Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is in the books, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Especially if you’re a fan of good offense.

Each week, I dive into the All-22 coaches’ film before offering five insights to watch. Don’t be surprised if the points are here to stay. 

1.

That’s the million-dollar question floating around league circles this week with the Vikings set to take on the league’s most explosive offense Sunday in Chicago. Ultra-aggressive defensive coordinator Brian Flores has befuddled quarterbacks throughout the league with his complex six-man pressure schemes and hot coverage concepts. He has also featured various zones with exotic alignments to test the patience and discipline of QBs distracted by the constant harassment from Minnesota’s chaotic pressure paths. 

Interestingly, Bears coach Ben Johnson holds a 5-1 record over Flores in their head-to-head matchups as playcallers. Johnson will challenge the Vikings with a multiple offense featuring bunch formations, pre-snap shifts and misdirection to slow down an aggressive defense that wants to attack on every down. He will also utilize the running game to control the tempo and force Minnesota to play on Chicago’s terms. With a pair of explosive runners (D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai) in the backfield with big-play potential, the Vikings can’t completely focus on QB Caleb Williams and the passing game or else run the risk of seeing the Bears run for 200-plus yards on an assortment of inside and perimeter runs that attack the weakness of the defensive scheme. 

Flores will welcome the challenge as an astute chess master and use static zones that let his defenders play fast as “see ball, get ball” defenders who will pursue the ball at a breakneck pace. The veteran defensive assistant will put the game on Williams’ shoulders to play efficiently without a critical mistake. Despite his success as an improvisational playmaker with a big-play mentality, Williams does force throws into coverage under duress. 

Moreover, he loses his discipline against soft coverage when he is forced to settle for checkdown after checkdown when he wants to push the ball down the field. In a marquee game that is destined to be decided in the final five minutes, Johnson versus Flores will come down to the tricks and treats that neither playcaller pulled out of his bag in Week 1. 

And based on their head-to-head track record, I give Johnson the upper hand in Sunday’s showdown.

2.

It did not take long for the Ravens’ new offensive coordinator to figure out how to unlock the explosive potential of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. The two-time MVP and two-time NFL rushing champ looked like an unstoppable force torching an overmatched Indianapolis Colts’ defense in Week 1. 

Jackson threw for 324 yards and a touchdown, while running for 40 yards and another score as part of the Ravens’ 500-plus-yard effort in a 41-23 road win. Henry added 144 yards and three scores while pummeling the Colts on downhill runs that tested the defense’s toughness, physicality and discipline. With Zay Flowers totaling 150 receiving yards in two quarters of work, the Ravens’ offense has the football world buzzing about its potential under first-time playcaller Declan Doyle. 

Studying the All-22 game tape, there is so much to love about Doyle’s approach, with an electric quarterback and running back taking turns punishing the Colts’ defense. Jackson, in particular, was on fire from the pocket, completing 17 of 25 passes with a 12.96 yards-per-attempt average. The three-time All-Pro settled in quickly, directing an exotic offense that blended traditional drop-back passes, bootlegs and option routes, along with the read-pass options (RPOs) that have made him the league’s most dangerous playmaker for almost a decade.  

Henry benefited from Doyle’s creative scheming on the ground, with various motions from the tight end/H-back creating creases at the point of attack. The deceptive use of the tight end/H-back as a lead blocker on the move will keep defensive coordinators up at night, trying to solve for the extra hat in the running game. Considering Henry still flashes the strength and power to run through defenders in tight quarters, the Ravens’ diverse running game will be a problem for defensive coordinators going forward. Next in their path is the Saints, who allowed the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs (156 yards) to run wild in Week 1. 

3.

After watching a banged-up 49ers defense attack clubs with a straightforward approach under Robert Saleh last year, 2026 opponents should prepare to face a more dynamic defensive scheme with Raheem Morris now in charge. It’s apparent after just one game that the former head coach has enhanced the Niners’ vaunted scheme by adding more pre-snap disguise, five-man fronts and simulated pressures to the playbook. He has also simplified the 49ers’ coverage structure to let the defensive backs play faster in the back end. 

Such changes were evident against the Rams, as the 49ers suffocated one of the league’s best offenses for four quarters. From stuffing the run with five-man structures that knocked the Rams’ blockers off their path to creative pre-snap movement and shifts that morphed five-man fronts into four-down structures, with defensive linemen dropping into coverage, the chaos at the line of scrimmage forced Matthew Stafford and Co. to pause. 

The Niners linebackers and defensive backs benefited from a streamlined approach that prioritized simplicity over complexity. Although the 49ers have utilized more pre-snap disguise to play games with Stafford, it has been by buzzing into a coverage that is easy to understand and execute. With the 49ers emphasizing speed and relying on instincts as a “see ball, get ball” defense, the Rams struggled to handle the speed and physicality of a defense built to hunt from every angle. 

