There is no such thing as a sure thing in sport, and certainly not in fantasy football.

Every week, expected stars underperform while big-time contributors come out of nowhere.

But for this week's fantasy picks, Stats Perform has dug through the data to identify four offensive players and a defense that represent extremely strong bets for productive fantasy performances in Week 8.

If any of these selections disappoint, don't blame us!

Quarterback: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins @ Detroit Lions

The Lions defense finally showed some fight last week against the Dallas Cowboys, but they still represent a favourable matchup for the Dolphins and Tagovailoa.

Detroit's defense is allowing 7.33 yards per pass play, the most in the NFL, and the Dolphins are coming off an efficient performance on offense against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Though they only scored 16 points in their Week 7 win, the Dolphins averaged 7.5 yards per pass play, and surely would have scored more points with better efficiency on third down, on which Miami went four of 14.

It was an encouraging return for Tagovailoa, who should find third-down joy much easier to come by against this porous Lions group. Back Tua and the Dolphins for an explosive showing in Week 8.

Running Back: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams

McCaffrey only had 10 touches in his 49er debut last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he averaged 6.2 yards on those touches, showing the burst and the vision that led San Francisco to trade much of their 2023 draft for the former All-Pro.

With a full week to get to grips with the playbook, McCaffrey will be an integral part of San Francisco's gameplan in a critical division matchup with the Rams.

The Rams have a top-10 run defense by yards per rush allowed (4.17), but this is less about matchup and more about opportunity. McCaffrey will get rushing opportunities and he will get targets against an opponent the 49ers have dominated in the regular season, winning the last seven meetings. Los Angeles will have designs on ending that streak, but the volume McCaffrey figures to receive makes him a must-start.

Wide Receiver: Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Giants

The matchup between the 6-1 Giants and the 4-3 Seahawks is one between two of the NFL's most surprising teams, and it promises to be a compelling one.

Though the Giants have given up only seven passing touchdowns this season, their defensive approach could play into the hands of the Seahawks.

In 2022, the Giants have blitzed 43.1 per cent of the time when defending the pass, according to Stats Perform data, well above the league average of 30.6 per cent.

When faced with five or more rushers or with a defensive back blitzing, Geno Smith has delivered a well-thrown ball on 85.7 per cent of attempts, the second-best among quarterbacks with at least 10 such passes.

In other words, he is excelling against the blitz and, with D.K. Metcalf out, Lockett will be a safety net who should be the beneficiary of a plethora of pass attempts.

Winning his matchup with a defender on 67.9 per cent of targets this season – the average is 61.7 for wide receivers with 25 or more targets – Lockett remains a supremely talented pass catcher who can take advantage of those opportunities and enjoy a huge fantasy day.

Tight End: Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh defense is not the force it once was, especially without T.J. Watt. 

The Steelers are giving up 6.91 yards per pass play, the fifth-most in the league, and Goedert can capitalise on their vulnerability.

He has been targeted at least six times in four of his six games this season and has a big play rate of 34.8 per cent that is fifth-best among tight ends with at least 20 targets.

Goedert clearly has the trust of Jalen Hurts, with this matchup the perfect mix of opportunity and opponent for him to flourish and put up big fantasy points.

Defense/Special Teams: Buffalo Bills vs. Green Bay Packers

Starting a defense against Aaron Rodgers?! 

That's how far the Packers have fallen, and fantasy owners should have no hesitation in starting the Bills against Green Bay's dismal passing attack.

Rodgers' average depth of target this is season is just 6.4 yards, with Green Bay lacking the ability to test defenses downfield with any kind of consistency.

Only two teams have more takeaways than the Bills (13), and the Buffalo defense – which has allowed a successful offensive play just 38 per cent of the time; the average is 39.4 – has the formula to frustrate Rodgers once again.

The Bills lead the league with a pressure rate of 45.4 per cent but blitz on just 15.1 per cent of passing downs. Simply put, they consistently get pressure with four pass rushers, giving them the resources in the back seven to rally to the ball and limit the impact of the short passing game on which Rodgers is suddenly reliant.

