National Football League

The Latest: Flacco gives fans scare with broken knee brace

Published Nov. 6, 2016 3:16 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Latest on Week 9 of the NFL season (all times Eastern):

3:10 p.m.

Ravens fans gasped as quarterback Joe Flacco left the game after landing awkwardly while sliding to avoid a tackle.

Flacco hopped to the sideline and into the Baltimore locker room. It appeared that he reinjured his left knee.

It turns out he merely broke the protective brace on the knee, and returned to cheers after missing three plays.

Flacco had knee surgery last year and missed the final nine games of the year.

- David Ginsburg reporting from Baltimore.

---

2:50 p.m.

Jets defensive linemen Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson sat out the first quarter of their game at Miami and entered at the start of the second period.

A team official said their absences at the start weren't injury-related but declined to say whether they were a disciplinary measure.

-Steven Wine reporting from Miami.

---

2:45 p.m.

Dallas, Baltimore and the New York Giants built double-digit halftime leads Sunday.

The Cowboys are up 21-10 at Cleveland, the league's only winless team. Dak Prescott has two TD passes, and fellow rookie Ezekiel Elliott has 65 yards rushing and a score.

Ben Roethlisberger is back for Pittsburgh, but he's not back to form. Baltimore leads the Steelers 10-0 at halftime, partly thanks to Joe Flacco's 95-yard TD pass to Mike Wallace.

Eli Manning has three touchdown passes, two to Odell Beckham Jr., and the New York Giants lead Philadelphia 21-10 after two quarters. Eagles rookie Carson Wentz has thrown two interceptions.

Miami and the New York Jets have exchanged the lead, and the Dolphins are up 14-13 at the break. Jay Ajayi, looking for his third straight 200-yard rushing game, has 26 yards on 10 carries. The bulk of his yardage came on a 20-yard TD run. Matt Forte has 73 yards and a touchdown on the ground for the Jets.

Detroit leads reeling Minnesota 10-3 thanks to Matthew Stafford's 1-yard touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin. The Vikings have dropped two in a tow since a 5-0 start, and offensive coordinator Norv Turner resigned earlier in the week.

The Jaguars also had an offensive coordinator change, with Nate Hackett replacing Greg Olson. The Jags got on the scoreboard late in the first half and trail banged-up Kansas City 10-7 at the half. The Chiefs are playing without quarterback Alex Smith, running back Jamaal Charles and receiver Jeremy Maclin.

---

1:45 p.m.

Sam Bradford and the Minnesota Vikings have been struggling badly to move the ball over the last two weeks. Here's an outside-of-the-box way to do it: Bradford catching his own pass.

Bradford's first-down throw in the first quarter was batted down at the line by Detroit defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker, but he alertly snagged it in the air and took off to his right for a 5-yard gain.

That was Bradford's first career reception, but it's not the only time that's happened in Vikings history. Brad Johnson not only caught his own pass in a 1997 game at the Metrodome, but he took it into the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown.

- Dave Campbell reporting from Minneapolis.

---

1:40 p.m.

Former Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace caught a 95-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to give the Ravens a 7-0 lead over his former team.

Wallace slipped down the left sideline, hauled in the pass and outran safety Mike Mitchell for the first-quarter score.

It was the longest play from scrimmage in Ravens history during the regular season.

Wallace played in eight games for Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore. This is his first game for the Ravens in this rivalry.

-Dave Ginsburg reporting from Baltimore.

---

1:30 p.m.

Kansas City Chiefs receiver Jeremy Maclin sustained a groin injury in the first quarter against Jacksonville and was questionable to return.

Maclin was unable to come up with a pass while sliding to the ground on the Chiefs' first possession, though it was unclear if that was when he tweaked his groin.

Maclin missed practice with a sore groin Thursday but participated in Friday's workout.

- Dave Skretta reporting from Kansas City.

---

1:30 p.m.

The New York Jets are amped up to stop Jay Ajayi - perhaps too much so.

Ajayi, coming off consecutive 200-yard rushing games for the Miami Dolphins, lost 2, 1 and 5 yards on his first three carries. But two of the losses were negated by an unnecessary roughness penalty on Buster Skrine, and a taunting penalty on Calvin Pryor.

On his fourth carry, Ajayi found a big hole and ran 20 yards for a touchdown to put Miami ahead 7-3.

- Steven Wine reporting from Miami.

---

1:20 p.m.

It was Erving vs. Irving.

Cleveland Browns center Cam Erving and Dallas Cowboys defensive end David Irving have been ejected following a fight in the first quarter. Following an incomplete pass by Cleveland's Cody Kessler, Erving and Irving scuffled behind the line of scrimmage, far from the play. Irving was on top of Erving and threw punches before having his helmet ripped off.

Erving will likely be replaced by right John Greco.

The Browns have been forced to shuffle centers all season because of injuries. Erving missed time with a bruised lung.

- Tom Withers reporting from Cleveland.

---

1:10 p.m.

Miami Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills and safety Michael Thomas took a knee during the national anthem just like they've done at every game this year.

The protests were inspired by San Francisco backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick , the first NFL player who chose to sit and take a knee during the anthem in preseason games to call attention to what he termed the oppression of blacks and other minorities.

The Dolphins have support from one very important person - their boss, team owner Stephen Ross.

- Steven Wine reporting from Miami.

---

12:50 p.m.

Ready or not, Ben Roethlisberger is poised to start at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Three weeks removed from surgery on his right knee, Roethlisberger was in uniform for an AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens.

After throwing without any apparent discomfort during pregame drills, the 13-year veteran had a quick discussion with coach Mike Tomlin before running into the tunnel with the rest of the team.

Although Roethlisberger practiced for much of the week, the decision by Tomlin to start him appeared to go down to the final hour.

Roethlisberger missed only one game, two weeks ago against New England. He was replaced by Landry Jones, who is serving as the backup Sunday.

- David Ginsburg reporting from Baltimore.

---

11:50 a.m.

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is active and looks ready to play against the winless Browns.

Bryant was listed as questionable on Friday despite practicing. He only returned to the lineup last week after missing a month with a hairline fracture in his right knee. Bryant made several one-handed grabs while warming up before Sunday's game, delighting a huge throng of Dallas fans who may outnumber Browns backers at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Bryant has 15 catches for 263 yards and two touchdowns. A healthy Bryant gives Cowboys rookie quarterback another down-field weapon, which could open things up for the NFL's top rushing game.

Dallas is looking for its seventh straight win after losing the opener.

- Tom Withers reporting from Cleveland.

---

11:30 a.m.

The Raiders and Broncos are a fitting Week 9 headliner, playing in prime time with first place in the AFC West on the line.

And matchups between the Steelers and Ravens as well as the Eagles against the Giants are giving this week a rivalry feel.

The Lions also visit Minnesota, where the Vikings have enjoyed one of the league's more lopsided rivalries. The teams haven't played in Minnesota's new stadium, though.

Detroit-Minnesota, Pittsburgh-Baltimore and Philadelphia-Giants are among the games scheduled for the early start at 1 p.m. Eastern time, along with the Jets visiting Miami, the Jaguars playing the Chiefs and the Cowboys facing the Browns.

The late afternoon games include: New Orleans at San Francisco, Carolina at Los Angeles, Indianapolis at Green Bay and Tennessee at San Diego.

---

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL