By Tony Softli
Week three in the NFL is a Pivitol point for all NFL clubs for several reasons. Teams that stand 2-0 are looking and feeling good! Teams that used week two to get to .500 are taking a deep breath of relief. But for those clubs sitting at 0-2 and fighting for their lives they need better preparation throughout the week, game time passion/desire and a lot of luck in playing flawless football because their personnel, most likely wont change.
When I became the V.P. of Personnel for the St. Louis Rams in 2006 I was presented a book during Christmas gift swap among my staff, its title Interference by Dan E. Moldea. If you want a great read on the NFL and its start up history, ownership, merger, Commissioners and corruption with links to organized crime per Dan E. Moldea this is a must read!
Richard Sherman twitted out that the injury report is for the gamblers, he is partially right! I grabbed my book (hard back that is 2 inches thick) off my office book shelf and flipped through the pages to refresh my memory of the Moldea research, and found myself reading it for a second time…LOL!
He covered owner death and family members that took over club ownership & operations and in many cases the team moved. The mention of owners connected with organized crime and gambling, drug use with variables that tied players to bookies, his investigation of NFL security and those they hired from federal, state and local agencies like former FBI agents, Police Chiefs, DEA agents and Bookies. Trust me its good stuff!
As stated in the book and some research of my own, in 1960 Pete Rozelle was named NFL Commissioner while holding the title of G.M. for the Los Angles Rams. Rozelle implemented Revenue-Sharing among the NFL owners and brokered TV deals and the future success of the NFL.
The 1960 probe by Commissioner Rozelle on the Washington Redskins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers due to a drastic change in the point spread and betting line. As the week progressed Pittsburgh was favored by 7 points and within a few days it flipped to 1 point. According to Moldea the game was taken off the betting boards. The game ended in a tie 27-27 which was played in Washington D.C. Steelers Bobby Layne had injured his throwing arm the week prior and a photographer published a photo of Layne being injured, which sent the point spread tumbling.
Former Commissioner Bert Bell who informally initiated a “Injury Report” for all NFL teams, Rozelle made it an NFL law. The Injury report falls under three categories: 1. Practice Report 2. Game Status Report 3. In-Game Injury Report. The NFL provides this information for the Media, opposing NFL clubs and the public which includes gamblers.
Injury Report Information courtesy of NFL Communications, Operations and NFL Media:
The Practice Report is expected to provide clubs and the public an accurate description of a
player’s injury status and his level of participation during the practice week. All players who
have significant or noteworthy injuries must be listed on the Practice Report, even if the player
takes all the reps in practice, and even if the team is certain that he will play in the upcoming
game. This is especially true of key players and those players whose injuries have been
covered extensively by the media.
A player who (A) misses a game due to injury, or (B) does not finish a game due to injury, or
(C) suffers a significant or noteworthy injury without missing or failing to finish a game must be
included on the Practice Report each day of the following week (i.e. for a Sunday game, he
must be listed on the Practice Report on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday). If a team has a
bye the following week, the player must be listed on the Practice Report in the week preceding
the team’s next game.
Clubs are required to report their players’ practice participation according to the following
schedule:
Thursday Game – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Saturday Game – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Sunday Game – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Monday Game – Thursday, Friday, Saturday
A list of players who did not participate or fully participate in practice, either due to injury or for
any other reason, must be submitted to the league office on the designated reporting days no
later than 4:00 p.m. New York time (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice).
Injuries must be identified with a reasonable degree of specificity in terms that are meaningful
to coaches, other club officials, the media, and the public. For example, leg injuries must be
specified as ankle, knee, thigh or calf. Arm injuries must be identified as a shoulder, elbow,
wrist, hand, or muscle injury. Listing an injury simply as “leg,” “arm,” “upper body,” or other
equally vague description, is not acceptable.
Particular attention must be paid to the submission of Practice Reports for key players such as
quarterbacks, kickers and punters. The report must indicate “left” or “right” if the injury is to
the arm or the hand of a quarterback or to the leg or foot of a kicker or punter. Please use the
designation on the NFL Intranet site to enter this information.