Buffalo can stop the Packers gaining yards and have a proclivity for taking the ball away. It promises to be a painful game for Rodgers and a productive one for the Bills' defense and those who start it in fantasy.

Tua Tagovailoa returned as the Miami Dolphins snapped their three-game skid with a 16-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday night.

Tagovailoa had not played since suffering a concussion in Week 4, but threw a first-quarter touchdown for Raheem Mostert as the Dolphins raced to a 13-0 lead.

The Steelers rallied with 10 second-quarter points with rookie George Pickers pulling down a spectacular catch from a Kenny Pickett TD pass to make it 16-10 at half-time.

Miami's defense held firm to thwart two fourth-quarter Steelers' drives with interceptions, firstly by Jevon Holland and then Noah Igbinoghene, the latter settling a game where no points were scored in the second half. The win improved Miami's record to 4-3, sitting third in the AFC East, while the Steelers are 2-5 and last in the AFC North.

In the Steelers' last drive, Pickett had connected with tight end Pat Freiermuth and wide receiver Diontae Johnson for major gains in the final minute, before Igbinoghene's pick.

Miami's defense had only one interception all season but notched three in this game alone from Pickett's throwing with the Steelers QB completing 32 of 44 passes for 257 yards.

Tagovailoa made it four wins from four starts, with 21-of-35 passing for 261 yards with no interceptions, running four times for 15 yards.

Jaylen Waddle had four catches for 88 yards including a brilliant flying catch, while Tyreek Hill was a regular target with seven receptions for 72 yards. Touchdown scorer Mostert had four receptions for 30 yards along with 16 carries for 79 yards.

Tua Tagovailoa says he was "wondering what happened" after being knocked unconscious by a big hit in the Miami Dolphins' defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Dolphins quarterback was briefly hospitalised after hitting his head on the ground while attempting to extend a play during a 27-15 Week 4 loss.

Tagovailoa has not played since, but he cleared the concussion protocols last weekend and is set to start against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

The 24-year-old has spoken for the first time about the injury he sustained on September 29.

He said: "I wouldn't say it was scary for me at the time because there was a point where I was unconscious, so I couldn't really tell what was going on.

"When I did come to and kind of realised what was going on and what was happening, I didn't think of anything long term or short term. I was just wondering what happened."

Tagovailoa has vowed to learn from the experience and change his approach where necessary.

"Throwing the ball away hasn't been something that I've done in the past really well," he said.

"Because I'm trying to make plays, and so just learning from that – if it's not there, it's okay to throw it away. It's the longevity of me just being able to be the quarterback for this team and not try to make something out of nothing."

Miami started the season with three consecutive wins but are now 3-3 after three defeats in a row.

Tagovailoa warned he will not be returning with a magic wand to ensure their fortunes are turned around immediately. 

"I just gotta be myself – I'm not the saviour of this team. I don't just come in and we start winning games," he said.

"It's a team deal. The defense gets us stops, the offense goes and puts points on the board, and the defense can help put points on the board as well as special teams.

"So for me, I just look at it as coming into this week and just be myself. Don't try to force anything. Don't try to make plays that aren't there – just give our playmakers the ball and let them go to work."

The Miami Dolphins are preparing to have Tua Tagovailoa return as the team’s starting quarterback for their Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Monday.  

Tagovailoa resumed football activities last week and cleared concussion protocols on Saturday, but remained inactive during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.  

"The plan is for him to approach the game as the starter," McDaniel said. “He'll be able to get those reps on Wednesday… we felt really good about how he was able to get back on the field."

Tagovailoa last had a full week of practice in Week 3 and has been inactive since being carted off the field with a concussion on September 29.  

The Dolphins jumped out to a 3-0 start this season, and their third-year quarterback appeared on his way to a career year. Miami is 0-3 since, and McDaniel is hoping that having Tagovailoa under center again will help the team find its way back in the win column.  

