MVP Mahomes back for KC; Lions QB Stafford's streak ends
The Kansas City Chiefs get reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes back after a shorter-than-expected absence.
The Detroit Lions are without their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, for the first time in nearly a decade.
Mahomes was to start Sunday for the Chiefs at the Tennessee Titans, just over two weeks after he dislocated his kneecap.
There initially was concern that the quarterback could be sidelined for months. But it turned out there was no structural damage to the knee, and Mahomes never missed a practice.
He missed two games, with Matt Moore starting in his place.
Kansas City made running back LeSean McCoy a healthy scratch after he started six games this season, including the past four. The Chiefs also were without starting right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif for a second straight game.
The Titans had to defend against Mahomes without a pair of defensive starters: four-time Pro Bowl tackle Jurrell Casey had a shoulder injury, and linebacker Jayon Brown was out with a bad groin.
Tennessee also deactivated starting wide receiver Corey Davis with a hip injury.
The 31-year-old Stafford is dealing with back and hip issues and had been listed as questionable for Detroit's game at the Chicago Bears. He hadn't missed a regular-season game since the 2010 season, a streak of 136 starts.
Jeff Driskel was going to fill in for Detroit at QB and make his sixth career start.
In the Giants-Jets game, Jets second-year tight end Chris Herndon was expected to make his season debut after being suspended the first four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and missing the past four with a hamstring injury.
He was active last week but didn't play. Herndon's presence should provide a boost to an offense that ranks last in the NFL while averaging 157.3 yards per game.
Last season, Herndon caught 39 passes for 502 yards and four touchdowns, quickly establishing a rapport with Sam Darnold last season.
Left tackle Kelvin Beachum will also be back after missing the past three games with an ankle injury.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will be without receiver Sterling Shepard, who remains in the concussion protocol and misses a fifth game in a row, while tight end Evan Engram is out with a foot injury.
Right tackle Mike Remmers is out with a back injury, so Nick Gates will make his first NFL start.
Browns running back Kareem Hunt makes his Cleveland debut, facing Buffalo on Sunday after completing an eight-game NFL suspension for two off-field altercations.
The Browns were without starting defensive end Olivier Vernon, who injured his knee last week at Denver. Wide receiver Antonio Callaway was unexpectedly inactive after playing four straight games following his NFL suspension for violating the league's drug policy. Callaway has eight catches for 89 yards.
The Falcons faced the Saints without cornerback Desmond Trufant because of a toe injury. He'd been listed as questionable on Friday.
The Saints, meanwhile, are about as healthy as they've been all season.
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ARIZONA AT TAMPA BAY
Cardinals: WR Damiere Byrd, CB Tramaine Brock Sr., RB Chase Edmonds, S Deionte Thompson, OL Lamont Gaillard, OL Justin Murray, DL Zach Allen.
Buccaneers: S Darian Stewart, CB Carlton Davis III, C Nate Trewyn, T Jerald Hawkins, TE Jordan Leggett, OLB Carl Nassib, OLB Anthony Nelson.
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ATLANTA AT NEW ORLEANS
Falcons: S Jamal Carter, DL John Cominsky, OL Matt Gono, WR Brandon Powell, OL Wes Schweitzer, DL Deadrin Senat, CB Desmond Trufant.
Saints: CB Patrick Robinson, S Saquan Hampton, C Nick Easton, T Ethan Greenidge, WR Austin Carr, TE Dan Arnold, DE Carl Granderson.
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BALTIMORE AT CINCINNATI
Ravens: QB Trace McSorley, WR Chris Moore, WR Jaleel Scott, CB Cyrus Jones, G Ben Powers, DT Daylon Mack, DE Ufomba Kamalu.
Bengals: QB Jake Colegala, WR A.J. Green, CB Torry McTyer, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, G Alex Redmond, OT Fred Johnson, OT Cordy Glenn.
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BUFFALO AT CLEVELAND
Bills: RB T.J. Yeldon, S Dean Marlowe, G Ike Boettger, OL Ryan Bates, WR Duke Williams, TE Tommy Sweeney, DL Vincent Taylor.
Browns: WR Taywan Taylor, WR Antonio Callaway, S Eric Murray, CB Robert Jackson, DE Olivier Vernon, T Kendall Lamm, TE Ricky Seals-Jones.
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DETROIT AT CHICAGO
Lions: 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.
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GIANTS AT JETS
Giants: TE Evan Engram, C Jon Halapio, LB Chris Peace, RT Mike Remmers, WR Sterling Shepard, OL Chad Slade, QB Alex Tanney
Jets: S Blake Countess, LB Neville Hewitt, C Ryan Kalil, OL Conor McDermott, LB C.J. Mosley, CB Darryl Roberts, DL Jordan Willis
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KANSAS CITY AT TENNESSEE
Chiefs: OL Eric Fisher, OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, DL Alex Okafor, RB LeSean McCoy, DL Mike Pennell, CB Kendall Fuller, QB Chad Henne.
Titans: TE Delanie Walker, DL Jurrell Casey, WR Corey Davis, LB Jayon Brown, CB Tye Smith, OL Kevin Pamphile, OL Hroniss Grasu.
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