(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The San Francisco 49ers will be without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and All-Pro tight end George Kittle for an extended period of time after they got hurt against Seattle. A person familiar with the injuries said Monday on condition of anonymity that Garoppolo’s ankle injury and Kittle’s foot injury will sideline them indefinitely. San Francisco already has been forced to play without defensive ends Nick Bosa, Dee Ford and Solomon Thomas; top cornerback Richard Sherman, No. He hurt his shoulder in New England in 2016 and had a season-ending injury for San Francisco in 2018. San Francisco also traded linebacker Kwon Alexander to New Orleans on Monday in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso and a conditional fifth-round draft choice.

NEW ORLEANS Saints coach Sean Payton prefers not to use the term training camp to describe how hes trying to prepare his club for this pandemic-altered NFL season. So, were going to approach it differently, Payton said Wednesday, noting that one big change would be more scrimmaging and other live scenarios during practices. You have to, at some point, play football if youre getting ready to play a football game.The Saints have a history of finding undrafted rookie free agents who become regular contributors. The Saints went 13-3 that season and set an NFL record for offensive yards in a season with 7,474. Players wont be in pads until Aug. 17, Payton said, but added, well be in full pads every day that were allowed.

The Patriots, who can extend their NFL record to 11 consecutive playoff berths with a win, will also be missing a key offensive cog. ___KANSAS CITY-NEW ENGLANDChiefs: RB Damien Williams, CB Rashad Fenton, CB Morris Claiborne, OL Jackson Barton, OL Nick Allegretti, TE Deon Yelder, QB Chad Henne. Patriots: C Ted Karras, DL Byron Cowart, CB Joejuan Williams, QB Cody Kessler, OL Korey Cunningham, TE Ryan Izzo, RB Damien Harris. Bills: RB T.J. Yeldon, S Dean Marlowe, OG Ike Boettger, RT Ty Nsekhe, WR Duke Williams, TE Tommy Sweeney, DT Vincent Taylor. Packers: WR Ryan Grant, CB Kevin King, RB Dexter Williams, CB Tony Brown, CB Ka'dar Hollman, G/T Adam Pankey, T Yosh Nijman.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore)ATLANTA, GA – Taysom Hill’s rare moment in the spotlight came in an important game for the New Orleans Saints. Hill blocked a punt to set up his 3-yard touchdown catch before scoring again on a 30-yard run, and the New Orleans Saints clinched their third straight NFC South title by beating the Atlanta Falcons 26-18 on Thursday night. Falcons: Left guard James Carpenter left the game with a concussion in the first half. He threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Russell Gage with less than four minutes remaining. The Falcons play their fifth straight game against an NFC South rival when they face Carolina on Dec. 8.