"He's a captain. He's a captain for a reason, and as I've told you guys from the onset, I think he's a very, very good player at that position," McDaniel said. "So very good players, they definitely give people a boost – not because of what other people aren't but more just because he is who he is.  

"So he's a strong fabric of this team, and that's exciting when you get to go play with one of your brothers, which is why the team will be excited, and it will be exciting." 

Tagovailoa’s first injury of the season came on September 25 when he took a hit from Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano and appeared to hit his head on the ground. He stumbled when he got up and was immediately taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion.  

He returned to the game shortly thereafter and was not in the concussion protocol the following week, despite questions about why he was allowed to return to the game after displaying motor impairment.   

Just four days later, Tagovailoa was slammed to the turf by Cincinnati Bengals lineman Josh Tupou in a startling scene that has left many to question the NFL's efforts to minimize head and neck injuries, and led to the league altering their concussion protocol to prevent a similar situation from happening again.

Both injuries occurred after Tagovailoa extended plays outside the pocket.

"There's risks in this game and you've got to be able to control the controllables," McDaniel said. "One thing for him is you love his competitive nature, but there is a time in a play where you have to kind of concede, and that's where he's kind of been focusing on because it's something that's not natural to him.

"He wants to break every tackle, and he doesn't like when plays don't work. Well, sometimes they won't. 

"So that's something that he's mindful of, and I think that that's a consistency of all the really great quarterbacks that you think of, the guys that you look up to, the guys that kind of set forth the example of how to play the position, they do find ways to be available.

"Part of that is that concession, but that is – all things considered, that's probably a good problem to have in terms of a competitor. You just need to be able to understand your importance to the team and how sometimes the best play you can make is a throwaway."

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has cleared the NFL's concussion protocol.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that Tagovailoa had been cleared after sustaining a concussion in the Dolphins' Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tagovailoa will not play in Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, in which third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson is expected to start. Thompson previously filled in for backup Teddy Bridgewater, who suffered a concussion on the first play of last Sunday's loss to the New York Jets.

However, Tagovailoa looks set to return for the Week 7 meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Tagovailoa saga has led to a change in the NFL's concussion protocols, with the league and the NFLPA agreeing his return to play against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3 after an apparent head injury was "not what was intended when the protocols were drafted".

Tagovailoa was visibly unsteady on his feet after having his head slammed to the turf; however, he surprisingly returned for the second half.

He was flung to the turf in similar fashion by Bengals defensive lineman Josh Tupou and exhibited the fencing response, leading to him being taken from the field on a stretcher and transported to hospital.

Tagovailoa's response in the Bills game, known as ataxia, has now been added to the NFL's list of no-go symptoms. Bridgewater was ruled out against the Jets under this change.

A post on Twitter from Schefter read: "Since suffering a concussion in Week 4, Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins and his team of independent doctors followed a thorough process that far exceeded the NFL's concussion protocol, per sources.

"He received four outside opinions, in addition to team doctors, who unanimously cleared him from protocol and all agreed that his scans showed no signs of long-term impact on the brain."

Schefter also reported that Bridgewater has been cleared from the protocol and will serve as Thompson's backup against the Vikings.

The NFL season is well under way, with Week 6 set to mark the point where over a third of the regular season has been played.

Playoff hopes are starting to rise and crucial games are on the horizon, with the Minnesota Vikings looking to provide a further boost against a Miami Dolphins side that have lost their rhythm after a perfect start.

Elsewhere, revenge is on the cards for the Buffalo Bills against the Kansas City Chiefs, who have shattered their dreams in back-to-back seasons, while there is plenty on the line in the NFC East contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys.

With a wealth of entertainment on offer, Stats Perform has crunched the Opta data to preview this weekend's contests.

Minnesota Vikings (4-1) @ Miami Dolphins (3-2)

After starting the season 3-0, the Dolphins have suffered back-to-back defeats by 12 and 23 points respectively, becoming only the second team in the Super Bowl era to start a campaign 3-0 but then lose their next two games by at least a dozen points – the other being the 1994 Chiefs.

