Bengals
- According to Bengals HC Zac Taylor, WR Tee Higgins will be day-to-day with a sprained ankle, as well as LT Jonah Williams with a sprained MCL. (Ben Baby)
Browns
As of Monday, Browns QB Deshaun Watson is allowed to return to the team building for meetings. He still cannot practice with the team, attend group workouts or even be on the sideline for practices and games. However, he’s been working with his personal QB coach Quincy Avery who has gotten together a group of mostly Division-II receivers to try and simulate the Browns’ practice schedule during the week.
“They run good routes and give him a good look,” Avery said via NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. “We do it basically like we would if he was there (with the Browns). So, the first two days we go full pads, then the last day in helmets — whatever the team would be wearing that day.”
- Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said that CB Denzel Ward is in concussion protocol. (Chris Easterling)
Ravens
- Ravens HC John Harbaugh said that both RB J.K. Dobbins and LT Ronnie Stanley were on pitch counts and were healthy after the game on Sunday night. (Jeff Zrebiec)
Steelers
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin made the decision to pull the plug on QB Mitchell Trubisky and put in first-round QB Kenny Pickett for the second half last week against the Jets, and now it’s Pickett’s show going forward. Tomlin said at the time he was looking for a “spark” for the offense and he elaborated on what he meant by that.
“Points,” Tomlin said via Bob Labriola of the team website. “The fluid movement of the ball, the winning of possession downs, the putting the ball in the end zone. I’m really specific when I’m talking about a spark. I’m talking about lighting up the scoreboard, winning possession downs, maintaining possession of the ball. Those are the things that I think happened when we went to him in the second half. Obviously not enough to win the game, and so there’s more work there. We’ll keep our head down and keep working, but he provided the spark that we hoped that he would.”
Tomlin was still defending Trubisky last week, saying his performance was only a component of why they made the decision. He explained more about what he meant by that.
“Just that ability to bring out the best in others,” he said. “We were lacking a little bit in the intangible things that position is measured by. Sometimes it’s not about what he’s not doing. Sometimes it’s just simply about what Kenny might be capable of adding that we’re not seeing. And so, I was somewhat vague because it is somewhat vague. There’s an intangible component to it. I was asked a week ago, ‘When I’m there will I know it?’ I said that I would, and I was there, and I knew it.”
- Steelers C Mason Cole has a walking boot on his right foot but expects to play in Week 6. (Brooke Pryor)
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