NFL Notes
Forget what all those talking heads and self-proclaimed experts are telling you about pro football.

Instead, pick up “Super Bowl Blueprints,” the new book by Hall of Famer Bill Polian and renowned sports journalist Vic Carucci.
Titans rookie cornerback Elijah Molden frequently talks to his father, Alex, a first-round pick by New Orleans in the 1996 draft, about football for advice.
Joe Flacco is still Joe Cool — or Cool Joe — to his New York Jets teammates.

The 36-year-old veteran quarterback will make his first start this season when the Jets host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Bradley Chubb played in just one game this season before undergoing ankle surgery that is expected to keep him sidelined until later this month.
Fox Sports could have had one of the more intriguing games of the week with Green Bay visiting Kansas City — until Aaron Rodgers went into the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol, ending a potential shootout with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
In what is beginning to look like a historic season for NFL rookies, take a gander at Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle and Kyle Pitts — all high first-rounders in last April’s draft.
Three-time Pro Bowl safety Malcolm Jenkins spent his bye week building his portfolio.

Jenkins, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Saints and Eagles, became a minority investor in the Premier League’s Burnley Football Club this week after touring historic Turf Moor stadium in England and watching the Clarets play Manchester City last Saturday.
The New Orleans Saints will soon add the name of the late Sam Mills to their ring of honor in the Superdome.
Buffalo Bills linebacker A.J. Klein wears a unique, protective necklace that’s become as much part of his uniform as his helmet and shoulder pads.
The NFL is launching its “Crucial Catch” initiative this month, and it is concentrating on people getting screened to catch cancer early when it may be easier to treat.
The late Bum Phillips, a Texas coaching legend who worked wearing a cowboy hat, is being honored by the team he led to two AFC championship game appearances.
When Darius Rucker sings the national anthem, which he will do Sunday when his favorite NFL team, the Miami Dolphins, host Buffalo, he always is struck by the significance of the song.
On and off the field, NFL quarterbacks — no surprise here — are making the most money. Even in a year when the salary cap has decreased, the big name passers are getting richer.
The New York Giants are going to retire the No. 92 jersey of Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan this season.
When Aaron Schatz sits down to watch NFL games on Sunday, he hopes he got all his grocery shopping done on Saturday.
Peyton and Eli Manning have become deejays.

The former quarterbacks, two-time Super Bowl-winning brothers and close mates with Kenny Chesney, kicked off the “Poets & Pirates DJ Sessions” this week on the singer’s SiriusXM channel, No Shoes Radio.
While he’s leading the NFL in touchdown passes and directing the highest-scoring offense in the league, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is staying busy with philanthropic efforts away from the field.
The NFL says it is committed to diversity and inclusion.

The league received its lowest overall score in racial and gender hiring practices in 15 years, according to a report released earlier this week.
Defensive backs AJ Bouye and Johnathan Joseph will to use the Jaguars-Texans game in London on Nov. 3 to raise awareness of the fight against cancer.
Tony Dungy was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in part because of his contributions to football as a whole.
Mike Shanahan always has been known as a quarterbacks guru. Now, he’s working on developing QBs on the youth level.