Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter has changed his starting quarterback again.
Jameis Winston will become the starter again for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, the team announced Monday.
Ryan Fitzpatrick has started the past three games for Bucs, but he threw three interceptions in Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants before being replaced by Winston.
In his past three starts, Fitzpatrick has thrown seven interceptions and lost a fumble in three games.
After entering Sunday’s game, Winston completed 12 of 16 passes for 199 yards, two touchdowns, and on that came on a desperation toss. Winston led four touchdown drives that helped the Bucs get back into what had been a one-sided game.
Koetter described Winston’s play on Sunday as “fantastic.”
In five games this season, including three starts, Winston has thrown eight touchdown passes and 11 interceptions, and he has also lost one fumble.
–Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota suffered a stinger in Sunday’s 38-10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, according to head coach Mike Vrabel, and he is questionable for next Monday’s game against the Houston Texans.
Vrabel said Mariota is not in the concussion protocol and might be evaluated for a second time before he is cleared to play.
“We’re hopeful that he’ll check out and that he’ll feel good enough to play on Monday,” Vrabel said, according to the Tennessean. “Being less than 24 hours, some of these things take time to cool down.”
A stinger is a nerve injury that causes pain and numbness from the neck down one arm.
–The Washington Redskins will sign Mark Sanchez to serve as the team’s backup quarterback, multiple media outlets reported.
The move came on the heels of Alex Smith sustaining a broken tibia and fibula in his right leg on a sack in the third quarter of Sunday’s 23-21 loss to the Houston Texans.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Smith’s career is not thought to be in jeopardy after the injury.
Colt McCoy entered the game in place of the 34-year-old Smith.
With Smith sidelined, Washington (6-4) brought in Sanchez, EJ Manuel, T.J. Yates, Kellen Clemens and Josh Johnson for a workout on Monday. Sanchez won the job and will serve as McCoy’s backup as the Redskins face a quick turnaround before Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day showdown with the Dallas Cowboys (5-5).
–Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Corey Liuget will miss the remainder of the season with a right knee injury.
Liuget was carted to the locker room after sustaining a torn quad tendon in the first half of the Chargers’ 23-22 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Head coach Anthony Lynn announced after the game that Liuget will miss the rest of the season for Los Angeles (7-3), which has lost two key cogs to its defense in as many weeks. Linebacker Denzel Perryman was lost for the season with a knee injury in a 20-6 win at Oakland in Week 10.
–Green Bay Packers tight end Jimmy Graham suffered a broken thumb in the 27-24 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, but he might not miss any time.
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said Graham plans to play in Sunday’s road game against the Minnesota Vikings.
“I haven’t really got the trainer’s report, but I know he intends to go, that’s his intention,” McCarthy said Monday.
McCarthy’s report on defensive tackle Mike Daniels was not as favorable. McCarthy said Daniels will be sidelined for at least a couple of weeks with a foot injury.
–Detroit Lions rookie running back Kerryon Johnson is considered week-to-week with a sprained knee, multiple media outlets reported.
Johnson rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown before exiting in the second half of Sunday’s 20-19 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Johnson has recorded 118 carries for a team-leading 641 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games since being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
–The Los Angeles Rams activated kick returner Pharoh Cooper from injured reserve and placed wide receiver Cooper Kupp on IR, the team announced.
Cooper practiced with the Rams (9-1) this week and is expected to play against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) on Monday (8:15 p.m. ET).
Cooper also will provide depth at wideout in lieu of the absence of Kupp, who sustained a torn ACL in last week’s 36-31 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
–The NFL and Mexico’s President-Elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed that the third and final game of the existing agreement will be played next year at Estadio Azteca, the NFL announced.
The teams involved as well as the date for the game in Mexico’s capital city will be announced when the NFL’s 2019 schedule is released in the spring.
The NFL struck a deal to play three games in Mexico City from 2016-2018 and announced another agreement through 2021 last year.
Monday night’s contest between the Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) and Rams (9-1) was originally scheduled to be played at Estadio Azteca, but poor field conditions led the league to move the game to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