Please note that the Practice Report’s participation categories have changed. The
prior designation “Out” has been eliminated to avoid confusion between information provided in
the club’s Practice Report and its Game Status Report. In addition, the nomenclature for the
remaining three categories has been shortened as indicated and defined below:
DNP – Did Not Participate
LP – Limited Participation: means less than 100 percent of a player’s normal repetitions.
Full – Full Participation: means 100 percent of a player’s normal repetitions. In general,
this category should be used for players who missed or could not complete the prior
game due to injury but have returned to participate fully in practice the following week.
NFL releases this information and is driven, so NFL Security can check betting lines, odds makers movement for possible fixes on a single game or team issues. This is not low cost entertainment, yes the injury report aids a huge business involving 20-25 billion or more in legal betting every year, the information helps odd makers and bookies narrow the gap with precise information on a teams injuries but more importantly the key individual play-makers which draws the gamblers in.
Per Brent Schrotenboer USA TODAY Sports The $1.9 billion project never would have made it through the state legislature – or attracted the Oakland Raiders – without the support of the gambling industry, according to experts and the legislative record.
“The industry has been instrumental in the project,” said Jeremy Aguero, an analyst who works for the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, the stadium’s landlord.
After it opens, the Raiders also might not fulfill their potential there without even more of its support, possibly forcing the league to change its longtime anti-gambling policies purely out of business necessity, experts told USA TODAY Sports. The National Hockey League is adding a team in Vegas this year and said it’s already changed one key gambling policy to reflect its new “market reality.”
In stadium betting the next possibility for the NFL, we will see.
LOS ANGELES RAMS at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS on Thursday night
LOS ANGELES RAMS (Los Angeles did not conduct a practice on Monday. The Monday practice report is an estimation.)
Status Report
QUESTIONABLE RB Malcolm Brown (hamstring), TE Gerald Everett (thigh), CB Kayvon Webster (shoulder)
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Monday RB Malcolm Brown (hamstring), TE Gerald Everett (thigh), CB Kayvon Webster (shoulder)
Tuesday RB Malcolm Brown (hamstring), CB Kayvon Webster (shoulder)
Wednesday RB Malcolm Brown (hamstring), CB Kayvon Webster (shoulder)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Tuesday TE Gerald Everett (thigh)
Wednesday TE Gerald Everett (thigh)
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (San Francisco did not conduct a practice on Monday and conducted a walk-through on Wednesday. The Monday and Wednesday practice reports are estimations.)
Status Report
OUT LB Reuben Foster (ankle), S Eric Reid (knee)
QUESTIONABLE LB Eli Harold (foot), TE George Kittle (hip), S Jaquiski Tartt (neck), S Jimmie Ward (hamstring)
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Monday LB Reuben Foster (ankle), TE George Kittle (hip), S Eric Reid (knee), S Jaquiski Tartt (neck)
Tuesday LB Reuben Foster (ankle), S Eric Reid (knee)
Wednesday LB Reuben Foster (ankle), S Eric Reid (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Monday S Jimmie Ward (hamstring)
Tuesday TE George Kittle (hip), S Jaquiski Tartt (neck), S Jimmie Ward (hamstring)
Wednesday LB Eli Harold (foot), TE George Kittle (hip), S Jaquiski Tartt (neck), S Jimmie Ward (hamstring)
ATLANTA FALCONS at DETROIT LIONS
ATLANTA FALCONS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Vic Beasley (hamstring), T Ryan Schraeder (concussion), DE Courtney Upshaw (ankle, knee)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday RB Brian Hill (ankle)
DETROIT LIONS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Jarrad Davis (concussion), C Travis Swanson (ankle), RB Dwayne Washington (quadricep), S Tavon Wilson (shoulder)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday DE Ezekiel Ansah (knee), G Joe Dahl (lower leg)
BALTIMORE RAVENS at JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR Michael Campanaro (ankle), CB Jaylen Hill (thigh), RB Terrance West (calf), DT Brandon Williams (foot), TE Maxx Williams (ankle)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday S Anthony Levine (chest)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Za’Darius Smith (knee, ankle)
