NFL notebook: 49ers RB Breida (knee) is questionable

The San Francisco 49ers listed running back Matt Breida, who is tied for second among NFL rushing leaders this season with Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys, as questionable for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers because of a right knee injury. Breida did not sound optimistic on Friday and his participation is expected to be a game-time decision. "I've got to feel comfortable," Breida told the San Francisco Chronicle. "It's a long season." Breida was limited in practice on Wednesday, went through a full practice on Thursday but was limited again on Friday. He is dealing with a hyperextended knee and calf soreness, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. "Just to see how he feels on game day," Shanahan said. "He's been up and down a little bit this week. He got a little bit more (Thursday). We kept him limited (on Friday), just trying to manage the wear and tear. "But questionable is better than doubtful, so hoping it works out." Breida has rushed for 274 yards on 32 carries, an 8.6-yard average, and one touchdown in the first three games. Complicating matters for the 49ers, backup running back Alfred Morris also is listed as questionable for the game against the Chargers because of a knee injury. The 49ers ruled out guard Joshua Garnett (toe) and cornerback Richard Sherman (calf). Safety Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder) is doubtful and safety Adrian Colbert (hip) is questionable. --Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin will return Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals after missing the last two games because of a right knee injury, head coach Pete Carroll said Friday. Baldwin sat out most of training camp and all four preseason games after sustaining a left knee injury, but he returned against the Denver Broncos for the season opener, when he suffered an injury to his other knee. "I'm excited to tell you Doug Baldwin is going to play in this game," Carroll said. Baldwin appeared in 100 consecutive games, including the postseason, before missing the last two. The 5-foot-10, 192-pound Baldwin said he can't wait. "I'm ready to go," Baldwin said, via the Seahawks' official website. "This is what I do, so I'm excited about getting back out there. ... I've never sat out this long. I haven't missed games since my second year in the NFL. It's been a very long time since I had to overcome the injury obstacle. Of course, I've dealt with injuries throughout the course of those games that I've played, but nothing to the significance of where I had to miss time. "That's going to be their call -- there's a lot of things that go into it. Obviously, the precautionary reasons of making sure that I'm healthy fully so that I can go for the rest of the season and not just this game. I get that, but as a competitor and as somebody who hasn't missed games that often, who had an 89-game (regular-season) streak, I feel like I know my body pretty well. I feel like I'm ready to go." The 30-year-old Baldwin, who was signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent out of Stanford in 2011, has 443 receptions in his career for 5,945 yards and 44 touchdowns. He was selected to play in the Pro Bowl the last two years. --Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was listed as questionable for Sunday's home game against the New York Jets. Fournette has missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury suffered in Jacksonville's season-opening victory over the New York Giants. The Jaguars also listed Fournette as questionable a week ago, but he was among the players listed as inactive for the team's 9-6 loss to the Tennessee Titans. T.J. Yeldon started the last two games for Jacksonville, rushing for 44 yards on seven carries against Tennessee and for 58 yards on 10 carries in a win over New England in Week 2. He added eight receptions in the two games. The 6-foot-1, 223-pound Fournette rushed for 41 yards on nine carries before he was hurt against the Giants. Fournette led the Jaguars in rushing in his rookie season with 1,040 yards in 268 carries and nine touchdowns in 13 games a year ago. Jacksonville's first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft, Fournette missed three games last year -- two with an ankle injury and one game with a quadriceps injury. The Jaguars also listed linebacker A.J. Cann (triceps) as questionable and ruled out cornerback D.J. Hayden (toe) for Sunday's game. --Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman will miss his third straight game because of a right knee injury, sitting out Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, head coach Dan Quinn told reporters on Friday. Freeman suffered the injury during the season-opening game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and although he has made progress this week, he still won't be healthy enough to play. However, Freeman was able to get in limited practice reps during the week, and the Falcons' training staff has turned its efforts toward getting him ready to play next week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. "When we list him as day to day until he can do those things to get going, I thought this week I saw the big jump," said Quinn, who was encouraged by Freeman's progress even though he won't play Sunday. "Instead of just (going) as part of rehab, but really participate into practice and putting his foot in the ground and explode, I thought it was good from Wednesday, better to Thursday and even better today. I thought he made a lot of progress this week." The original estimate was that Freeman would miss about two or three weeks. The Falcons also ruled out defensive lineman Derrick Shelby (groin) and cornerback Justin Bethel (knee) for Sunday. However, Quinn said defensive end Takkarist McKinley, who missed last week's game against the New Orleans Saints because of a groin injury, will return against the Bengals. Atlanta's pass rush was nearly nonexistent in a loss to the Saints without McKinley. --Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen was back at practice on Friday, elevating his chances for playing in Sunday's game against the visiting San Francisco 49ers. Allen missed practice the previous two days because of an ailing right knee. On Thursday, Chargers coach Anthony Lynn told reporters that he was unsure of Allen's chances of playing Sunday. "We'll see; not sure," Lynn said. "That knee was really sore yesterday." Allen is tied for the team lead with 17 receptions for 219 yards and a touchdown. He had a season-low three catches for 44 yards in last weekend's 35-23 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The sixth-year wideout played in 16 games last season, making 15 starts, and set career highs with 102 receptions for 1,393 yards. He also had six touchdowns in landing his first Pro Bowl berth. A third-round draft pick of the Chargers in 2013, Allen notched at least 67 receptions in each of his first three seasons and scored a career-high eight touchdowns in his rookie campaign. Allen has dealt with two major injuries that derailed half of one season and almost all of another. In 2015, Allen had 67 receptions in eight games before his season ended because of a kidney injury. Allen then suffered a torn ACL, also in the right knee, in the 2016 season opener, but he came back to play in all 16 games for the first time in his career in 2017. --Wide receiver Randall Cobb of the Green Bay Packers was listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills because of a hamstring injury. Head coach Mike McCarthy took a wait-and-see approach when asked about Cobb's injury by reporters. "It's unfortunate, but we'll see how it goes," said McCarthy, whose Packers have a 1-1-1 record. Cobb is a huge part of Green Bay's offensive scheme, having participated in 91 percent of the Packers' offensive plays through three games. He has made 17 receptions for 194 yards and a touchdown. However, in the last two games, he has been limited to a total of eight catches for 52 yards, but there is no indication that the hamstring injury might have been a factor. If Cobb can't play on Sunday against the Bills, the Packers will turn to backup wide receiver Geronimo Allison, and they also have rookies Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown opposite No. 1 receiver Davante Adams. The Packers also will look to their three tight ends -- Jimmy Graham, Lance Kendricks and Marcedes Lewis. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been dealing with a knee injury since the opener and also listed as questionable, but he is expected to play against Buffalo. --Running back Jonathan Stewart of the New York Giants was placed on injured reserve because of a foot injury, the team announced Friday. Earlier in the day, the Giants listed Stewart as out of Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints because of the injury. The 5-foot-10, 240-pound Stewart signed a two-year, $6.8-million contract with the Giants in March after 10 seasons with the Carolina Panthers, where he was as the team's career rushing leader with 7,318 yards and 1,699 carries. Before being injured, the 31-year-old Stewart had only six carries for 17 yards in three games and was listed third on the depth chart at running back behind starter Saquon Barkley and Wayne Gallman. Gallman has played well in the backup role with 11 total touches for 46 yards from scrimmage. Stewart, who was the Panthers' No. 1 pick (No. 13 overall) out of Oregon in 2008, will be eligible to come off injured reserve in eight weeks. The Giants also ruled wide receiver Cody Latimer out of Sunday's game because of a knee injury, and promoted wide receiver Jawill Davis, an undrafted rookie out of Bethune-Cookman, from the practice squad. Davis, originally signed by the Giants on May 10, made 106 receptions for 1,692 yards and 10 touchdowns in his college career. --Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews is 3-for-3 this season, earning a roughing-the-passer penalty in each of the first three games. Each of the infractions against Matthews in the last two weeks have drawn widespread criticism, even as the NFL attempts to enforce its new role to protect quarterbacks. Matthews critiqued the league's enforcement of the rules, telling the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that "the NFL can't seem to get out of its own way." Attempting to get clarity on the rule to prevent a repeat of the violations, Matthews enlisted the help of his employer -- Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy, who also happens to be a member of the NFL Competition Committee. Matthews told the newspaper that the advice from Murphy was to maintain the status quo. Translation: "Not to change a thing," regarding his style of play, according to Matthews. "I think it was more so just continue to play in the way in which I have," Matthews said. Matthews was penalized in Green Bay's 31-17 loss at Washington in what appeared to be a textbook tackle. However, the league announced via Twitter that Matthews was flagged because he landed on Washington quarterback Alex Smith "with all or most of the defender's weight." Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy was irate on the sidelines, having to be held back a couple of times by his assistant coaches from charging at the referees. Former NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino said on the FOX broadcast that he did not agree with the call. "I don't like that as a foul, I really don't," Blandino said. In Week 2, Matthews was punished for lifting Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and driving him to the ground. In the face of mounting criticism, the competition committee released a statement on Thursday in which it said there will be no changes to the rule that aims at preventing players from driving a quarterback to the ground excessively or landing on a quarterback with their full body weight. "In reiterating its position on quarterback protection, the committee determined there would be no changes to the point of emphasis approved this spring or to the rule, of which the body weight provision has been in place since 1995," NFL vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said in the statement, which he said came after the committee reviewed video of recent roughing the passer fouls. "To ensure consistency in officiating the rule, the committee clarified techniques that constitute a foul." Matthews is a six-time Pro Bowl selection who racked up 80 sacks over his first nine seasons with Green Bay. --Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green offered little doubt that he would be ready to face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Green had to leave last weekend's loss at Carolina with what was initially termed a groin injury. That led to fears that Cincinnati's top wide receiver could be facing a lengthy absence. Not so, Green told reporters on Thursday, noting that the injury was a "bone bruise" and not muscle-related. "I feel great," Green said, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I had the same thing in college. Came down on my butt just like that. It was a little scary at first. Could have been a lot worse. But I feel good. Little sore yesterday, but today I felt good. No limitations so I'm fine." Despite his premature exit from Sunday's 31-21 loss, Green is off to a superb start with 16 receptions and four touchdowns through the first three games. Green had five receptions for 52 yards before he was hurt Sunday. In his previous game, he hauled in three first-half touchdown passes in a 34-23 victory over Baltimore. This week's game will mark a homecoming of sorts for Green, who starred at the University of Georgia before the Bengals selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. One day before Green's positive medical outlook, Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis expressed optimism that his perennial Pro Bowl wideout would be ready for Sunday's matchup. "Well, he'll be ready to go," said Lewis, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It's his first opportunity to play in the state of Georgia in awhile." Green has made the Pro Bowl in each of his seven seasons. He surpassed 1,000 yards in all but one season, when he was limited to 10 games because of injury in 2016. Green enters Sunday's game with career totals of 572 receptions for 8,432 yards and 61 touchdowns in 105 contests. --The Cleveland Browns will have a new starter at quarterback this week in rookie Baker Mayfield, with Drew Stanton expected to be the backup to Mayfield, this year's No. 1 overall draft pick. Tyrod Taylor, who started the first three games but suffered a concussion in a victory over the New York Jets on Sept. 20, also is dealing with a back injury, according to Cleveland.com Browns coach Hue Jackson on Monday officially named Mayfield as the starter for Sunday's matchup at the winless Oakland Raiders. Mayfield relieved an injured Taylor and helped Cleveland erase a 14-point deficit in a 21-17 victory over the New York Jets in Week 3. The win was the first for the Browns (1-1-1) since they defeated the then-San Diego Chargers on Dec. 24, 2016. Taylor will accompany the team to the West Coast but he was limited again in practice again Friday. Stanton has taken all the reps at backup this week, Cleveland.com reported. "He's been tremendous," Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley said of Stanton. "He's a unique, unique quarterback. He has insight that I haven't seen from very many guys. He has a unique feel for how to deal with Tyrod and how he deals with the young guys. It's a great situation for a young guy to be developing in.'' Stanton, a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions in 2007, has made 17 career starts and posted an 11-6 record, including a 3-1 mark last season with the Arizona Cardinals. --Upon the franchise's relocation from St. Louis to Los Angeles before the 2016 season, one of the burning questions was whether the team was ready for the bright lights of Hollywood. That same question applied to