The playoff-bound Los Angeles Rams waived struggling kicker Lucas Havrisik on Monday, and Coach Sean McVay said Brett Maher will return to kick for the Rams nine games after they waived him.
Havrisik missed two extra point attempts in the Rams’ 26-25 win over the New York Giants on Sunday. He missed five field goals and three extra points in nine games with Los Angeles, which signed him in late October.
The Rams’ 11 missed field goals this season are the most by an NFL team since 2015, and their 15 total missed kicks are the most in the league this season. But McVay said Monday that the Rams surveyed the list of available kickers and decided nobody was a better solution to this season-long problem than Maher, the kicker with whom the problem started.
“There’s options out there, and then there’s guys that have kind of had some familiarity with it,” McVay said.
Maher missed six field-goal attempts and an extra point in seven games to begin his first stint with Los Angeles, which waived him Oct. 24. Maher is best known for missing four extra points in a playoff victory for the Dallas Cowboys last season.
JAGUARS: Jacksonville could get quarterback Trevor Lawrence and receiver Christian Kirk back for their regular-season finale at Tennessee, a game that will help determine the AFC South.
Lawrence missed Sunday’s 26-0 drubbing of Carolina because of a sprained throwing shoulder, ending a streak of 51 consecutive starts for the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft. Kirk sat out the past four games while recovering from groin surgery.
Coach Doug Pederson said Monday that Lawrence “is progressing” and “is definitely improving.” He didn’t practice last week and was ruled out Friday. Pederson added that they will “see what his limitations might be” Wednesday.
DOLPHINS: Miami pass rusher Bradley Chubb has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will miss the rest of the season, Coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.
Chubb suffered the injury in the final minutes of a Sunday’s 56-19 loss at Baltimore. He went down after trying to make a tackle and grabbed at his right knee. He was carted off the field.
McDaniel expressed regret afterward when asked why Chubb and other Dolphins starters were in the game at that point, when the deficit was 30 points with 3:05 remaining.
STEELERS: Pittsburgh is sticking with Mason Rudolph ahead of its pivotal regular-season finale against Baltimore.
Coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that Rudolph will make a third straight start for the Steelers (9-7) even with Kenny Pickett expected to be available after recovering from right ankle surgery. Rudolph has been spectacular at times while throwing for 567 yards and two touchdowns during wins over Cincinnati and Seattle to help Pittsburgh keep its playoff chances alive.
The Steelers have multiple ways to reach the postseason, most of them predicated on beating the Ravens (13-3) on Saturday. Baltimore clinched the top seed in the AFC by dismantling Miami on Sunday and could sit several regulars – including MVP candidate Lamar Jackson – with home-field advantage wrapped up.
FALCONS: Atlanta Coach Arthur Smith said Monday that quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who left Sunday’s 37-17 loss to the Chicago Bears with a left ankle injury, will try to return this week.
Even so, Smith said Heinicke’s status for this Sunday’s game at New Orleans probably will not be known before Friday.
The Falcons (7-9) have lost three of their past four games but can still win the NFC South. If Atlanta wins at New Orleans and Tampa Bay loses to Carolina, the Falcons would win the division.
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