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday S Tashaun Gipson (ankle), C Brandon Linder (knee), LB Lerentee McCray (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday DT Malik Jackson (groin), CB Jalen Ramsey (ankle), WR Jaelen Strong (hamstring)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday QB Blake Bortles (right wrist), WR Allen Hurns (shoulder)
CINCINNATI BENGALS at GREEN BAY PACKERS
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday TE Tyler Eifert (back), G Trey Hopkins (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday DT Geno Atkins (shoulder), T Jake Fisher (illness), DE Michael Johnson (concussion, stinger), T Cedric Ogbuehi (illness), WR John Ross (illness)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday DT Pat Sims (elbow)
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday T David Bakhtiari (hamstring), S Kentrell Brice (groin), WR Randall Cobb (chest), DT Mike Daniels (hip), CB Davon House (quadricep), LB Nick Perry (hand), LB Jake Ryan (hamstring, concussion), T Jason Spriggs (hamstring)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday DT Montravius Adams (foot), LB Ahmad Brooks (concussion), T Bryan Bulaga (ankle), G Jahri Evans (groin), WR Jordy Nelson (quadricep)
CLEVELAND BROWNS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR Sammie Coates (hamstring), LB Jamie Collins (concussion), DE Myles Garrett (ankle), T Joe Thomas (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday DT T.Y. McGill (back)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR Kenny Britt (knee), TE Randall Telfer (knee), G Kevin Zeitler (thumb)
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday C Ryan Kelly (foot), QB Andrew Luck (right shoulder), WR Chester Rogers (hamstring), LB Anthony Walker (hamstring), TE Brandon Williams (calf), CB Quincy Wilson (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR Kamar Aiken (hip), LB Tarell Basham (heat exhaustion), S Darius Butler (hamstring), CB Vontae Davis (groin), RB Marlon Mack (shoulder), CB Chris Milton (hamstring)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Antonio Morrison (elbow)
DENVER BRONCOS at BUFFALO BILLS
DENVER BRONCOS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday T Garett Bolles (lower leg), RB Jamaal Charles (not injury related), WR Bennie Fowler (concussion), CB Brendan Langley (knee), QB Paxton Lynch (right shoulder), CB Bradley Roby (ankle), CB Aqib Talib (not injury related)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday TE Jeff Heuerman (shoulder), LB Von Miller (knee), S Darian Stewart (groin), WR Demaryius Thomas (hamstring)
BUFFALO BILLS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Lorenzo Alexander (not injury related), DT Marcell Dareus (ankle), T Cordy Glenn (ankle, foot), DE Shaq Lawson (foot), RB LeSean McCoy (not injury related), DT Jerel Worthy (concussion)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday S Colt Anderson (foot), TE Charles Clay (knee), LB Deon Lacey (hamstring), LB Matt Milano (hamstring)
HOUSTON TEXANS at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
HOUSTON TEXANS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday G Jeff Allen (ankle), CB Kevin Johnson (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday TE Stephen Anderson (concussion), RB Alfred Blue (ankle), WR Will Fuller (shoulder), CB Johnathan Joseph (shoulder), G Xavier Su’a-Filo (knee), DE J.J. Watt (finger)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday CB Marcus Burley (knee), T Chris Clark (wrist), WR Bruce Ellington (concussion), TE Ryan Griffin (concussion)
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday RB Rex Burkhead (ribs), T Marcus Cannon (ankle, concussion), TE Rob Gronkowski (groin)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR Danny Amendola (concussion, knee), WR Phillip Dorsett (knee), CB Stephon Gilmore (groin), LB Dont’a Hightower (knee), WR Chris Hogan (knee), LB Elandon Roberts (thumb), CB Eric Rowe (groin), WR Matt Slater (hamstring), DT Vincent Valentine (knee)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS at LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday C Mitch Morse (foot)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday G Parker Ehinger (knee), LB Dee Ford (shoulder), LB Reggie Ragland (knee)
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Practice Report
Wednesday Practice Not Complete
MIAMI DOLPHINS at NEW YORK JETS
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday RB Jay Ajayi (knee), WR Jarvis Landry (knee), LB Rey Maualuga (hamstring), DT Jordan Phillips (ankle)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR DeVante Parker (ankle), C Mike Pouncey (hip), RB Damien Williams (rib)