quarterback Jared Goff, who arrived in that first season in Tinseltown as the newly minted No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Rams -- and Goff -- did little to quell those doubts in their return to Los Angeles, stumbling to a 4-12 record and featuring the league's most impotent offense. Goff finally cracked the lineup in Week 11 and lost all seven of his starts, finishing a forgettable rookie season with 1,406 yards and five touchdowns against seven interceptions. Bust? That was the early word on the not-so-mean streets of L.A. Fast-forward less than two years later to see the latest example of the startling progression of Goff, who showcased his skills with a dazzling display in the Rams' 38-31 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night. Goff matched a franchise record with five touchdown passes -- tying his total from his rookie campaign -- and threw for a career-best 465 yards as Los Angeles moved to a perfect 4-0. "Lights out," running back Todd Gurley said in assessing Goff's play against Minnesota. "He's playing like one of the best quarterbacks in this league. Big night for him. He was just killing it. He looked like he was back at Cal today." Goff looked better than his college days at California. His passer rating for Thursday's game? A perfect 158.3 -- and this coming against a defense that yielded an NFL-low 15.8 points in 2017. "Man, there's just something special about the way he's delivering the football and his confidence level," Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitwoth said. "You just want to do everything you can not to mess it up." Goff guided Los Angeles to a 12-4 record and the NFC West title last season, throwing for 3,804 yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Through the first four games this season, he already has amassed 1,406 yards with 11 scores and two interceptions. "I think just a comfort level," McVay said after Thursday's win. "I think he's got such a great command right now and you know he's intentional about getting better. (Quarterbacks coach) Zac Taylor has done a great job with him. Really just having him make sure that he has an ownership of the game plan, understands what we're trying to get done and you know that constant dialogue, that communication that we talk about being on the same page. "At the end of the day I think he's just thrown the ball extremely well." The gaudy overall starts aside, the Rams had eight plays -- all passes -- of at least 20 yards Thursday. Among Goff's scoring strikes were a 70-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp and scoring passes to wide receivers Brandin Cooks (47 yards) and Robert Woods (31 yards). "It felt pretty good all night," Goff said. "I thought we did a great job protecting, as we've done most of the season this year and, really, all of the season this year. Just keeping me upright and anytime that happens, we've got such good guys on the outside and try to get the ball in their hands and let them make plays. Tonight, we were able to do that." Goff threw four of his touchdown passes in the first half -- tying another franchise mark -- on his way to his eighth career 300-yard game, including three of four contests to open this season. --By signing Kirk Cousins, the Minnesota Vikings believed they finally had the quarterback to complement their league-leading defense from 2017 and take them to the Super Bowl. Cousins has surpassed expectations while combining with new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. The defense is now the side costing Minnesota wins. The Vikings allowed 556 total yards -- the fourth most in team history -- in a 38-31 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. It's the most yards a Mike Zimmer-led defense has allowed since Zimmer first became an NFL coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys in 2000. "I've been concerned all year long," Zimmer said of trailing early. "We have not played well defensively." Cousins was 36 of 50 for 422 yards passing and three touchdowns and had Minnesota in position to tie the score, reminiscent of two weeks ago in Green Bay, but was stripped of the ball as he went back for a pass with 1:29 remaining. Los Angeles quarterback Jared Goff completed 78.8 percent of his 33 passes for 465 yards, five touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating. Three Rams receivers -- Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks -- all surpassed 100 receiving yards. "Probably anywhere I've ever been, I've never been this poor in pass coverage," Zimmer said. "We're going to have to look at everything we're doing and get back doing things correctly." The cracks that started to show in the playoffs last season for the Vikings' defense -- which led the league with the fewest points and yards allowed in 2017 -- have become full-fledged holes. Los Angeles had eight plays of at least 20 yards, all passes. The Rams had three plays of at least 47 yards, two ending in touchdowns. It was the most yards surrendered by Minnesota since the New Orleans Saints put up 573 yards in 2011. Minnesota cornerback Trae Waynes started, but left with a concussion and didn't return. The Vikings also are playing without star defensive end Everson Griffen, who is away from the team while he undergoes evaluation for his mental health. Reserve defensive tackle Tom Johnson missed the game with an ankle injury.