However, the Dolphins have won their last three games against NFC teams by double-digit scores, marking the first time they have had such a streak against the NFC since a five-game stint from 1978 to 1979.

With quarterback duo Tua Tagovailoa not expected to return this weekend and Terry Bridgewater out due to concussion, rookie Skylar Thompson looks set to make his first career start against the Vikings and will need help from Tyreek Hill, who is the only player in NFL history with at least 7,000 receiving yards, 7,000 rushing yards and 700 punt return yards in his career.

The Dolphins' clash with the Vikings could go down right to the wire, with Minnesota having trailed with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and come back to win in each of their last three matches for the first time in their franchise history, as well as being the first time any team has done so since the Lions in 2014.

The only team in NFL history to have such a comeback in four straight games was the Denver Broncos in 2011, led by quarterback Tim Tebow.

Buffalo Bills (4-1) @ Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)

The Chiefs have ended the Bills' season in each of the last two campaigns, including a 42-36 overtime win in the divisional round in 2021. In the last eight meetings, including the post season, Kansas City are 6-2, but one of those losses came at home in Week 5 last season.

Patrick Mahomes continues to be the leading man for the Chiefs, with the 30-29 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders last week marking the 40th time the Chiefs have had a game with at least 30 points since he became full-time starter in 2018. The only other team with more than 30 such games is the New Orleans Saints (35).

A tough test against the Bills defense awaits, however, with Buffalo allowing just three broken tackles this season, only the Washington Commanders having fewer (2). In contrast, the Chiefs' defense has allowed 12 broken tackles, only Houston and Las Vegas (both 15) having more.

Offensively, the Bills head to Kansas City on the back of a 38-3 triumph against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, marking their second win by at least 34 points this season, having beaten the Titans 41-7 in Week 2. Only in 1992 and 2021 have they had multiple such wins in a season (twice in each).

Dallas Cowboys (4-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (5-0)

For the first time, the NFC East rivals will face off with both teams entering the contest on the back of a single-season winning streak of at least four games, and the Cowboys have a historical edge after three consecutive wins by a margin of 20 or more points.

The Cowboys have held each of their five opponents so far this season to 20 points or under for the first time since 1972, while only two teams in the last 10 years have done so in six straight games to start a season – the 2013 Chiefs (9) and 2019 New England Patriots (8).

Keeping Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense at bay will be a stern test though, with Hurts setting an NFL record by becoming the first QB to have a five-start span, at any point, where he passed for 250+ yards per game, rushed for 50+ yards per game, rushed for 5+ touchdowns and went undefeated.

From the first five games of the season, the Eagles have averaged 400+ yards of offense and have not lost a single fumble during that span.

Elsewhere…

The Los Angeles Rams host the Carolina Panthers on the back of a 22-10 home defeat to the Cowboys in Week 5, with all three of their losses this season seeing the Rams score 10 or fewer points and lose by at least 10 points. From 2017-2021, they only had five such games.

The Arizona Cardinals head to the Emerald City boasting a strong record against the Seattle Seahawks, sitting 6-3 in the last nine road games. That is tied for the best record by any teams with at least two games played in Seattle since 2013 (Atlanta and New Orleans both 2-1).

The Cleveland Browns face the Patriots, having led at the start of the fourth quarter in all five games so far this season. However, they sit 2-3 (.400) in comparison to the rest of the NFL, which combines for 51-15-1 (.769).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady is tied with Charlie Conerly for most career passing touchdowns against the Steelers (29 each), who he faces in Week 6. With one more, the Steelers would become the fifth team Brady has thrown at least 30 TD's against – joining the Colts, Jets, Dolphins and Bills.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will miss another game due to concussion, confirmed head coach Mike McDaniel.

Tagovailoa was highly unlikely to feature in Sunday's game against Minnesota Vikings despite returning to the practice field this week, but McDaniel declared he would not play on Wednesday.

The Dolphins QB has not played since being concussed in the Week 4 game against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 29.

