The Latest on Week 4 in the NFL (all times EDT):
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3:20 p.m.
The Stanley Cup is taking in the action at the Chargers-Buccaneers game in Tampa. Several members of the NHL champion Tampa Bay Lightning, including captain Steven Stamkos, defenseman Ryan McDonagh and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy are attending the game in a suite at Raymond James Stadium.
Star player Nikita Kucherov donned a Rob Gronkowski jersey for the occasion and forward Anthony Cirelli showed wearing a Tom Brady Buccaneers T-shirt.
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2:55 p.m.
Another double-digit lead has quickly evaporated for the Detroit Lions.
Drew Brees guided New Orleans to four unanswered touchdowns, and the Saints took a 28-14 lead into halftime after spotting Detroit an early 14-0 lead.
The Lions lost their first two games this season, blowing double-digit advantages against Chicago and Green Bay, but they were coming off a road win against Arizona prior to this game against the injury-riddled Saints.
The Saints’ 21-0 spurt wasn’t even the best second quarter in Week 4. The Cleveland Browns used a 24-0 second-quarter outburst to take a 31-14 halftime lead at Dallas.
-Noah Trister reporting from Detroit.
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2:45 p.m.
Minnesota safety Harrison Smith has been ejected from the Vikings’ game at Houston.
Jordan Akins grabbed a 26-yard reception late in the second quarter and was being tackled by Eric Kendricks when Smith made a flying helmet-to-helmet hit on Akins.
Akins dropped to the ground and put both of his hands to his head before slowly getting up and walking off the field. He left the game with a concussion.
Smith was assessed a personal foul for leading with his helmet on the tackle and was ejected from the game.
-Kristie Rieken reporting from Houston.
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2:20 p.m.
Cam Newton says he’ll use his time off from football while battling the coronavirus to quote — ”get healthy and self reflect on the other amazing things that I should be grateful for.”
Newton posted the message on his Instagram account Sunday.
The New England Patriots’ quarterback was added to the NFL’s COVID-19 inactive list this weekend along with Kansas City Chiefs practice squad quarterback Jordan Ta’amu.
Those infections prompted the NFL to push the Patriots-Chiefs game back a day to Monday night.
–Jimmy Golen reporting from Foxborough, Mass.
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2:15 p.m.
Browns receiver Jarvis Landry has his first career touchdown pass in his 100th career game.
Landry’s 37-yard scoring toss to Odell Beckham Jr. on a trick play opened the scoring against the Dallas Cowboys.
The seventh-year player has played all 100 games in his career. Landry came into the game leading the Browns with 12 catches. Now he leads them in passing touchdowns by a receiver.
The 37-yard TD toss was the longest by a receiver since Beckham’s 49-yarder to Russell Shepard with the New York Giants almost two years ago.
–Schuyler Dixon reporting from Arlington, Texas
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2 p.m.
Cleveland running back Nick Chubb has left the game against Dallas with a right knee injury after his leg was rolled up on by a pair of opposing linemen engaged on a pass rush in the backfield.
Chubb stayed down briefly before limping off the field on his own. He went to the locker room, and his return was listed as questionable.
Before the injury, Chubb had 43 yards on just six carries, pushing him past 300 yards for the season. He entered the game as the NFL’s fourth-leading rusher.
Elsewhere, Chargers tight end Austin Ekeler injured his left hamstring against the Buccaneers, who got a scare when wide receiver Mike Evans was taken to the locker room for an apparent right foot injury. Evans returned the next series.
– Schuyler Dixon reporting from Arlington, Texas
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1:45 p.m.
Brandon McManus suddenly has some Super Bowl 50 company in Denver.
The veteran kicker was the lone remaining active player with a Super Bowl ring from Denver’s third championship after Von Miller’s ankle surgery sidelined him last month.
But the injury-riddled Broncos this weekend signed free agent defensive linemen Sylvester Williams and Darius Kilgo to their practice squad this weekend.
Williams was the Broncos first-round pick in 2013.
The Broncos have made use of their practice squad, calling up players every week so far. and coach Vic Fangio said the newcomers will get to play as Denver tries to navigate a rash of injuries.
After beating the Jets37-28 on Thursday night, the Broncos face the Patriots next week.
–Arnie Stapleton reporting from Denver.
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1:25 p.m.
Some NFL teams are continuing to skip the national anthem altogether while other teams have a spattering of players kneeling during the ”Star-Spangled Banner.”
In Charlotte, Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and a handful of other Carolina players knelt during the national anthem, while the Arizona Cardinals remained in the locker room.
Seven Seahawks sat and four knelt during the national anthem in Miami. The Dolphins stayed in their locker room.
In Detroit, about a dozen Lions were in the tunnel while quarterback Matthew Stafford and several other teammates took a knee at their goalline as the New Orleans Saints stood on their sideline.
There’s been a big uptick in players protesting social injustices this season following a summer of unrest across the globe that was sparked by the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
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12:40 p.m.
The NFL will have a rare Monday night double-header after moving this weekend’s marquee matchup back a day over coronavirus concerns.
New England and Kansas City were scheduled to square off today. But Patriots quarterback Cam Newton and Chiefs practice squad quarterback Jordan Ta’amu were added to the COVID-19 reserve list this weekend.
Further testing showed none of their teammates were infected with the virus.
So, Monday night the Patriots’ game at Kansas City airing on CBS will start at 7:05. The original Monday night game pitting Atlanta and Green Bay is bumped back 45 minutes and will now kick off at 8:50 on ESPN.
An outbreak of COVID-19 on the Tennessee Titans earlier forced the NFL to postpone the today’s Titans-Steelers game to Oct. 25.
–Arnie Stapleton reporting from Denver.
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL
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