Sports

The Lions are set to get some help on their defensive line for their Monday night game against the Buccaneers.

Defensive tackle Alim McNeill has been back at practice for the last couple of weeks and the team expects him to take the final step back from last season's torn ACL this week. During a Wednesday appearance on 97.1 The Ticket, head coach Dan Campbell said that McNeill will play this week "barring something happening."

"He elevates the guys around him, just him being out there," Campbell said. "He’s a pivotal piece to what we do here.”

McNeill had 25 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in 14 starts last season.

The Eagles lost an edge rusher this week when Za'Darius Smith retired and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will be responsible for filling the snaps that Smith was playing for the team.

Fangio said at Tuesday press conference that he "was surprised" when he heard about Smith's decision and said he wished him the best in the future. Fangio said that you'd always like to have more depth at the position, but is confident that the Eagles "have guys in the building that could fulfill" their needs.

"We'll have to absorb those snaps up with the rest of the guys and we'll make it work," Fangio said, via a transcript from the team.

Fangio said he's not aware of any conversations about Brandon Graham coming out of retirement and that it's possible that linebacker Nakobe Dean's return to health could open the door to more time on the edge for first-round pick Jihaad Campbell, but the Eagles are unlikely to unveil all of their plans ahead of Sunday's game in Minnesota.

Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice's suspension is over and he's back with the team, and coach Andy Reid credits Rice's hard work with having him ready to go right away.

Reid said that NFL rules prohibited the Chiefs from working with him, but that Rice worked out on his own and should be ready to be one of Patrick Mahomes' top receivers on Sunday against the Raiders.

"I know he's been working like crazy, the rule states that we can't work with him," Reid said. "He has been working out hard, and I think it's just a matter of getting him back in the swing. I've got to see it to work through it, but I know he's in good shape, that's the one thing I do know. I think that'll be important, getting him back in there, getting him with Patrick, getting them on the same page. We'll see how all that works out. We haven't put the game plan in yet so we're working through all that now."

After a sluggish start to the season, the Chiefs looked great on Sunday night against the Lions, they're 12.5-point favorites to beat the Raiders on Sunday, and they're the betting favorites to win the AFC West. Rice's return is another reason for optimism in Kansas City.