Tagovailoa's replacement, Teddy Bridgewater, was also concussed in their Week 5 game against the New York Jets, meaning rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson will make his first career start versus the Vikings.

"Now, when talking about this week and playing, I don't see a scenario - I don't see him being active. I do not plan to have him play at all," McDaniel told reporters about Tagovailoa.

"As far as his exact timeline of when he's going to play, I'll be excited to consider that whenever that comes up. Right now, I'm just really focused on him getting out there and feeling good and being around his teammates, and that those types of decisions aren't in the immediate future right now. I'll handle that when that comes after."

McDanel revealed Tagovailoa may pass concussion protocol the Week 6 game but that the Dolphins would not rush him back despite being depleted in that department with Bridgewater out.

"He hasn't done a thing on the football field for literally two weeks," McDaniel said.

"I don't think that that would be fair to the player. That wouldn't be fair to the team… I don't feel comfortable putting him in that situation."

Tagovailoa was stretchered off and briefly hospitalized after hitting his head on the turf and being concussed against the Bengals.

That came only four days after a similar incident against the Buffalo Bills where he was evaluated for concussion at halftime, having appeared unstable on his feet but cleared to play on.

The incident led to the NFL Players' Association conducting a review of the league's concussion protocol, which was amended last week to include ataxia as a symptom. Bridgewater was the first player impacted by the protocol change in Week 5.

The Dolphins are on a two-game losing streak, sitting 3-2 after beginning the 2022 season with three successive wins.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will return to team practice on Wednesday and could be cleared from concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during a defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals last month and was taken by ambulance to hospital, subsequently missing the Dolphins' loss to the New York Jets.

While highly unlikely to take to the field in Week 6 against the Vikings, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport state sources say he has made 'great strides' and is heading in the 'right direction' for a return to the field.

Tagovailoa has consulted with four independent specialists since the injury and increased his rehab work to include cardio and strength training over the weekend, while Wednesday will involve throwing the ball as part of "non-contact sports-specific activity".

The Dolphins quarterback situation is up in the air ahead of Sunday, with backup QB Terry Bridgewater also in concussion protocol and coach Mike McDaniel telling reporters on Monday there was no specific timeframe for the return of either player.

Rookie seventh-round pick Skylar Thompson took to the field in place of Bridgewater against the Jets, where he threw for 166 yards and one interception, finishing with a pass completion percentage of 57.6 per cent.

The Dolphins are on a two-game losing streak, sitting 3-2 after beginning the 2022 season with three successive wins.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said it is too early to decide on a starting quarterback for their Week 6 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

The Dolphins currently have both starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater recovering from concussions, with third-string rookie Skylar Thompson being forced to play nearly the entire 40-17 loss to the New York Jets this past Sunday.

There is concern Tagovailoa actually suffered two concussions less than a week apart after being allowed to return to the Dolphins' Week 3 win against the Buffalo Bills despite showing symptoms, prompting the league to update their concussion protocol.

With the uncertain nature of concussions and their recovery period, McDaniel told reporters on Tuesday that they will wait until later in the week to decide who will start at the sport's most important position.

"It's too soon for me to really pinpoint [the starter]," he said. "I kind of have to wait and assess the whole situation, which I do not have in scope. 

"What I do know is that Skylar will be practicing on Wednesday and hopefully Wednesday I'll have a better feel of the direction that we should go that's best for the football team.

"Being a backup quarterback in this league is not easy, and what people don't understand is you have a finite amount of reps during the week because you can't deplete your athletes and you can't have endless amount of reps. 

"So typically, starters get anywhere from 80 to 100 per cent of the practice reps. So a backup quarterback, especially a rookie, it's a tremendous challenge because you have to own the whole game plan, visualize it, be able to call it, be able to line people up and then execute appropriately."

The inclination from McDaniel could be that the team will look for outside help at the position to avoid having to start their seventh-round draft pick, however teaching the playbook to a new signing in time for Week 6 is likely too unrealistic.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater became the first player to be removed from play under the new concussion protocols established by the NFL and NFL Players Association in recent days.

