AHKELLO WITHERSPOON

Ahkello Witherspoon spent most of the first half of the 2021 NFL season standing on the sideline in sweatpants while the Pittsburgh Steelers went on without him. Witherspoon credits both for the two-year contract he signed earlier this month that will keep the veteran cornerback in Pittsburgh. “The most important opportunity is the next one,” Witherspoon said Monday.

The Minnesota Vikings held on to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-28 by forcing an incomplete pass in the end zone on the final play.

Teddy Bridgewater made another strong statement in his case to be Denver’s starting quarterback, leading a pair of touchdown drives in the Broncos’ 30-3 preseason win over the Seattle Seahawks.

San Francisco 49ers running back Jeff Wilson (30) celebrates his touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals with quarterback C.J. Beathard threw three touchdown passes, Jeff Wilson ran for 183 yards, and the San Francisco 49ers dealt a brutal blow to the Arizona Cardinals' playoff hopes by defeating them 20-12 on Saturday. If the Chicago Bears win their final two games, they will reach the playoffs because of a tiebreaker over the Cardinals. The 49ers (6-9) pulled ahead 14-6 in the third quarter on Beathard’s 9-yard touchdown pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Cardinals: LB Haason Reddick (hamstring) left the game in the first quarter, but returned early in the second quarter.

Fitzpatrick threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns and the Dolphins sent the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers to their third straight home loss to open the season, 43-17 on Sunday. The 49ers (2-3) are the team with questions at quarterback after Jimmy Garoppolo got pulled at halftime after throwing two interceptions. Beathard replaced Garoppolo at the half and threw one TD pass but it wasn’t enough to keep the Niners from falling again at home. Fitzpatrick capitalized on that with a 32-yard TD pass to Williams. TARGET PRACTICEWith the Niners down starting cornerbacks Richard Sherman, Emmanuel Moseley and K’Waun Williams, the Dolphins took advantage of fill-in Brian Allen.

The winless Atlanta Falcons will be playing without star wide receiver Julio Jones for Sunday’s game with the unbeaten Chicago Bears. ___CHICAGO AT ATLANTABears: CB Duke Shelley, OG Arlington Hambright, NT Daniel McCullers, WR RIley Ridley, OLB Trevis GipsonFalcons: WR Julio Jones, CB A.J. Eagles: WR Jalen Reagor, LG Isaac Seumalo, WR Alshon Jeffery, RB Jason Huntley, QB Nate Sudfeld, S Rudy Ford, G Jamon Brown, DE Casey Toohill. 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.

Chris Godwin #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers makes a 28-yard reception in the third quarter of a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Raymond James Stadium. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)TAMPA, Fla. - The San Francisco 49ers had three touchdowns negated by penalties, turned the ball over twice and didn't a get particularly sharp performance from Jimmy Garoppolo. That just made beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-7 on a hot, humid day in Florida that much sweeter. The 49ers gave the sixth-year pro a $137.5 million, five-year contract after Garoppolo won his first five starts for San Francisco in 2017. Alexander was playing his first game since signing with San Francisco as a free agent.