Falling into a 2-6 hole near the midpoint of a season is usually a recipe to look to the future for NFL teams, with only two teams ever climbing out of that hole to reach the postseason.

Ezekiel Elliott scored the go-ahead touchdown with 41 seconds remaining, and the Dallas Cowboys avoided a major upset with a 27-23 victory over the hapless Houston Texans.

Deshaun Watson was on the field for the start of training camp with the Houston Texans on Wednesday.

Deshaun Watson plans to report to training camp with the Houston Texans.

The Detroit Lions have signed cornerback Quinton Dunbar.

The league is pressing forward with its goal of playing the Super Bowl as scheduled in Tampa on Feb. 7. What often seemed improbable during the COVID-10 pandemic has become quite achievable. "Contact tracing is the thing people are not talking the most about, but it is foundational to our success," said Sills. The league presses forward with its goal of playing all 256 scheduled games in 17 weeks and the Super Bowl in Tampa on Feb. 7. The trio works with the league’s three-member team consisting of a contact tracer, an epidemiologist and a physician.

“When we all follow the protocols, they work and they work well,” Tretter said. “The contact tracing, getting everyone who potentially are exposed out of the building, works to stop the spread of the virus. Union spokesman George Atallah said that 90% of players that test positive do so within five days of exposure. That is why the league and union have decided to isolate “high-risk” close contacts for a five-day period to make sure they continue to test negative. “We have to make decisions on the information and data we have at the time.”___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Many viewers cringed at Denver’s ugly loss to the Saints behind a rookie receiver pressed into duty because every Broncos quarterback was barred by the NFL over coronavirus concerns. A three-year starter at Vanderbilt, Shurmur spent last season on the Chiefs’ practice squad. After Driskel’s positive test, a league investigation deemed Lock, Rypien and Bortles as high-risk close contacts and ordered them into quarantine Saturday. Hinton returned to catching passes, not throwing them, when he went back to the practice squad Wednesday. Miller has made it his goal to play this season after a freak ankle injury six days before the opener.

Denver Broncos quarterback Kendall Hinton (2) is hit after the throw by New Orleans Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Denver. The NFL denied Denver's request to push the Saints game back 48 hours, which would have allowed their QBs to return to action. So they turned to Hinton, a former quarterback in college, and sprinkled in some direct snaps to running backs Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay. Lock, Rypien and Bortles were removed from the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing negative Tuesday for a fifth consecutive day. Lock and Rypien return to the Broncos’ active roster, and Bortles returns to the practice squad.

The undefeated Titans are healing up from the NFL’s first COVID-19 outbreak. DeCastro will miss his third game of the season after sustaining an abdominal injury last week against Philadelphia. Johnson, Pittsburgh’s second-leading receiver, is out because of a back injury suffered on a punt return last week. Cincinnati also will be missing starting defensive tackle D.J. Eagles: RT Lane Johnson, WR DeSean Jackson, WR Alshon Jeffery, CB Avonte Maddox, S Marcus Epps, LB Duke Riley, QB Nate Sudfeld.

Jeudy is active for the Bucs game as Denver quarterback Jeff Driskel makes his first start while Drew Lock recovers from a shoulder injury. Cardinals: QB Brett Hundley, WR Christian Kirk, RB Eno Benjamin, OL Mason Cole, OL Josh Miles, DL Leki Fotu. ___CHICAGO AT ATLANTABears: CB Duke Shelley, OG Arlington Hambright, NT Daniel McCullers, WR RIley Ridley, OLB Trevis GipsonFalcons: WR Julio Jones, CB A.J. Browns: WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, CB Greedy Williams, LB Jacob Phillips, Olivier Vernon, Evan Brown and WR Rashard Higgins. Brown, CB Chris Jackson OLB Derick Roberson, C Aaron Brewer, TE Geoff Swaim, DT Matt DickersonVikings: WR Tajaé Sharpe, WR K.J.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool (11) crosses the goal line for a touchdown on an 84-yard play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)PITTSBURGH – A game seemingly in hand suddenly on the cusp of slipping away, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn't overthink things. Needing a stop to turn back the surprisingly resilient Denver Broncos, the Steelers dialed up one final blitz in an afternoon filled with them. So the Broncos (0-2) hung around despite losing starting quarterback Drew Lock (right shoulder) in the first quarter. The Steelers recovered and went downfield for a touchdown while Lock was in the blue medical tent getting evaluated. Still, he wasn't exactly thrilled on a day the Steelers never trailed but struggled to put the Broncos away.

