Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy took back the play-calling duties against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be getting plays from McCarthy. NFL Media’s Insider Ian Rapoport confirmed the news and reported that McCarthy will call plays beyond Sunday’s game.
McCarthy turned over the play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Tom Clements in the offseason.
The Packers have averaged 24.1 points per game this season, which ranks 12th in the league. Green Bay is 23rd in total offense.
—Injuries hit playoff contenders with force Sunday.
Carolina Panthers leading rusher Jonathan Stewart and top receiver Greg Olsen left Sunday’s blowout victory with injuries.
Olsen, a Pro Bowl tight end, was tested for a torn knee ligament but his injury was considered minor, coach Ron Rivera said. Stewart had a foot injury and will be re-evaluated.
The Cincinnati Bengals might not be as fortunate.
Tight end Tyler Eifert was taken off the field with a concussion and quarterback Andy Dalton fractured his left thumb. He watched the second half with his left hand and wrist in a cast with AJ McCarron taking over. Dalton could miss 1-2 weeks with the injury.
Dalton injured his right thumb while making a tackle in the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was ruled out for the rest of Sunday’s game. He has 25 touchdown passes this season and has never missed a game.
Carolina also lost cornerback Bene’ Benwikere to a leg/knee injury. With the Panthers ahead 38-0 in the fourth quarter, Benwikere was taken off the field on a cart.
Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls suffered a season-ending ankle injury at Baltimore. Rawls broke his ankle to abruptly end a sparkling rookie season. Rawls had 830 yards and four touchdowns as the fill-in for injured starter Marshawn Lynch.
—A discord between coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer makes it increasingly unlikely both will remain with the Cleveland Browns following this season, according to NFL Media.
Before Sunday, the Browns were being outscored by an average of 10.9 points per game, raising questions about the future of both men with the franchise. Cleveland had lost 15 of its past 17 games overall and Johnny Manziel was the third starting quarterback Sunday in as many weeks for the team.
Manziel passed for 270 yards in Sunday’s 24-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers, ending the Browns’ seven-game losing streak.
“Change is on the way in Cleveland,” NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday. “The real question is which change owner Jimmy Haslem decides to make at the end of the season. But it’s pretty clear you’re starting to see some of the discord and discontent going on inside that building.
According to the report, at the heart of the discord is the believe by the coaching staff that it has not been equipped with enough talent to be competitive, while the scouting department believes Pettine and staff do not make enough in-game adjustments.
—New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who returned to practice on Thursday for the first time since injuring his right knee, was expected to play in Sunday night’s game against the Houston Texans.
Sources told Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio and ESPN’s Dianna Russini and Adam Schefter that Gronkowski had decided to try to play.
Gronkowski was listed as questionable with a bone bruise and sprain of his knee suffered in the overtime loss against the Denver Broncos on Nov. 29. He was carted off the field in the fourth quarter.
Gronkowski, 26, has caught 57 passes for a team-leading 931 yards and nine touchdowns this season.