Looking at the stat sheet, the tweaks worked out well, with Stafford held to fewer than 200 pass yards and Puka Nacua and Davante Adams combining for eight catches and 100 receiving yards. The Rams had just one play go for more than 16 yards all day. Moreover, San Francisco produced a pair of takeaways and a pivotal goal-line stand that flipped the game in its favor. 

With Fred Warner and crew embracing these changes with enthusiasm, the NFC should worry about a new and improved defense possibly sparking a title run in the Bay Area. 

4.

The NFL is a copycat league, with coaches often stealing concepts from other coaches when they think it will help their teams win. While some of the thievery involves new, innovative concepts swiped from the league’s creative wizards, veteran coach Andy Reid has a knack for taking and implementing plays from old-school playbooks to help the Chiefs put points on the board. 

Against the Denver Broncos this past Monday night, the three-time Super Bowl winner was up to his old tricks again, using a play popularized by Glen “Pop” Warner in the early 1900s to get Kenneth Walker III a walk-in touchdown in the fourth quarter. 

Aligning in an unbalanced Single Wing formation with Walker at wingback on the left, the Chiefs perfectly executed a counter-shovel pass, with Mahomes sprinting left before underhand tossing the ball to his star RB headed back to the right behind a convoy of blockers. The overload alignment and misdirection caught the Broncos’ defense by surprise, as Walker scooted through a crease into the end zone. 

The bold throwback play in a marquee game set social media on fire, with historians and old-school football fans immediately recognizing it. The fanfare also prompted me to dig deeper and discover that the Single Wing has been part of the Chiefs’ short-yardage package for years. Back in 2023, Rashee Rice scored against the New England Patriots on the exact same play, with Jerick McKinnon flipping the touchdown to the wingback Rice on an inside reverse/counter. 

Digging deeper, I discovered the Chiefs broke out a toy from an old Notre Dame box in Super Bowl LIV against the 49ers to nearly score a touchdown with Damien Williams. Aligned in a full-house backfield, the Chiefs shifted to an unbalanced Single Wing formation to the right. The deceptive pre-snap shift diverted the defense’s attention from Williams, who fielded the direct snap and plunged between the tackles on a fullback dive from the overload formation. Although the Chiefs did not score on the play, the creative use of a throwback-era play is another example of Reid’s willingness to steal from the throwback era to put points on the board. 

With Single Wing enthusiasts anxiously awaiting Reid’s latest spin on the legendary formation, the Chiefs’ short-yardage/goal line package has suddenly become must-see television. 

5.

The NFL operates in cycles, with teams reverting to old-school tactics every few seasons. This year, we are seeing a return to old-school football, with teams embracing more under-center work and heavy personnel groupings to jumpstart their offenses. 

Part of the rationale is to set up the quarterback for success by using the running game and play-action to slow down aggressive fronts attacking gaps with various pressures, stunts and games. Additionally, the return to under center work is part of a bigger plan to force opponents out of the two-high shells defensive coordinators are featuring, limiting explosive plays from quarterbacks trying to connect with speedy receivers on vertical routes. 

As teams park their safeties in the stadium parking lot with split-field structures and more defensive backs in exotic sub-packages, offensive coordinators are countering the soft coverage with a run-based game plan out of tight end-heavy formations. Last season, the Rams terrorized opponents out of “13” personnel because three tight ends on the field created a physical advantage. Two or three tight ends aligned together create extra running gaps and expose smallish sub-package defenders who get overwhelmed as run-gap defenders. 

With offensive playcallers mixing in traditional drop-back or play-action passes from under center on five- and seven-step drops, the second-level defenders are easily lured to the line of scrimmage, leaving voids at intermediate range for digs and crossers on play-action concepts. Given the “chunk” plays derived from run-action plays, it’s no surprise more teams are looking to juice up their offenses with old-school formations and run-pass concepts. 

The numbers show the league-wide percentage of under-center plays from Week 1 (23.3%), suggesting teams will be more committed to a throwback approach than last season (17.6% for all of 2025). Given the offensive fireworks from season openers across the league — the 791 points scored tied the all-time record for Week 1 — we should expect more teams to use various under-center concepts to get their offenses going. As running backs find more traction plunging between the tackles on downhill concepts (there were six 100-yard rushers in Week 1), the threat of the run and the successful execution of those concepts will make the game easier for quarterbacks and playcallers this season. 

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Trevor Lawrence used a sizzling second half to insert himself into the MVP conversation in 2025, emerging as a finalist for the first time in his NFL career last season. 

Well, Lawrence kept the high-level play going at the start of this season, completing 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a league-leading 150.6 passer rating in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 34-10 rout of the Cleveland Browns.

Lawrence was sacked just once, completing passes to nine different pass catchers. He was particularly effective pushing the ball down the field. Lawrence completed 10 of 11 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns on passes of 10-plus air yards against Cleveland, per Next Gen Stats.

