New England Patriots tight end Lance Kendricks was suspended for the first game of the regular season without pay for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Kendricks will miss New England's opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 8. Kendricks is allowed to play in New England's final preseason game against the New York Giants on Thursday.

New England Patriots tight end Lance Kendricks was suspended for the first game of the regular season without pay for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Kendricks will miss New England's opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 8. Kendricks is allowed to play in New England's final preseason game against the New York Giants on Thursday.

The Browns have offensive stars, but the defense made a statement on Friday night.

Rafa Nadal was forced out of the U.S. Open last year in the semi-finals with a knee injury but the in-form Spaniard on Friday declared himself fit and ready for the punishing hardcourts at Flushing Meadows. Nadal's hopes of defending his 2017 U.S. Open title last year were crushed when his chronic knee issues forced him to retire while trailing Juan Martin del Potro 7-6(3) 6-2 after a number of long and grueling matches. Naomi Osaka's knee injury suffered in the lead-up to her U.S. Open title defense has improved and the Japanese does not expect it to limit her performance in the year's final Grand Slam.

Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano returns to the city where he used to be the head coach when Chicago travels to Indianapolis to face the Colts on Saturday. Less than a month into the 2012 season, Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia and spent part of that year being treated for the disease before he could go on through a six-year stint as Colts coach. Pagano said there is sure to be some emotion even if it is a preseason game.

NBC ''Sunday Night Football'' announcer Al Michaels said a huge reason for the league's popularity on television is because it is the best-suited sport for it. You have this burst of action and then there is inaction that can be covered by analyzing the play and covering it on replay,'' he said. College football and baseball had been the top two sports throughout the 1950s, but the tide started to turn after the 1958 NFL championship game between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants.

NBC "Sunday Night Football" announcer Al Michaels said a huge reason for the league's popularity on television is because it is the best-suited sport for it. "You have this burst of action and then there is inaction that can be covered by analyzing the play and covering it on replay," he said. College football and baseball had been the top two sports throughout the 1950s, but the tide started to turn after the 1958 NFL championship game between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants.

Pat Shurmur had a relatively easy time making the final cuts in his first season as coach of the New York Giants. Coming off a three-win season, the Giants didn't have a ton of talent on the roster heading into 2018. Defensive lineman Romeo Okwara led the Detroit Lions with 7+ sacks, while safety Andrew Adams had four interceptions with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Rookie Daniel Jones has made a case for himself during the preseason.

The opening night of Week Three of the preseason featured a scary injury for one of the league's top quarterback, multiple games impacted by weather and two teams diving over the ten-yard line for touchdowns. Danny Dimes was on display again Thursday night as rookie QB Daniel Jones continues to surprise this preseason for the New York Giants. Jones finished off the first half and led a touchdown drive to tie the game before giving way to the Giants backups.