DETROIT – Dak Prescott threw for 444 yards and three touchdowns, lifting the Dallas Cowboys to a 35-27 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The Lions forced Dallas to punt on the ensuing drive, but they punted it back while facing a fourth-and-26 from midfield. From the Cowboys 13 on second down, Prescott sealed the victory with a 23-yard pass to Blake Jarwin. Original Story:The Detroit Lions (3-5-1) welcome the Dallas Cowboys (5-4) to Ford Field Sunday. The Lions’ defense started fast last week, holding the Bears scoreless until their last drive of the first half.

DETROIT – It looks like the Detroit Lions could be without quarterback Matthew Stafford again this week for their matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Here are four things the Lions need to do to get by with Jeff Driskel at QB. But to make Driskel’s life easier, the Lions need to have some sort of success running the ball. While the Lions’ run game hasn’t been successful, the commitment to it works to free up Hockenson in pass routes. Defense needs to step upOne of the biggest ways for the Lions to help Driskel succeed is with good defense.

DETROIT – The Detroit Lions dropped to 3-5-1 Sunday after a loss to the Chicago Bears. Play of Jeff Driskel: Driskel had a decent game for the Lions with a stat line of 27-46 for 269 yds 1 TD and 1 INT. If Driskel plays again next week, the Lions need to be more aggressive. Another drive that started near midfield in the 2nd quarter was derailed by two penalties with the Lions pushed back to a 2nd and 30. And while the Lions defense played well overall, it looked way too easy for Chicago on their scoring drives.

Mitchell Trubisky and the Chicago Bears finally gave their frustrated fans something to celebrate. Trubisky tied a season high with three touchdown passes, and the Bears withstood a late charge by Detroit with Jeff Driskel filling in for injured quarterback Matthew Stafford, beating the Lions 20-13 on Sunday. STAFFORD SITSPatricia said the Lions decided Sunday not to play Stafford. He described his quarterback as "day by day, week by week" and wouldn't get into specifics about the injury. Matt Prater kicked two field goals for the Lions, who dropped their third straight against Chicago after winning nine of 10.

All rights reserved)CHICAGO, IL – Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been ruled out for their game at Chicago because of hip and back issues, stopping his streak of 136 consecutive starts. It's the first time he has missed a regular-season game since the 2010 season. Jeff Driskel is stepping in for Stafford. Stafford is working on another terrific year for Detroit, throwing for 2,499 yards and 19 touchdowns in the first half of the season. The Bears (3-5) had been a 2½-point favorite over the Lions (3-4-1), but Chicago was favored by 6½ points Sunday morning after the Stafford news broke.

But it turned out there was no structural damage to the knee, and Mahomes never missed a practice. ___11:30 a.m.Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been ruled out for Detroit's game at Chicago because of hip and back issues, stopping his streak of 136 consecutive starts. It's the first time he has missed a regular-season game since the 2010 season. Stafford is working on another terrific year for Detroit, throwing for 2,499 yards and 19 touchdowns in the first half of the season. The Bears had been a 2-point favorite over the Lions, but Chicago was favored by 6 points Sunday morning after the Stafford news broke.

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)The Kansas City Chiefs get reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes back after a shorter-than-expected absence. ___BALTIMORE AT CINCINNATIRavens: QB Trace McSorley, WR Chris Moore, WR Jaleel Scott, CB Cyrus Jones, G Ben Powers, DT Daylon Mack, DE Ufomba Kamalu. ___DETROIT AT CHICAGOLions: QB Matthew Stafford, S Tracy Walker, CB Michael Jackson, S Miles Killebrew, G Beau Benzschawel, DL Da'Shawn Hand, DE Romeo Okwara. Bears: TE Adam Shaheen, DB Duke Shelley, LB Isaiah Irving, LB Josh Woods, G Alex Bars, DL Abdullah Anderson, WR Riley Ridley. Titans: TE Delanie Walker, DL Jurrell Casey, WR Corey Davis, LB Jayon Brown, CB Tye Smith, OL Kevin Pamphile, OL Hroniss Grasu.