Lawrence’s three touchdowns of at least 10 air yards were the most in a game during his NFL career. Week 2 should provide a tougher test for Lawrence. He and the Jaguars travel to Denver to face one of the best defenses in the Broncos in Week 2. However, Lawrence and the Jaguars carved up the Broncos last season, getting a 34-20 easy win. 

Trevor Lawrence had the best passer rating in the league in Week 1. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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This is just a continuation of a hot stretch for Jacksonville’s quarterback and his team. Lawrence has led the Jaguars to victories in nine of their last 10 games. Over that span, Lawrence has completed 63.6% of his passes for 2,461 yards, with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions for a 109.0 passer rating. Lawrence’s efficient play is validation for head coach and offensive playcaller Liam Coen that the Clemson product has the talent and consistency to lead the overlooked Jaguars on a deep playoff run.’

The oddsmakers are starting to believe as well, as Lawrence is tied with Brock Purdy with the fifth-best odds for the award at 14-to-1. Josh Allen is tops on the board. Let’s take a closer look at my picks for the top three of all the major awards heading into Week 2.

Offensive Player Of The Year

The skinny: Kenneth Walker III certainly has an argument for being on this list, but I went with the reigning Offensive Player of the Year in JSN at No. 3 because of what he did in the second half with Sam Darnold out to help lead Seattle to victory. 

The 32-year-old Henry might have had the most impressive performance, with three touchdown runs as the Ravens looked dangerous on offense again. Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is apparently ready to feed Gibbs, who carried it a career-high 29 times in the win over the New Orleans Saints. 

Defensive Player Of The Year

The skinny: Hutchinson is tied for the league lead in sacks (2) and quarterback pressures (10) after Week 1. Watt also had two sacks and completed one of the biggest defensive plays last week, intercepting Atlanta Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush on a screen pass and picking himself up to rumble 35 yards for a score. 

Los Angeles safety Quentin Lake finished with an interception and a league-leading three pass breakups in a loss for the Rams. 

Coach Of The Year

The skinny: Johnson means what he says about breaking the NFL scoring record, as Chicago tallied a league-high 59 points in its Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers. And in New York, it only took a week for Harbaugh to change the identity of the Giants, as they earned a grind-it-out win over the visiting Dallas Cowboys. 

Everyone thought the Cardinals were playing for 2027 draft status and Arch Manning, but no one told LaFleur, who looks like he’ll have Arizona ready to fight each week. 

Offensive Rookie Of The Year

The skinny: Price vs. Love should be an interesting battle to watch this year. In Week 1, Price was the starter for the Seahawks, posting 52 rushing yards on 10 rushes. I was surprised the Seahawks didn’t give Price the ball more, as he averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Love served as the backup to Tyler Allgeier, finishing with 50 scrimmage yards on 13 touches, including a 5-yard run for a score. The two Notre Dame products will face off when Seattle travels to Arizona for Week 2. 

Williams had a nice debut for the Commanders, totaling four catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. 

Defensive Rookie Of The Year

The skinny: A second-round selection by the Titans, Hill leads the league in tackles after Week 1 with 16. Downs showed versatility and playmaking ability in his first career start, finishing with a sack, a forced fumble and seven combined tackles. 

But Trotter showed off the most playmaking ability. The son of former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, the younger Trotter became the first player in NFL history to record both a sack and an interception returned for a touchdown in his first career game. He finished with 10 combined tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and an interception returned for a 38-yard score. 

MVP

The skinny: Lawrence’s impressive play to start the year at least makes things interesting, as it’s not just a two-man race between Jackson and Allen.

Speaking of Jackson, he looked just fine taking snaps under center in new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s offense. Jackson finished 6 of 8 for 114 yards and a 116.7 passer rating from under center, per Next Gen Stats. 

Allen averaged 12.6 air yards per attempt in a Week 1 win over Houston, the most for him in a game since Week 18 of the 2022 season. Patrick Mahomes looked healthy in Kansas City’s runaway win over Denver, which is bad news for the rest of the league. 

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Tom Brady’s power rankings are back for a third season, and before he reveals his first top-10 of the new season, there are a few rules the GOAT has. 

One, in order to make this week’s top 10, you’ve had to have won in Week 1. Two, the power rankings are all about what you’ve done lately, not what you can be. And three, if you have any complaints, direct them to the new FOX Sports digital show “Gronk & Jules.”

So, now that’s out of the way, let’s dive into Brady’s first top 10 of the 2026 NFL season. 

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Brady’s thoughts: They had a great win against a very good Bucs team. I thought that Bucs team was going to go into Cincy and upset some people. Sorry to Ja’Marr Chase and all those fantasy owners. Trust me, you’ve got nothing to worry about.

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Brady’s thoughts: If you turned this one off early, you’re probably wondering why the Lions aren’t higher. But you really don’t want to see how this one went down. 

I think it’s very brave of these teams to go for 2 [to win the game like the Saints did]. It’s basically a 45/50% chance of making it. That’s what the stats say. Sometimes, I think you should make the other team beat you. But when you’re the road team against a good team, sometimes I don’t mind going for broke.