Bridgewater was starting his first game of the season in place of Tua Tagovailoa, whose concussion during the Dolphins' Week 4 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals led to the protocols being changed.

The Dolphins came under heavy scrutiny for their decision to field Tagovailoa against the Bengals.

In Tagovailoa's previous outing against the Buffalo Bills, he appeared unsteady on his feet after his head slammed against the turf following a heavy collision. 

The NFL and NFLPA launched an investigation into the handling of that injury after he returned to the field shortly thereafter.

Although it found the Dolphins to have followed existing protocols "as written”, the NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to modify protocols.

Remarkably, Tagovailoa's replacement Bridgewater was ruled out after the very first play of Miami's 40-17 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday due to the changes to the concussion protocol.

The quarterback left with an elbow injury and was evaluated for a head injury, with Miami stating that Bridgewater would not return.

Third-choice quarterback Skylar Thompson replaced him, and after the game Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel showed confidence in the rookie's ability to hold down the fort.

"It's rough," McDaniel said. "But the whole team has confidence in Skylar. I think our team in general doesn't look at it like we're a one-man saviour at any spot.

"So it is a new set of circumstances of adversity so early, but I don't think that the rest of the team's response to losing Teddy had anything to do with losing the game."

The Los Angeles Chargers survived a late scare to defeat the Cleveland Browns 30-28 on Sunday afternoon thanks to a massive performance from running back Austin Ekeler.

Ekeler finished with two of the Chargers' three touchdowns, rushing for 173 yards and a score from 16 carries, and adding 26 yards and a touchdown from four catches.

Both times Ekeler scored he put the Chargers back into the lead in a rollercoaster of a game, where the Browns jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter through touchdowns to focal points Amari Cooper and Nick Chubb.

Chubb's second rushing touchdown gave the Browns a 17-14 lead at half-time, and they were up 28-27 going into the fourth quarter after Kareem Hunt converted a goal-line carry for a touchdown of his own.

Taylor Bertolet's field goal put the Chargers back in front with nine minutes to play, finishing three-for-three with his kicks for the day, and the game looked to be sealed when Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw an interception with under three minutes on the clock.

Needing a couple of first downs to put on the finishing touches, the Chargers were presented with a fourth-and-one at their own 46-yard line, and instead of punting and playing it safe, they went for it and failed.

A short completion gave the Browns a 54-yard field goal opportunity to win the game in the final seconds, but it drifted wide right, with kicker Cade York missing both of his attempts for the game.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 22 of his 34 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers, with his top receiver Mike Williams catching 10 for 134 yards.

Chubb was the offensive star for the Browns, carrying 17 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

Bills blow away the Steelers

The Buffalo Bills took their foot off the gas in the second half to coast to a dominant 38-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wide receiver Gabriel Davis was the star of the show along with quarterback Josh Allen, combining on a 98-yard passing touchdown just 64 seconds into the game. It was the longest touchdown in the NFL this season.

They were not finished there, linking up again to begin the second quarter with a 62-yard touchdown.

Allen added two more touchdown passes in the first half – one to Stefon Diggs and one to Khalil Shakir – to open up a 31-3 lead at the long break, and from there they were never tested.

Another Dolphins quarterback leaves with concussion

Making his first start of the season after Tua Tagovailoa was sidelined with his concussion last week, Miami Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was pulled after the first play in a 40-17 loss to the New York Jets.

Bridgewater was evaluated for a concussion and could not return, handing rookie Skylar Thompson his first snaps as a professional. 

Neither team threw for a touchdown in the game, with the Jets rushing for five scores as exciting rookie Breece Hall finished with 18 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown, adding two catches for 100 yards, and goal-line back Michael Carter pushed his way in for two touchdowns.

Adding to the great day for Jets fans was the fourth overall pick from this year's NFL Draft, cornerback Sauce Gardner, recording his first career interception.

