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By The Sports Xchange
It is often the case that talented teams with limited injury issues have an advantage over their opponents.
That's certainly the case for the anticipated matchup in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday between the 6-1 Saints and 8-0 Rams. Each team lists only one player on the status report Friday.
For Los Angeles, cornerback Sam Shields is questionable with an illness, and New Orleans defensive end Marcus Davenport is out because of a toe injury. Also significant for the Rams is that wide receiver Cooper Kupp is not listed and is expected to play after missing the last two games with a knee injury.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said of Shields: "Sam got sick within the last day or so, not feeling good. We're hopeful that he'll start feeling better and be ready to go, but if not, then we've got some contingency plans. Not really sure in terms of how he's recovering, if it's a viral thing or -- when you're feeling sick like that it's tough."
Meanwhile, the Patriots played their usual game of listing a large number of players as questionable. Of the other 21 teams playing Sunday, there are a total of 59 players listed as questionable. New England lists 13.
Other notable players already declared out are Atlanta kicker Matt Bryant, Minnesota linebacker Anthony Barr, Washington left tackle Trent Williams and both Baltimore tackles, Ronnie Stanley and James Hurst. Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa is out and has yet to play this season because of a foot injury.
ATLANTA FALCONS at WASHINGTON REDSKINS
ATLANTA FALCONS
--OUT: CB Robert Alford (ankle), K Matt Bryant (right hamstring)
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
--OUT: WR Jamison Crowder (ankle), RB Chris Thompson (rib), T Trent Williams (thumb, shoulder)
--QUESTIONABLE: WR Paul Richardson Jr. (shoulder, knee), S Montae Nicholson (neck, hip), LB Ryan Anderson (knee), RB Kapri Bibbs (shoulder)
CHICAGO BEARS at BUFFALO BILLS
CHICAGO BEARS
--OUT: TE Ben Braunecker (concussion), G Kyle Long (foot)
--QUESTIONABLE: LB Khalil Mack (ankle), DT Bilal Nichols (knee), WR Allen Robinson II (groin)
BUFFALO BILLS
--OUT: QB Josh Allen (right elbow), DE Trent Murphy (knee)
--QUESTIONABLE: QB Derek Anderson (concussion), LB Tremaine Edmunds (concussion)
DETROIT LIONS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS
DETROIT LIONS
--OUT: LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck, toe)
--QUESTIONABLE: DE Ezekiel Ansah (shoulder), G T.J. Lang (hip), CB Darius Slay (knee)
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
--OUT: LB Anthony Barr (hamstring), G Tom Compton (knee), RB Roc Thomas (hamstring)
--QUESTIONABLE: RB Dalvin Cook (hamstring), WR Stefon Diggs (rib), T Riley Reiff (foot), CB Xavier Rhodes (foot), S Andrew Sendejo (groin)
HOUSTON TEXANS at DENVER BRONCOS
HOUSTON TEXANS
--OUT: LB Zach Cunningham (knee)
--QUESTIONABLE: DE/LB Jadeveon Clowney (groin), CB Aaron Colvin (ankle), WR Keke Coutee (hamstring), S Andre Hal (shoulder), CB Johnathan Joseph (ankle, knee)
DENVER BRONCOS
--OUT: WR DaeSean Hamilton (hamstring, knee), LB Brandon Marshall (knee), CB Bradley Roby (ankle), S Darian Stewart (neck)
--QUESTIONABLE: RB Royce Freeman (ankle)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS at CLEVELAND BROWNS
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
--OUT: C Mitch Morse (concussion), LB Frank Zombo (hamstring)
--DOUBTFUL: S Eric Berry (heel)
--QUESTIONABLE: LB Anthony Hitchens (rib), LB Justin Houston (hamstring)
CLEVELAND BROWNS
--OUT: LB Joe Schobert (hamstring)
--QUESTIONABLE: WR Antonio Callaway (ankle), T Desmond Harrison (illness), WR Rashard Higgins (nee), S Damarious Randall (groin), WR Da'Mari Scott (shoulder), CB Tavierre Thomas (abdomen), C JC Tretter (ankle)
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
--OUT: DE Joey Bosa (foot), DE Chris Landrum (hip), LB Kyzir White (knee)
--QUESTIONABLE: RB Melvin Gordon (hamstring)
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
--DOUBTFUL: G Jordan Simmons (calf), CB Neiko Thorpe (groin)
--QUESTIONABLE: RB Chris Carson (hip), S Bradley McDougald (knee), LB K.J. Wright (knee)
LOS ANGELES RAMS at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
LOS ANGELES RAMS
--QUESTIONABLE: CB Sam Shields (illness)
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
--OUT: DE Marcus Davenport (toe)
NEW YORK JETS at MIAMI DOLPHINS
NEW YORK JETS
--OUT: TE Neal Sterling (concussion)
--DOUBTFUL: LB Kevin Pierre-Louis (foot), CB Trumaine Johnson (quadriceps)
--QUESTIONABLE: WR Quincy Enunwa (ankle), WR Robby Anderson (ankle), NT Steve McLendon (ankle), LB Frankie Luvu (neck), WR Andre Roberts (back)
MIAMI DOLPHINS
--OUT: DE Charles Harris (calf), QB Ryan Tannehill (right shoulder), CB Cordrea Tankersley (knee/injured reserve Friday)
--QUESTIONABLE: TE A.J. Derby (foot), CB Xavien Howard (ankle), WR Kenny Stills (groin)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS at BALTIMORE RAVENS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
--OUT: T Marcus Gilbert (knee)
--QUESTIONABLE: CB Artie Burns (ankle), CB Coty Sensabaugh (toe)
BALTIMORE RAVENS
--OUT: T James Hurst (back), T Ronnie Stanley (ankle), LB Tim Williams (ankle)
--QUESTIONABLE: G Bradley Bozeman (calf), RB Alex Collins (foot), CB Marlon Humphrey (thigh), S Tony Jefferson (hamstring), WR Jordan Lasley (hamstring), G Alex Lewis (neck), LB C.J. Mosley (thigh)
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at CAROLINA PANTHERS
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
--OUT: RB Ronald Jones II (hamstring), C/G Evan Smith (hip), CB M.J. Stewart (foot)
--QUESTIONABLE: DE Vinny Curry (ankle), DT Gerald McCoy (calf, not injury related)
CAROLINA PANTHERS
--OUT: WR Torrey Smith
GREEN BAY PACKERS at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (Sunday night)
GREEN BAY PACKERS
--DOUBTFUL: WR Geronimo Allison (hamstring, groin)
--QUESTIONABLE: WR Randall Cobb (hamstring), LB Nick Perry (ankle), S Jermaine Whitehead (back)
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
--OUT: G Shaq Mason (calf), C/G Brian Schwenke (foot)
--QUESTIONABLE: T Trent Brown (ankle), T Marcus Cannon (concussion), LS Joe Cardona (shoulder), WR Julian Edelman (ankle), WR Josh Gordon (hamstring), LB Nicholas Grigsby (illness), DL Geneo Grissom (ankle), TE Rob Gronkowski (ankle, back), LB Dont'a Hightower (knee), TE Jacob Hollister (hamstring), RB Sony Michel (knee), WR Cordarrelle Patterson (neck), DE John Simon (shoulder)
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