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Brady’s thoughts: How about the Jags? At No. 8, they ran it up against Cleveland. That’s what a lot of people forgot about Jacksonville last season. They won 13 games last year. Keep an eye out for this team. Liam Coen, really impressed, man. Keep it up.

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Brady’s thoughts: Kenneth Walker, he’s your [Super Bowl LX] MVP and the Chiefs are sitting at No. 7. Patrick Mahomes, are you kidding me? He might be able to contribute something to this offense as well. He wasn’t avoiding any contact [on Monday night]; I’m sure of that.

I think, in a lot of ways, he’s back to [being] Patrick Mahomes. What do I mean by that? His leadership, discipline, tenacity — all of those things were on display. He’s going to pick up some steam. He’s missed some football, missed a lot of the offseason. But never sleep on No. 15 for the Chiefs.

Why are we counting them out? Never count them out.

I always felt like when you’ve got a great coach and you’ve got a great QB, and that organization has championship standards … watch out, man.

Tom Brady is bullish on the Kenneth Walker-Patrick Mahomes pairing. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

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Brady’s thoughts: KB and I, we were on the call in Philly, and the Eagles are knocking on the door of the top five. They knocked a little rust off, but they took care of business, starting 1-0 in the division.

They know how to start fast. I like this team. They’re always going to play great defense. Once they figure out how to run the ball a little bit better, and they’ve still got Saquon [Barkley] back there and Tank Bigsby — they’re making those explosive plays. That’s the formula that set them up a few years ago, too.

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Brady’s thoughts: In our top five, you can shuffle a lot of teams here, but remember, when in doubt, my rankings are always the correct ones. 

The Bills are starting at five. That was a huge win in Houston. Houston had one of the best defenses in the league last year, and there’s going to be arguments to put Buffalo at the top of the list. But they were a dropped pick away from being off the [list] entirely. We know Josh [Allen], we know James Cook — they’re going to move the ball all year long. But those Bills fans are waiting for January at this point. Who can blame them?

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Brady’s thoughts: Another team with a new head coach, Jesse Minter. Lamar [Jackson] dominated in Indy. They brought in Minter for this defense, but I’ll be watching [offensive coordinator] Declan Doyle and what he does with the weapons on this offense. It looked pretty good the other night.

They’ll need the depth chart to step up at receiver for a few weeks. But Baltimore fans, guess what? You should be excited.

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Brady’s thoughts: We now have the definitive guide on how to travel to Australia now, right? I think people talked more about that than the game this past week. Hats off to the Niners and Kyle Shanahan for tuning out a lot of the B.S., a lot of the noise and doing what they do: dominate a great Rams team Down Under. 

Brock [Purdy], quick word of advice: Keep throwing it to Mike Evans. He’s really good at catching the football, especially when you get close to the end zone.

Mike Evans logged a touchdown grab in his 49ers debut. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

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Brady’s thoughts: The Caleb Williams MVP watch is under way. They put 59 on Carolina in Week 1. Ben Johnson wants the highest-scoring offense ever. But how about a little defense from this team when they get back to Chicago? Or, you know what, screw it — keep scoring 59 points. I’m an offensive guy, either way works.

They make it look easy — 300 yards rushing, Caleb does his thing and when guys aren’t open, he scrambles. When they get that offense rolling, it’s hard to stop. I saw it a lot last year. I know we’re going to see it a lot this year.

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Brady’s thoughts: I don’t care, to be the champ, you’ve gotta beat the champ. When you win the Super Bowl and the Super Bowl rematch in the first game back, I don’t care who is playing QB, you’ve got to get the top spot. The defense, they haven’t skipped a beat. And I’ve got another secret QB hack for Drew Lock: As long as Sam [Darnold’s] out, throw it anywhere on JSN’s (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) side of the field; he’s going to come down with it.

Tom Brady’s Week 1 NFL Power Rankings

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Lionel Messi scored the 100th goal of his Inter Miami career and Casemiro added another as Miami defeated Cruz Azul 2-0 on Wednesday night to win the Campeones Cup.

Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute, heading in a cross from Luis Suárez for his 100th goal in 115 appearances across all competitions with Miami.

The milestone came against the same club Messi scored his first Inter Miami goal against. He scored on a stoppage-time free kick to beat Cruz Azul 2-1 in his Miami debut in July 2023.

Casemiro made it 2-0 in the 81st minute, heading in a corner from Messi.

The Brazilian midfielder has scored four goals, all headers, in his last five matches after scoring in three consecutive games against CF Montreal, Atlanta United and Chicago before being held scoreless Saturday against Nashville.

The victory gave Inter Miami another trophy three years after Messi’s arrival. Miami won the Leagues Cup in 2023, the Supporters’ Shield in 2024 and MLS Cup in 2025.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The biggest game on the college football Week 3 oddsboard might’ve gotten a little misdirection thrown its way Wednesday night.