The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to modify concussion protocols following an investigation of Tua Tagovailoa's recent injury, saying his return to a game against the Buffalo Bills was "not what was intended when the protocols were drafted".

Although the investigation found the Miami Dolphins to have followed existing protocols "as written", NFLPA president J.C. Tretter believes Tagovailoa's treatment was not a "meaningful application" of the rules.

The Dolphins came under heavy scrutiny for their decision to field Tagovailoa against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4, a game in which he sustained a concussion.

In Tagovailoa's previous outing against the Bills, he appeared unsteady on his feet after his head slammed against the turf following a heavy collision. 

The NFL and NFLPA launched an investigation into the handling of that injury after he returned to the field shortly thereafter, with head coach Mike McDaniel saying he suffered a back injury.

A joint NFL-NFLPA statement released on Saturday read: "The parties have completed their joint review of the application of the NFL's concussion protocol following the injury to Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during their game on September 25, 2022.

"While the investigation determined that the team medical staff and unaffiliated medical professionals followed the steps of the protocol as written, the NFL and NFLPA agree that the outcome in this case is not what was intended when the protocols were drafted.

"As such, as has been done in previous cases, based on the advice of the parties' respective medical experts, the protocol will be modified to enhance the safety of the players.

"Specifically, the term 'ataxia' has been added to the mandatory 'no-go' symptoms. If a player is diagnosed with 'ataxia' by any club or neutral physician involved in the application of the concussion protocol, he will be prohibited from returning to the game.

"The parties remain committed to continuing to evaluate our protocol to ensure it reflects the intended conservative approach to evaluating player-patients for potential head injuries."

Tretter, however, has since taken to social media to criticise the Dolphins' handling of the incident, tweeting: "We do not believe this was a meaningful application of the protocols. 

"Nobody, including the NFL, believes he should have been put back in the game. It is problematic that he was cleared for a back injury for which the lead doctors never took the time to examine."

Tagovailoa has been ruled out of the Dolphins' Week 5 fixture against the New York Jets on Sunday.

A new NFL policy on the handling of concussions is expected to go into effect any day now after the Players Association approved proposed protocol changes Friday.

The NFL and NFLPA had previously agreed to a revised protocol that would prohibit players returning to the field if they displayed signs of instability in their motor skills. The union issued a statement Friday requesting that the changes be put in place for this weekend’s games.

"Our union has agreed to change the concussion protocols to protect players from returning to play in the case of any similar incident to what we saw on September 25," the statement read. "We would like these changes to go into effect before this weekend’s game to immediately protect the players and hope the NFL accepts the change before then as well."

The September 25 incident the union referred to occurred in a game between the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, in which Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa briefly left the contest with what the team initially termed a head injury.

Tagovailoa later returned to the game after passing concussion tests, with Miami head coach Mike McDaniel saying afterward that the injury was to the quarterback’s lower back.

The Dolphins later cleared Tagovailoa to play at Cincinnati four days after the Buffalo game, and the former Alabama star was injured again on a hit from Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou that caused his head to hit the ground hard.

Tagovailoa was stretchered off the field and taken to hospital, and the Dolphins have since ruled him out for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets while confirming a concussion diagnosis.

The NFL later issued a statement saying it intends to also sign off on protocol changes, though it’s unclear when they will begin to be enforced.

"As we have discussed with the NFLPA, we agree that changes to the joint NFL-NFLPA protocols are necessary to further enhance player safety," the league said. "We have already spoken to members of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee and the leadership of the Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultants and Independent Certified Athletic Trainers who serve as spotters to discuss these likely changes."

The NFL and the union remain in the process of investigating the Dolphins’ handling of Tagovailoa’s September 25 injury and have yet to determine whether the team erred in judgement or violated protocols.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow admits there have been games where he has suffered sudden memory loss, adding his voice to the discussion around concussions in the NFL.

The NFL's concussion process has been a hot topic over the past fortnight, following worrying incidents involving Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa had been cleared of concussion despite appearing shaky on his feet after a heavy hit against the Buffalo Bills a fortnight ago and played out the game, but he was floored by another hefty blow five days later against the Bengals.