NEW YORK JETS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR Robby Anderson (knee), LB Freddie Bishop (ankle), C Jonotthan Harrison (concussion), TE Jordan Leggett (knee), TE Neal Sterling (ankle), TE Eric Tomlinson (elbow), DE Muhammad Wilkerson (shoulder), G Brian Winters (abdomen)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday S Rontez Miles (eye)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday T Kelvin Beachum (knee), G James Carpenter (shoulder), LB Bruce Carter (ankle), RB Matt Forte (knee), DT Steve McLendon (hamstring), DE Leonard Williams (wrist)
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at CAROLINA PANTHERS
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday T Terron Armstead (shoulder), CB Marshon Lattimore (concussion), CB Sterling Moore (chest), T Zach Strief (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday DE Trey Hendrickson (knee)
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR Kelvin Benjamin (knee), LB Thomas Davis (not injury related), C Ryan Kalil (neck), DE Julius Peppers (not injury related), CB Daryl Worley (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday DT Vernon Butler (shoulder), LB Jeremy Cash (calf), QB Cam Newton (right shoulder, ankle)
NEW YORK GIANTS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
NEW YORK GIANTS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB B.J. Goodson (shin), T Bobby Hart (ankle), CB Janoris Jenkins (ankle), LB J.T. Thomas (groin)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR Odell Beckham (ankle), TE Evan Engram (concussion), LB Keenan Robinson (concussion)
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday CB Ronald Darby (ankle), S Corey Graham (hamstring), S Rodney McLeod (hamstring), DT Destiny Vaeao (wrist), S Jaylen Watkins (hamstring)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Najee Goode (forearm), DE Brandon Graham (triceps), CB Jalen Mills (thumb)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS at CHICAGO BEARS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday T Marcus Gilbert (hamstring), WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (illness), TE Jesse James (ankle), C Maurkice Pouncey (illness), QB Ben Roethlisberger (not injury related)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Bud Dupree (shoulder), DE Stephon Tuitt (biceps), LB T.J. Watt (groin)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday T Jerald Hawkins (knee), S J.J. Wilcox (concussion)
CHICAGO BEARS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday T Tom Compton (hip), QB Mark Sanchez (neck), G Josh Sitton (ribs)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday CB Prince Amukamara (ankle), RB Benny Cunningham (ankle), DE Akiem Hicks (shoulder), RB Jordan Howard (shoulder), G Kyle Long (ankle), WR Kendall Wright (shoulder)
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at TENNESSEE TITANS
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Practice Report
Wednesday Practice Not Complete
TENNESSEE TITANS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday S Johnathan Cyprien (hamstring), WR Corey Davis (hamstring), RB DeMarco Murray (hamstring), LB Erik Walden (groin)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday CB Tye Smith (hand)
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Kwon Alexander (hamstring), DT Chris Baker (illness), DT Gerald McCoy (ankle), DE Jacquies Smith (illness)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday CB Brent Grimes (shoulder)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Devante Bond (knee)
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Practice Report
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday LB Anthony Barr (hamstring), QB Sam Bradford (knee)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday CB Mackensie Alexander (wrist), C Pat Elflein (ankle), CB Xavier Rhodes (hip)
OAKLAND RAIDERS at WASHINGTON REDSKINS on Sunday night
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Practice Report
Wednesday Practice Not Complete
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday TE Jordan Reed (rib, sternum)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday S Deshazor Everett (knee), LB Mason Foster (shoulder), RB Rob Kelley (rib), T Morgan Moses (ankle, shoulder), S Montae Nicholson (shoulder), CB Josh Norman (shoulder)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday WR Josh Doctson (hamstring), C Spencer Long (knee), RB Chris Thompson (back)
Data provided by NFL Communications & NFL Media