LSU listed quarterback Sam Leavitt as doubtful to play Saturday night at Ole Miss. However, while the point spread initially dipped from Tigers -3 to -1.5, most sportsbooks quickly rebounded to LSU -2.5.

So perhaps color oddsmakers skeptical of Leavitt’s status.

“I see [the line] being on the other side of pick ‘em if Leavitt is out,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said, indicating Ole Miss would be the favorite. “I’m not sure what to think. But this is a big game for both sides, so certainly if he’s available, I think he will play.”

Bookmakers and sharp bettors serve up their insights on that matchup and more in college football Week 3 betting.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

SEC Showdown

No. 7 LSU has blowout home wins over Clemson and Louisiana Tech so far, while sitting at 2-0 straight up (SU) and 1-1 against the spread (ATS). Saturday night’s trip to Oxford figures to be much more challenging.

No. 8 Ole Miss is also 2-0 SU/1-1 ATS, already passing one tough test, at a neutral site vs. Louisville in Week 1. The Rebels held on for a 41-38 victory as 6-point favorites.

Caesars Sports opened LSU -2.5 and quickly advanced to -3 on Sunday. The Wednesday night news briefly shook things up, but the Tigers settled at -2.5, and they are no doubt popular under coach Lane Kiffin, who left Ole Miss last December.

“A lot of love coming in on this LSU team. Ever since LSU beat up Clemson, that’s been the case,” Feazel said. “I do not expect that to change. I expect heavy LSU action and money on the Over leading up to game time.”

On Wednesday night, the total was actually down to 57.5, after opening at 59.5. But as Feazel alluded to, the public almost certainly will hammer the Over as the 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday kickoff nears.

Sam Leavitt’s status will be crucial in the LSU-Ole Miss clash (Getty Images).

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College Football Rocks on FOX

FOX gets the first key contest in college football Week 3 odds, with a Friday night Big 12 fight between No. 22 Houston (2-0 SU/1-1 ATS) and No. 13 Texas Tech (2-0 SU/0-2 ATS).

The Red Raiders didn’t look impressive at all last week, as 25.5-point favorites at Oregon State. Texas Tech trailed 24-21 in the fourth quarter, but got away with a 35-24 victory.

Caesars opened Texas Tech as 9.5-point favorites, and sharp money landed on Houston +9.5 and +8.5. By Monday morning, LSU was down to -7.5, where the line remained Wednesday night for an 8 p.m. ET Friday kickoff.

“Texas Tech has come out flat the first couple weeks,” Feazel said. “Right now, there’s more Houston action on the spread and the moneyline. It’ll be interesting to see how it looks closer to Friday night.

“I think there’s some Texas Tech love out there. We’ll see if it gets more balanced.”

Oh Say Can You ACC

Miami, last year’s College Football Playoff runner-up, is clearly the class of the ACC so far this year. Saturday’s SMU-Louisville clash might indicate which ACC outfit is second-best.

The Cardinals (1-1 SU/2-0 ATS) are at home, but are just 1.5-point favorites vs. the Mustangs (2-0 SU and ATS). There was no line movement as of Wednesday night.

“There’s a little more money on Louisville and a little more on the Over,” Feazel said of early action. “We’ll probably continue to see a little more Louisville action. And we’re definitely gonna see good action on the Over, with the ability of these two offenses.”

Hence, a lofty total of 59.5, which already ticked up to 60.5 once, on Sunday. Don’t be surprised if it breaks the 60 barrier again ahead of this 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday kickoff.

Louisville and SMU will do battle to see who is the ACC’s second-best team (Getty Images).

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  On-Campus Sharp Side

As it turns out, college football betting expert Paul Stone is already involved with SMU vs. Louisville. Even at this early juncture, the Cardinals likely need to win to stay in the picture for the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Stone likes Louisville’s chances, taking the Cardinals -1.5 in a game he believes they’ll win by at least a field goal.

“SMU’s Kevin Jennings is the more heralded of the two quarterbacks entering this game,” Stone said. “But I really like Lincoln Kienholz and feel like he’ll be the difference Saturday.

“Kienholz is big (6-2, 215 pounds) and can impact a game with his arm and legs. I look for him to put up big numbers in a Cardinals victory.”

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Western Michigan and its conference have insisted Michigan should not have been given an extra second in its dramatic win over the Broncos two weeks ago.

The NCAA agrees, but said it can’t do anything about it.

The NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee announced Wednesday that proper replay protocols weren’t followed in Michigan’s Hail Mary win, altering the outcome of the game.

The committee also reiterated what the NCAA said last week: It doesn’t have the authority to overturn the result.

“The committee consulted with national officiating leadership regarding the instant replay protocols,” the committee said in a statement.

“Based on that information, the committee agreed that the instant replay protocols were not followed in the contest’s second-to-last play,” the statement continued. “Had the protocols been followed, the outcome of the game would have been different.”