That saw him carried off, taken immediately to hospital and diagnosed with concussion. He was ruled out of the Week 5 game against the New York Jets.

The Tagovailoa situation has led to questions about the rigour and accuracy of the league's concussion protocols, while the independent neurologist who cleared the quarterback has since been dismissed.

Burrow, who led the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI last season, revealed his jarring experiences with becoming suddenly forgetful after taking a hit in the NFL.

"I've had some [games] where I don't remember the second half, or I don't remember the entire game, or I know that I got a little dizzy at one point but nothing long-lasting," Burrow told The Colin Cowherd Podcast.

"I've been hit and forgot the rest of the game before. That's happened a couple of times. But I've never had one where I have headaches for like a week and I have symptoms of concussion after the game."

Burrow, who was Tagovailoa's opposing QB when he was carried off on a stretcher last week, added that the risk of concussion was inherent in the game.

"It's scary," Burrow said. "Everybody knows the profession that we do – it's a dangerous game – that's always a possibility. But then when it happens, you kind of collectively hold your breath.

"You can make all the rules you want to make the game as safe as you possibly can, but there's an inherent risk and danger with the game of football.

"You're going to have head injuries. You're going to tear your ACL. You're going to break your arm. That's the game that we play. That's the life that we live. And we get paid handsomely for it.

"I think going into every game, we know what we're getting ourselves into."

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is not interested in the widespread negative reaction to the franchise's handling of young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, saying "everything's reactionary anyway".

Tagovailoa has been at the centre of the NFL news cycle the past couple weeks after suffering an ugly concussion in his side's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. 

It followed an incident the previous week when Tagovailoa was visibly struggling to stand after appearing to hit his head on the ground against the Buffalo Bills, before being cleared to return and lead the Dolphins to the win.

The decision to allow Tagovailoa to return to the Bills game was met with stern criticism by concussion experts who believed he was incorrectly evaluated, which was further supported by the firing of that particular independent neurotrauma consultant on the basis that he made mistakes in clearing the 24-year-old.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was vocal about his disappointment in the situation, saying "I've been coaching for 40 years in college and the NFL – I've never seen anything like it before". Meanwhile, legendary New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick shared that he has often withheld players who have been cleared by medical tests for their own safety.

When asked on Wednesday how he felt about the growing chorus of NFL voices speaking out against the Dolphins' handling of the situation, McDaniel was mainly dismissive, saying he does not waste his time reading or listening to football media.

"Everything's reactionary anyway," he said. "So if people want to [give their opinion], whatever.

"If I'm spending time thinking about that, let's say Monday night for five seconds – that's five seconds that I'm not thinking about all the other things that relate to the team and the upcoming game.

"I fully have way too much respect for the game, for everyone involved, for everybody that's counting on me that, I mean, I'm actually the anti-T.O. [Terrell Owens]. 

"You know [the Owens quote] 'talk good about me, talk bad about me, just talk about me' – I'd be cool if no one talked about anything. That's how I've been operating my whole career. 

"But [I'm] fully expecting that they're going to have all sorts of opinions because that's the nature of the beast, that's what happens when you watch it and are fan of it for your entire life. You see it happen over and over, and nothing I guess in that avenue would really surprise me."

McDaniel maintains that there was no way to know Tagovailoa may have suffered an initial concussion against the Bills after numerous discussions with the team's medical personnel.

"[Tagovailoa and I are] talking about high-level football conversations about progressions and defenses and recalling stuff from two weeks previous," he said. "And then him having to reiterate a 15-word play call. 

"All things, absolutely no signs. There was no medical indication, from all resources, that there was anything regarding the head.

"Beyond an eyeball test, which I know for a fact you guys would not be very comfortable if I was just relying on that – I mean, it's the reason why we have tests.

"He did not have a head injury. So guys hit their heads all the time, and that's why I was adamant [that] he was evaluated for having a head injury, and he did not have one."

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