NFL-National Football League roundup

Dec 27 (The Sports Xchange) - The Buffalo Bills announced Tuesday that coach Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan have been fired. Offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, who replaced Greg Roman in Week 3, will take over as the interim coach of the Bills (7-8). The Bills have dropped six of their last nine games and have been eliminated from playoff contention for the 17th straight season. - - - Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the New York Jets' starting quarterback for the final game against the Bills, Jets coach Todd Bowles announced. Bryce Petty, who was scheduled to start the final four games, suffered a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder on Saturday and is unavailable. It left Fitzpatrick and rookie Christian Hackenberg as Bowles' only options to start the finale. Hackenberg will be on the active roster for the first time and will serve as the No. 2 quarterback. The Bills apparently will have a new starting quarterback as well, as EJ Manuel is expected to replace Tyrod Taylor as Buffalo's starter for Sunday's game, multiple media outlets reported. - - - Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio told reporters that he wasn't second-guessing himself for allowing quarterback Derek Carr to remain in Saturday's game against the Indianapolis Colts despite holding a three-score advantage. The Raiders already had clinched a playoff berth and were holding a 33-14 lead over the Colts before Carr sustained a fractured fibula on a sack by veteran linebacker Trent Cole. "We felt we had to keep the pedal down on that opponent and that quarterback (Andrew Luck) in that game," Del Rio said, via the San Jose Mercury News. "You're talking about a team facing elimination. We knew they were going to give everything they had to close the game any way they could. And we were prepared for that." - - - Carolina Panthers star Luke Kuechly will sit out the season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coach Ron Rivera said on SiriusXM radio. The middle linebacker suffered a concussion in a game against New Orleans on Nov. 17 and will be sitting out his sixth straight game. Kuechly recently cleared the NFL concussion protocol but the Panthers don't want to put him at risk since they are mathematically eliminated from the postseason. - - - Jacksonville Jaguars running back T.J. Yeldon (ankle) was placed on injured reserve for the second time of his brief NFL career. Daryl Richardson was claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers to fill Yeldon's roster spot. - - - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers placed tight end Cameron Brate (back) on the injured reserve list, the team announced. The Buccaneers also signed running back Russell Hansbrough from the New York Giants' practice squad to the active roster and placed cornerback Jude Adjei-Barimah on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. - - - Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin responded to criticism of his coaching skills from Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw with a sharp dig dating back to Bradshaw's playing tenure. Bradshaw called Tomlin more cheerleader than coach in comments to Fox Sports 1 last week. "Terms like cheerleader guy, to me, maybe fall outside of bounds of critique or criticism," Tomlin said during Tuesday's news conference. "They probably fall more toward the area of disrespect and unprofessional. But what do I know? I grew up a Dallas fan. Particularly a (Thomas) 'Hollywood' Henderson fan." Henderson ridiculed Bradshaw back in 1979 when the Cowboys and Steelers were at the top of the NFL. He said this of Bradshaw: "He couldn't spell cat if you spotted him the C and the A." - - - The Tennessee Titans placed starting quarterback Marcus Mariota on injured reserve one day before he undergoes surgery to repair the fractured right fibula he suffered during Saturday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tennessee also promoted quarterback Alex Tanney from the practice squad. Tanney will back up Matt Cassel for Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. - - - The San Diego Chargers placed running back Kenneth Farrow (shoulder) on injured reserve, marking the team's 19th player to be added to the list. - - - The Arizona Cardinals placed guard Taylor Boggs (shoulder) and safety Tony Jefferson (knee) on injured reserve, the team announced Tuesday. - - - The San Francisco 49ers placed running back Carlos Hyde on the injured reserve list and claimed defensive lineman Zach Moore off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys. Hyde suffered a sprained MCL in Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Rams, but he will not require knee surgery. - - - The Cleveland Browns waived offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper, the team announced. Offensive lineman Alvin Bailey, who was suspended the past two games for violating the league's substance abuse policy, will return to the active roster when his roster exemption expires Wednesday. - - - The Jacksonville Jaguars signed running back Joe Banyard to the 53-man active roster and placed linebacker Sean Porter on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, the team announced. The Jaguars also signed first-year tight end Gannon Sinclair to the practice squad. (Editing by Andrew Both)