Michigan, now ranked No. 19, won the Sept. 5 game 13-12 on a Hail Mary pass after the replay official had put 1 second back on the clock when Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood’s first try was incomplete.

The Mid-American Conference initially accepted the Big Ten’s explanation of what happened at the end of the game, but joined Western Michigan in asking for the result to be overturned.

A few hours later, the NCAA said the result would stand, noting its playing rules do not have a protocol for overturning the outcome of a game and the oversight committee does not have the authority to do so, which it confirmed again on Wednesday.

“The playing rules governing the result of a contest are clear: once the referee declares a contest to be final, no appeal of the outcome is permitted, according to (rules),” the committee said.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Tom Brady is not ready to dismiss the Kansas City Chiefs from the Super Bowl contender conversation. In fact, he’s making a big declaration about the Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. 

In his latest NFL power rankings, Brady placed the Chiefs at No. 7 and he thinks Mahomes is playing like himself again after tearing his ACL last December.

“I think, in a lot of ways, he’s back to [being] Patrick Mahomes,” Brady said. “What do I mean by that? His leadership, discipline, tenacity — all of those things were on display. He’s going to pick up some steam. He’s missed some football, missed a lot of the offseason. But never sleep on No. 15 for the Chiefs.”

Mahomes didn’t have the strongest stat line in the Chiefs’ 31-10 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday night. He completed 15 of 27 passes for 184 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. But he also ran for a 15-yard score in the first quarter, making a vintage Mahomes-like play. 

“Patrick Mahomes, are you kidding me? He might be able to contribute something to this offense as well,” Brady said. He wasn’t avoiding any contact [on Monday night]; I’m sure of that.

Statistically, Mahomes wasn’t the catalyst of the Chiefs’ offense on Monday night. Newcomer Kenneth Walker III dominated on the ground. He rushed for a career-high 173 yards on 7.5 yards per carry and a touchdown, with that 60-yard score giving Kansas City a decisive advantage in the second half. 

Walker’s performance earned a shout-out from Brady. However, the bulk of Brady’s commentary focused on Mahomes, giving him an endorsement as many have compared the two quarterbacks’ careers. Brady also returned from an ACL injury around the same time as Mahomes did in his career, so he knows what the Chiefs star is going through. 

And as the Chiefs have the three-time Super Bowl winner back at quarterback, he made it clear he isn’t buying the idea that Kansas City is fading. 

“Why are we counting them out? Never count them out,” Brady said.

Patrick Mahomes finished with three total touchdowns in week 1 against the Broncos, throwing two and adding another on the ground in a 31-10 victory. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

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Brady closed with the same logic that’s carried the Chiefs through multiple championship runs already: put the right coach with the right quarterback in an organization built on winning, and the results tend to follow.

“I always felt like when you’ve got a great coach and you’ve got a great QB, and that organization has championship standards … watch out, man.

NFL Related Stories

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As teams around the NFL begin to shift into gear for Week 2, Wednesday brought a fresh round of injury updates.

The Seattle Seahawks got some relieving news under center, while the San Francisco 49ers’ receiver room deals with another injury, and two more starting quarterbacks landed on the injury report heading into Week 2.

Sam Darnold avoided a long-term absence despite being ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, while 49ers rookie wideout De’Zhaun Stribling is now facing roughly 10 weeks on the shelf after ankle surgery. Meanwhile, Joe Burrow is dealing with back tightness but sounds intent on playing through it, and Kyler Murray took a step forward in his return from concussion protocol with a limited practice.

Here’s the latest from around the NFL on Wednesday.

Sam Darnold appears to have avoided a major, long-term setback after exiting Wednesday night’s season opener with a glute injury. Head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters the quarterback has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, but importantly, he will not be placed on injured reserve.

With IR off the table, the expectation is that Darnold could be back under center within a game or two once he’s medically cleared. 

In the meantime, backup Drew Lock will take the reins, and he’s already shown he can hold things together — Lock led a second-half comeback against the Patriots on Wednesday, completing 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown.

Given Lock’s steady showing in relief, Seattle’s offense shouldn’t miss much of a beat under Macdonald in the short term. Still, all eyes now turn to Darnold’s recovery timeline and how quickly the Seahawks can get their starter back on the field.

The San Francisco 49ers officially placed rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling on injured reserve Wednesday. Stribling underwent ankle surgery and is expected to miss at least two months as he recovers. 

Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Wednesday that Stribling opted for surgery, adding that the team expects him to miss roughly 10 weeks. 

Losing Stribling adds to the mounting injury list in the 49ers receiver room, which lost Ricky Pearsall to a season-ending knee injury in training camp. The offense will need to rely on the veteran trio of Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle moving forward.

Stribling initially injured his ankle late in the first quarter of the 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Though he briefly returned to action, his night ended on the very next drive when he went down in the second quarter and had to be carted off the field.

