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in his team's 31-24 win over the Jets Sunday.

Rodgers fumbled the first snap of the game, resulting in a turnover. He watched most of the remainder of his first-half drives peter out in Jets territory before hitting Randall Cobb for a touchdown right before the break. Rodgers connected with Cobb again from one yard out in the third quarter, and tossed his third touchdown on an 80-yard catch-and-run by Jordy Nelson.

It was a nice rebound effort for Rodgers after the Seahawks held the Packers offense at bay in Week 1, and he passed Barr Starr in career passing yards to take second place on the franchise's passing leader list behind Brett Favre. Rodgers will head to Detroit to face the Lions in Week 3.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr surpassed the 250-yard mark in a rough outing at home against the Texans in Week 2.

Carr was picked off by Kareem Jackson, who nearly took it back for a touchdown. It was Carr's first interception of the season. He was intercepted by Brooks Reed in the fourth quarter before firing a 9-yard touchdown pass to James Jones with 13 seconds remaining. He finished the game with 263 yards through the air while completing 27 of 42 attempts. He had one touchdown and two interceptions, registering a 69.8 passer rating in a 30-14 defeat.

Carr has 414 passing yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions through his first two career games. He will travel to New England for a Week 3 showdown against the Patriots.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson tossed two touchdown passes Week 2 against the Chargers.

Despite the fact that the Seahawks didn't possess the ball all that long, Wilson was able to get the team moving down the field. Wilson didn't strike until the end of the second quarter. With time running out, he found Robert Turbin on a 3 yard strike. Wilson did the same thing in the third, hitting Marshawn Lynch for the 14 yard score. 

Wilson finished 17 of 25, for 202 yards and two scores. He also had 18 rushing yards during the contest. He'll take on the Broncos Week 3. 

The 49ers declared cornerback Tramaine Brock (toe), right tackle Anthony Davis (hamstring), quarterback Josh Johnson, wideouts Brandon Lloyd and Quinton Patton, center Marcus Martin and defensive tackle Demarcus Dobbs inactive for Sunday night's game against the Bears.

Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer admitted after the Sunday win that he was mad when offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan told him that he was going to bring backup Johnny Manziel into the game.

"As mad as I was when he told me, it helped me mentally," Hoyer told the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.

Hoyer, who seemed to throw better after Manziel's two brief appearances in the game, added that he;s open to the rookie getting some playing time if it helps the team win.

Redskins quarter Kirk Cousins was forced into action in Week 2 against the Jaguars following an injury to starter Robert Griffin III, and Cousins excelled in a 41-10 win Sunday.

Cousins entered the game in the first quarter and proceeded to complete his first 12 passes, including a 20-yard touchdown to running back Darrell Young on his second play. It was one of two touchdowns Cousins would throw in the win.

Cousins ultimately finished the game 22 of 33 for 250 yards and two scores, while being sacked just twice. Griffin was diagnosed with a dislocated ankle following the game, which should leave Cousins as the starter moving forward. The team's next game is set for Week 3 against the Eagles next Sunday. 

Of Andy Dalton's 301 passing yards in Week 1, 131 went to A.J. Green. So you'd think the fourth-year quarterback would be in trouble when his Bengals teammate went down with a foot injury on the first drive of the game Week 2 against Atlanta, before he even had a chance to target the star wide receiver.

But that wasn't the case. Against a defense that entered the day ranked 25th against the pass, Dalton completed 15 of 23 passes for 252 yards. He made especially good use of elusive running back Giovani Bernard, twice dumping it off to him for big gains on what appeared to be broken plays. The first went for 24 yards, the second for 46. Both came in the second quarter

Dalton had only one touchdown pass, but it was impressive one. With the Falcons entire front seven bearing down on him on an all-out blitz early in the third quarter, he threw a strike to Mohamed Sanu down the middle of the field, giving the receiver plenty of room to take it all the way for a 76-yard score.

Dalton will look to keep it going, with or without Green, in Week 3, but he'll be in for more of a challenge against a Titans defense that intercepted the Chiefs' Alex Smith three times in Week 1 and allowed 176 yards to the Cowboys' Tony Romo in Week 2.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford struggled at Carolina in Week 2 in a 24-7 loss.

Stafford was 27-of-48 passing for 291 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also added one carry for 8 yards and was sacked four times for 38 yards.

Stafford will look to rebound in Week 3 at home against the Packers.