He may have gone statless in Week 1, but Stribling’s impressive training camp proved he belongs in this offense. If the 49ers can navigate a brutal NFC West race without him, his return late in the year could give them a major dynamic boost in time for a playoff run.

Joe Burrow will show up on this week’s injury report, but he isn’t sounding any alarms about his availability for Sunday’s game against the Texans. 

The Bengals quarterback was limited during the open portion of Wednesday’s practice and told reporters afterward that he’s dealing with back tightness, adding that he isn’t sure which play from last Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay caused it.

Burrow noted he didn’t feel any pain until after the game had ended, and while he wasn’t certain whether he’d be able to practice for the rest of the week, he cleared the air on his playing status, calling it “ridiculous” to suggest he’d sit out.

The Bengals travel to face the Houston Texans on Sunday, Sept. 20.

After an emotional Week 1 comeback win, the Minnesota Vikings head to Chicago to take on the Bears. However, who will line up under center remains a major question mark as quarterback Kyler Murray remains in concussion protocol.

On Wednesday afternoon, head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that Murray would practice in a limited capacity. The Vikings plan to rely on the league and medical staff before clearing Murray.

Murray did not return to the game after taking a scary hit from a Green Bay Packers defender while sliding. As he remains in concussion protocol, the expectation is that Carson Wentz will step in to start in Chicago if Murray isn’t cleared.

Wentz delivered a strong performance off the bench, leading a fourth-quarter comeback to seal a 39-22 victory. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Justin Jefferson for two of those scores.

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The Denver Broncos visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET from Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO.

Denver’s defense sets the tone for this one. The Broncos recorded 68 sacks in 2025, the most in the NFL, and they’ll test a Kansas City offense that has its own case for efficiency: the Chiefs posted 61 yards after catch in goal-to-go situations last season, also the league’s best mark.

The betting market leans Kansas City, with bettors split on where the value is. The Chiefs are 2.5-point favorites at consensus lines with a 43.5 total, and their moneyline sits at -146 to Denver’s +123. The total has moved from 42.5 to 43.5, and the spread has shifted from Chiefs -118 to -117. On the moneyline, 69% of 22,418 bets are on Kansas City; on the spread, 60% of 2,615 bets are on Denver.

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Broncos vs. Chiefs

• When: Monday, September 14, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
• TV: ABC, ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN Unlimited – Get the FOX One / ESPN Bundle

Players to Watch

Kansas City’s biggest question heading into this matchup is how clean the pocket will be, and that puts Mahomes at the center of everything. He is still on track to start the opener after knee surgery, with Andy Reid saying he has a pretty good chance to go. That matters even more because Josh Simmons has a good chance to sit, which could leave Mahomes dealing with extra heat off the edge.

When Mahomes is right, he changes the geometry of the field in a flash. If he handles pressure and keeps the Chiefs on schedule, Kansas City can control the tone of the game from the opening possessions.

For Denver, the passing game needs a dependable target against a defense that rarely gives away easy chances, and Sutton fits that role. He is listed as a starting wide receiver on the Broncos’ unofficial depth chart, and he enters the season looking for a third straight year with over 1,000 receiving yards. Even after Denver added Jaylen Waddle, Sutton’s role as a top red zone threat remains intact.

This matchup puts a premium on finishing drives, especially if possessions are tight. Sutton gives Denver a trusted boundary option and a size target when the field shrinks. A productive night from him would go a long way toward keeping the Broncos in scoring range and forcing Kansas City to defend every blade of grass.

With the Chiefs’ receiving corps at full strength, Rice stands out as one of the clear top two options on the depth chart. That makes him a key watch in an opener where Kansas City may need quick answers if protection gets stressed. His role is easier to trust because the depth chart picture is firm at the top, with Xavier Worthy alongside him and Cyrus Allen listed as a backup.

Rice’s importance in this game comes from function as much as talent. He can be the kind of target who helps Mahomes get the ball out on time and keep drives alive. If he wins early in routes and turns short completions into chain moving plays, the Chiefs offense can stay balanced and avoid letting Denver dictate the rush.

Special teams and hidden yardage can swing an opener, and Badie is worth tracking for that reason. He earned the fourth running back spot on Denver’s 53 man roster, beating out Jaleel McLaughlin for that place, and he figures to see the field mostly as a kickoff returner. That gives him a direct path to influence this game even if his offensive touches are limited.

Denver does not need a huge workload from Badie to feel his impact. One strong return can flip field position and change how aggressive the Broncos can be on the next series. In a matchup where clean possessions could be hard to stack, that kind of spark can matter a lot.

Broncos vs. Chiefs Odds

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Joel Klatt said he didn’t want to spend this much time on one game in the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” but after Texas and Ohio State played what he called an instant classic in Week 2, he couldn’t help himself.

The Longhorns rallied from 20 points down to beat Ohio State by one, and Klatt said that result, not a blowout over an unknown opponent, is exactly what should define the top of his rankings. So, as you’d expect, Texas climbed up to No. 1 in his most recent rankings. But what should we make of Ohio State? Which other teams are threatening Texas for the top spot?

Now that we have two weeks of college football in the books, here are Klatt’s 10 best teams in the country.

Klatt’s thoughts: I have an apology — I did not include Utah in my preseason top 25. What a miss from your boy. Well, they’re back. Death, taxes, and Utah football — Utah is No. 10 at 2-0. I know Arkansas isn’t a great program, but it’s still the SEC. Utah fell behind 3-0 in that game, then scored the next 43 points. They were up 43-3 before Arkansas got a late touchdown. 

We know they can run it, but they threw for 300 yards too, leaning on Devon Dampier. Their new coach, Morgan Scalley, has been there for years; he knows the culture, he knows how to win. I love to say there’s death and taxes and Utah football, and I love that it drives BYU fans crazy every time I say it.

Previously ranked: 10 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: USC is 3-0. It wasn’t their best performance; they beat Louisiana 49-30. I like Mark Bowman; he had a big game: six catches, 83 yards, a couple of touchdowns. Jayden Maiava now has 10 touchdowns and one interception through three games. I wish their defense would’ve played a little better in this one, but that’s still a good team. Would it surprise anybody if they beat Oregon, now that we’ve seen Oregon play terrible two weeks in a row? They’re going to welcome Oregon in a few weeks, and I don’t think anyone should be shocked if USC wins that game.

Klatt’s thoughts: Alabama didn’t look great early — in the first half, 16 carries for five yards. I’m like, here we go again, Alabama can’t run the football, they won’t run the football. Then they come out in the second half and run it for 150 yards and just bludgeon Kentucky to death. They found themselves in a battle, outscored Kentucky 32-0 in the second half, ran it for over 150 yards at six per carry. That’s something — sustaining the run game like that is not something Ryan Grubb has historically done, and it’s one of the reasons Seattle had such a problem with it.

Previously ranked: 5 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: Yeah, I get it, 52-0 against Rice, but come on — this is one of those games where I know nothing about Notre Dame. I’m a little concerned. That’s two straight games under four yards per carry. It was 5.7 last year, fourth-best in college football. I know they lost Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, but they’re at 3.6 yards per carry this season — 117th in the country. I like CJ Carr, but it’s really tough to play quality quarterback football independent of a run game. Notre Dame and Miami — we’re going to know nothing about either of them until they actually play each other.

Previously ranked: 8 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: Indiana beat Howard 55-0. Nothing we learned there. Charlie Becker, by the way — he’s got six catches on the year, five touchdowns.

Previously ranked: 3 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: I moved LSU down a little bit. They struggled through the Louisiana Tech game before pulling away in the second half again. They were urgent against Clemson; I think they were complacent last week. No team is ever as good or as bad as we think; that’s an old adage I love. You’re never as good as you think after the game, you’re never as bad as you think after the game. You are what the film says that you are. That’s why the film is so important.

Previously ranked: 4 —

Klatt’s thoughts: I really like Miami, and I know nothing about them. I want to like Miami a lot — I know nothing about them. They beat Florida A&M 70-something, 156 yards of total offense, twice as many touchdown passes as incompletions for their quarterback. Malachi Toney is the real deal. Miami and Notre Dame — we’re not going to know anything about them until they play. It’s so frustrating, because their schedules are drastically different in difficulty compared to Texas and Ohio State.

Previously ranked: 6 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: Georgia beat Western Kentucky by 50. They’re averaging 8.7 yards per carry. They might be great — I just don’t really know it yet. You might whine and cry and say Notre Dame was dominant, Miami was dominant, Georgia was dominant, and Ohio State lost. Yeah, but Ohio State played Texas. The Miami and Notre Dame schedules are night and day compared to what Texas and Ohio State are going to see the rest of the season. These are real schedules, as opposed to what some other teams are playing.

Previously ranked: 1 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: I’m actually more impressed with what Ohio State did here, even with the flaws, than with teams that “won” against nobody. They had a 20-point lead at Texas and lost it by one — but they’re my No. 2 team in the country. Compare that to fanbases sitting there asking, “Did you see us play?” Yeah, against air. I know nothing about those teams. Nothing. Ohio State’s remaining schedule is brutal: at Iowa, at Indiana, at USC, Oregon at home, Nebraska and Michigan. Not easy. They played Texas, and they’re going to keep getting tested all season. That earns real credit.

Previously ranked: 2 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: I didn’t want to talk about this game for this long, but it was too good, and I had to. Texas is my No. 1 team in the country. Ohio State led by 20 at Texas on a Saturday night — Texas came back and won by one. I’m giving them full credit for playing that game and winning it. This is why I’m not going to be like the AP: I won’t knock a team down for a loss in a matchup game like this. Texas’ remaining schedule is a gauntlet too — at Tennessee, Oklahoma, Red River. These are real schedules, not cupcakes, and that’s exactly why Texas earns the top spot.

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